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Jello2x

Jan 01, 2012

I was fine the day of surgery n next day , them two days after and continuing I have had mini episodes . They consist of tightening chest, rapid heart beat and almost like heartburn. It completely stops me in my tracks and is very uncomfortable . Starting to have anxiety! Was this a mistake when it was suppose to make my future better for my family

srcrosby

Jan 02, 2012

To: mariop

How long after the procedure did you stop getting chest pain, my doc. wants me to exercise because I only get vtach when doing so. So he want me to do this before my appointment in Feb. not gonna lie I am nervous about this anyway just wondered how long you had chest pains.

hendy291

Jan 15, 2012

To: chloerenee

Hi, I'm 20 years old, and I had my ablation for Focal Left Inferior Pulmonary Tack. about 4 weeks ago and I also have a lot of chest pain. Not exactly sharp and in my heart, but just really tight. It is also really hard for be to get a normal breath, and I get sharp pain at the bottom of my ribs when I try to take a deep breath. I'm experiencing excruciating pain in my shoulders too. I got to the point where I was curled up and crying they hurt so bad - and I am not one to cry over pain. Physical training is part of my job and they told me I could resume 'normal activity' after 4 days, but to avoid 'strenuous activity' for about 5-6 weeks. So I tried a little bit of light running, and the pain has sky rocketed and is almost constant now. I'm worried something is wrong but I live 4 hrs away from my Dr. Has anyone had this experience? Does it go away?

@ChloeRenee: Before my ablation I was on 25 mg Atenolol as well and it wiped me out and never seemed to control my tack. I switched to Diltiazem aka Cartia, 120 mg 2x a day and it was much better - I could make it through the day without nap and I had much fewer episodes. You may want to talk with your Dr. about switching.

Lizzie72

Jan 17, 2012

To: CNickels77

I had my ablation for RVOT done 6 years ago. I just found this blog today b/c I was researching the medication I was put on. It's amazing to hear how similiar many of these posts are to what I experienced. I thought it was just me. After having my ablation my heart rate increased and I was diagnosed with hypertension. Prior to having the ablation my HR was normal (except when I had the runs of tachycardia) and had never had BP issues. To this day, I have not been given an explanation as to why my HR spiked and continues to run 90-100 at rest and 100 + with minimal physical activity. I am on Cardizem LA to keep my HR down and take anti-hypertensive medication.

hendy291

Jan 20, 2012

turns out my chest pain was caused by clots in my lungs - pulmonary embolisms. i am now on blood thinning medications... cumadin (coumadin) and lovanox. if you have extreme shoulder pain, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and flutters - go to the the ER right away!!!

John688

Jan 21, 2012

I did my pulmonary vein ablation surgery 7 weeks before. After procedure the first 1-2 week, I had more and stronger AF than I had before. Doctor explained to me it's normal. It did get better after 3-4 weeks. My feeling is the procedure may be successful.
But I am having a problem now is that my voice often turn to be coarse and weak, especially when I get tired. Even some time I feel a little bit pain in my windpipe area. Doctor is going to arrange a test for me.
Anybody has similar experience?

Mickeymcolla

Jan 25, 2012

To: All

My daughter 11 years old had Abalation for SVT on December 15,2011. We have had lots of SVT in the past year but on November 18,2011 she had her 3rd episode in 3 days, her previous Cardiologist said it was Vaso-vagal and ignore it. I called on the 18 and talked to the on call Dr. who told me to go to the er or fire station. We did and while she was 45 minutes into the episode they were unable to count her pulse, the portable EKG started at 239, while trying to get an IV in to give her some thing to stop the SVT she peaked at 289. We started seeing the new cardiologist the following week. Who said the episodes were getting to close and to intense.
Her surgery it self was less then 2 hours because as soon as they set the cath in place to do the EP study she went into SVT. They did use heat to burn the "defect" but it was on the left side and for some reason that released blood clots into her system?! After she woke up her monitor kept showing PVC's but the nurse kept saying it was nothing to worry about.
Now tomorrow will be 6 weeks, she has been on asprin since the surgery. But the pain she has had it horrible. She has had pain in her legs, and hands... Most recently in her neck, yesterday she came home early from school with a stabbing pain just below her left rib cage and just under her left under arm. and also she is VERY tired, and extremely pale. Today she had the pain in her neck, and left shoulder (back side)...
While I have called her cardiologist many times and we did see him on January 17 ( the only time since her ablation) and he said he doesn't know what or why but said she is fine and he will see us in a year! Should I worry? I have to take her off of the asprin tomorrow, but I am so scared she is having blood clots still. She is a tough little girl and these pains stop her in her tracks... Please HELP!!!!

