What to expect post-op SVT ablation surgery

[kybuddha]

OK, I am gettin ready to have ablation surgery for SVT. What should I expect post-op? I am seriously freaking out about this. I have never had SVT until 9 months ago when I took Sudafed. My doctor says that I was born with SVT and that the Sudafed just triggered it. Does anyone have any words of wisdom?

[ireneo]

I've had 3 ablations for my arrhythmias. I think the worst part was before - take off all my clothes, get an IV put in. The rest wasn't too bad. After it's done you have to lie fairly flat for about 6 hours. That can cause quite a back ache. For some reason the last time I had it done they allowed me to have the head of my bed elevated just a few degrees (there's a limit) and it made all the difference in the world. I did have some bruising and tenderness in the groin area, some fatigue for a couple of days but I was functional around home - not bed-ridden. You're not supposed to lift anything heavy for a short period of time but all in all it wasn't a big deal. Anything specific you're wondering or worrying about?

[vonnie333]

In addition to the rapid heartbeat, I experience chest pain & pressure more frequently in the last few months and wondered if this was normal for an SVT sufferer. I also experience extreme exhaustion especially if its a long event.
I have had them from 2-3 mins right up to 5 hours.
My most recent one was 45 mins and I was severley fatigued for about a week after.
Does anyone else with SVT suffer the same symptoms
Ive been told I have an svt and the best course of action would be ablation.

[ireneo]

I remember having some chest ache when my PSVT went on for a longer period of time (say - 45 mins. at 190 bpm). I felt tired at the time of the tachy but once it popped back to a normal rhythm, I felt fine and ready to go. I've had 3 ablations now and although I still have PSVT it rarely lasts long, at most 15 minutes and rarely goes over 150. The shorter bursts may pop up to 180. My doctor is now trying to get me onto meds which I don't want. She said I'm still having PSVT and am symptomatic. Just because I can feel them doesn't mean I'm debilitated by them. They may slow me down momentarily but that's it. The side effects of the drugs were far worse than any tachy time I've had.

Off track there, just sharing my experience. If you're having SVT for almost 5 hours then I think an ablation might help or even cure that. Even if you just get some improvement (slower rate or shorter time or less frequency) then it would be worth it. Good luck with your decision.

[ddufner]

I was diagnosed with SVT while in hte hospital recovering form a lung operation. That was 10 years ago. Every 2-3 years i have another huge episode that forces me into hte hospital to receive adenosine to try to reset the heart rate. The first few times that has worked. The last 2 times inclusind last night, it hasnt. I have had to be put on the shock pad system. I tactic i guess is supposed to be pretty rare. Now they are looking into surgery to remove some of the nodes that causing a reverberation of hte impluses to and from my heart. Again another tatctic that supposed to be very rare

[Kristin02]

I was just diagnosed with SVT.  I am having an ablation in March.  I am very nervous about it.  I checked into the hospital in December with a heart rate of 250.  I wake up everyday with a fast heart beat and it will start up when I get out of the shower or have caffeine, it only lasts about 10-20 minutes but they say medication will more than likely not help me.  I am hoping this surgery works.

Kristin

[staceyweb]

I didn't know you could have more than one ablation.  I had it about 3 yrs ago & thought all was well but am now beginning to have the SVT feelings again & chest aching.  I used medicine several for several years before & it wasn't so bad but I had SVTs at least 2-3 times a year, an hour each time so it was not a good quality of life.  

[sweeet_tea]

O.K. reading everything ya'll have had to say, I am less afraid and more on track to get my SVT fixed. I am 34 and have been having problems a few times a year since I was 18. Only in the past 5 years it has rapidly increased. Now my SVT occures about once a month with a bpm of about 195-210. I am a large woman and thats what scares me about the surgery. I do have one question though, do they put you asleep for the surgery? or are you awake?
thanks in advance...

[Sweetwaterguy]

   I had an ablation in December 06 for a fib.  It was more of an elective procedure for me than necessary.  My a fib was fairly well controlled with medication, but I just wanted the chance to be free of the a fib altogether.
   I was admitted to the hospital the day before the procedure.  I had a lot of outward bravado about the procedure, but inwardly was very apprehensive.  Laying in the hospital bed the night before, I thought often, "Oh *****, what have I gotten myself into?"
   I was OK though when the time actually came and they wheeled me into the cath lab.  My ablation was done under a general anesthetic, so I just went to sleep, woke up and it was done.  The biggest inconvenience was having a catheter for the day I was in the hospital being monitored and waiting for entry sites to heal.   I felt fine, very minimal discomfort, and was released the next day.  For about six weeks, I had some sensation in my chest--likely from the healing that was taking place.  But there were only minor restrictions on my activity.  
  Looking back, it really was a huge and amazing event, especially thinking of the level of technology involved.  Yet from a patients view,  it seemed no more difficult than going to the dentist for a filling.  
   In summary, it is scary.  Most adventures are.  Just look at it as one of lifes adventures--one with the potential to benefit you for a very long time.  

[jed123]

I am 51 had 3 Ablations last year 2007.I have had A-Fib,Flutter,SVT..Not very good feeling at all.This began about 15 years ago i believe Caffine caused this to happen at a sporting event."SVT 220" Went to Hosp. it stopped about 30 min later felt fine..Then only happened about every three years.In feb 2006 happened again.Dr. suggested slowing down on Alcohol I was a Beer drinker) and no caffine. Feb 2007 happened again then about every 3 weeks all summer ..Had 2 std Ablations during summer.then they wanted to do a Pulmonary Vein Ablation..during testing they thought i had blockages so they did a cath and found nothing excessive,,the CTA-A  scan was not correct.finally scheduled me for the PVA..this Ablation is a lot more involved..This procedure was a lot more stressful 5 hours on the Surgery table.Afterwords waiting for the blood to thicken back up before they could pull out the sheaths "4-hours" they use for entry..unconfortable was an under statement.The Dr. was not convinced the procedure did anything as this was new Equipt. with new Software and felt it did not work as planned.I was and still worried about that statement.Felt week all year..about 3 weeks after the PVA i thought i was going to die  my Heart was skipping so bad my chest would shake when it would start back up about every 15 sec sometimes..finally straightened up and has been very good for 6 months now..Time will tell..I am not happy about "No Beer" but My family is very behind me on this decision.For my health..But i wonder what they fixed if Alcohol causes it and i dont drink no more..

