safety of ablation

Please help me to sort this all out
ablation is (5% successful
yet
all of the blogs on this site talk about repeat problems new types of pain and repeated ablations
thanks MQ

[tom_h]

It's only natural for people to search out a forum if they're having problems, or have questions (as I did).  On the surface, if you look at the posts here, it would appear that there's cause for concern over an ablation procedure. What we're not seeing though are the thousands of patients who undergo successful ablation, and go on with their lives not bothering to post their triumphs here.   I don't know if a it's 95% success rate, but after a life of PSVT, if the odds of success are 95 out of 100 people, I'm in!  Also, that success rate could be for ALL TYPES of arrhythmias.  I'd guess ablation for certain kinds of arrhythmia may skew the overall success rate pulling it lower.  My EP is extremely confident that he'll have no problem finding it and zapping my Wolff Parkinson White, and I believe him.

[jyant]

Tom

I agree 100% with what your saying because you said "after a life of PSVT". IMO Dr.s are in a rush to preform this procedure and 6 months to a yr. is not "after a life of".

If I had WPW, I would most likely be in line also.

Good luck and God Bless

[tom_h]

Thanks!  It's been 54 years of never know when it's going to barge in and disrupt your life, make you drop out of or forfeit sport competetions becasue you couldn't skate, or cycle, or wrestle, and in general just having to stop what you're doing and deal with this major pain in the neck, often while a group of people stand around you with looks of concern while you go thru the gyrations of trying to convert it (I first learned valsalva when I was only 6). I went to my cardiologist 2 months ago for medication.  Both my cardiologist, and EP said this route is safer than taking the medication.

[tom_h]

I see you live in Greenfield, MA.  I'm in Sturbridge.  Where are you getting your procedure done?  I'm having mine done at UMass in Worcester.

[littlegreenman1]

My Doc gave me 95% going in.
Going out (based on the spots/technical difficulty) he gave me 80% chance of success.
He gave me <1% chance of major complications.

Ablation is safe.

I had mine after 7 months of SVT (exercise induced).  Controllable episodes 2x/week and during the last two months episodes that took ~1 hour to self-convert (in the ER both times).  

Post ablation (now ~+95 days) took about 60 days for the flutters to quit. I feel more and more solid every day.  See you on the course of the St. Jude Marathon.

[chuparosa]

it is kinda strange...we are so used to medical treatment being black and white but I guess ablation is a bit of an art form. I do believe the procedure is safe but so much in medicine depends on the doctor I think. I'm just greatful there is some alternative to just meds.

[Nellieevelyn]

Hi thanks for writing to me I am to have the proceedure at Baystate Med ctr springfield as they do not do it up in Greenfield but my cardiologist is up here.
I hope you are recovering well from the proceedure (this week right)
I have to wait until Nov 17th now back on the medications and tired.
Rest and get well  Blessings

[Nellieevelyn]

thanks for the encouragement.  It is reassuring to hear from someone on the recovery side of the proceedure.  keep getting stronger and back to your life thanks again

[tom_h]

Mine is the day before yours, on the 16th.  So I have that long wait too.  We need people like littlegreenman1 to stick around as an example of success stories and to offer encouragement to those who are about to go through the procedure, thanks!  Good luck on yours!

[Nellieevelyn]

You are right I need all the encouragement I dont have anyone I know who has had this
and heart disease is scarey to me but we gets what we gets I hope your month goes well for you I go back to work Monday and hopefully no episodes until the surgery
Have you heard about baystate cardiology in your travels? the MD seems very up beat and caucious  Have a well day

[cindy707]

Hey Nellie i just finished posting on your other comment from the 19th...hope it will help....

[tom_h]

I prefer to call it a "condition" as oppose to a "disease".  After all, if you looked at my EKG right now, it would look normal to all but an expert who'd notice the slight delta wave and consequently a shortened PR interval characteristic of WPW syndrome . I'm a ten year transplant  to Massachusetts having moved from the Philadelphia-South Jersey area, so I'm not aware of Baystate Cardiology.

[Nellieevelyn]

thanks so much for the discussions I am going to have the procedure on Nov 17th at Baystate med ctr springfield MA
under general anesthia  and I pray it will help calm my heart down and I wont have to take medication be tired and afraid all the time I'll let you know how I do
Tom best wishes for your success also we only have a couple of weeks to wait and hope be well Nellie