CDoug1967

Feb 06, 2012

I just had an ablation done January 31. I was fine when I first came home other than the discomfort at the catheter site. Since then I have been having tightness in my chest, pain in the chest, more arrythmia than I had before although its not as strong. This seems to occur as i lie down to sleep.
The pain is mostly a feeling of heat radiating throughout the middle and left side of the chest. It is not excruciating, but it is constant and occasionally it is a stabbing pain. I was supposed to return to work Friday but I was too short of breath and the pain worried me. The last time I was at work they called an ambulance because of shortness of breath and chest pain so I decided to wait until Monday.
It is 2:40 am on Monday now and I have been unable to sleep due to my heart fluttering when I lay flat and from the chest pain. Saturday and Sunday were bad and I almost went to the ER but I figured i could hold off for my appointment on Wednesday.
Looks like I'm calling out again and I'll try to get an appointment with my cardiologist.

CDoug1967

Feb 10, 2012

Well, I did call out sick the other day and its a good thing I did. A clot developed at the catheter site and traveled to the lung. I have spent the week in the hospital now with a pulmonary embolism.
If you have pain that lasts longer than 2 days or you have shortness of breath, see your doctor. It may save your life. Doctors told me I could have died if I went to work Monday.

Tonyflorida

Feb 17, 2012

To: CDoug1967

I also had an ablation performed on Jan 31 and like you I was fine for the first few days. Since then I've been having pain, tightness, and labored breathing especially when lying down and exertion along with 2 episodes of svt. February 17 I had a post op visit with the cardiologist and was told that I'm feeling friction from the lining and the heart that is swolen from the procedure and it is common. He told me to take ibuprofin twice a day and it should subside "soon".

Mvelotas

Feb 20, 2012

To: All

Im 55 and just underwent SVT ablation last week. Felt only a few "bumps" , but never developed into the SVT I had been experiencing. Do have some minor "flashing" pains mid chest. Almost like a small shock that runs down to my left thumb. But BP and HR seem fine. Just get very anxious when it happens. Doc says he's 95% sure he nailed it. I hope so. I was blaming on my use of steroids I used back a few years ago, but he said I was more than likely born with this malady. Anyone experiencing the same as me? I do get tired by the early afternoon. May just be pushing myself too hard right now. Never have been one to stay still.

worriedwife101869

Feb 23, 2012

To: All

I don't know what to do..my husband had and ablation done yesterday, the doctor found the problem spot and ablated it, however, after the procedure was done and the catheter was out, my husband had severe chest and shoulder pain. The doctor said pain was normal, but when he experienced nausea, the doctor was confused. He contacted another cardiologist who went in to check the arteries and found that a main artery around his heart had been cauterized in the process. In other words, the physician caused my husband to have a heart attack, as quoted by the physician himself. My husband has now been in the ICU for two days, still has chest pain (of course) and is now suffering from chills and feelings of nausea. The nurses don't seem to be too concerned, other than monitoring his pain/nausea. I want them to do something, since this is the doctor's fault to begin with. Any suggestions?

happy9676

Feb 28, 2012

To: lelaine

Can you please provide me your doctor's name? Because my son is going to see a specialist in los angeles.

Thankyou

beachman40

Feb 29, 2012

To: all

I wish I found this forum before my ablation. I had a cryo-balloon ablation on 2/24. I've had chest discomfort and developed a non-productive cough. Im not sure if this is a result of the ablation or the TEE test they did before, but it seems to be geting worse and not better. Has anyone experienced this and can tell me if its normal? Not sure if I should see my EP doc or a regular MD for it.

Athens40

Mar 06, 2012

To: Mickeymcolla

I would get a 2nd opinion. I hope you already have.

zeegoman

Mar 10, 2012

To: beachman40

I have had a PVI Ablation for paroxysmal AF. I have had; AF/Tachycardia, missed beats, pain, dizziness, short of breath on exertion, cough & swallowing issues, all of which can be experienced post procedure. It's differentiating this from a serious deterioration in condition that is difficult. Apparently some patients may need to be cardioverted in the period after surgery.

Reading the posts suggests that there is a common thread running through, namely poor Dr/Patient communication. They appear to play down the after effects of ablation and don't define in sufficient detail what may normally be expected after the procedure. It is very difficult to get this information from research papers as the researchers are only interested in long-term outcomes.

