Successful Ablation

Hi All,

My post is more of a success story of an ablation but my question is for others to share stories about their success because I feel there are so many negative stories are on here from those with very complex rhythm issues. I live in the Kansas City area and I had an ablation a week ago for AVNRT. I feel like I have a new heart I can't believe I feel like this after 18 years of suffering. My procedure lasted approximately 3 1/2 or 4 hours. They cut the extra pathway and since the surgery I have had only a few PAC's on occasion or whatever they call it and those are getting less my heart is almost totally quiet. My heart is so calm I can't remember being this way before. The team (hopefully I can at least share the doctors name incase anyone wants to check him out) was lead by Dr. William Brodine. I wasn't even nervous because everyone was so incredible. I've gone to electrophysiologists before but he was the first doctor that gave me a diagnosis and that gave me the confidence to move ahead with the ablation. I feel for those of us with AVNRT which they say is the most common type of SVT (A-Fib is not an SVT) the ablation is very likely the cure! I hope others will share their success stories on here so others don't suffer for years like I did needlessly. Drug therapy may sound like a good option but heart drugs can kill you and as you age having your heart beat rapidly becomes more worrisome as you can have an underlying heart problem that a fast heartbeat could make worse. I feel like someone gave me my life back - I am soooo happy!!

[cindy707]

Wow that was a great story you posted.  I like you am a success case with the ablation and you are right it is nice to read about successful and happy things on this site....alot of people post i think because they are scared and its stories like yours that make a difference......congrats and welcome back to the normal and healthy end of the human race....yaaaayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!

[trippinkansas]

I WAS TO HAVE AN ABLATION LAST SUMMER ARRANGED BY MY FUTURE SON-IN-LAW AND BACKED OUT BECAUSE OF THE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FROM MY REGULAR CARDIOLOGIST.  SINCE THEN I'VE HAD ANOTHER HEART ATTACK AND 2 ER VISITS TO ARREST A RUNAWAY PULSE (180+), AND TAKE DAILY OFF LABEL MEDS TO QUIET PVC'S. I MAY RECONSIDER AFTER YOUR EXPERIENCE, BUT AM STILL HESITANT ABOUT A PROJECTED 8 HOUR PROCEDURE.

[cindy707]

Sounds to me like this could be a win win for you trippin....any heart doc that gives you neg. feedback needs to be reconsidered...unless................he/she feels that you are in too high of a risk group to have the procedure done.  Ablations do not take 8 hours trust me....normally they take on an average 4 hours and most of that time your doc is listening to music and watching the electrical pattern of the heart on a large screen T,V. mapping out your pattern. The actual ablative procedure itself if fast.....30-45 minutes on the outside depending on your situation.  You need to check out others stories on the success of the procedure with members who have had the same thing as you have to compare notes...

[trippinkansas]

Could you give me more information about your ablation,ie.why you needed it and other heart related problems you may have had prior?  My future son in law is a highly respected cardiologist localy, however so is my cardiologist (one of few members of our local transplant team).  over the last 10 years of heart problems I've seen so many doctors with differing opinions I'm about ready to make medical decisions with a magic 8 ball (hope you remember those). Anyway, I'm new to this site, and the internet in general, but I'm quickly realizing that these personal testimonials have better information than I've been able to glean from a bushell of doctors. Thank you in advance: Tony

[trippinkansas]

P.S.  they really did say the procedure would take 8 hours, and I had a 20% chance of not recovering for some reason.(my son in law to be may have been playing CYA with my daughter.

[cindy707]

I am 56 years old...had atrial fibrillation, paroxamol tachycardia, ventricular arrythmias, still have mitral valve prolapse (no probs there tho), and my heart decided to open up an extra pathway for the electrical entry and exit which made my hart rate go times 4 plus at times plus it ran almost directly across the sinus node which is a big no no.  On top of all of that i had some bad spots which we deep in the back of the heart which is incredibly hard to ablate.  Moral of the story or my story is that when my heart rate began getting progressive and up into the 300's and incredibly irregular it was time to move or basically die.  In my case you have to remember i had no prior heart probs. except the MVP since i was in junior high, worked out at the gym, ate well, smoked, did not drink..it was simply the luck of the draw that i was dealt all within a year.  I have a pretty heavy duty medical background and dug in my heels in total denial that anything could be wrong with me.  Make me laugh...had the ablation and now have my life back full force my ablation was a total success altho the heart doc really earned his money during the procedure.  I too was new to this site and the internet when i joined i think about 4 or 5 months ago and wanted to help others thru my experiences as well as professional background as much as i could to give back.  Of course i remember the magic 8 ball mine always said "Try Again"......your docs sound like they're on it Kansas i had one of the best in the world and there got lucky too....it is a major decision for any of us to have anything done with our hearts especially when they are poked, prodded and penetrated but i had to weigh out the pros and cons and took the chance and would never ever change that now.  As far as residual effects they are almost nil....i stay on a very low dose of antenolol as a personal choice and an aspirin a day also as a personal choice to make sure that the odds stay with me...after all of that happening to me within a year i'm taking no chances now.......

