fascicular ventricular tachycardia

[david595]

I have been having tachycardia since I was 23. Now I am 35. Episodes were not frequent in the first four years, and about three times in the first four years. The episodes are getting more frequent in recent years, a couple of times each year. The episodes are long and I have to go ER to terminate it by IV medicine each time. My heart rate is also very fast, around 200 b per min, even more. The situation is getting worse this year. I had four episodes already this year even I took medicine Diltiazem (180 mg) everyday. The good thing is I can terminate it by taking extra Diltiazem (250 mg) and lay down for 30 mins.

My doctor told me my problem is left ventricular fascicular tachycardia, which is an uncommon tachycardia. My tachycardia is very sensitive to Diltiazem (calcium channel blocker). The doctor tried Adenosine, but it never works. If they inject Diltiazem, my tachycardia would terminate immediately. My Mon had same problem when she was young. She had a few episodes when I was fetus, but she never had that problem again in the past 20 years.

I felt my tachycardia is making me weak and it may kill me in one day eventually. My doctor suggested catheter ablation to cure my tachycardia a few years ago. My doctor told me that the ablation has about 90% chance of success, and 2% chance of stroke and 2% complication that needs installation of pacemaker, because the ablation site is in left ventricular. Since I am really afraid of the results of stroke and pacemaker, I have not made decision to go ablation. In recent years, I frequently felt short breath and palpitation even I took medicine everyday.

Does someone can tell me what is success rate in my case if I do ablation? Thanks in advance for any suggestion. In addition, is my tachycardia life threatening?

[david595]

I had heart catherization in the last Friday and everything is fine so far. No any complication (stoke, blood vessel damage, normal heart tissue damage) during my 4-hour procedure. Doctors told me they fixed my problem completely and no medicine was needed for me. I can not believe it. I think I should do it long time ago and it may save much torture for me.

They cut both sides of my groin and one site on my neck. The cut on neck and left groin recovered alredy, but I got some problem on m right side of groin (they cut my artery in this site) after one week recovery. I see bruise, and feel pain when I walk or touch. I also feel seveal swelling lymph nodes which is painful when I touch them. The swelling lymph nodes are very hard, and I am pretty scaerful. The wound is almost healed, no bleeding and clean. Do I need to call my doctor for the swelling and painful lymph nodes? Any suggestion is appreciated.

[Jerry_NJ]

I think the numbers your doctor gave you are in line with what I've been told for ablation in the left side of the heart, such as is also needed to treat Atrial Fibrillation, my problem.

The general guidance that makes sense to me is if you quality of life is poor due to a rhythm condition, then ablation is good option.  That said, the risk is lowest if the ablation is done by a "very" experienced doctor in a facility that does the procedure every day.  Experience/practice is a key factor to consider when selecting where to go.  I also take into consideration "in-network" qualifications for my insurance company.  All of these procedures are expensive.