Skipped Beats w/ Light-Headedness After WPW Ablation

[Jon79]

I am 27 years old and had an ablation done because I was diagnosed w/ WPW this past summer.  I had a form of tachycardia where I'd get runs of fast beats every so often, but it wasn't that frequent (nevertheless scary).  I had the procedure done in Jun-06 b/c I was told there was a small chance that people w/ WPW could die suddenly.  I didn't know that after the ablation I'd end up with a different, more unnerving problem.

I now have what I believe are "skipped beats", where I can feel my heart flutter in my chest, sometimes followed by a feeling of light-headedness (not sure why?).  This has been a problem since the ablation, and now, 10 mos. later, I'm having the skipped beats even more often.  At first I noticed it mostly during the cool-down period post exercise, but it also happened while inactive.  The post-exercise skipped beats remain today, but occurrences while inactive increased dramatically in the last few days from 3-5 a week to about 1x every couple mins.

I had an event monitor for a mo. previously & did a stress test (of course the skipped beats didn't happen during/after the test at all), and my EP says everything is "normal" and the skipped beats were "normal".  They weren't "normal" for me...I never had them before!

I've since worn a halter monitor for 24 hr. constant monitoring, & later another event monitor for a mo., with results yet to be heard.  Other than a few episodes, I don't predict them seeing anything other than what they consider "normal".  I was hoping they would subside w/ time, but I'm now getting more skipped beats than ever, immediately after I returned the monitor!  I'm not an emotional person, but any time you feel your heart beat irregularly it's not something you can just ignore like they tell you to, so it is an emotional challenge.

What options are there (if any) to decrease/eliminate the skipped beats I'm having post-ablation?  Also, why do I sometimes feel light-headed when they occur?  Is my BP dropping?

[starstruck158]

Hi I have had an ablation for wpw and I have palpitations afterwards also. I use to ride roller coasters before I knew I had wpw and now I am kind of nervous to ride them. I was wondering if any of you guys have been on one I really wanna know because I want to ride one again.

[Dimitrios91]

send me email here basically:P

[Dimitrios91]

dimitris-***@**** is my email..I give you my email for adding you in my msn and tank live with this "problem".i had wpw as well..i did ablation and after 8 years now i stil have these extra beats or what is that called..It would be nice if we can share this same problem together..Thank you

[Aguila2011]

I was 21 when I had my ablation in Seville, Spain. Great Doc! Right after Ablation still in hospital i had these skipped beats or sometimes I would call them extra beats, cant really describe the difference. Anyway, all these eventually dissapeared, my doc put me on atenolol 25mg, small dose 'cos he said that i was hyperkinetic, so atenolol would help to keep down. I was on this for about 10 years until got pregnant. I had these skipped beats very rarely and in occassions like a mini arrythmia, only like 3 secs, my doc always told me that this was what it used to trigger the wpw and that i was cured, he always repeats this. As i said I got pregnant and i was living in UK, so docs here took atenolol away, they said i didnt needed, I was fine for long time until now that my son is 3, i have these skipped beats or extra beats for like every day since he is been 18 months and docs say that everything is normal on tests, i have even called the great doc who did my ablation and told me i  have to relax, sleep a lot and do some walking. I am going crazy, 'cos it is really uncomfortable, it happens like everyday, all day sometimes, today i had not had any and I am happy. sometimes i think i get them but i dont even realise cos i am so used to them, i am just scared that this can trigger something else. At least i know there are more people experiencing this. Hopefully we can all help each other.tks

[alhinai]

I am a 20 years old , I was diag. with WPW 2 weeks ago and did ablation last week. I didn't have any problems till one day I fainted when i was shopping in Sainsburys. Luckily a nurse was shopping with her little son and saw me.She saved my life (did CPR for 5 min untill the ambulance arrived). I was told that my heart stopped for 3 minutes and had 2 electric shocks in the ambulance...

... An advice If u where diag. with WPW then DO the ABLATION, but be4 that choose the right Dr.

You might not find an angel to save u next time!

[MISTY415]

I WAS DIAG. WITH WPW 3 YEARS AGO I AM 26 YEARS OLD. I WOULDNT REALLY HAVE PROBLEMS. UNTIL1 DAY I FAINTED AT WORK . THEY RUSHED ME TO THE HOSPITAL AND FOUND OUT I HAD WPW. DR RESH DID THE ABLATION, AND I HAVE HAD EPIOSODES OF PAPITATIONS AND SEVERE DIZZINESS.LIKE I AM GOING TO FAINT . ALL OF MY TEST  RESULTS COME UP NORMAL FROM THE CARDIOLOGIST. THE DR. TOLD ME THAT I WAS BORN WITH IT AND THAT MY HEART HAS TO GET USE TO NOT BEATING AS FAST, AND THAT IT WILL GET BETTER IN TIME. AND IT HAS ALOT. I DRINK CHAMOMILA TEA AND IT HELPS. ANOTHER THING IS TO LIMIT YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE.    ( I HAVE BEEN TO THE DOCTORS ALOT WHEN IT 1ST HAPPENED I THOUGHT THE SKIN GREW BACK OR SOMETHING ELSE WAS WRONG WITH MY HEART, AND THEY TOLD ME I HAD ANXIETY. I THEN TOLD THE DOCTOR YEAH I DO WHEN YOUR HEART IS RACNG AND YOU HAVE A HARD TIME BREATHING IT DOES SCARE YOU ITS NORMAL TO HAVE ANXIETY, IF I DIDNT THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING WRONG