[serena74]

I am going to have an ablation soon. I have read a lot about it but it seems that every site says something diffrent. Can anyone tell me about how long it will take? How long I will be in the hospital? And about how long I will need to take off of work? Thanks for all the help.

[rosimom]

I just had ablation done on Tuesday of this week. I spent one night in hospital. In my instance because of back issues they did a fancy anesthetic that had me semi out. They were able to find the pathway and ablate it with 95 percent success which is phenomenal. I have a bruise in my groin area and some soreness at my neck where they also went in through the cartoid artery. Was it worth it, absolutely... I was totally debilitated from constant arrythmia and would probably have lost my licence to drive.  Now I have a flutter once in a while and I'm told that might last a month or so before all is well.

[adam_psvt_freak]

ive had this going on 5 years, we thought it was anxiety until we went to the hospital and cought it on an ekg, its been next to impossible to catch it, i go in for and ablation on the 20th of this month (05/20/08) im more excited then nervous, my dr has done over 300 and is averaging about 3 a week and has only had one bad outcome where the patient had to get a pacemaker, but the way i see it is if i need a pacemaker to solve this problem then so be it, i cant live with it anymore, im a 21 y/o male, ive quit drinking and smoking cigarretts for a long time now and its still happening, 3-6 times a week anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes, i will let this room know how it goes and i think this forum is great, email is ***@**** if anyone wants to talk about it.

[kimmie28]

the op is not that bad i had mine in jan 08 it is scary as youre awake but try not to stress out too much you will be fine the doctors do this operation hundred times a day they really know their stuff!!!!! just don't expect the op to be the end of the palpations, some people still get minor ones, good luck but you won't need it!!!!!

[Andrea_the_Butterfly]

I just had my ablation on Tuesday, May 13th.  I have since had many more episodes than I used to, I've had them everyday since, and two within 15 minutes.  I am on my second heart monitor again, and no one can give me an answer.  The nurse explained that it is like 'teaching an old dog new tricks'  WHAT?!?  Does this mean I have to have the procedure again?  Or is this normal to feel the heart going 'crazy' after it's been poked at?

[kimmie28]

i had my ablation 4 months ago, my palps are getting quite severe, last night i thought i was having a heart attack i'm sure i passed out with them.i have never had such a bad episode of palps in my entire life my heart from what i could count was beating 4/5 times per second. i'm bk on the meds but they are clearly not working. in so much muscular chest pain today trying to work out if i should go for an ecg just in case????  i was told palps would be gone after ablation but then i have read many people need it done twice, do i need a 2nd ablation n why would it even work a 2nd time????  hope yours settle down , goodluck!!!!!!!!

[annie37]

Hi i had my ablation done 5/13/08 it was hard for me my doctor ablated over and over it would *** back after 10 min rite back to 220 and up to 250 finally i guess he got it.. they went in thru both my legs (grion) it took over 4 hours and then the 6 hours laying straight i have been home now for 6 days and my left leg hurts plenty it makes me limp wen i walk and i have to take deep breathes so i dont know if this is normal i called my doctor he will see me on thrusday.. hopefully everthing goes well till then cus my breathing is scaring me..sometimes my heart goes rasing crazy but that mite be normal for a while i think.. i hope cus i'm going back to work and am hoping i'm all done with this im a mail carrier lot of walking and lifting.. i wish every one who is going to get there ablation  the my best wishes.. and  fully and fast  recovering

[lovelylizagna]

I had my ablation last monday, june 9th. they had to go through 3 different arteries and the incision on my left leg hurts REALLY bad. I went to the ER after it started to bleed a little and they said i developed a hematoma. its been almost a week and my leg is sore, aching, and really really uncomfortable. i can't sleep, the pain killers dont help, and im just ready to have my life back to normal!!!

dont get me wrong... i feel like this surgery was a success and i strongly encourage anyone else out there with SVT to have it done. The doctors zapped 2 spots and when they tried to induce the arythmia again, it wouldnt do it.

good luck to everyone!!!

[ireneo]

Sorry to hear about the hematoma. Some people do get them and it does take time for the blood to be broken down and absorbed.  So you had the two legs and a neck vein used? I was OK with the leg veins but I'm glad I didn't have to have the neck used as well. They used a "sheath" in each leg to protect the blood vessels as they ran the 4 catheters up (2 in each leg). I assume they do that for everyone. I'm not sure how the hematomas form. Most of the wiggling around is done in the heart by remote control. I was able to watch some of it on the screen during my first ablation.

Just take it easy for awhile. The pain will go away. Sometimes there's some pressure or bruising on a nerve and it's quite uncomfortable for a few weeks.

[cmjoseph]

Anyone considering ablation, PLEASE READ THIS POST!!!

I am a 23 year old female that has been in superb physical shape my entire life. I always had an arrhythmia, but it progressively got worse starting at age 16. While in college, it got to the point where my heart rate would near 250-280 bpm and I would pass out (syncope) - this was usually exercise induced or would come a result of doing something suddenly - sneezing, a quick sprint, running down the stairs, coughing, etc. During a softball game I passed out because of an episode (I usually had large attacks a few times a year). My heart rate was 280 bpm and after it subsided my blood pressure was 150/130. It was then decided that I would have the ablation procedure.

In August 2007 I went in for the procedure. My doctor was a very young man - my parents seemed a bit concerned in regards to his age and the fact that his average patient was in their late 60s. My procedure was HORRIBLE. I was on the bed for 11 HOURS in surgery and fully awake the entire time! Because my heart was so healthy (SVT is an electrical problem, not heart problem) they couldn't get the SVT to trigger. The entire time I was pumped with adrenaline. After all that time they only ablated one part in my right atrium and didn't even venture over into the left side. The doctor admitted defeat and then had the nerve to refer me to another man a state away and told me to try again.

So now, here I am almost a year later and my current case is worse than when I went in in the first place. Along with SVT, I now have a consistent flutter that is with me ALL DAY. My attacks don't yield the same rate (now about 200 bpm), but they have been getting stronger and stronger. To anyone considering ablation, if your attacks are as extreme as mine, DO NOT do catheter ablation. Open heart ablation or internal defibrillators are all that will work for you. I have been to a new doctor recently and this is what he is recommending since my attacks are so extreme. If you have minor attacks, catheter is for you. Now I have to pay a $20,000 medical bill for a procedure that didn't work (yes, that was after insurance and 30k of the 100k price tag was adrenaline for the 11 hours I was under!!!!!)                    

