2nd Opinion, ablation 2-24 Pulmonary Vein Isolation anyone?

[Kim_1970]

I had my second opinion with different EP Dr.  This one is a lot older than first one and knew considerably more.
He spent a lot of time reading my holter monitor report and ekg.  He tried to explain it to me, but I did not understand much.  Something like the spaces in between the blah blah were uneven, and other things. He said it was not the life threatening kind of svt. He was positive of that.
It feels life threatening to me because I get very faint and once "fuzzed" out on the road when having a "spell".  
I only had spells 3-4 x a year except since major life stressors had been having them few x a month.  

The not so good news is he gets out his booklet and shows me the 3 types of svt ; AV node, accessory pathway and focal atrail tachy.  He said 95% have the first 2 and I think most likely you have the other 5% kind,  the Focal Atrial Tachycardia. He said its seen once they get in there-only 60-70% of the time.  So if they dont "see"  it they have to do this other procedure called Pulmonary Vein Isolation to "get it" and it has a little more risk of complication so they would do a general since it looks like I would have a hard time laying still for more than 2 minutes. It would take 3-4 hours.  Has risk of heart or lung perforation.  I got really scared and asked what are odds that I would not make it?  He said one in a few thousand.  Gulp.  I am 41 and have 3 kids!

First doctor never even looked at my ekg in front of me and did not make that determination at all.  He just wrote all the risks down and statistics of death, stroke, etc. He did not say what kind type and that you cant tell until you get in there. He is newer at this procedure maybe 5 years or so and 2nd opinion doctor has been around for a lot longer.  He's probably in his 60's.  Maturity is good.
He also is taking me off Metaprolol and putting me on Rythmol and Corgard.  I asked if the Rythmol was dangerous since first Dr said it can cause life threatening arrythmia and he wrote really big on back of paper.  Antiarrythmics in  young person with healthy heart at moderate dose, and in all caps will not hurt you! He also took his glasses off and put on top of his head and repeated, you dont have a life threatening arrythmia.
I asked about the skipped beats I have been getting and how they make me kinda dizzy and he took my hand and said, "Dont worry".  Nice, I guess.  I'll try...
  
Sooooo I am scheduled for ablation on Feb 24.  
I am super scared.
Anyone familiar with my case or have experience with it?  Pulmonary Vein Isolation.....

I am so thankful for this blog because my kids, family, and friends are probably getting tired of hearing me talk about all this and telling them how terrified I am etc.
I am a big baby!  

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, experience and support!

Kim

[Kim_1970]

PS.

My ears are still ringing.  The heart meds caused me to get tinitus which is driving me MAD sometimes.  Its constant, although sometimes if I am busy I will kinda forget about it--even though is 24/7.

One foot in front of the other and one day at a time.

Back to work now.

Kim

[Kim_1970]

Yes, after my procedure we will have met our whole family out of pocket!
You wont believe this but my 10 yr old had an emergency appendectomy 4 days ago!
I cannot believe the amount of $ we are spending on medical in the last 5 months! My poor family. It started with my daughter (13) having spinal fusion for major scoliosis in Oct.  
That stress made my tachycardia go into a new "mode".  LOL if I can!
Not funny though cause every time I would have "one" it felt like I was dying!  I would get very faint and almost black out.

But, if my doctor fixes my heart, I will feel like a BRAND NEW PERSON, and worth any amount of $$.

I am on Rythmol and Corguard which is keeping my tachy away but am having skips and pre-beats and when I have more than 5 skips within a few seconds I get very lightheaded.  What is up with that?

So I called EP nurse and she said go get ekg at hosp and blood work and pulmonary function test on Wed.  Said something like if potassium is low or high it can cause arrythmias.

[Kim_1970]

I am sorry you have to go through ablation again.
That is probably what got you back on this forum?
The support here is vital, since this heart stuff messes with my mind and emotions!

I'll bet your second ablation will go better than the first one!
Keep us posted Margaret.  We are all in this together.

Mine is on Feb 24!

[littlegreenman1]

I *may* have had this.

I had an accessory pathway. My doc said he first went through the groin (both sides), but couldn't get it all.  They took one down through my chest, which he did mention was a vein.  He said that was necessary to "get to the spot."