I am reluctant to go back into hospital so am playing it 'cool' just now (but I have medical knowledge and also a wife who is a nurse) however, if you are distressed by your symptoms get them checked. They will probably just do an ECG/EKG and reassure you.

The ultimate success of an ablation is assessed over a 12 week period but emember that your body/heart has been assaulted and will almost certainly take a longer time to recover than you think.

boobers123

Mar 23, 2012

To: zeegoman

i am skeered now. I just stumbled on this site and am due for surgery on April 2nd....i was perusing sites to find out how wonderful i was going to feel and now am very concerned.

wgcnid

Apr 13, 2012

I am a 65 yo female who had 11 incidents of VT with near syncope over a period of two weeks. My hr during the events got up as high as 180-250. My bp and hr are normally on the low side, so this was quite disturbing. I was told during a trip to the ER that I was having PVCs (several thousand in several hours) & hyperventilating and it was not life threatening. I did not know what was happening, but knew it was more serious than that. I went to my doctor who put me on an incident monitor. After 3 recordings in one morning I ended up in the hospital for 5 days. I had a heart catheterization done finding no blockage. They did a heart MRI and ep study during which the doctor hoped to find where the VT was coming from. He had to induce VT with a drug then did ablation in 9 areas of my heart. I stayed another two days in the hospital doing a stress EKG each day until the doctor was comfortable releasing me. He put me on a low dose beta blocker and I'm restricted from driving for a month until he feels confident that this will take care of the issue. I do have some chest 'achiness', shortness of breath and am get tired after little exertion, but realize it's been only 5 days. I have been out for short (1/2 mile or so) walks a couple of time a day and will build back up over time. I was a 4 mph walker and generally fit and hope to get there again. I was told that if I had not had a healthy strong heart it might have progressed from VT to V Fib after which I might not be writing about my experience. I have been told they were leaning heavily toward an Inplantable Cardio Defibrillator, but agreed to these lesser 'cures' first. If I have more events I will probably end up with the implant....something I do not want!
It is interesting & informative reading other's experiences and seeing what works or doesn't work for others.

toucantom

Apr 15, 2012

To: wgcnid

I had ablation surgery on 4-10-12. Got out of the hospital next day. Worst thing for me was removal of the cathiter from my penis! Felt like pulling a pine tree out backwards! Like nearly everyone else, I have a soreness in my chest, and I also have a slight cough, which could be due to irritation from breathing tube. My heart rate was fluctuating wildly; 30's to 230's. Had to be taken to the ER in Feb due to a TGA from low rate. On the second day after release, I felt great; had lots of energy and couldn't wait to get back to my brisk 4 mile walk every morning. I did too much and my right groin is hurting some. I think I'd better go easy. I'm a 63 year old male, walk every day, lift weights 3 days/week, and follow a heart healthy diet. A few months ago, I started noticing a fluttering feeling that passed very quickly. It started happening more frequently, and progressed into a near black-out, sometimes actually losing consciousness for a few seconds. Wore a heart monitor for several weeks, and opted to go with surgery instead of meds. Hope I did the right thing; it's too early to tell.
Tom

mas1960

May 02, 2012

To: zeegoman

Hi I read your post with interest. Like you I had a cardiac ablation for PAF 3 weeks ago. Since then I have found my resting heart rate to be around 84-90bpm (pre procedure rarely above 64bpm) and been experiencing recurrent central chest pain and tightnessand seem to tire and get out of breath very easily As you say it is diffcult to know what is to be expected, and at what point should you seek further oppinion. My follow up is in 3 months. Mas

rose1365

May 03, 2012

I am from Canada. I saw a Heart  Specialist about 18 months ago. Since I refused the ablation surgery I am no longer a patient. My SVT is seldom however; my regular heart beat is normally 99 – 120, I don't know why - I am exhausted all thetime but this could be diabetes.

We have free medical care in Canada. This may seem fortunate but you have to take the doctor you get and I have had such lousy medical attention with misdiagnoses and unnecessary surgeries over the years I have little faith in doctors.

Problem is my health is not good. I had Sarcoidosis (in the lung) at 40 which nearly killed me. Prednisone therapy (not a drug I would recommend) made me a diabetic II within the month. Today at 54 (female) my diabetes is uncontrolled and I am in poor physical condition.

