Dredg's Ablation

[dredg]

Well, I'm back.  The ablation was a success and the Dr's 95% sure that he got it.  

I was the first person to see the Dr. yesterday morning (he amazingly had 2 other ablations scheduled for this day) so I arrived at the hospital at 5:40AM.  They had me get into the grandma gown and put in the IV.  I was wheeled up to the cath lab where I said goodby to my wife and they had me sit on the EP table.  Everyone was very helpfull and friendly.  They shaved my groin  where they were going to insert the catheters and my chest so they could put on the defib/heart monitor pads.  One nurse said that they were going to the left side so I would be pretty doped up.  They all felt that I would be in and out within a couple of hrs from looking at my ekg.

I got my 1st dose of Versed and felt a bit lightheaded.  Next thing I know I wake up and see the Tv screen with my heart full of catheters it was like I was watching sci-fi or something.  It just didn't seem real.  I think the nurse gave me some more versed because I went back to sleep.  I woke up again to my heart racing, it then stopped abrubtly.  Then it started up again, this time in a different type of rhythm.  My chest and arms hurt, it was like my 1st experience with tachy last yr.  I was later told that he purposely put me into Afib to see if I had the dangerous type of WPW.  I later found out that I did not.  

Next thing I remember I was in my room.  I had full conversations with my mother, the Dr, and wife that I don't remember at all after being wheeled out of the EP lab.  I had a funny nurse that was giving me a bunch of **** about everything she cracked me up.  I think I was a bit stoned from the drugs because I felt goooood lol!  

Apparently they were able to find the spot within 30 minutes because my Dr had a good idea where it was going to be and bumped it with a catheter.  this started my tachy but it stopped after a minute or so.  It then took them 4.5 hrs to induce it again.  He said that my spot was pretty small and stubborn, he said that it, " went to sleep" after he bumped it.  He found one spot and ablated it when I was in Afib which stopped the tachycardia.

Today, I'm very sore at the catheter sites (legs and neck).  Other than that I feel really great.  I can see myself up and running at full speed by Monday.  I've had one or two skipped beats but other than that I really couldn't tell you if they had worked on my heart or not.

I'm so glad I did this anyone that's out there that is on the fence about an ablation I would say go for it.  I am normal again and I plan on going fishing with my son, in the middle of nowhere, and I can drink a tripple shot expresso while doing it or ghasp.....a beer!  lol!

Thanks again to everyone for the support!

Brandon

[rosetoes]

Hi Brandon
I'm so happy to hear that all went well....I don't want to say...but I will...I told you so!
Interesting...they went into the neck too.  Wow, that was intense.  Isn't Versed very helpful...to put it mildly.

Take an easy now and think about the spring/summer with your family...


Rose

[medtrans916]

congrats on your ablation going well i go fri to see when the doc wants to schedule my ep study and ablation any good pointers
medtrans916

[pg1949]

Welcome to the "over ablation club".  So good to know that there are so many great EP Dr.'s out there, helping us with wacky heartbeats.  Take it easy this week.  Take care...Pam  

[sueinns]

Doesn't it feel great to have it over with?  I think the anticipation is far worse than the procedure.  Hope you have a great result and uneventful recovery.  Will be interesting to hear if you have any weird palpitations post-procedure.  I was quite troubled by PVC's for about 8 weeks but they are finally starting to settle down a bit.

All the best.

[Momto3]

What?  A chicken sandwich!!  That's breaks protocol : )

Glad to see you're up and about.  Just be sure to take it easy for a day or so.

Has your wife/family noticed that you repeat what you've already said?  hahahaha....That's the Versed : 0

Connie

[dredg]

thanks everyone.

Forgot to add that I had a chicken sandwich, not turkey after the ablation.

I only had to lay flat for 2 hrs.  My surgeon went through veins in my groin and neck rather than arteries.  Makes a huge difference.  

artskip;  I was recommended by my local cardiologist to see Dr. Peter Weiss in Salt Lake City UT.  He's pretty good @ ablations.  He's performed 1000 of them and got his fellowship at stanford.  

Anyway thanks again everyone.

[Lorne675]

I'm very happy to hear it went well. Expect to be a bit sore for a few days and don't be discouraged by a few episodes of arrhythmia while you are healing.

[bumble72]

brilliant news!  please make sure you keep us updated on your progress.

thanks.

[artskip]

Yeah!!!!

Congrats. How did you find your Dr?
Art

[Momto3]

Hi Brandon!!!

What wonderful news!!  I told you - the luck of the Irish was with you ; )

If we could just bottle up some of the Versed, we'd be happy ALL the time!!  

Sooooo, sooooo happy to hear of your success!  Once things get back to "normal" drop us a line and let us know how you're loving your new lease on life : )

Take care and have a wonderful Easter!

Connie

[ireneo]

Congratulations on getting through the ablation. Yep, it's not as bad as it sounds on paper. My first one was very similar to yours. I was fading in and out (don't you just love that Versed :-) and I was watching the monitors for awhile. It was like the Discovery Channel only it was my heart bopping around.

Take it easy the first couple of days. You feel great but you'll probably tire more quickly. And don't forget, your heart may hiccup now and then as it heals. It takes at least a month, sometimes up to 3 months before it settles down again. Just enjoy the freedom from the tachy. You'll love it.