Regarding ablation: don't worry. Man up. Even if you're a girl! ;-)

Worst part: laying flat on my back for 15 hours. (1 preop, 8 hours in EP Lab, 6 hours post op). My back freakin' ACHED. ACHED. That was *NOT* procedure related, just being still. Ask the nurse for a Vicodin if that's the case.

2nd worst part: 8 hours of full anesthesia. Made me puke a couple times. It took a couple days to "work it out of my system."  I *FELT FINE*, but got tired easily for about 5 days. Take lots of naps and take 10 calendar days of work if you have that much sleepy drugs.

3rd worst part: $65k copay. Looking on the upside... I had some "lingering stuff" (more surgeries) and my wife had some (surguries) done for "free."  So, get that done in February and if there's any old knee injuries, deviated septum, foot neuromas, blah, blah, blah... get those fixed this year - because the Ablation will max your out of pocket.

[margaret3]

Hi Kim, I had PVI ablation on the September last year. I did Devlope a hematoma and was kept in hospital for eight day, but that was just bad luck. I was fine after I was home and felt absolutley wonderful for 6 weeks. I felt like twenty instead of seventy. then out of the blue I recerted back into AF and ended up in emergency. I am now going to have an AV node ablation and not very happy about it.

[kayg33]

had pulmonary vein isolation for a fib september 2010. was on the table for 8 hours and had around 3 months of recovery. it didn't cure as i had hoped. it was painful and i had trouble with pain in back everytime i would swallow for months after. theres risk your pulm veins could scare and close up causing it to be hard to breathe and risk that your diaphram gets damaged and paralized during surgery which means you can't breathe. also heat and the esophagus don't go good together so it could perforate and bleed out causing death or stroke from it seperating from backside of heart, even as far as 6 weeks post surgery. the esophogus thing is what scared me the most. but i made it, just not arrhythmia free.

[MichelleP_3811]

I have to say, I am not one to tell someone to go against the sound medical advice of a doctor but I just don't see the logic in taking antiarrhythmia meds that can have serious side effects if you don't have a life threatening arrhythmia.  The fact that you are uncomfortable taking them may mean that your instincts are telling you something.  I really don't know much about your possible svt.  What I read online was a bit hard to understand but if you aren't in constant tachycardia and you aren't going to die instantly and the dose is super low then what's the logic in taking it at all.  I could actually see short term anxiety meds serving you better until you are past the ablation.  As much as most ablations are safe and happen with no complications it is scary to have one done so it is understandable you may feel a bit stressed the next month and anxiety meds may help you though that.  But to be honest, if I were you I would question the doctor whether or not you even need the antiarrhythmia meds.  Doctors want to help us feel better and they sometimes respond to our stress and fear and the best way they know to do that is to throw medicine at us.  They do have more knowledge and they deserve respect for that but if you feel in your heart of hearts that the anti arrhythmia meds are not for you then please ask if you really need them or not.  You've gone how long without keeling over from this can you manage one more month?  Gosh, I do hope I haven't confused you more but I just feel uncomfortable about this.  Well I wish you good health whatever you decide to do.  Take care and stay strong.  I am here to help you through this.

[Kim_1970]

No, not in constant tachy.
I think the Metaprolol is making me have skipped and irreg beats or maybe it's just not working. I never felt them bf. Just felt the tachycardia runs.
He said the rythmol will not hurt me but I'm nervous.
Thanks Michelle.

[MichelleP_3811]

Are you in constant tachycardia?  I can see being put on anti arrhythmia medicine if it is persistent.

[MichelleP_3811]

I am not familiar with pulmonary vein isolation since I had avnrt but if you don't have a life threatening arrhythmia then why in the world did he put you on anti arrhythmia medicine.  Granted it is a low dose but my doctors really didn't advocate any medicine for my svt since it really doesn't do much to stop the episodes from happening.  They offered me beta blockers for the extra beats but really pushed me to wait and see if they would settle down before I went down that road.  Hopefully when you have your ablation done and over with a little distance, a good 3 months, hopefully your extra beats will calm down as well.  I really don't think you have too much to worry about.  The doctors always, always have to give you the worst case scenario when odds are real good everything will work out just fine.  So hang in there and before you not it this will be all over and you will get your life back.