[Darlingorla]

Thanks for your positive comments.  It really helps as I have the same problem AVNRT and have an appt. with an EP specialist next month, for potential ablation.  I am praying I too will get my life back after living with this debilitating condition for 28 years. So many of you have given me hope, I keep reading your comments over when I have a down day.   Again thank you so much.

[Snoodles]

I can't thank you enough for your post.  My husband is 74, 3 heart attacks, colon cancer, throat cancer and double by-pass surgery.  On Jan. 28th he went into atrial flutter and he is still in it.  We saw a electrophisiologist and he will have the ablation.  We are just having trouble getting 4 weeks of coumidin between 2 and 3 or above.  It is really frustrating, because he hasn't had one normal ht. rate in all that time.  I was thinking maybe he shouldn't have it and and the paddles instead, but after reading your post, I am more hopeful that he will be okay.   They said, he may go into atrial fib. at sometime later, and may need a difibilator after.  I was wondering why that would be?  ANYONE?  Thanks so much!

[Gary3201]

I am a 58 year old male I had my third ablation on 12/14. It was my longest one at 8 1/2hrs, my other two were 5 and 7. I am not sure of your experiences but many ablations are longer than 4-41/2 hrs. Tomorrow is the magical day 90 and so far all is fine. I am back to doing six miles on the treadmill at 5mph at a 7* incline Great to have sinus rhythm again

gary

[ndnprncss]

Hi I am from alberta Canada... my brother was just daignosed last night with AVNRT. He has been having episodes for the past few years and drs just kept pushing him away and feeding him pills or telling him to stop wasting their time. So sad. On a lighter note he had an attack while golfing with our dad and my dad took him to a hospital right away. When they got there the ER Dr told him immediately that he had this condition. They called in a cardiologist to help reset his heart rate and prescribed him some medication. They are discussing an op in the future to eliminate this condition for him. Reading ur stories has made me feel more confident that he can get on with life again :)

Natasha

[EMT23]

I had an ablation last week for PSVT's due to AVNRT. It was a total "piece of cake". I would strongly recommend an ablation to anyone that needs one. I was up and doing my usual things the next day (except no lifting or bending). I had no pain and other than being a little tired for the first day I couldn't even tell that I even had the procedure done. I too read all the horror stories before I went in and had to laugh at myself when it was done for being all worked up about something so simple.

[Darlingorla]

I too have been recently diagnosed with AVNRT after suffering from it for nearly 28 years.  My cardiologist has now referred to an EP specialist at Toronto General for possible ablation.  It took 3 trips via ambulance to the ER for him to at last inform me, lst my diagnosis, 2nd that there is help which could possibly cure this condition.  I am now taking Digoxin too and my heart has not been so settled in years.  I would like to share my experience with you all as I go through the process of being evaluated/procedure..  Your brother should not needlessly put up with this benign and very debilitating condition.  There is help out there. I think out of all the SVT's, AVNRT is perhaps the most curable with a 95 - 98% success rate.  Although I feel scared at the prospect of the procedure, I am also excited that I can at last get on with my life again.  These attacks often come on out of the blue in very public places, airplane, restaurant (for me giving a presentation in French - which I find stressful) etc.  Your brother is not alone.

[twinbee]

I have posted numerous times concerning my successful ablation. I just celebrated my 2 year anniversary of being in NSR!! I had my ablation in January 08 at Univ of Penn hospital. My ablation was for both a-fib and a-flutter. I also suffered from occasional sustained V-tach. My ablation was almost 8 hours. It took me 2 years to finally decide to have it done. I really do feel it was the best decisions I made. I have my life back. I am thankful that I have had to have only the one ablation. I did go into the procedure knowing that there would be a chance that I might need a second or possibly a third procedure, but so far, that has not been the case. However, if I should need  to have another one, I would not hesitate to have it done again. Good Luck to all who are preparing for this procedure, or thinking of having one. The one important suggestion I would give is, try to go to the best EP you can. I really do believe the better and more experienced the EP, the better the outcome.
Wishing you all well, and wishing you all enough...

[ElizabethH1967]

My 16yr old son was diagnosed with right sided pvc bigeminy a little over a year ago.  Although he had annual checkups, we never knew he had a problem since bigeminy can be masked by a regular heart rhythm.  It just happened to be slightly "off" the day of his checkup causing a "murmur like" sound the PA picked up and decided to check out.  He had the ablation surgery last October and underwent his first annual post-op tests.  The EKG/Echo/Holter results come back today and his rhythms are back in the normal range!  No more racing or pounding heartbeats, no more skipping beats.  I couldn't be happier with his doctors or the treatment he received at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.  I recommend Drs. Beerman and Aurora to anyone needing pediatric care or a referral.  The only concern I have is about his long-term prognosis.  Because this procedure is relatively new, there is little data to tell us how permanent these procedures are.  According to his doctors if he is still normal at this time next year they will consider him "cured" of any abnormality - as they explained it, "Like taking antibiotics cures you of having an infection, the ablation cures the electrical misfiring."  So we are optimistic about the future.  Good luck to all of you.  Just thought I might be able to contribute a little hope to those struggling with the options available.  Peace. - Elizabeth, Pittsburgh PA.