I had experienced only a few SVT episodes a year (heart goes from my normal beat of 99 -120 up to 289 – 300). This ambition procedure was recommended to me many times. However, surgeons here in Canada, heart or otherwise, recommend the procedures they perform. I’m not sure this is necessary in my case. Besides having an experienced doctor does not mean that is who does the procedure. It is usually an intern who needs the practice. And this scares me in itself.

I notice, my heart beats flutters now and I have heart pain. My breathing is heavy and I feel my few episodes per year are increasing 1 every 3 months. The after effects of an episode are worsening. I know this is no where near what you people are experiencing or had experienced, however, after my recent episode it was recommend I do something now before it gets worse and I have no choice and with my poor health risks are higher.

When my heart races I am incapable of communicating and may faint. At the ER I receive shots of adenosine (6ml), always administered by an inexperienced nurse(s) who does it for practise and the drug needs to be administered 2 more times.

I have read every one’s post and I feel so bad for all of you for having to do this or having had this procedure done. My problem seems menial in comparison. I have suffered these episodes my whole life and never told anyone until the time my accelerated heart beat would not stop on its own after several hours and I passed out. This was in my late forties and someone got me to the hospital where my condition was identified.

I was on Metropolol to prevent rapid heart beat but this drug camouflages the symptoms of diabetic shock which one is rapid heart beat so I discontinued it. I haven’t a clue what to do. I am alone in a strange city for the most part. I have no friends and do not work due to diabetic condition. My family is 3000 miles back east and do not consider this "heart complaint" a real issue. Maybe it isn't, unlike you people.

tjtucson

May 04, 2012

To: MBAY

This helped me soooooooo much. I am 53 had ablation on 4-16-12, I have been having what I call a huge air bubble between the boobs. Causes me to cough when I eat most of the time. No irregular beats, just tired, winded at times when I do a little. I used to sleep on my side, but now I get muscle pain and sharp stabbing in chest. Had CT..all normal. Thanks for giving me some hope of feeling better.

kdr123

Jun 14, 2012

To: beachman40

Hi I too have had an ablation and a few days later developed a tickly cough not sure if this is part of healing process and will go away on its own but been 4 weeks now might just go docs to see!

sonnydays86

Jun 16, 2012

To: nomoresvtgirl

YAY! i just had it done, 5 hour procedure, just got home, was in hospital for 2 days, vision and headache problem right after but okay now sonny.***@****

sonnydays86

Jun 16, 2012

To: lelaine

Hi 59 and just got mine done 2 days ago <3

jeileen33

Jun 19, 2012

I had an ablation last week. My problem was in my right ventricle outflow track. The procedure lasted about three hours and my cardiologist is confident that the treatment was successful.

I spend one night in the hospital and was surprised that I had several runs of tachycardia just before they released me. I was told that the tach was coming from another area of my heart and probably the result of the "trauma" to the heart tissue from the procedure. Evidently things should calm down and hopefully the irregular beats will go away.

Until I found this forum, I was wondering why I am not back to feeling 100% normal. It is five days since the procedure and I have the chest tightness and occasional irregular heart beats.   I was told that I needed to take it easy for one week. For some reason, I assumed that I would be feeling fine by now.  Based on the comments posted in this forum, it sounds like one week is not a realistic recovery schedule.

Because I don't tolerate drugs well, one immediate positive outcome with this procedure is that I was taken off the antiaryythmia drug and beta blocker which I have been on for the past four months.  I am no longer dealing with the side effects from those drugs and my blood pressure and heart rate are back to normal.

I am glad I found this forum. Thanks for all of the helpful comments.

wendicarro

Jun 23, 2012

I am five days post ablation for AF and A Flutter,Back on metoprolol and now flecanide,palps very next day nearly 180bpm told this is normal,
I have awful chest ache,what seems like heartburn and cannot lie flat or on my left side without pain!! whats that about? If i take a breath in too deeply it really hurts and feel generally out of sorts,please tell me this is normal,seen my gp yesterday with a persistent cough producing horrible stuff and am now on Amoxicillin also.#I am really worried about these symptoms but hoping they get better every day ,so much for feeling better in a few days,this is not what the leaflets tell you.

diamondsheart

Jun 25, 2012

To: srcrosby

Thank you for the added information
I had mine on 6-15-12 and am not experiencing the short cough that makes my chest sore - lightheaded going up stairs. They did make me think that it would be about 2wks to recovery. In fact, I was just considering going to the ER.
Since your post was 2011 - how are you doing now ?