[ireneo]

One piece of advice that is given often to those considering ablation is to ask the EP/cardiologist how many ablations he's done. When it comes to the delicate electrical system of the heart, you should have a well qualified and experienced person. My EP cardio was head of cardiology at the medical university. There were other cardios in the room but he was in charge. This isn't the time to let a less experienced person practice ablations alone. And being in the cath lab for 11 hours isn't the norm at all. During my 2nd ablation I was in for 7 hours. He couldn't ablate the arrhythmia successfully so he stopped. And to allow a patient to be in pain when it isn't necessary seems less than compassionate.

I'm sorry you had such a terrible experience. That's not the norm thank goodness.

[clair1974]

i have had my ablation for (svt) on the 21 april 2008. my proceedure was done in london and im very grateful it was 4 hours long and proceedure itself was simple and was nothing to be concerned about however i thought that this was to correct the fast heart rate and flutters which i have had once a month (230). since having it done i have had one episode of a fast heart rate 140 lasting 45mins but on a daily basis missed heart beats and flutters which are really random i also get chest pain  is this normal i have had an 7 day ecg but nobody is telling me if this is normal or if it can be fix or even is this another heart problem what shall i do has someone else had the same problem thanks

[ireneo]

I know they give the statistics that an ablation is 90% successful or so. I honestly don't know. The people that have successful ablations would have no need to post on a board like this. I've had 3 ablations because my heart is stubborn. Like you, I still have PSVT but it is at a much slower rate and better yet, it doesn't last that long when it does pop up. The ectopics may have been there all along but seemed like nothing compared to your tachy at 230. Now they nag you and cause concern. Most of the time the PAC's and PVC's are just a momentary heart hiccup; it gets out of sync for a second and corrects itself. No harm done.

As for your tachy times at 140 for 45 minutes, your cardio may recommend another ablation to try to clean up that arrhythmia. There must still be a spot lingering and causing you some trouble. Just don't be surprised if another ablation is mentioned. I look at it like vacuuming the house - I think I got it all and I turn around and there's some lint and fuzz I missed somehow.

Do mention the chest pain to the doc. I get brief chest cramps (I call them). The cardio checked them and didn't seem concerned. If there's fainting or the pain lasts more than 5 minutes, go to the ER.

[heartbreak]

I was born with svt and I decided to go and have an ablation done after talking to a friend that went through it. I will never forget this day as long as I live, I remember waking up and having my family surrounding me, I didn't have a clue why I was in so much pain, come to find out, while I was in the precedure, the doctor ruptured my arota which caused me to bleed out, in the process of bagging me trying to keep me a live they had to find a surgeon and a opened operating room. Luckly they found a great surgeon that was able to open my chest and stop the bleeding, mean time they had to revibe me 3 times and told my husband and mother that they didn't think I was going to live as they made a mistake. I did make it out of it alive thanks to one great doctor that was on hand. I ended up being in the hospital for a week and it took me 12 weeks to recover from open heart surgery. I have 2 boys that went through hell watching their mother go through such a horible thing.

I personal would never go through it again, they never did take care of the problem, I live everyday with and will continue to..

[ireneo]

When anyone goes in for an ablation, risks are spelled out. One risk is the possibility of poking a hole through a vessel. The odds of that happening are miniscule but if it happens to you, then it's too much. I'm sorry you were on the wrong end of the "odds." If you are still having your arrhythmias but can live with them without damaging your heart, then I say go for it. I've had 3 ablations and still have ectopics and PSVT. But I'm done with ablations and the PSVT is not bad.

Do you take medication to manage your arrhythmia? It may not cure it but it can help slow them down or make them less frequent. I'm on Diltiazem right now because I'm under so much stress (my Dad is dying) and as you know, stress can trigger more SVT. Take care of yourself the best you can.

[me973]

I have had two electric physiology studies.  The first one, the doctor "bruised" my heart and it didn't work.  The second one worked!  I had it performed about a year ago.  My heart rate would go up to about the 250s range or higher.  It was sooo exhausting and scary.  I would faint all of the time.  I have had it since birth, but no one caught it until I was 26 (now 35).  They doctors all thought I had epilepsy.  My oldest daughter has hearing loss from the anti-seizure meds I was on.  All is well now, and I couldn't be happier to not take meds every day, stop fainting, and not be so tired.  Good luck to all; it was a scary surgery, but the best thing I have ever done!

[sweetheart101]

I had ablation for svt (avnrt) Oct. 21st.  I really did not know what to expect.  I had some soreness but really suprised about how tired I felt.  I stayed in bed for practically two days.  I tried to get out some yesterday but became very tired and had to come home.  I hope this is normal.  I was sedated throughout my procedure but mostly awake.  My chest still feels tight, though getting some better each day, and I don't have alot of energy. This is post-op day7.  When will  I feel better?  I was very active before with exercise and 3 young children.  I just hope to feel atleast as good if not better.  I have had svt from age17 but not as frequent due to meds and no caffeine.  I am 32.  I hope I made the right decision in having this done.  

[ireneo]

I had my ablations in my late 40's, early 50's so I'm older than you. But I don't remember being very tired after the procedures. I wasn't up to full speed but I was up and about, doing fairly normal activities. Even went to the gym the next day to walk off some of the nervous energy. Then again, I went shopping at the book store the day after my abdominal surgery so maybe I'm just stupid :-)

It's been a week for you and you should feel pretty good by now. An occasional dull ache in the chest is normal but that's it. Perhaps you should call your doctor if you aren't able to do your daily activities. It doesn't sound right to me.

[banglamom]

How much it hurts and recovery time is dependant on a few things including your own proclivity for healing.  My 1st ablation was not too bad, except they did use 3 entry sites and I was fairly bruised up.  The 2nd one was 8 hours long and they did so many burns they just had to eventually quit so as not to burn right through my heart.  I had an excellent doc and his partner also joined him for 3 hours I'm told to try to chase down the spots.  They eventually came out and apologized to my husband for being  unable to fix it.  I felt like I had been put through a cheese grater for a couple weeks- a sore of raw abraded sensation.  I thought I would never do it again after the second one... but the THIRD wasn't too bad.  The goal was just to ablate everything and place a permanent pacemaker to drive the rhythms.  Unfortunately, they couldn't and I still have to take a TON of meds AND have the pacer.  That said, having the pacemaker has been the HIGHLIGHT of 20008.  Hope it goes quick and easy.

