Skipped Beats w/ Light-Headedness After WPW Ablation

[Jon79]

I am 27 years old and had an ablation done because I was diagnosed w/ WPW this past summer.  I had a form of tachycardia where I'd get runs of fast beats every so often, but it wasn't that frequent (nevertheless scary).  I had the procedure done in Jun-06 b/c I was told there was a small chance that people w/ WPW could die suddenly.  I didn't know that after the ablation I'd end up with a different, more unnerving problem.

I now have what I believe are "skipped beats", where I can feel my heart flutter in my chest, sometimes followed by a feeling of light-headedness (not sure why?).  This has been a problem since the ablation, and now, 10 mos. later, I'm having the skipped beats even more often.  At first I noticed it mostly during the cool-down period post exercise, but it also happened while inactive.  The post-exercise skipped beats remain today, but occurrences while inactive increased dramatically in the last few days from 3-5 a week to about 1x every couple mins.

I had an event monitor for a mo. previously & did a stress test (of course the skipped beats didn't happen during/after the test at all), and my EP says everything is "normal" and the skipped beats were "normal".  They weren't "normal" for me...I never had them before!

I've since worn a halter monitor for 24 hr. constant monitoring, & later another event monitor for a mo., with results yet to be heard.  Other than a few episodes, I don't predict them seeing anything other than what they consider "normal".  I was hoping they would subside w/ time, but I'm now getting more skipped beats than ever, immediately after I returned the monitor!  I'm not an emotional person, but any time you feel your heart beat irregularly it's not something you can just ignore like they tell you to, so it is an emotional challenge.

What options are there (if any) to decrease/eliminate the skipped beats I'm having post-ablation?  Also, why do I sometimes feel light-headed when they occur?  Is my BP dropping?

[ireneo]

Your doctor is aware of your "skipped beats" but did s/he tell you what they are? It sounds like they're PVC's. If you scan over many of the msgs on this board you'll see there are plenty of people out there with PVC's. When the electrical signal comes a little early often there's a longer pause between beats. As that happens the heart will fill with a bit more blood than normal. When it beats again, wham! you feel a real thump and what I call a head rush. This sudden surge to my throat and head that makes me feel a bit off. I've never passed out from one but it's pretty odd feeling. Not all PVC's hit with that much force but some do. I'm glad your ablation worked. Now you're left with some heart hiccups but it's still an improvement from your WPW. Scan some of the other msgs here to see what works for others to reduce the PVC's. Good luck.

[Jon79]

Thanks for the reply.  I'm glad to hear that the light-headedness feeling goes along with the PVCs.  I'm sure that's what I have, but my doctor kept referring to them as palpitations, and commented that many healthy people have them.  However, I'm not sure why I would start getting them immediately after my cardiac ablation?  Is it common that a heart procedure such as this could trigger PVCs for the remainder of one's life, even if they didn't have them before?  Also, I'm just wondering if once you have them, you're stuck with them, or is there a possibility they will eventually subside?

Also, I was reading online that in healthy individuals, PVCs can often be resolved with continuous rehydration and by repleting the balance of magnesium, calcium and potassium within the body.  Is there any truth to this?  Do lots of drinks vitamins help?

[niche]

Hey jon,

I had a heart ablation june of 07 for my wpw, and ever since october of this year I have had the same exact palpitations occur.  My dr. also says they are normal and that i'm being too sensitive since i've had the wpw issues in the past.  have you found any information about this?

[bookert11]

hello everyone!! ive recently been diag. with wpw but i havent gotten the ablation yet.  Do u guys recommend this??  Judging by what i hear u say im not sure i want this ablation.  I dont get on this website often so if someone decides to reply could you please email me at ***@****
Thank You!

[bookert11]

***@****

[bookert11]

well...for sum reason it wont let me leave my email address. So i guess I'll just have to check on any replys on here.

[Smiley2000]

If you want to leave your email address, do it as follows (eg.):

bookert at yahoo dot com

[Smiley2000]

I had Ablation done (Nov. 2007) to control PSVT (paramoxal supra ventrical tachycardia) and arrthythmias (extra systoles/miss beats) and after mapping and Ablation was done, I still get PSVT and arrthythmias.  The PSVT is scarry, but not dangerous and the extra systoles/miss beats is annoying, but also not dangerous.  Something some of us just have to live with.  I also get dizzy, tired and my throat feels as if it is closing.

[bookert11]

thank you!! smiley2000, So from ur experience do u think that the ablation was worth it? (eg.***@****)

[bookert11]

repn314 at yahoo.com lol sorry messed it up.

[bookert11]

my heartbeat isnt even really that fast on average its abt 65 or 68 bpm and every so often it might go up to 75 bpm. It kinda scares me though when im hearing of people who has this condition and their heart races to over 200 bpm

[Smiley2000]

60-80 bpm in sinus rhythm is completely normal.  100 and above is seen as Tachycardia.  My normal heartrate is 80-90 and when I get PSVT "attacks" it races to 180 and then I stress it into 200!

In my case the Ablation did not work, because the Electro-Cardiologist could not fix the entire problem.  A normal person has 1 sinus node, I had 3 and he was able to Ablate only the 1.  I still have 1 extra node and my normal sinus node.  If I want him to fix my arrthythmia problem, I must get pacemaker implant and I am not going to do that.  I am 32 years old.

[PikaPika88]

To the WPWers, after the ablation, do you still have wpw (showed on the EKG)?  

Jon79, I got the symptoms almost same as you.  But mine one turns up after 20 years of ablation.  Dr said is A-Fib.  He is expecting I'll get it but not that early.  May be it is the side effect of Ablation but not in the documentry yet.  Ask your cardio, he'll tell you the truth.  They probably will tell after you had the ablation but not before.  I also get told the scares will cause trouble too.  Of course when over certain years.  Also the treadmill stress test will turn up those symptoms easily.  I went through many tests.  All come back normal.  I know how awuful it is.  I believe, if it is happened in their chest, they don't like it too or they are unable to tolerate too.

