u/Altruistic_Coat_5184

Where are you meeting people in Brisbane? As an immigrant in Australia I find this so hard. Aussies seem to love going to the pub and drinking their weekends away - but seriously, in your 40’s a drink is nice, but it’s not your entire social calendar. Plus of course everyone my age has kids here. Where to meet people that are childfree, outgoing, and who have lived overseas for a decent chunk of their lives/ are fellow immigrants?

I had my ablation 2 days ago and I was genuinely surprised how easy it was! I’d do it again in a heart beat if I had to (excuse the pun!).

For context I’ve had a 30% PVC burden for over a year. They were picked up on a routine ECG in the ER for something else. The Drs were a bit worried my PVCs were hiding some ventricular issues too. I’d tried bisoprolol for 3 months at 2.5mg and hated it - always faint and dizzy, unable to workout properly and just generally lacking energy even though my BP was fairly stable. I didn’t really feel my PVCs unless I was stressed, sick or something what out of the ordinary. My echo and cardiac MRI were both unremarkable.

My EP study and ablation was done with a benzodiazepine to relax me, heparin to prevent clots and some Parecoxib (NSAID) as I’m allergic to opioids. I was SO worried the pain would be unbearable. The actual EP study part was easy and super interesting as they talk you through everything. No pain at all. The ablation part really wasn’t that bad - heavy, sometimes burning pain (maybe 6-7 out of 10?) but the twice they did it was only 60 seconds each time. So you just breathe through it and grit your teeth. I imagine for those of you who can have opioids you’ll barely feel anything. The feeling of the catheters inside you was a little odd/ weird at times but totally fine. After they’d ablated mine they rechecked the ECG and my burden is totally normal now - less than 1%!

Overall the experience wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought and I was SUPER NERVOUS and ANXIOUS. So my message to anyone out there on the fence is just go for it. You won’t regret it!

My PVC burden is 29% and I’m having my ablation next week. I’m a bit nervous about it as 3-4 hours of conscious sedation with my heart going slower/ faster and then some burning doesn’t sound great. Plus I have a history of blood clots so I’m nervous of that too.

To those of you who’ve had an ablation please tell me your stories so I know what to expect. How was it during the op? Did they load you with enough benzodiazepines that you were chill? How was the pain when they were burning?

And how was it after? I’m worried about bleeding complications at the wound site - I live in a walk up apartment with an internal staircase too so a bit worried about it bleeding again. How long did you have to be careful about the bleeding site? How soon did you feel normal again?

Would love to hear all your stories so I’m fully prepared. Thank you for your support.

This community has been so helpful since I was diagnosed that I wanted to ask - has anyone here had an ablation but WITHOUT opioid pain meds? So no fentanyl/ tramadol/ etc?

I have an opioid allergy so all they can give me is Ketorolac (NSAID cox 1 & 2). I’m a little nervous as the Dr said it can be painful and he’s had to stop the ablation before and reschedule with an anaesthetist for another ablation surgery. I’ve already had a DVT from a prior surgery so hate the idea of potentially having to do this twice.

Or… do I just get it done because it will probably solve this once and for all???

I welcome all your thoughts and deeply appreciate them 🙏