increased symptoms

[policelady]

I was diagnosed with wpw 16.5yrs ago while in labor with my youngest child.    I was to be treated with nitro glycerin
but  I refused to take the medication when  I was told that I wouldnt be able to just stop taking it.  I was 28 yrs old.  Well, about a month ago i went to my private doctor and was told that my heart rate was elevated. A 24 hour halter monitor was worn, which showed the irregular and rapid heart beats.  
Since then I had episodes of rapid heart beats to the point that I become very nervous and jittery.  I feel bad afterwards
and tired for a few days.   I was not going to do the catheter ablation; now, I'm seriously thinking about having the procedure done, because this last episode scared me.  I was sitting at my desk working.   My question is: is it possible to have increased and noticeble symptoms of wpw after so many years of not having hardly any symptoms at all

[Cleveland Clinic]

Yes it is possible. In fact WPW can become very dangerous as patients with the substrate age and begin to develop atrial fibrillation. Even if present in small amounts in a patient with an accessory pathway which conducts in an antegrade fashion (most likely yours if it was seen in an EKG), it can cause the development of ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death. This is dependent on the physiology of the accessory pathway, which usually can be determined by either a stress test on an EP study.

[Forheavensakes]

In regards to your question, yes, it is possible to have an increase in noticable symptoms after years of not having any symptoms at all. My dad had WPW...Wolf Parkinson White... as it is called by the three doctors who discovered it. He had his symptoms eliminated completely by a cardiac ablation procedure and has not had a problem since it was done. Take your concerns to your Cardiologist...he can provide you with the best choice of treatment for WPW. If you do not find your first cardiologist providing you with good answers, look for a cardiologist who will listen to you. The cardiac ablation procedure is a very safe procedure and if you decide to have it done, go to a good medical facility, like Cleveland Heart Institute, Texas, Boston or a regional hospital in your area that performs this procedure in great numbers to be able to do it confidently.
Best of luck to you!