srcrosby

Jun 27, 2012

To: diamondsheart

I don't know if my reply posted or not, but it took about 3 months for me to feel pretty normal again. I am doing well now, im back to playing softball, and exercising, every now and then i get a pop, but nothing sustained like before. You are pretty early into the recovery, i was looking all over creation for answers too and I was living with a cardiac nurse...but yeah I'd say three months you might feel like crap. I still have little pains every now and again and i know my heart muscle and blood ways are clear so i still attribute that to the ablation. I have read that it could take up to a year for your heart muscle to fully heal so we will see. Hope you feel better soon!

jeileen33

Jul 16, 2012

To: srcrosby

I am one month post ablation and still have the chest pain and occasional irregular beats. It feels like someone has punched me in the chest. If your experience was anything like mine, it looks like I have a few more months of not feeling normal. Thanks for your post!

karen1117

Jul 18, 2012

Hi everyone I am new here and would like to share my story about my ablation experience. Om May 24th 2012,a little less than 3 months ago I had my ablation procedure.
As anyone who has undergone an ablation it is a little painful with the burning of the heart. I kept telling my Dr that my heart was burning during the procedure he reassured me it was normal to experience pain/burning in the heart,he said close your eyes and relax.I'm not sure how much time had passed but I woke up yelling to the Dr something is wrong my heart is burning I think I'm having a heart attack,the Dr. thought that was strange because he was no longer ablating my heart. He looked at my EKG monitor and seen that I was having a full blown heart attack.
I had a widow maker heart attack,what happened when the Dr was burning an area of my heart the heat transferred to my LAD,left anterior descending artery and caused it to constrict to 100% blocked causing me to have my heart attack . At the time of my heart attack know one knew why I was having it,when they put the dye in me they found out what happened.
I remember one Dr.put a nitro under my tongue and another put 4 aspirin in my mouth and said chew um up, the last thing I remember was telling these 2 young Dr's I need a bed pan I'm going to pee,which is normal when having a heart attack,I looked at the cath labs observation room and seen all of my l ablation team standing there with horrified looks on there faces while a new team took over to try and save my life.At that point I must have passed out and woke up in the ICU 8 hours later.
I went into the hospital with a perfect heart except for my pvc's and pac's and came out with a life changing heart condition. What really ***** is I still have pvc's and pac's ,chest pain and stabling pains in my heart .
I'm a 44yr old woman and have been very depressed that this happened to me.I could have died that quick.
Was wondering if anyone else had an ablation gone wrong.
Thanks for letting me ramble on.
Karen

aircav

Jul 26, 2012

To: Mvelotas

I also used a considerable amount of hcg,testosterone,deca and so on so believed I caused my need for ablation.My cardiologist and family doctors said that these had nothing to do with my problem .I would have developed this problem anyway.I am 63 and thought it sure took a long time to catch up.I am 6 days out from the procedure and feel very weak-dizzy and breathing is an effort.I have a home gym and all I can do for the next several months is look at it.I certainly hope that all of us can recuperate from this and have normal lives again!

rzrbks76

Jul 30, 2012

To: jeileen33

Wow, glad I found this site. I had my Ablation July 3rd at the Cleveland Clinic. Was having PVC after each normal beat, and runs of VT. I'm now 3 plus weeks post op, and feel like I was hit in the chest with a bat! The pressure and pain remains in the middle of my chest, and I find I become anxious, even when I'm trying to relax! A few missed beats or abnormal beats are felt, but just the fact that I'm still having chest pain scares me.
Told to get another holter monitor on, so waiting to hear from my new doc, since I was between insurance during the time of my surgery. So I'm hearing that most of us who has had this procedure, has continued chest pain and tightness??

robin288

Aug 05, 2012

To: karen1117

hi karen1117,
my husband had an ablasion sept. 2nd 2011.....he hasn't been the same since. they punctured his heart during the ablasion....oh so many complications from that and also created a second rapid rythmn....on metoprolol and florinef. he has had to quit working....actually lost his construction job....hasn't worked since surgery.....he can't exert without chest pressure and shortness of breath....he has developed a feeling of a lump in his chest off and on throughout everyday. it incapacitates him.....takes a good hour to feel a bit better....guessing it is constrictive pericarditis from scarring......the heart fills with blood and can't pump out as effectively. gets very low blood pressure. he is only 57.doctor just today put him on prednisone 20mg twice a day......at this point he will try anything.....
life has flipped 180 degrees......so sad......i saw someone else say ablasion patients are "guinea pigs".....funny, i've felt the same way.

so very sad because they seemed so confident that it was a simple fix....

