Ablation is getting close and i have mixed emotions and questions

[demps123]

Hey everyone

I'm a 26 year old female who has been diagnosed with SVT (WPW) My ablation for SVT is on the 14th September and it is coming around quickly. I've been feeling really positive about it for the last few weeks, but literally these last few days i have been feeling nervous and keep thinking of the what ifs. I'm trying to read as many positve stories on here and they are really helping. Also i am getting really fed up of feeling like rubbish due to the symptoms. I get tired alot and now and then i get lightheaded. So i keep telling myself that the ablation will be worth it if i can feel normal after. Being that i have always had WPW according to the Dr, i was wondering if i will feel completly different?
my extra pathway is on the left side and the Dr said he will have to make a small puncture in the wall to get to it. I was just wondering whether this effects the recovery time?
Also bit of an embarrassing question, but being that i am in a new relationship i was wondering how long to leave it untill i have sex again after the ablation? Same with physical exercises in general really.

Thanks for reading

[demps123]

thanks again for the info guys. I'm counting down and wishing it was here sooner now as i've felt abit rubbish for the last couple of days. usual on and off palps along with fatigue. I can put up with the palps but it;s the horrid fatigue feeling i hate.
This forum makes a difference though, just being able to share experiences, realise you are not alone.

[tom_h]

I've never seen an instance on here where it wasn't covered.  However, with companies tightening their belts, you may first be forced onto drug therapy to see how that works before authorizing the procedure.

[jzinckgra]

Meant to ask, but are ablations covered at all by insurance or is it considered elective surgery?

[Jannie411]

I can relate to what you're saying about the symptoms, as I used to experience the same things.  It's been nearly a year and a half since my ablation for AVNRT and I have more energy now than I had for years (I'm now 59 years old.)   I'm able to exercise and have lost quite a bit of weight since I no longer have to take beta blockers.  The best part is just being able to do normal everyday things without the fear of an SVT episode.  As far as marital relations go, we waited about a week after the ablation, but that was mostly because I was having discomfort at the catheter insertion sites.  I wish you all the best with your ablation.
Sincerely, Jannie411

[demps123]

oh i'm in the UK so we have free health care, so luckily i don't have to worry about costs thank god. Don't think i would beable to afford it if i had to. Thanks for the info thought anyway. Puts it into perspective about how much it costs for this procedure. Being that we have the good old NHS over here we never really find out about how much medical things cost.
Makes me really appreciate the NHS.

[demps123]

Thanks to you both. I am still going ahead with the ablation as i have had enough of the symptoms and not being able to push myself more in exercise. Even simple things like hill climbing or climbing flights of stairs can leave me feel rubbish, so it will be nice to beable to do that at some point. Fingers crossed. I will keep you posted. My EP Dr did tell me that for my SVT there is the 95% cure rate, so i just keep trying to think about that. I am actually feeling more positive about it today. I do think reading posts on here from you all really does help. So thanks again.

[MichelleP_3811]

I can't speak about the puncture issue because I had avnrt and didn't need one but I will say the rest of the ablation was a piece of cake for me.  If you haven't read my journal entry you can check my name and read about my ablation.  It was so simple I was surprised how easy it was and wondered why I had stressed so much.  That said, my heart was riled up for quite some time afterwards.  I am going on a year and it is finally getting to the point where I don't feel the ectopic beats barely at all. And not everyone gets or has ectopic beats so it might not be an issue for you. But ultimately the best thing is haven't had an episode yet so a full success.  In general you should only have to wait about 5 days before doing anything strenuous but try to not over do it for at least 3 months.  I am not sure how pervasive wpw is.  From what I understand it can cause daily symptoms so if this is your case I would say once the healing is done you will feel worlds better and have more energy then you did before.  I really struggled being able to push myself in my cardio routine and now I can go harder and faster than I ever did.  So though they state svts are not a danger I personally believe if you can get it fixed it is worth contemplating because I really do believe for the long term health of your heart it is better to have the svt fixed.  That said, you have to do what you feel is right for you just try to take the fear out of it when you decide.  Then that way you know you will be choosing what is truly in your heart what to do.  Well take care and keep us posted on what you decide.

[tom_h]

I was a 59 year old guyat th time, in really good conditon for an old dude.  I have to tell ou that I felt no different afterwards than I did before except I nolonger had my SVT.  Eight days after the procedure, I was taking easy laps at the rink with my son pacing me and and attempting to goad me into some sprints.  I delcined.  I felt and ache in my chest for several weeks afterwards, and I felt easily winded for perhaps 4 weeks, but improving during that time.  My problem was in my leg.  I had an orange sized hematoma that broke a day after the procedure and drained into my thigh turning it a nasty purple color.  When people ask what it looked like, I told them to type "hematoma" in Wikipedia, and it looked just like the picture except it was on the inside of the leg.  The tenderness lasted about 2 months and sudsided with the bruise in my leg which finally reach my knee before disappearing altogether.  I think I layed off sex for four or five days, and you will have no restrictions except to take it easy for a couple of weeks.

Ihad a left side done but was spared the transseptal puncture as the EP found a little flap that didn't close up tightly as it normally should and was able toslid the catheter thru the flap into the left side.  Patients here who get the puncture report some sudden but brief pain on occasions and have attributed it to the punctue wound.  One warned me beforehand to get ready for the ice pick satabbing pain afterwards, but it didn't happen for that reason.

I had the same type of SVT as you reportedly do called AVRT.  But is was not WPW as was first though. I had Circus Motion Tachycardia, which as the description a tight circular conduction, and is very fast.  Rate when I was an a child were clocked in the low 300's.  That slowed to 200 to 250 as I aged into middle age.  I had a wide conductive muscle which required 17 connect-the-dot burns to bridge the conductive area.

Have you been informed of the charges yet.  If not, brace yourself.  Mine was around $76,000 but I've seen them top 100 grand.  I walked in at 6:30 and walked out 11 hours later.  That's not a bad take in for 11 hours of work!  If there anything else I can answer, just ask.

Tom