Had my Pre-op TODAY!!!

Well friends....it appears the time has come! I was at Southlake all day today. They did a pile of tests. Ì met with the nurses and saw Dr. Verma for a minute. I go in for a ŤEE on January 28 and go home to return the next morning for my ablation. Then back onto dòfetilide and 3 days observation! Any sign of the beast and they ģo right back ìn.
Wow. This was complicated.... more tomorrow when I get to a keyboard.

Murray L

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Tikosyn uptake Dec 2011 500ug b.i.d. NSR since!
Herein lies opinion, not professional advice, which all are well advised to seek.

Congratulations Murray I know you've been waiting a long time for this. I don't visit the forum so much any more since my successful bordeaux ablation back in 2012 but I remember that one of your issues was trying to reduce the size of the atrial chambers, I'm guessing that was ultimately successful. sending prayer your way for a positive experience and magic hands for your surgeon.

Peace love and Joy

Adrian

Wishing you well, Murray - it's been a long wait but worth it to get the best EP. We look forward to hearing from you afterwards.

Gill

Murray,

Congratulations!

George

I am avoiding human contact during flu season...any sniffles or fever and we get bumped. Will keep everyone posted. The pre-op visit was almost 7 hours from the time we arrived. Partly due to the fractured spine issue. Long story best typed in at a keyboard. Am taking my tablet with me ...it has an integrated handle and I can lock it down. I am both excited as heck and a bit nervous. This is a total of 5 days in hospital. More later. Thanks for all the support and good wishes.

Murray L

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Tikosyn uptake Dec 2011 500ug b.i.d. NSR since!
Herein lies opinion, not professional advice, which all are well advised to seek.

Murray, I had a Natale ablation with a persistent cough lingering from Bronchitis that went off fine. All the hospital cared about was a fever. On my second ablation, I ask about what would postpone a procedure. I was told that even with a slight fever they will still proceed if the Doctor approves it which they sometimes do. It's pretty hard to stay healthy and 100% in the winter anyway.

Best of luck with you coming ablation...ronH

Best wishes Murray!

Keep us posted as I know you will. That is quite a wait between the pre-op and ablation, but you have waited a very long time already a couple more weeks won't seem long at all.

Shannon

Well done, Murray! You're in good hands with Dr. Verma. Best wishes. Marg

Hello Murray - Finally. I'll be looking forward to your upcoming reports.
My very best wishes for an excellent outcome and the beginning of your new life in NSR.

Jackie

How long does one need to rest and do nothing after the procedure? I am planning on taking my new Samsung 19" tablet with me and chaining it to the bed or to a nurse 😆. Last time I was in I chased one nurse round and round but when I finally aught up I forgot why I was chasing her.

Murray L

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Tikosyn uptake Dec 2011 500ug b.i.d. NSR since!
Herein lies opinion, not professional advice, which all are well advised to seek.

Murray

From what I have read here it varies from one person to another. I felt completely back to normal the day after the second ablation, though my fitness level was poor after 18 months of persistent AF and no exercise.

I think you should ask the doctors what they recommend, and then listen to your body - it should tell you when you've done enough, and then you need to rest.

But I would err on the side of caution and take it easy. Plenty of time later to up the action.

Gill

Murray - This is my experience with my three ablations.

For the first, I didn't have a Foley (urinary catheter); the other two, I did.

After the procedure, I was confined to bed - lying still for 6 hours while the areas of catheter insertions in the groin area formed clots and the 'wound' areas begin the healing-over process.

Not for the first, but the other two procedures, a water-cooled catheter tip was used and after the 6 hours, I was weighed to determine if I had gained enough water weight to require a diuretic to help eliminate that. I required one dosing as the weight accumulation was minor.

Then, after all the monitoring and checking and recording was done, I was free to get out of bed, use the bathroom, walk around the room a bit. Eat the food I selected. I felt absolutely fine... for each procedure. They keep you overnight and was released either before noon for the last and early afternoon for the other two.

Many people find the lying still for 6 hours is the hardest part.... fortunately, I've always been able to sleep a bit so the time wasn't awful, but I certainly was happy to be able to move around 'unthethered' !

Once discharged with instructions about meds, activity, etc. for the first procedure, I went home and felt absolutely fine... amazing.

And for the last two, I also felt absolutely fine but I had traveled to Austin, TX... so went back to the mini-suite hotel with my son and just hung out there for the rest of the day and over night. Ate meals in. The following day, I was able to walk nearby to have lunch and felt absolutely fine; and for these last two times, I flew home from Texas to Ohio after 6 days.... it wasn't taxing or a bad experience.

I hope this helps. Every facility probably has slightly different protocols but the basics are most likely very similar.

Best to you, Murray,
Jackie

Thanks for the information Jackie; I discussed back pain due to the fracture(s) and it will be looked after. One of the things they never really told me was how long before regular activity. They are doing the procedure on the Friday and will keep me over the weekend for observation (one of the reasons being the dofetilide/TIKOSYN restart). But once I get home I am wondering how long before getting back into my regular routine.

Interestingly, lo and behold, I have an EMG and follow up with neurosurgeon booked downtown the two days before. I am trying to reschedule that for the following month after the ablation with two weeks between the EMG (nerve conduction) and the consult with the neurosurgeons. Or am I being foolish? Tuesday-EMG, Wednesday - downtown again for neurology consult, Thursday - outpatient TEE at Southlake in opposite direction, Friday 6 a.m. checkin for ablation and room assignment in CCU, Saturday/Sunday - boredom(?), Monday - go home, after having figured out if I can go back to the office at least part time on Tuesday or ?. That's a lot of hiking around along with electrical nerve stimulation of my spine and leg just before the TEE and ablation.

I'm no rocket scientist (actually I am) but that just seems too much in a row. I get a good gut feeling that if I can reschedule, at least the EMG, to the following month I am better off.

Murray L

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Tikosyn uptake Dec 2011 500ug b.i.d. NSR since!
Herein lies opinion, not professional advice, which all are well advised to seek.

Hi Murray - Sorry not to have mentioned the activity recommendations. For the first procedure, I was to wait at least a week or 10 days before formal exercising...as I recall... and then only light to moderate during the following 3 months until the 3-month assessment which at that time required a spiral CAT scan of the heart. As I've mentioned often in my history, interestingly enough, I went into AF at 103 days after the ablation and that required Electrocardioversion. Then the CAT scan (already scheduled) was done the following week.

As for the EMG.... as you say, that's a lot of hassle just prior to the ablation but probably won't matter much heart-wise prior to the ablation. But, afterwards, I'd want to wait until the blanking period is over and then do it. That's just my personal reasoning.

Jackie