LuckyLadyD

Aug 10, 2012

To: LadyLuck

Stay calm, relax and wait for healing to run it's course!!! There is nothing you can do at this point and the hard part is over. Don't cause yourself unecessary stress (bad for the heart) smile!! I am a week past an ablation procedure. I immediately felt better!! 65years and counting. I did not know what was happening all these years and the feeling kept getting worse. Fear kept me from seeing a doctor sooner and I attributed the fast heart rate to anxiety and in my later years menapause. Had I taken care of it sooner, life could have been many times more enjoyable...but, you can't miss what you can't measure!! I'm taking it easy and looking forward to some exciting days ahead with exercise and maybe a companion to share my new improved heart. Hope you feel better soon!!

jeileen33

Aug 17, 2012

To: rzrbks76

I am two months post-ablation and I am having fewer days of feeling like someone punched me in my chest. It is very unpredictable and I can't narrow down what I am doing each day that might cause the chest pain to reoccur. It is especially unsettling when it comes in the middle of the night and wakes me up. I am hopeful that by the time I see my EP next month for a three month check up that I will be even better.

libwritemom

Aug 17, 2012

To: busmans98

I just had an ablation at U of L this week for SVT. It took about 5 - 6 hours. The worst part for me is my right shoulder blade, socket and arm are in a lot of pain. I am guessing it is from the way I laid on the table. I agree with your comments, they are amazing doctors and I was scared, but am so glad I did it.

Cheri3757

Oct 04, 2012

To: karen1117

Hi Karen! I just underwent a second ablation on 9/12/12 and as soon as it was over, I remember coming out of the anesthesia and everyone in the room in a panic. My heart had been "nicked" and I was bleeding into my heart sac. It wasn't stopping and I had to have a drain placed into my heart sack and with an echocardiagram. Also, on standby was the heart surgeon becuase if my bleeding didn't let up or stop, I'd have to have open heart surgery. I was given whole blood and plasma to reverse the blood thinners I was given during the procedure which also increased the possibility that I could throw a clot. I had intense pain around my heart, in my back and in the back of my throat. I had to remain still longer than usual before the cathetors were taken out and before I was allowed to sit up or walk around. I also was given no food or liquids by mouth for two days in case I had to be rushed into open heart surgery.

Finally, after four echo's, the drain was removed and I was taken off the emergency surgery list. I felt like I was run over by a truck. Things is.. I was in sinus rhythm before this whole second ablation.. I had had an attack for 1 1/2 weeks and self converted. I felt FINE before this thing.. and now, three weeks later I still feel like crap and have chest pain. I'm in sinus rhythm, but have no energy, always feel tired, can't lay on my side and I just wish I never had the second one in the first place.

Cheri3757

YamaBlonde

Oct 05, 2012

To: Cheri3757 et al

As with any procedure/surgery, there are never any guarantees and there is never a 100% success rate.  And further, one needs to MAKE SURE that the doctor doing the procedure is EXPERIENCED, EXPERIENCED, and more EXPERIENCED!

With no finger-pointing, as I certainly don't know your own doctor(s), some are just not that experienced; some do a few here and there, and for others, ablations are ALL they do!  Having done loads of research, I chose a place where the ablations were all the doctors do, to the tune of 6-7 per doctor, each week!  (There are always 2 EP's to each procedure where I went, along with the usual auxiliary staff.)

I had AF for years, and it got worse over time. I always reverted to sinus rhythm on my own, though 2 or 3 times there was discussion of cardioverting me. To be honest, it scared me nearly to death!  And I was in major AF when I went in for my (scheduled) ablation. (One time, a month or 2 prior to the ablation, the AF lasted 10 days, longer than ever before.  It sure threw me for a loop!)

My procedure lasted 3 hours, almost to the minute; I checked the clock when I was put out, and saw it when I awakened.

It was a 99% success. My PVI was not entirely done, with just a tiny "dot" left unablated... unintentionally, of course  However, over 2 yrs down the road now, I am 99% better too!

On some rare occasions, when I am VERY tired, my heart rate goes up a bit too much, for which I take Flecainide, but I have done that twice in the last 10-12 months, that's all. And I make sure I get good rest, as well.

The main thing I made sure to remember after having the procedure was that my heart had just been poked, prodded, and "burnt" in areas, and that all that jostling and burning would make it unhappy for a while; it takes time to heal.

