Nervous about ablation

[rcslone]

I am 34 years old and have been suffering from rapid heart rate for the past 7 or 8 years. All but two episodes have happened while at work. I have been to the hospital several times and have wore a heart monitor, but they never have been able to catch it. Once it happened at work, (I work at a major retailer) and I was able to get to the pharmacy and check my pulse and blood pressure on the free monitor thing they have set up there. My heart rate was over 200 beats a minute.

My doctor has me on a couple of medications, Metoprolol 50mg and Lisinopril 10mg a day. I have took these for a few years now and they help, but are not a cure all. My doctor says I have SVT and has recommended I have the ablation done. He says it is not a life or death matter at this time, but I should go ahead and have it done while I am still young and just get it out of the way. I did see a heart specialist a couple of years ago and we discussed having the ablation done, but I have just been to darn scared to go through with it.

Well, last Monday I had another episode at work (I work in a meat department and they most always occur when working in the cooler, bending over to pick up a box seems to be a trigger). This was one of the worst and longest I have had and I went to the hospital. Of course it had stopped  by the time I got there. Well, I have had enough. I see my family doctor in two days and I am going to tell him to go ahead and get things in motion to set up the ablation. Since taking the medication, episodes have been reduced to about 3 or 4 a year, but I am tired of also being worried when one is going to strike and having to pace myself so as not to trigger another episode.

I am just scared to have such a thing done, as I have never had any kind of medical procedure outside of a colon scope and xrays done. The colon scope was due to IBS I also suffer with. I was just wondering how other people's experiences were when having this done and look for some words of encouragment from other folks who know what its like to have this.

[rcslone]

Is that painful? I have never had the pleasure to experience that particular little medical gem before, so that is something else for me to worry about. I don't understand why that would be necessary. Can't they just bring you on of those little urinal things to use if you gotta go. I'm sure my wife would help me with that if I needed it.

[tom_h]

I forgot to mention the "dirty little secret" my hosptial failed to inform me about. Be prepared tobe catherized.....no not there......a little lower.  This was a first for me. But considering the amount of.time you have to lie still afterwards,  I guess it was for the better.  I filled a bag to near capacity during my stay.

[rcslone]

Yes, I took my last dose of meds Thursday. I've got a little more reassurance last night when I spoke with a friend of my wife's. Her father in law had this same procedure done back in July by the same doctor and has been symptom free since September. The doctor told him it would take a couple of months for the scar tissue to build up and be effective, and that seems to be the case. He had afib, which of course is something different from what I'm suffering with, but knowing of someone who went through the same thing is I am going to does ease my mind some.

[Darlingorla]

Best of luck for tomorrow. After it's over you will wonder what you worried about.  I had my procedure done 6 months ago and wished I had been able to get it done sooner;  I had AVNRT for 28 years and couldn't take any more ...

[tom_h]

By the way, have you stopped your meds? I was instructed to stop 3days prior to the procedure.

[tom_h]

Good luck on Monday.  I'm telling you, afterwards you'll say, "Piece of cake!"