[brokenheartforever]

I had an ablation for SVT 2 years ago. I was diagnosed at 26 with it not too long before they scheduled me in - as I had very frequent symptoms that were lasting longer each time. It has now been 2 years - almost to the day, and lately I have been getting a lot of pain in my chest. Now, since having to deal with this a big part of my life, I am quite familiar to where my heart is, and what it feels like. I even notice if it's skipping a beat. I just can't seem to explain this pain in my chest. When it comes, it lasts for about 1 minute, and will continue and then stop again for about 10 minutes. It's kind of like an aching feeling, only much worse. I do not feel short of breath, and I cannot say that there are any more symptoms with this.

Is any one familiar with this??

[ireneo]

Can't really say. Do you have any arrhythmia with the pain? I suppose you could ask to wear a heart monitor and record during a painful episode. I get chest aches every now and then, usually with some arrhythmia. I did the monitor, recorded them along with some of my usual heart nonsense. All I was told was "I don't think it's cardiac related." OK. . .not much of an answer but I'll take it. Perhaps it's just esophageal spasms or some stomach problem. He didn't seem too interested so I won't worry either. Until you get some more testing done, it's just too difficult to guess.

[ucityron]

I had an ablation 2 days ago, and the doctors said it was successful for all they know now.  They found many areas where the electrical impulses were corrupted.  The lead doctor, a very highly respected pioneer in this field, likened these areas to swirls which can move, if I understood him correctly.  Post operative was where the problems were.  The worst part was being so dry which to my belief, caused constipation.  There was minor pain in the heart due to the ablating.  There was no problem with the groin area.  Removing the catheter and starting the bladder working again was a challenge, but I was also able to get that going.  The initial urinations (male) were painful but subsided after about 4 times.  Did anybody else have post op constipation due to anesthesia?  

[ireneo]

I've never heard of that one. The anesthesia they use is typically a conscious anesthesia. You're not out completely, there's no breathing tube involved. It's a med that just makes you relax and fade in and out.

As for constipation or dehydration, each time I was in they put in an IV for fluids plus used it for the meds. Being dry shouldn't have been a problem. If you were taking any pain meds, that typically causes constipation which is why I don't use them, even after my abdominal surgery.

Sorry you had such a rough time.

[Kheart2000]

I had my ablation on 2/26.  I was diagnosed with SVT when I was 9 (26 y/o f).  My SVT/AV Nodal was triggered by excersise, sudden moves - an event monitor tracked my heart rate at 300 bpm lasting 20-30 mins.  My procedure was 6 hours, general anesthesia and in-patient; I was released the next day.  Insertions in both groins and my neck.  Like many people have mentioned, the prodecure itself wasn't too bad probably because I was asleep the entire time.  After the procedure I was extremely exhausted sleeping 18 hours for the next 4 days.  It's been 10 days and I feel a lot better except that I am short of breath, particularly at night.  I also have occassional flutters which I know is normal.  I'm anxious to see if this worked to fix me or not.  Good luck to everyone considering this procedure.  Make sure you get a great doc!

[ireneo]

My goodness - 300 bpm, lasting 20-30 mins at a time would be miserable. 300 bpm puts it in the atrial flutter category. They found some a-flutter during my first ablation, didn't even realize I had that one. But they were able to zap that one and get it controlled. I certainly hope your ablation is a success.

[Louise1948220]

I just found out I have Supraventricular Tachycardia.  I am 60.   I have experienced palpitations in the past, and thought they were from my "get everything done temperment, that stress, plus the exercise in doing it all".  
It would usually come and go pretty quickly, like within a minute.  Before that would come on it felt like I might have had a low BP wave of feeling dizzy or faint.  I would try to just sit and breathe, try to relax and then I'd be okay (but underneath still very scared, like I was going to die?)
I also have been told that I had panic attacks (starting at age 11), and off and on through my 20's, 30's, and even 40's.  I thought those came on from my own thoughts...like maybe I'd just lose control.
After doing some reading...and the way other's describe how they feel with the SVT, that's how the panic attacks felt too...although at the time I had those, I was so scared I wasn't aware of the heart rate.....just the overwhelming feeling of passing out, a sinking feeling, and wanting that to just go away or leave.
I wonder if the panic attacks were actually SVT?   I also have been told my BP is up so I was just put on BP meds., and I need to lose 30 lbs.  No coffee, no chocolate, no salt, no sugar, and watch the carbs until the weight is off.  
I wonder if the panic attacks are related to the SVT - since it started as young as 11?

[ireneo]

Sometimes doctors or people may assume it's just anxiety or a panic attack since the symptoms are so similar. Unless you wore a heart monitor at age 11 or 20 or 30 and recorded one of these episodes, the doctor wouldn't have known if it was panic or PSVT. A heart tracing shows distinct rhythms. Explaining your symptoms in the office is very subjective.

I'm glad you finally found out what was going on. The various forms of SVT can be controlled and sometimes cured if the doctor decides to do an ablation (although those are not always 100%). When I was very young my Mom was told I had epilepsy. I even took meds for that. However, when I got older another doctor told her it was my heart rhythm acting up. I'll never know for sure about the epilepsy but I do know my heart is goofy.

So what's the plan for you now?

[Louise1948220]

Hi, thanks for your feedback and comments.  I go for extensive blood tests this week, I guess to rule out things like my thyroid (hyerthyroidism), and to make sure my cholesterol is not high.  
I was given an appointment with a cardiologist and the earliest I could get was in the first week of May...seems kind of far away.
I am taking it easy and I won't go back to work for a week or two now.   I am relieved that I found out something about this, and trying not to give it any energy.  
It sure makes you scared to go back to your regular pace, so I'll have to hold back on buzzing around so much...he he.
I am looking forward to losing the weight so I won't have to stay on BP meds indefinitely.  A cousin of mine did that.  She lost about 40 lbs. and she just did a daily walking routine - then she didn't need her meds anymore.   To lose the weight I am eating well, but not indulging in junky snacks, you know?  I walk a lot, so that isn't a hardship.  Also trying not to stress out over things.  Thanks, write back when you have time.
  

[grendslori]

One thing that people do not realize is that an ablation is only sucessful if the electrical tract is ACTIVE on the day of the proceedure. If the electrical tract isn't, then it doesn't matter how hard the doctor tries to start those fast heart rates, he won't be able to map that tract and the ablation won't take. That's why so many patients still have a problem.  

