SVT Ablation

[amanda586]

I am 25 years old have had a fast heart beat ever sense i can remember..... I have about 4 or so a year (never kept track) and about 8 years ago had a bad enough one that went to the ER and figured out what it was. They decided not to do anything about it because it doesnt happen often.... well last friday when i was sleeping i had one and couldnt get it to stop so went to ER again.... went to Electrphysiology today and he told me i had a few options, one being SVT Ablation.... I decided in the office not to do it because dont have to may attacks. But then got to thinking about it and googling it, my attacks are pretty rough and happen when i least expected them, like when i am out drinking, sleeping or playing volleyball and my heart beats 225 a minute. I am really scared to get a SVT ablation done.... has anyone had bad experiances with it?

[amanda586]

Hi :), no I have not tried Beta blockers, when I went in to the Electrophysist he said that I would have to take them everyday for something that only happens very often and there for it would be hard to tell if they work, unless I dont have any.... and then I would be taking pills everyday, he recomands the ablation why I am still young. He said that right now my body can take my SVT because I am 25 and my body can take my heart beating 225-250 times a minute (my attacks are always that high), but I always black out (not quite passout) before they happen, am afraid I will passout one time...

[Smiley2000]

Hi there,

If the attacks only happen about 4 times a year, I would not advice you to go for ablation at this stage.  

When the attacks started I started taking daily Beta blockers and tried about 4 different ones, but did not work.  I had about 4 attacks per week and would go in and out of A-fib spontaneously and that made me go for the ablation.

Have you tried Beta blockers yet?

[amanda586]

Thank you so much for your reply.... I am always so scared of surgery or anything, am always so afraid that the worst is going to happen. Never had any kind of surgery or procedures myself either... Thanks :) helps me out on my decision

[Smiley2000]

My apologies... I read your age to be 52 and only afterwards did I realize you are 25!  so the medication for bloodthinners and bloodpressure are not applicable to you.

[Smiley2000]

Hi there,

The SVT attacks are terrible!  and as you said, very unpredictable.  I had my EP studies and mapping done in Nov. 2007 and Cardiac Ablation to treat Atrial Fib. and SVT.  I have never had an episode again and don't need any medication for it.

This is what you can expect from ablation:

You will get a sedative and will sleep through the procedure and when you wake up you will remember nothing of the procedure.  The procedure can take up to 5 hours, but it will feel like seconds to you.  Minimal pain and a bit of pressure in groin area (both sides) and you will not be able to sit up or walk for upto 6 hours.  You will stay for the night and be discharged in the morning.  If you take bloodthinners, you will need more observation post-op.  At your age I would suspect that you might have high bloodpressure and they will have to make sure that your vitals are normal before discharging you.  The groin area is normally a bit bruised but not very painful.  After about 7 days later you will not even know you had the procedure done.

There are risks with this procedure that they can burn of your normal electrical pathway and then you'll need a pacemaker.  Some people also develop Pericarditis post-op, but that is not as bad as it sounds as the treatment for that is Asprin and it normally goes away after about 24hrs.

I can remember waking up with this perfect, soft heart beat and never had SVT attacks again.  Definitely worth it!

Wishing you all the best for your decision and procedure.