Ablation with or without general anesthesia?
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi,
Many of you have probably seen my last post about whether to get an ablation or not. I have decided to go ahead and schedule it. Since I am 16, it is standard procedure to put you under general anesthesia for the EP study and ablation. From my understanding, adults are not under general anesthesia unless specifically requested. I am anti-drug when all possible, and I've never had any anesthesia except local. I am really nervous about the concept of general anesthesia and would wish to avoid it if possible. I asked my doctor if we could do this, and he said yes, but he wouldn't recommend it. He said most guys start getting antsy and shaking around after 30-45 minutes and it makes their job difficult.
What do you guys think, am I reasonable to avoid general anesthesia? How would you want to do it if you had the option?
0 likes, 20 replies
chadcf ChristianTaylor
Posted
I have been through multiple surgeries and have had general anesthesia multiple times. My ablation did not have anesthesia, I only got a very very light sedative and then pain meds once they started burning. If I'd had my choice, I would have done general anesthesia in a heartbeat. But that was not a choice as my EP said anesthesia can interfere with your nervous system and make it harder to provoke an arrythmia. But in general, though most of the procedure was not horribly painful (though the actual ablating was quite painful, though I'm told not everyone has pain like I did) it was very uncomfortable and scary. If I could have been knocked out and just woken up later with no memory of what had happened, well that would have been great...
ChristianTaylor chadcf
Posted
Thanks for replying. I tend to be a very anxious person. While I am anxious about the possible risks of anesthesia, I would probably be a nervous wreck for the procedure based on what you've told me. I think I'll take it.
linda90194 ChristianTaylor
Posted
I am a nurse and I had general anesthesia with my ablation. I was very glad I did. I did not want to feel anything. My ablation took 4 hours.
My anxiety used to be that general anesthesia doesn't give you control of yourself.
It's normal to be apprehensive about being sedated.
The procedure is delicate and with being awake, I would think your doctor is right in saying you would probably get antsy. I just don't want to know what all they are doing to me. It took them 45 minutes to just get me ready for the ablation.
ChristianTaylor linda90194
Posted
Thanks for the reply! I am definitely slightly uncomfortable about not being in control, however, I trust my doctor greatly. My fear is mainly the risks that something may affect me long term (some sort of brain damage or something). I know it's rare though, I just always think "I will be that rare person it happens to." I'm pretty sure everyone thinks that
linda90194 ChristianTaylor
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melissa20822 ChristianTaylor
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mary90 melissa20822
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I am 18 months post ablation (with sedation only) and recently I have also had a couple of short episodes. I'm hoping this was just a blip and not that another pathway has opened - as I know this can happen. Fingers crossed for both of us!
linda90194 melissa20822
Posted
SVT is terrible! I had it probably 5 years before being diagnosed.
It interrupted my life in a major way for several months. I doing okay since a year ago in October. I love to travel and my cardiologist said to TRAVEL, so I'm going to!!!!! My ablation was 1 year ago in October.
Dumodal ChristianTaylor
Posted
I would go with conscious sedation, completely sedation can indeed interfere with the EP as it make it harder to trigger the arrythmia in some people.
My ablation is tomorrow, I will PM you with my thoughts because I'm going raw that means no sedation at all not even mild.
I choose that option because anxiety can trigger my SVT so the more anxious I am the more likely they will find something.
So I prefer to have a miserable day than many miserable days with an unfixed SVT.
ciaran33745 Dumodal
Posted
Good luck with the ablation! I only had a 'chill pill' and a local and didn't find it at all painful (just a bit weird). I think your're right about it being more likely to be successful without a general (unless things have changed over the last 5 years). Hope yours works out as well as mine has.
Dumodal ciaran33745
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Thank you very much I am a bit nervous to be honest but I know it's going to be ok, plus my EP doctor is one of the top so it should be a piece of cake!
mary90 ChristianTaylor
Posted
Hi,
?I underwent the ablation process twice because the first time the cardiologist was unable to trigger my SVT. I was awake and sedated both times and was told that I couldn't be put to sleep because it would make the procedure much more likely to fail because the body's systems close down.
?To be told nothing had been fixed the first time was devastating and I wouldn't wish it on you. It's not painful - a bit uncomfortable, but you can ask for more sedation if you need it. Since you are already afraid of having a GA I would recommend you have it done with a local and heavy sedation.
Having said that you should of course take your own doctor's advice. Perhaps you have the type of SVT that is easily triggered and he is sure it can be done under GA.
?Whatever you decide I hope it goes well and you get this unpleasant condition sorted out.
Dumodal ChristianTaylor
Posted
Hello I came back after my ablation, I will not sugar coat you, I opted for no sedation at all but I received morphine when they were burning.
First of all the experience is nice the Catholic lab is super interesting with all these machines.
Room is cold as heck, when they open the incision in the groin area it hurts a bit but not too bad. I could feel everything even the catheters going up into my heart( some people do t feel anything)
They triggered my arrythmia within 5 minutes easily induced, mine was in the left atrial so they had to puncture through the right atrial to get to the left side, I had 2 abnormals tissues.
The pacing is weird as you feel your heart beating fast then stops then again fast and so on but nothing too bad.
Now the burning was painful for me that's why they give me morphine I felt like a hot pan in my chest but this lasted probably 45 seconds so not big deal.
After that they tried to induce the arrythmia by pacing and nothing then I got 2 shots of adenosine to try and see if they could find any more arrythmia paths ( adenosine sucks but last 5 seconds)
The recovery was annoying laying flat for 5 hours kills your back, groin pain was mild because I have problem with my left vein as was too close to my artery.
Now I'm good I can't feel anything my heart is quiet as a baby sleeping, no palpitations didn't get tired foi f up stairs, just a little bit of chest discomfort from time to time as of course they burnt you.
In conclusion I would take this procedure in a wink of an eye.
ChristianTaylor Dumodal
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Dumodal ChristianTaylor
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linda90194 ChristianTaylor
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I would really recommend anesthesia.
You will be asleep and when you wake up, you won't remember anything.