[ireneo]

May is a long time to wait. With most SVT there's no danger but waiting that long for answers is a pain in the petunia. Walking is excellent exercise. I love to walk but use my recumbant bike at home when I don't feel like going out (today for example since it's snowing again). Junk food seems to be addictive LOL Why does it have to taste so good? I'm a great fan of chocolate but limit myself. Not only because of the calories but too much makes my heart dance.

I've heard of people going in for ablations only to have a quiet heart day and they can't trigger it. I think that's fairly rare. If a person is having so much tachy that it's interfering with their life, it's usually active enough to find during the ablation too. That's encouraging.

You're right that a person can feel light-headed when the heart races. It's best to sit it out. I hope you'll check back in and let us know what you find out and how you're doing. For now, enjoy the walks and look for those Spring flowers. My crocus are peeking through the dirt. And my plum tree has buds. Spring is near even if the sky is dumping snow today. Hmmph.

[Chatter†Ally]

Wow! Alot of posts on this one.  I have (had) severe svt.  Made me feel as though I would pass out.  Severe sob.  I was put on Amiodarone and took that for about 9 months.  The svt got alot better, but I still worried about the risks involved with taking that drug.  So, I stopped taking it a few weeks back.  I am doing okay so far.  The dr wishes I would have stayed on the drug since it was working, but he understands my concerns.  No talk yet of ablation. It's been mentioned, just not acting on that yet.  The complaint I am having now is that my angina is getting worse.  Waking me up in the middle of the night. Take nitro and it goes away until about an hour and half later. Subsides mid morning.  Have dealt with angina for years now.  Not sure when to get up and go to ER or not. (The last 3 visits there only showed angina, ischemia and such) Has been 2 years since my last mi.  Long stretch for me.
Irene, the azaleas are in bloom here in Texas and my bulbs are starting to sprout now too. (I know because in turning some of the soil I pulled some up).  (Caladiums) You are right, the ground hog was wrong.  (Punxatawny Phil or something like that).  Spring is here.

Take care.  Ally

[klondon]

300BPM is very high! I had my ablation done in London in Dec 09. Mine were triggered by sports - I play regularly but sometimes it turned into and SVT. It was the diagnoses that took long to sort out.

In the ablation procedure, the mapping part (where they control your pulse took a while - and was 'v. uncomfortable' but nothing more than that. They usually took mine up to 250BPM lots of times until they were able to locate the exact problem area. It turned out to be round the left side.

The actual procedure to burn the problem took a few minutes only. They then waited for a period of 20 minutes to see if the problem would come back. It didn't... After that its exactly as people have said - a period of 4-6 hours of rest. During this time they removed the 'bits' from my groin wound (sometimes they do it while you're in the theatre but it depends on the blood something or other).

Anyway for a couple of days I was a bit hobbly, nothing more, then after that I was back to life. 3 weeks later I was back playing badminton and football regularly. It is worth doing this procedure. Success rates are very high for 'procedures' and the technology is just incredible. I was talking throughout the procedure and was amazed watching how the wires were doing their thing.

Good luck to those doing it.

[zenwurm]

Just had my ablation done - am four days post procedure.  Am experiencing weird sensations, like if I don't lay practically upright on pillows, I get flutters - and have had nausea everyday since.  Have not yet been able to return to normal everyday life...Is this normal?

[mattpp]

This thread spells doomsday for people like me about to have ablation!! are there any success stories out there? matt

[ireneo]

Zen - it does take a few weeks at least for the heart to quiet down. It's been irritated by the procedure. Depending on how long you were in there, it may take longer to recover. My second ablation took a good 7 hours and I felt tired and teary for a good week. The other two I recovered more quickly. Even when you get your energy back, your heart may flutter and feel funny because the heart muscle itself is still healing. Give it time, you should notice a change in a month or so. One day you'll realize "Hey, my heart's been quiet all day!"

Matt - Don't worry about this thread. So many people have ablations with little to no problem and get on with their lives. Remember, all those successful people have no need to visit a heart forum any more. I consider my ablations successful because I feel so much better than I did before.

[BokenMike]

27 y/o male just had an ablation done three days ago.  I have to say this was the best decision of my life.  I had been living with SVT for five years, and over the last year the feelings and episodes had gotten worse and worse - to the point where my life felt like it was being run by my heart!  

I would be anxious all the time and worry about the next episode, and even though i was told the episodes were benign, it still was impossible to just ignore or 'get over it' - my quality of life was completely affected for the worse

I had went to see three seperate EP doctors prior to getting the procedure done, and all recomended i do the procedure, even though i had never in fact had the SVT caught on an EKG.  I had been to the hospital after several long episodes but every time i got there, my heart would 'click back' into regular rythm before they could get it on an EKG.  However after describing the symtoms to the Dr, they all thought they would be able to fix me with an EP study and an ablation IF it were infact AVNRT, WPW, or AVRT.

The day of the procedure was a bit nerveracking, but i was in and out in about 3 hours.  The Drs were able to induce the SVT, and ablated 4 times, after which they could no longer induce the SVT.  I was SEMI conscious but barely remember anything exept for maybe a minute or two of the three hour procedure.  Totally comfortable and not scared or scary at all.

Recovery was an easy one night in the hospital, and i was released the next day.  Now a few days later i feel GREAT.  I still can feel the 'click' of when an SVT would start, except now my heart just keeps on going in regular rythym!  A bit of brusing at the cath insertion site, but i think that will go away in a few days.

I honestly feel this was the best decision I ever made to get this procedure done.  I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my sholders, and I no longer have to worry about my heart running my life, I can now do as I please and not live in fear.

To those questioning getting this done, I would say it is not the same for every type of arrythmia, but if you do your due diligance and make sure to see several Dr's and get more than one opinion - as long as you go to a qualified doc in a good safe cath lab, they can cure you for life with a 95% success rate - GO ahead and change your life for the better!  

[Louise1948220]

Wow that sounds so positive.  It's good to hear you did so well.  I am 60, and I'm not so sure I want to have someone poking around in my heart?

I am a very young and fit 60 yr. old, active and was never on any medication my whole life.  My doctor has put me on BP medication for now.  Go figure.

I haven't had any episodes since Feb 2nd, then yesterday while grocery shopping I had the "palpitations"..........called, Supraventricular Tachycardia.  

