Can't get rid of arrythmias

I've had 3 ablations since January this year (2011) to get rid of arrythmias but they keep coming back and this time are worst than ever. Dr. put me on  Amiodarone 200 mg but I'm affraid of the side effects but I feel so sick that decided to take them I had my first pill today 08/28/2011. I really don't want to take this pill but what can I do? I'm so tired of feeling sick all the time, I'm on metoprolol 25mg twice at day but my regular heartbeat is still  between 120 and 130 bit per minute when  I'm resting and feels like it skips a beat. Any advice???


This discussion is related to Ablation vs. Medication.

[jrizzuto]

wow 3 ablations and it's still not fixed? I agree with you on side effects, I cannot tolerate ANY drug it seems. Most of it is probably in my head, but regardless I don't do pills very well. The skipping is probably PVCs which it what plagues me lately, they won't hurt you - so I've been told. So after 3 abs, what does the doctor say the next step is? Is he any good, have you considered switching doctors? what does he say the cause of the fast heart rate is?

[mlb16]

I am taking amiodarone. I have been on it for a little over a year. I started out with 200 mg, but now down to 100 mg. I have had no side effects from this medication. I had an ablation Feb 4, 2010.

[Jerry_NJ]

I do not have any experience with Amiodarone, but it does help a lot of  people.  Keep a careful eye on it and let you doctor know if it gives you any problems.  That said, my Cardiologist discussed Amiodarone with me relative to stopping my Atrial Fibrillation, and he said if I wan to try it I have to check into the hospital (under his referral) to test my reaction to Amiodarone.  I decide not to do it.  My AFib has now  progressed to the point that my Cardiologist doesn't think any of the drugs will help beyond what I get from Beta Blocker and Calcium Channel Blocker medications.

I think it is worth a try given you high HR.

[cecedoll]

He just doesn't know  why this is happening to me  for now I'll take this medication and I'm wearing a monitor until my next appoiment on sep/20. I live in Houston, Tx. and there are only 3 Doctors here who specialize in arrytmias and he is one of the best so no much choice for me.

[jrizzuto]

too bad you are not closer to Dallas, I would recommend Dr Robert Kowal (Heartplace.COM) -Baylor. He is amazing.

[Gunnardog]

Dear Cecedoll,
You are the only other person that I've herd of who has not been "cured" by either 1 or 2 Ablations... I had my first Sept 2010, Second March 2011 and am scheduled for my 3rd Oct 31st.  I still have A-fib quite often, my EC says it's rare to need 3.  I'm 47 years old and am otherwise very healthy and active until this came along in December of 2009.  There were many trips to the ER and then many tests scheduled before my first Ablation. I'm so worried that the 3rd will not do the trick...
I'm with you about all the drugs... I have them!

[Gunnardog]

I actually meant to say I hate them... not I have them... must be getting late here in WA.

[Mom2four85]

I went in back in Aug 2009 for ablation for very frequent pvc's & VT, psvt...for about a week the roughly 50,000 pvc's were gone but I developed pac's and the psvt became very frequent...then the pvc's and VT returned.

They found I had polymorphic VT (malignant arrhythmia's) and I had to stay in the hospital and have tons of tests done then a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted. Within a few months time, my counts were back over 10,000 pvc's and 1,000 pac's daily.

I had major complications during the procedure and even after 2 years not in any hurry to have another procedure done, even if they gave me a 100% success rate.

I still don't have any answers; but have been told I have HOCM or ARVD - testing shows inconclusive for everything - no clear cut answers.  I've been on Inderal and Inderal LA since Dec 2010 which works pretty well for VT episodes but I still don't have any relief of pre-syncope & syncope issues.

If you haven't I would try one of the large clinics like Cleveland, Mayo or Vanderbilt; others have great success with them and there are those of us who have had repeat ablations, some worked while others haven't.

[cecedoll]

Thing is my problem is way to close to the diaphragm so they have to be very careful to avoid  damaging it 2 hrs ablation took almost 6 hrs. last time and 10 days after arrhythmia's came back worst than ever. Now I'm on Amiodarone and Metoprolol and I feel much better but I'm scare of the side effects and I don't want to be stuck on pills. I'm 52 years old and I want to enjoy my life. I feel ok now but I'm scare of feeling fine because every time I think I'm cure and start living my life this crap comes back I'm so depressed  I'm thinking about going to a psychologist. This really *****!!!!!

[gale569]

If you have not checked out the Cleveland Clinic, I would do so, see what their evaluation is in you case. It just sounds like your risking your health if you keep having ablations. I had just one, and my heart was punctured. I won't do that again. It was not at the Cleveland Clinic. I still have my PVC's, but I am going to live with them. Anti-anxiety meds. have helped me, calm down, from all the stress of having them. People who have never had these weird things  going on ,do not know how we make ourselves crazy dealing with them on a day to day basis. Good luck to you..

[stevencook2323]

hey cecedoll, i live in lake charles, louisiana and i to have heart problems, idiopathic ventricular tachycardia,  i went to houston to see a specialist there, im curious if we seen the same one? would you mind telling me his name?  thanks

[cecedoll]

Hi Steven,  Dr's name is Sohail Jalal and hi specializes in Arrhythmias

[cecedoll]

Hello gale can you tell me how you found out your heart was punctured did they tell you?  did you get sick?.

[stevencook2323]

The one I sen was timothy Doyle