2 unsuccessful ablations later...

[heatherobscura]

Hi, im a 21 year old female and recently had two cardiac catheterizations with ablations. I am not completely clear on every detail but im going to do my best.The first one was on July 17th and my doctor found an accessory pathway near my av node, he got my heart to 199 bpm and tried to re-induce the svt and couldnt so it was assumed it was successful. Upon waking up it was declared a "text book case" of svt and i went home happy. A few days later i had another episode and then two more a week later. I went back to the cardiologists and was given a holter monitor and had an episode within a week. I was called and told to come in immediately and the rhythm they caught appeared to be ventricular tachycardia but he explained it was a bundle branch block that looked like vfib and since im otherwise healthy that its not very dangerous. We scheduled a second ablation for august 28th. During this procedure he "re-ablated" tissue near the previous site that he worked on july 17th...he said that he looked all over my heart, and on the outside and couldn't find another accessory pathway but when he gave me adrenaline (epic doses is my understanding) that my heart went up to 240 and was back into svt. He concluded that there was a 90% chance that if he tried to ablate the tissue,it would be to close to my SA node and i would need a pacemaker. In the process of all of this my lung was accidentally punctured from a needle in my subclavian vein and my lung partially collapsed and i had a chest tube for 2 days...but thats a whole other story. Basically im wondering if this is common in people my age and if theres any other ideas out there. I skydive and im afraid that i will have an episode in the air, i keep my beta blockers on me but i dont take them regularly because they make me so lethargic and my blood pressure drop really low.

Im not sure if that made complete sense but im confused because my doctor is confused

[Jerry_NJ]

Wishing improvement, I always thought ablation what the real "fix" for error heartbeat signals...I suffer from AFib.  

I write mostly to raise a caution on beta blockers.  I have never heard of using them as a discretionary or self prescribed dosage.  In fact I understand one not suppose to suddenly stop taking them, rather one should/must "ween" them self off.  I take high dosage of Topral XL (50 mg twice a day, down from 100 mg twice a day) to hold down high heart rate problems.  I too think it makes me tired and I can't get up from a resting position without getting dizzy.  I underwent an electrocardioversion 8 days ago and am now in sinus with a rest rate in the lower 60s, so I plan to ask my doctor to reduce further, or to illuminate Toprol from my list of meds.

I had held ablation as a possible afib fix sometime in the future, now I wonder given the problems noted on this thread.  I hope to get a couple of years relief from afib from the electrocoardioversion, given I continue to take high dosage Rythmol SR (or XL... there seems to be no agreement on how to designate slow or extended release formulations).  

[tsco]

Your case is similar to mine.  I am older than you but my SVT started at age 35.  My accessory path they have found after four ablation attempts is too close to my node also. I also have left bundle branch block at a heart rate of around 120 (rate induced).  I think the last ablation caused it but doc say no way.  Anyway my options are zonk it and get a pacemaker or learn to deal.  Basically I am waiting for better technology.  Meds don't work too well for me.  I now take flecainide (low dose) which is very very effective in reducing the pac's/pvc's I get since ablations and also helps reduce any SVT episodes. It kind of aggrevates my LBBB though.  If I have an SVT episode (mine are more persistent than yours, sometimes requiring an ER visit) I can take a 50 mg toprol and break it within 2 hours.  I keep those handy.  The main thing is just press into your head that you will not die.  It is an aggravation like a migraine headache, you will not die. Do your thing and deal with it.  It is hard to do, trust me I know but you have to do it.

[heatherobscura]

the episodes normally last anywhere between 2 minutes and 15 minutes but the longest was an hour and i went to the ER in that instance. They usually start when i jump or hop up onto something like a stool..what were your episodes like?

[rach6060]

Hey

Im a 22 year old female and went through ablation for svt about a year ago. No more svt though i am still plagued with pvcs and nsvt. How long do you episodes last?