And one other point, VERY important to me:  the docs said to me, and I have heard this is said to others, that it heals within about 3 months. BS! (Apologies for my "mouth" here.) Not everyone has their scar tissue formed and done so quickly!  My guess is, the younger you are, maybe the faster the scar tissue forms.  Anyway, a few others, both here in the UK and in America, have told me that THEY were told it can take 6-9 months for some, and occasionally up to year!

And guess what?  MINE was not done healing in 3 months either!  I'd say it was about 8 months when I felt it was all totally settled down, and all in place. (By the way, at nearly 61 now, I was well past 58 yrs old then.)

So, PLEASE don't fret!  Give it time, talk to your doc(s), and I pray they are sympathetic!  Don't let him/her brush you off or say it's in your head. And, to ME, most importantly, find an EP who has MEGA experience doing ablations, as well as does them often and regularly.

Wishing you all well,
Debb, a transplanted Yank now in Central England
XOX

YamaBlonde

Oct 05, 2012

To: All, a p.s. - is there a Doc who can comment on this, please?

By the way, my EP told me they have to "push through" from one side of the heart to the other (right to left, as I recall), to do all of the ablating. I am thinking this is true for all of us, or maybe it's just for those of us who have a PVI. Perhaps a moderating Dr here can let us all know...

That said, I was told that there is a (small?) percentage of those of us whose small hole between the left and right sides of the heart never completely closes up after birth, and for those with that situation, the EP can more easily cross over into the other side, not having to "puncture" the wall.

Anyone else heard this?

Debb, as before :)

srcrosby

Oct 05, 2012

To: All

Its been a minute since I put anything up here, but thought I should update this thing maybe just for posterity, who knows. Ok so looking back over my original posts it seems I am around 10 months out from the ablation, and today I have a cardiologist appt. at 5 for guess what...PVCs!!! It was all good for a few months, I was running, lifting weights, etc. It started again around the beginning of June when playing softball running for a fly ball and them bam it hit me again, not as bad but more than id like, and ever since its been getting a little worse. At this point I take two flights of stairs and by the time im at my desk at work my heart is pounding and upon taking a deep breath its most definitively skipping a beat, just no beat where there should be one, so today I go back, my wife, who now works in the cath lab where I was originally ablated seems to think that in fact my heart has completely healed and as a result of the swelling completely gone has uncovered what could be a pin head sized spot of the site that is generating the PVCs. FUN!!!

youngladie24

Oct 08, 2012

To: teach1

hi im an 24 year old female and I jus had an Sgt ablation done on the 20th of September and since then I've been having real bad palpitations sharp pains and some tightness in my chest since my surgery and im starting to get worried but they said my procedure was a success and everything came out jus great but im still confused customer im having more discomfort now then I was before..what shell I do

aCanadianEh

Oct 09, 2012

To: All

aCanadian Eh
Hello everyone, I am a 49 year old Canadian Woman who has had PVCs (anywhere from 3000-15000 per day) since I was in my mid 20s. I just had an ablation for SVT on September 19, 2012. During our procedures here in Canada you are wide awake, they told me they would give me something that would be a type of sedation but I would be awake for the procedure as sedation causes the heart to go to sleep there fore it would be harder to put the heart into SVT, however the medication they would be giving me would cause an amnesiac affect. Well that isn't what happened to me, I can give you every detail from beginning to end. It was painful, a burning sensation that felt like they were putting a hot dagger right through to the back of my heart. I still have the pain every now and then but I have found a correlation to when I am more physically active. I also feel tired by mid afternoon I need a nap, or I can't function. I am due to go back to work next week and have no idea if I have restrictions or not as the EP/Cardiologist didn't come to see me after the surgery or even the following day, he did however speak to my family right after the surgery and told them that I would have arrythmia for awhile as the heart was in distress over the ablation and this is normal they had to ablate at 17 points. I don't know why he didn't speak to me as I was wide awake and in the same room he did say I did a good job and everything looks good. The so called pain medication didn't work either for me. I have always had idiosyncracies to medications and I have diabetes so I figure this has had some hand in how my body reacted to the procedure. So although my experience has been not such a great one over all. I would do it again, and again if necessary. Before the surgery I would collapse at the drop of a hat and then go into Vtach. call an ambulance and it would stop before they got to me. This went on for about 3 weeks before they were able to catch it before it resolved on its own. Then they put me into CCU in the hospital put me on beta blockers to take until a week before surgery. I questioned the DR. about the beta blockers as they only have a shelf life of 12 hours. So why do I need to stop taking them 7 days before surgery? You see I didn't want to go into VTach and have my heart just stop! Sudden Cardiac Death being the outcome of having SVT was the biggest reason I chose to have the ablation. I know by how I feel that this is going to take some time for my heart to be completely healed, and I will take my time building back up. I have gotten to the point where I can walk 5 miles per day now without feeling winded, but climbing stairs can be an issue for me but not all the time. I can walk into my kitchen and not collapse now, I''m knocking on wood, I have met alot of people that didn't have any success with the ablation, so I am thankful for how I feel so far. Goodluck everyone, and remember to think that this is a second chance and it's a gift, to have the opportunity to fix this issue is amazing . I still have some pvcs, but if this is all I have I will be thankful and appreciative. Oh ya I almost forgot before this experience I smoked, drank coffee, tea, soda, and had a stressful job. Not anymore!! I've chosen to change my lifestyle and enjoy everyday as it might be my last. Better outlook on life