I try to remember exactly what I was doing when it came on.  I was squatting down to look at something on a lower shelf, and got up slowly and I was fine.  I walked around to shop in other aisle's and then I may have bent over to look at something...that's when I felt the quick heart rate start.   Naturally, I got very scared because my last incident required going to the hospital by ambulance where they had to give me a drug to shock it back to a normal rhythmn.  I went over to the pharmacy area and sat on a chair, did some deep breathing and then did the Valsalva Manouvre twice (held my breath and "pushed").  It started to slow down, but with quite a forceful beat.  So, I have to wonder if it's related to blood pressure and a positional event?
I am waiting to see a cardiologist and I then do a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea as that can cause heart problems too.
It's very frustrating to not know what you can do, and at times I am so anxious for no reason at all?

[ireneo]

I felt the same way about ablations - I really didn't like the idea of someone poking around inside my heart. But if it fixes the problem, that's so much nicer than taking medication the rest of your life or worrying about a tachy time and going to ER.

The Valsalva is wonderful. I've used it for years. I did find that when I was holding my breath and bearing down, my heart would protest and thump a few times. That seemed to be the signal that it was working. A couple of things I learned: when you exhale, do it slowly; if you just whoosh it  out, often the tachy will kick right back in and don't wait too long to do valsalva - the longer the tachy runs, the harder it is to stop. I wait a minute and if it doesn't stop on its own, then it's time for valsalva.

Read up and ask the cardio about POTS - postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Some people have that where tachy starts when they move their body a certain way. It's not as common as PSVT (tachy that starts and stops suddenly for no particular reason) but just another thing to consider.

[BokenMike]

Hi Louise

If in fact you do have SVT, it can be onset sometimes from just sitting and doing nothing.  I had found often Alcohol, Tobacco, and caffine as well as stress and rushes of adrenaline tend to bring out the SVT's more often, but could never really pinpoint any specific reson besides the above that would bring on the incidence more frequently.

They are not life threating but certainly scary.  If you can stop the fast rythym by bearing down and controlling breathing, chances are you have the type of SVT that can be ablated and cured.

I would reccomend finding a good qualified EP Dr and at least meeting with them, they can tell you what your risks might be  - I am not sure if the risk actually increases with age or not

I can tell you it is a relatively easy procedure, and while the complications sound dangerous, you are talking 1 in 5,000 chance of something dangerous or bad really happening.  The worst complications tend to arise from the site of catheter insertion rather than anything having to do with your heart.  The anxiety leading up to the day is much worse than the procedure and recovery period itself

Good luck to you.

[darlingleslee]

I had SVT for about 10 years, ranging from twice to three times per year. My heart rate would get up to about 225. The hospital staff would joke with me because I was so calm while in the ER. I would tell them " I'm used to it. Just give me the shot and I'll be fine". Sad but true. Though I was used to the SVTs they always would "show up" at the most inopportune times. I had gotten to the point where I would cut out certain activities for fear of an attack. Needless to say, during those ten years I refused to go anywhere that didn't have a hospital within a couple of miles. Can you say "no vacations"? Anyway, the last straw was when I walked into the court room and sat down (I'm a paralegal). I had no sooner then placed my behind in the seat before the "SVT Monster" attacked! I was floored! The court was at least 5-7 miles from the nearest hospital! I left court and drove myself to the hospital, but all the while panicking because of the distance. I got my "shot" and was fine... physically. Mentally was, and is, another story. I agreed to have the ablation and the procedure was done of February 5th. My doctor says the ablation was successful but there is a 3% chance of it returning. I have had a few skipped beats and little pains but have since learned (from this forum) that is normal. My problem is that now I'm constantly battling panic attacks! I had to ask my doctor to prescribe valium for me because I was (am) feeling like such a basket case! It feels like my brain is shooting off adreneline that my body is not ready for. Have you or anyone else suffered from this? Is this normal "post ablation"? Please help! I don't want to be a valium addict!

[ireneo]

You've had 10 years of SVT episodes and your emotions have been trained to anticipate and fear them. Now you'll have to allow time for the emotions to retrain, to believe that the occasional heart hiccup is not going to lead to a full blown SVT episode. As you have more time with a quiet heart, you will relax.

I had 2 years of fearing the "phone call" that would bring news that my Dad had died. He's gone now but it still took me awhile to not tense up every time the phone rang.

If you can handle some of the skipped beats without the valium, give that a try. Save it for the critical times. You'll gradually see an improvement. Take care.

[jackieblu]

I had an ablation a week ago for SVT in Canada where they do approximately 4 ablations a day. The surgery took 2 hours and I was not put out or given a sedative. I can tell you that the procedure hurt immensely when they were burning (10-12 times) and I remember everything. I watched the procedure on the X-Ray machine while it was happening.  I would recommend that if you have a choice, choose to have a sedative. Currently I have pain in my chest and throat. I am also experiencing coughing and pain in my neck and groin at the insertion sites, along with "missed" and "stalled" heart beats. I have seen a physician and they suspect that I have an irritation in the lining of the heart due to the surgery which can take 2-6 weeks to heal. Whether the ablation was a success is yet to be seen, I heard it can take a long time to tell. That's my experience and good luck to others, I hope it goes better than mine!

[jackieblu]

I had SVT for 10 years, Im 38. I decided to have the ablation due to unsuccessful medications and the fact that I haven't had any children. Because of my age and the possibility of fertility drug use, ablation was the best option. If the ablation doesnt work for me I can't imagine trying it once more, and may try medicines again. Does anyone know if there are risks involved with heart med's for SVT and fetuses?

[ireneo]

Oh my word! I can't imagine going through an ablation without any meds at all. I had 2 meds: Versed to relax and fentanyl for any discomfort. Between the 2 of them, I didn't feel much or remember much.

There may be some anti-arrhythmic meds that are safer than others to take during a pregnancy. Or, depending on how severe your problem, you may have to go off the heart med for awhile until the baby is more developed, less likely to be harmed by a medication. Those are things to discuss with your doctors.

The recovery from an ablation can take a couple weeks to get your energy back and the dull little aches to go away. It may take a few months before the heart quiets down completely. Glad your ablation was a quick one, only 2 hours. My longest of the 3 was 7 hours not counting recovery (laying flat).

Hope everything works out well for you.

