Posted by willem on May 05, 1999 at 20:44:59
Hi,
I was diagnosed with PSVT...
I live in the netherlands and my doc told me that it's nescesarry to stay 'awake' during an ablation..i have yet to make an appointment with the specialist who actually does the ablation and i don't know yet what his point is on this.
I got the information about 'need to stay consious' from a girl who had an ablation in the netherlands 6 years ago...she told me she needed to be awake to tell the docs when the catheter went into a wrong/small veign.
I don't know if this still applies to todays procedure.
Now after i got PSVT i slowly developed a panic disorder, last few months i'm regularly having panic attacks.
My question is: Is it safe for me to go thru the ablation with my panic disorder, cause i'm terrified of getting a panic attack while on the table.
Is it possible to totally sedate a patient? or does the patient need to be consious and able to speak?
And if it is the second..are there/do they use - medication that would keep me from having a panic attack while on the table?
thanx
Willem
Posted by CCF CARDIO MD-APS on May 11, 1999 at 15:58:20
Dear Willem,
This really depends on the physician doing the ablation, but mind you that almost every doctor uses some kind of sedation that makes you "groggy" but not completely out when performing such a procedure and this is because, panic attack or not, EVERYONE IS NERVOUS ABOUT UNDERGOING A PROCEDURE. So make sure you discuss this with the doctor who will perform the procedure. It just so happens that the sedation medication most often used for procedures is "anti-anxiety" which is in your favor.
I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general
purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to
write back with additional questions. Good luck.