YamaBlonde

Oct 10, 2012

To: ALL

If you are having pain or discomfort that is not controllable, talk to your doctor!

If you are afraid, by all means, come here and share your fears and concerns, but talk to your doctor if you are frightened and need to know what to do to correct the problem!

While we can relate our experiences and share suggestions, we are not your cardiologist or EP!  (Well, maybe someone here IS, but I doubt many are, if any at all -- does a doctor monitor this forum?)

Obviously, few of us are medically trained, and we do not know your medical history.  I think we are here for moral support and sharing ideas and experiences, not dispensing medical advice.

If you are unhappy with your doctor, see what you can do about seeing a different one.  And I cannot reiterate enough how VERY VERY important it is to find an EP who is EXPERIENCED, EXPERIENCED and MORE EXPERIENCED, one who does ablations regularly and often, not a few here and there!  Research online, if need be -- do your homework; it's YOUR BODY you're talking about here!

I am more than happy to chat, by phone or email, with anyone who wants an understanding ear. Just let me know...

Warmest regards,
Debb

Butle

Dec 10, 2012

I am going in for an abalation surgery in 2 days, I have wpw and I'm a little nervous. I'm a healthy 22yr old male with zero underlying conditions. I have a regular BP and when I'm not in SVT I have a fairly regular heart rate (other than the episodes of skipping beats). I really hope my surgery is successful - I've always been able to snap back from injuries, and I know I'm a fast healer, at one point a few years ago I came down with the swine flu - and I had it for a matter of hours ~ I had a blood test that confirmed that I had the antibodies, in the midst of trying to get all my heart blood work done.

hburke

Feb 23, 2013

To: robin288

Dear Robin,
I was just reading about your husband's ablation and am so concerned for you! My hubby is scheduled for an ablation on 3/11/13 and I am scared to death for him after reading all of these posts. My hubby is 56 and has Afib. I am not completely convinced that an ablation is the way to go, but he seems to want to move forward with it.

I am so hopeful that your husband was able to work through his problems and he is healthy. Can you please give me an update? It sounds like you went through a terrible nightmare!
Hugs to you....

teejay463

Mar 07, 2013

8 days out of my CA and feel good just pretty weak my biggest problem is
I feel like there is something caught in my throat sometimes especially late
in the day, kind of like the feeling if swallowed to many large pills at once,
anyone else had this problem, called doc he said should get better would
be more concerned if i had chest pain and fever, just wondering if the
throat sensation is common.

bc_10

Mar 13, 2013

To: teejay463

I am a week post PVI ablation and have been having difficulties swallowing food. Back of my throat seems to be a little "mucousy" too. I get some pain which is in the chest area moving through to the back at precisely the same point but this passes after a few minutes. No other major problems and feel generally a lot better since the procedure but am wondering if the esophagus could be inflamed in our cases?

mindy611

Apr 27, 2013

To: sonnydays86

hey im having one done next wednesday how long does this procedure take

Carlie98

May 22, 2013

I had cath ablation a month ago for SVT. I felt tired and had chest pain and pain in my back the first few days and also palpitations and my heart kept feeling like I was going to get into v tach but it never got in it. I was put on Metoprolol 25mg twice a day for 4 weeks. I've been off the Metoprolol 4 days now and I'm feeling just like I did right after surgery. The EP says Metoprolol can mask these symptoms so I have to be off of it and see how my heart is really doing. I have to wear a heart monitor for the next 21 days to see what my heart is doing. How long is it until I feel good again? I had two episodes of SVT that sent me to ER to be cardioverted with drugs. When does the chest pain and tightness stop? When will I feel good again? I thought I was doing good until they took the med away and now I feel bad all over again.

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