[meagain200]

Just got home from my procedure, and it did not work at all.  About 6 hours post op I had a episode last 30 mins, which is 25 longer than ever before.  I was in the cath lab for 4.5 hours, and unfortunatly the fentanal and versed didn't even take the edge off.  I was able to remember everything and had quite a lot of pain during the procedure(guess 2mg of versed every 30mins don't work on everyone). I have been home 8 hrs and have had 4 unprevoke svt episodes now.  Dr says that he'll have to do a cryo ablation now, which will be under general, and is done on the endocardium near my sinus node.  My Rt incision (which was arterial not venious) has a lot of pain, others wise pretty pain free. To bad my PSVT is 10 times worse now

[darlingleslee]

Ok, here's the story of the day! I was having, yet another, panic attack (which I have been having since my ablation February 5th) and called my heart doctor (who prescribed valium to calm me). I asked him if he would switch me to something else because the valium was not stopping the panic attacks, just putting me to sleep. I do have to work. The nurse, after speaking with my doctor, advised me that the doctor didn't want to switch my medication at this time but "by the way" would like to schedule another test for me because he saw "something" on my holter monitor reading and wanted to make sure I wasn't at risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Ok forum, what's wrong with this picture? Did I not say that I was having panic attacks? Needless to say, as a result I was livid AFTER having the mother of all panic attacks! I have been having heart skips or thumps. Do you think this is stress, anxiety, or even acid reflux related? On the bright side, I haven't had a panic attack today. I think its because I'm too mad to be scared. Any help out there?

[zenwurm]

posted a couple of weeks ago, having strange flutters days after ablation.  have been told that's normal.  now almost a month post ablation, last week in er for sinus tachy at 140bpm...  now a week later and not tachy, but feeling strange pvc/flutters and a sense of what i can describe only as heartburn or something...  i'm feeling these strange things and doctors saying i'm normal.  I'M NOT FEELING NORMAL.  i gets periods of dizziness and strange feelings in my chest - though the drs don't seem to be too concerned, as not going into tachy...  the angst of it all is really getting to me.  sleeping is not good, as woken up with these strange feelings.  after er visit three weeks post ablation, come to find out from dr that during procedure they found second area, closer to a "dangerous" area - they got what they could, thought they got everything, as they couldn't induce tachy, but my strange feelings a month later aren't tachycardias, just chest pain/burn and flutters with dizziness - heart rate feels OK/normal...  any ideas, or am i destined to never be normal again?

[beebs29]

hi, i had an ablation back in 1994, i had extreme svt, after having an episode of 330bpm for 2 days we decided on an ablation, for me it was a life saving operation, for all those that are suffering effects after, i would like to say this is normal, i had flutter, etopic beats, mimic's of svt the lot, it lasted for a few weeks then settled, i had psvt after as a result of the surgery, that was going on about 20 times a day but nothing like svt, i still suffer from the psvt attacks but i only have them about 4 times a day and they only last less than a minute and just feel odd more than anything but for me having the ablation was life changing, after having svt from birth and not really having a life, i now go on holiday, go on fair rides all that normal stuff which i could only dream of  and me and my husband are now trying for a baby! so life's pretty damn good!

[fit2]

I'm scheduled in 4 weeks for my second ablation for AFib. Not sure it will be worth it from what I am reading here. My first was 4 years ago and I went about a year and a half before my AFib came back. I've been treated with drug therapy since, but 6 months ago my AFib got out of control again (much more severe than ever before)  and I had to be cardioverted about every 2 weeks for about 3 months until I got put on the right combination of drugs to get me back to regular sinus, usually within about 6-10 hours of an episode. Unfortunately, my AFib is now a daily occurrence, but thankfully I do convert with the drugs. But the drugs I've been on for the past few months have been causing alot of nausea; the AFib causes headache, shortness of breath (you know, the regular symptoms). My doctor does not believe that my recent weight gain (20 lbs, rapidly in about 10 days) has anything to do with any of the drugs I am on despite the pharmacy literature that suggests it in a small percentage of people that take the same drugs as me. I'm at my wits end over this and unfortunately am not able to work out right now - my doctor wants me to wait until after I've had the ablation and recovered. Before all this I was in great shape and worked out 5 times a week. Is there any hope that any of this will really change with a second ablation? And does anyone else ever find their doctor to be unreasonable about the possibility of side effects from your drug therapy? I know my body and I know what's changed and why.

[JJ1111]

40yr old Male, military aviator.  Had Cryo-ablation one year ago, on Valentine's Day, believe it or not.  Had a tachy. during a workout and was able to stumble to medical only 50 feet away from the gym.  The docs caught it on the EKG, and then it spontaneously reverted.  Good news was that I had the ablation one week later.  Post op, I had some minor palps on and off.  Felt like my heart was "healing" due to some minor pain in that vicinity.
Knowing what I know now, I realise I had tachy. a few times in my life but thought it was due to dehydration, etc.  The event in the gym scared me into getting to medical and forcing myself to aknowledge the problem.  
I am glad I had the procedure, but I was very nervous about the obvious life changing impacts to my career if the problem wasn't resolved.   Wonderfully, the medical board approved my to fly again and have been 'pulling g's' and such for the last 7 months.  
Being very nervous and scared is natural, the "unknowns" and thinking it to death are a natural reaction to this type of event.  It took me a long time to accept that I was "cured", I was afraid to workout since that's what tripped it "that" time.  I've been working out cardio and weights since then and feel much better.  The goods:  as my Cardiologist said - "you won't die from this, I believe I can fix it and get you back in the air and if I don't fix it we'll know much more than we do now."

The most pain was from the incisions in my neck and right groin and the discomfort from being on the table for so long (6.5 hours), and the lab was very cold (a 'feet heater' did wonders for that)...and they dry-shaved me from chest to knees...I would have done it myself or had my wife help me with shaving cream - if I would have known.  Overall, you will get through it with a wonderful chance for a complete cure.  If not, as my doc said, "we'll know more than we do now."

[braveheart226]

  I had AV nodal reentrant tachycardia . I am a 48 year old female. I had my ablation a couple of weeks ago in New York.
  The procedure was practically painless and I went home the same day. I had two insertion sites, in the groin and neck. The discomfort was so minimal that I didn't even need to take an Advil. Since then, my heart has been especially calm...I had no idea a heart wasn't supposed to feel so clunky! I've had NO stray heartbeats of any kind.
I feel incredible.
   It is easy to get scared off when you read accounts of less-than-ideal results. Yet I am here to tell you that there are some great cases, and I am one of them. I only wish I had the ablation done sooner.

