Short and frequent SVTs

[tricializ]

Good Morning:
Ever since my hysterectomy at the end of Noveber, I have been having palpitations.  Finally I went into the doctor and along with it, my normally very low blood presure was up to 170/100.  I have tried beta blockers, am currently on Benecar HCT 40mg and the BP is now fine.  I am also taking a calcium channel blocker for the arrhythmia since the other two didn't change anything.  The first doctor chalked it all up to age (41 year old female in good health/weight etc.) and the BP even though they didn't stop when the blood pressure went down.  So, I went to my husband's doctor, and he had a holter monitor test done.  EKG and echo were good but the holter showed over 30 runs of SVTs and 400+ pvcs.  I was then referred to an electrophysiologist and have an EP study and cryoablation scheduled for next week.  The doctor believes that because these runs are so short in nature (only lasting a couple of seconds) that it is more likely atrial tachycardia and that ablating that is more difficult to "fix".  
Enough background..
My questions are.  Do you believe that my BP will go down after the ablation assuming that both occurred at the same time?  What link to the hysterectomy is there, if any or just coincidence?  (They left one ovary and hormone tests are normal).  What would suddenly cause this to happen out of the blue?  and How would the doctor know where the rhythm problems are coming from based on the holter?  Is that the nature of the length of runs?  One more.  I am completely fatigued all the time and it is even hard to dry my hair because my arms get so tired just for that short time.  Do you believe the ablation will help with this fatigue?  Thank you so much for addressing my many questions.  

[Forum-M.D.-bkj]

tricia,

Since it sounds like your episodes are short and without too many symptoms Im not sure why you are having a procedure, so I may be missing something in the overall history or severity of the symptoms.

With respect to your questions:

Do you believe that my BP will go down after the ablation assuming that both occurred at the same time?

No, the ablation probably won't have too much of an effect unless some of your blood pressure is driven by anxiety of the palpitations.

What link to the hysterectomy is there, if any or just coincidence? (They left one ovary and hormone tests are normal).

Stress on the body can bring out different arrythmia. A surgical procedure, even a minor one, imposes a good deal of stress on the body.

What would suddenly cause this to happen out of the blue?

See above.

How would the octor know where the rhythm problems are coming from based on the holter?

The holter is an electrical picture of the heart. It allows the doctor to see what is happening during your symptoms.

Is that the nature of the length of runs?

Since I dont have the exact holter results, I can't answer.

One more. I am completely fatigued all the time and it is even hard to dry my hair because my arms get so tired just for that short time. Do you believe the ablation will help with this fatigue?

Unless you have an abnormal cardiac function or the runs are happening all the time, I doubt this is having a great impact.

Thank you so much for addressing my many questions.


good luck

[tricializ]

Thank you for your reply.  I probably didn't explain my symptoms as well as I should have.  These runs of arrrhythmia leave me feeling like I am going to pass out (history of seizures).  Maybe the treatment is premature?  Hmm.  Something to think about.  I would say though that it seems constant.  Though these things are very short in duration, the accompanying dizzyness stops me in my tracks.  The thing I find the strangest is the sudden onset and maybe the assault on my body (surgery) flipped the switch.  My PCP and the electrophysiologist act as if this cryoablation is no big thing and can eliminate the meds (which are doing nothing to stop these) in that I am relatively young and in good health otherwise.  Their thinking is that with my symptoms that these are going to begin to stretch out and if I am already experiencing dizzyness, it's a matter of time before I pass out.  I have 4 kids ranging in age form 4-21 and also teach dance and with the constant go go go with the kids, they worry that I could pass out in an inopporune time/place.  Is this crazy?  Also, they said sedation during the procedure would be minimal if at all since they don't want to alter the chances of my heart reacting to the stimuli when they are mapping it.  Everything I have read said you would be sedated.  This has me more nervous than the procedure itself.  Is a little valium, etc. that bad?  Thanks again.

[heartofgld]

Your story sounds very similar to mine. I too had a hysterectomy last June. Although I had been dx with SVT 8 yrs ago, I had been pretty asymptomatic until 3 months after my surgery. Short of me typing my history if you are interested you can scroll down to my 4/06 post "Issues 5 weeks post 3rd ablation"

I hope that your procedure is sucessful. They usually are...I guess that i am just the exception to the norm :( Wher will you be having your EP Study/Ablation done?