I am still having wpw but no palpitation after the ablation.  I had my His bundle ablated and I have a pacemaker.  I am now depending on the pathway conduction, not AV node.  The pacemaker is just for the insurance or in case (I didn't use it much).

Take care.

[DaDog]

I am currently 30 and also had WPW and the ablation when I was 18.  Now 12 years later I am having the same "skipped" beats that you are experiencing.  It is nice to know that others are having the same problem as me.  I don't have health insurance, and I have a wife, a 17 month old son and another on the way in May.  Having a family really puts your health at the forefront of your mind.  Thanks for asking the question, I just wish doctors would talk to people without having to charge them for an office visit :(

[guitarpicker]

my doc told me to have a ablation in 2002 so I did,, rapid heart beat,, she called it a abnormal electrical pathway,, well I hav'nt had the 180 rate heart beat anymore but at the same time she put me on lopressor or metoprolol 50 mg twice a day, keep in mind this is the same drug they used to bring my heart rate down the first time it jumped to 180 so like everybody else I put up with the pvc's and every year that goes by it gets worse I was 49 when I had the ablation and now I am 55 and my doc still has me on the lopressor,,, my pvc's come when I go down a bumpie road in the car ,, they come in the hot summer months when I drink a cold drink and it don't matter the drink its the cold that sets it off ,, if I rest my left arm on a table to long here come the pvc's,, sometime they last all day sometime they last a hour ,, they put me in a bad mood ... position is a factor with my pvc's ,, everybody has a little pressure stress from day to day,, this also bring them on, anyway I'am tired of it ,, at 55 the erge for sex is not what it was when you are 40 so when the erge is there you want to talk about somthing that is a turn off is to have a bunch of pvc's when your getting ready to have sex, it may be a problem in the heart but believe me when this happens its a pain in @ss

[Leslie613]

I had my second ablation for WPW almost a year and a half ago, and I still have the skipped beats too!  And my doctor is a nice guy, but he just doesn't get how emotionally devastating it is for people with this sort of issue (hence joining an online forum for emotional support.)  At least you've started to exercise again, I used to run all the time but now I'm completely paranoid to do it because it always makes the skipped beats worse.  I hope you start to feel better:)

[luvboxers]

I know how you guys feel and it really sucks at times.  I was 19 when I had sudden heart racing that went on for days.  I was told it was panic attacks.  Six years later after my son was born, I had skipped heartbeats constantly.  It drove me nuts!  the weirdest thing about it was that I couldn't sneeze if I wanted to.  Everytime I would feel it coming on and get right there, my heart would skip and nothing.  That finally went away and then there was the heart racing thing again.  Just a steady 110 to 120 for hours.  Dr said slight tachycardia.  If I lay a certain way my heart will skip or beat fast.  I'll feel light headed.  Doctors have their theories but I don't think they even know for sure.  My only advice would be if you have to have any type of heart surgery, research and find the best doctor possible.  Make sure they are the best of the best.  

[bookert11]

Is anyone out there living with wpw without any treatment? if so how is it going for you? thanks!

[herbc]

I have WPW, large delta waves in II and III.  When I was first diagnosed they used drug therapy.....Beta blockers don't work, but Norpace/disopyramide works great.  It's tough to tolerate, though, if you have an active lifestyle.

What I've found that works very well without bad effects is Magnesium Aspartate, Orotate, or a hybrid made by KAL called Magnesium Asporotate.  I take about 600mg three times a day.  

Anyone can write me at chcollins at yahoo

[MISTY415]

I WAS DIAG. WITH WPW 3 YEARS AGO I AM 26 YEARS OLD. I WOULDNT REALLY HAVE PROBLEMS. UNTIL1 DAY I FAINTED AT WORK . THEY RUSHED ME TO THE HOSPITAL AND FOUND OUT I HAD WPW. DR RESH DID THE ABLATION, AND I HAVE HAD EPIOSODES OF PAPITATIONS AND SEVERE DIZZINESS.LIKE I AM GOING TO FAINT . ALL OF MY TEST  RESULTS COME UP NORMAL FROM THE CARDIOLOGIST. THE DR. TOLD ME THAT I WAS BORN WITH IT AND THAT MY HEART HAS TO GET USE TO NOT BEATING AS FAST, AND THAT IT WILL GET BETTER IN TIME. AND IT HAS ALOT. I DRINK CHAMOMILA TEA AND IT HELPS. ANOTHER THING IS TO LIMIT YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE.    ( I HAVE BEEN TO THE DOCTORS ALOT WHEN IT 1ST HAPPENED I THOUGHT THE SKIN GREW BACK OR SOMETHING ELSE WAS WRONG WITH MY HEART, AND THEY TOLD ME I HAD ANXIETY. I THEN TOLD THE DOCTOR YEAH I DO WHEN YOUR HEART IS RACNG AND YOU HAVE A HARD TIME BREATHING IT DOES SCARE YOU ITS NORMAL TO HAVE ANXIETY, IF I DIDNT THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING WRONG

[alhinai]

I am a 20 years old , I was diag. with WPW 2 weeks ago and did ablation last week. I didn't have any problems till one day I fainted when i was shopping in Sainsburys. Luckily a nurse was shopping with her little son and saw me.She saved my life (did CPR for 5 min untill the ambulance arrived). I was told that my heart stopped for 3 minutes and had 2 electric shocks in the ambulance...

... An advice If u where diag. with WPW then DO the ABLATION, but be4 that choose the right Dr.

You might not find an angel to save u next time!