                 Sue  

[BMWguy09]

During college i started have "flutters" that would last 2-3 secs and then be gone! This went on for 4 years until I graduated and started my new job as a Store Manager for a grocery store. One day while having lunch with my mother my heart jumped to 220 beats per minute out of the blue! I thought i was having a heart attack!! It was the MOST scariest thing in the world. I went to my family doctor after much debate about going to the emergency room( long wait times) and they diagnosed me as having ANXIETY.....With the new job, college loans etc. I thought makes sinse to me, i had every symptom of an anxiety attack! These attacks went on for 3 months, some lasting longer than others but it was nothing that I couldnt talk myself out of! Then last week I woke up at 2:10AM with my heart beating out of my chest and very much IRREGULAR! I screamed call 911!!! When the paramedics got to my home my heart was beating 250 beats per minute and they told me i was experiencing A-FIB. ( Irregular heartbeat) They took me to the hospital and put me on a drip to slow my heart and hopefully convert my heart back to sinus rythym ( normal ). This took place about 8 hours after arriving to the hospital. I am now on flecanide and a betablocker until i have the SVT ablation in a few weeks. I am extremely nervous because im only 22 years old (male) and I have heard this is mostly a older persons disorder. I hope the ablation works and i can kick the meds and be back to myself without the CONSTANT anxiety of another attack or somehing worse! THE BIGGER PICTURE HERE:.........PLEASE make sure if you are experiencing some of these symptoms make sure you tell your doctor and give some insite as to what you may have OTHER than anxiety if thats the diagnosis youre given! This would have saved me alot of time and nervous days if I would have read into a site like this years ago!

ANY ADVICE OR EXPERIENCES WOULD HELP ME DRAMATICALLY!!

[mattpp]

Hi, I've just got home from ablation for AVNRT and would like to offer encouragement to anyone considering the procedure. I was scared to death before going ahead, having lived with the condition for all of my 30 years and never having the courage to go ahead with it. After a really bad attack before christmas, I decided enough was enough and booked myself for the procedure. The story of my op is much the same as everyone else's - very very scary, painful at times and generally unpleasant. I'm quite an anxious person anyway and for me the mental side of it was worse than the physical side. I was given morphine and some sedatives which took the edge off things, but the very fact you are awake is rather disconcerting! My surgeon was wonderful and induced the AVNRT very quickly and successfully ablated it with only 3 minutes of xray time which she said is very low and way below average for the procedure. Strangely, before she induced the AVNRT, she managed to induce atrial fibrillation which felt very weird but she reassured me that this was purely catheter induced and it won't recur after the procedure.

So all in all, a success story and now i feel better than i ever have - my heart is beating more gently than it ever has done and although i'm getting a couple of skipped beats here and there, these are milder than before the procedure and not triggering my SVT.

I thought I'd post this to encourage other to go ahead with this life changing procedure. I remember before I went in reading horror story after horror story on these forums and found it hard to find any positive posts. So here's one!

All those going in, feel free to ask any questions and good luck to you! (not that you'll need it!)

Matt

[taylax623]

I just turned 19, May 22nd and just got back from having my SVT ablation done May 26th. The only thing that bothers me in the area around my groin because its fairly bruised, but thats normal. I too was born with SVT and after collapsing at softball practice awhile back we took action. First it was medication ( that didn't work ) and we saw numerous doctors who beat around the bush with the SVT because I was considered a pediatric. So finally someone came to my rescue.

Anyone who reads this before they go in DONT WORRY. I'm 19! imagine being 19 on a hospital bed with people trying to ease you because "you're a baby" I don't know if everyone was being EXTRA nice because I was so young, but by the time I walked to the operating room and went onto the table I was comfortable with them to do the procedure. You are technically awake during the procedure but the sedative they give you makes you REALLY sleepy. I watched some of it on the screen but I had no idea what was going on so I took a nap. I'm not going to lie but some parts obviously hurt like when they make your heart palpitate because when it palpitates it hurts anyway! and when you're finally allowed to go home (I had to wait an extra 2 hours after the 2 hour procedure) your leg hurts bad to walk but again THATS NORMAL.

So if i can do it ANYONE can believe me! and I'm still recovering 2 days post procedure and I'm very happy I got it done NO MORE MEDICATION! :)

[vanhalendreams]

im only 15 and i have currently been diagnosed with svt, neuro cardio genic synqape, and bradi cardia and every medicine that anyone gives me does the opposite effect my heart pills help me with my heart but also they help me concentrate i dont know y but wen i take my add meds intead of them makeing me happy they make me angry and sad and i have an ablation and a pace maker comeing up and i would like to know wat it is really gone feel like.

[HIGHVOLTAGEKID]

I AM SCARED TO DEATH!!!!   MY 13 YEAR OLD GIRL IS HAVING ABLATION SURGERY IN THE MORNING!   FOR THE 2ND TIME. THE 1ST TIME SHE WAS ONLY ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD AND THE DOC'S HAD TO STOP THE SURGERY BECAUSE THEY DIDNT THINK SHE WAS STRONG ENOUGH FOR THEM TO FINISH. NOW AFTER READING ALL THE BAD STORIES I THINK I MIGHT BE HAVING A BOUT OF SVT MYSELF!  PRAY FOR HER.

[Lace29]

Well,
From reading all the terrifying stories,
I am here to tell you that,
Im only 15 years old,
Am my Father Kenny,
Just recently pasted away of a STV.
He had surgery once [i think, maybe twice] when i was about 4 years old.
about 7 weeks ago today,
My father died at the age if 47 ,
in his Truck [ as he is a truck driver ]
As I live in New Zealand, not many people suffer here of STV as bad as leading up to having surgery.

My Father, suffered Chest pains, heart beats up to 260 bpm for atleast [ longest time] just over an hour.
he had medication to help with the pain buh unfortunately he pasted away.
it all started when he was in hospital when he was 13 from a accident with his fingers.
they had been chopped off by a mincer in a butchery store.
anyways cutting to the chase,
he was in hospital for 3 years recovering from his accident and about 2 years in he was diagnosed with STV or in New Zealand we call it an arrhythmia  or a heart problem.
for the last 30 odd years my father has suffered from this horrible disease and has now peacefully passed away.
i am telling you now, Im only 15 years old and i still need my father but because of this horrible disease, it has killed my father, for me he passed away at a young age.

thanks
Lace

[addictedangel]

I was diagnosed when I was about a year old with SVT.  When I was roughly 10 years old, I had this surgery done.  I was told that there was a chance that I could die from the surgery alone.  I was put under and kept in the hospital for 3 days total.  The doctors told me I had an extra nerve behind my heart that could possibly grow back.  I believe it has grown back, but my SVT has not cause any problems since the surgery.  I am now 24 years old.