SVT ablation two days ago

[DontCloseUrEyes]

Hi all,

I've read questions in this community for the past day or so. I am 23 years old and just got an ablation for SVT two days ago. I was having episodes almost every day caused by anything from bringing in groceries to sweeping my kitchen floor.

The EP doc who did my ablation does ablations two times a day every day of the week. After doing my ablation he was overjoyed after I was done. He said it was one of the best ablations he has done in the 24 years he's been doing them. The second the cath got in my heart it went into arrhythmia (he said I must have really been in SVT all the time because of how easy it was set off!). He ablated two areas causing the arrhythmia, one on the AV node and another in a second area on the right side of the heart. I got to go home the same day as the procedure. He said that because one of the areas was the AV node, he burned enough to get my rhythm good, but didn't chance it by over-burning it. He said that it seems very successful, as he could not get my heart to go into arrhythmia although he tried for another hour after he ablated! He said there is a 5% chance it will come back.

That being said, for the past two days I have been experiencing flutters, pounding, and skipped beats on and off. I have been sleeping a lot and notice them mostly when I move a bit too quick (getting up to go to the bathroom, etc). None of them go out to a full-blown episode (NOTHING like before!) but my heart just hasn't felt right.

I called my doc and he said that this is normal as the heart is trying to repair after being burned.

Was my ablation successful? I woke up yesterday feeling SO energetic and the most awake I've ever felt in my life. My heart felt so calm! As the day went on, though, the pounding and skips started and I have been so discouraged.

Is this normal? Did it work?

Thank you so much for reading!

[Brandi50]

Thank you. It is also the fear and anxiety of having it done.  I am  very glad you posted. It helped me with my fear. Thanks so much.  

[tom_h]

Congratulations on starting your way back to a normal life.  People react differently and it could also depend on what was done to you.  You ahve to remember that they didn't modify the structure of your heart.  The only thing they did was find and destroy the accessory pathway that was causing your SVT.  Nonetheless, you're heart is no doubt reeling from the invasion and the burns that were done within.  If your trouble was on the left side of the heart, the septal wall was punctured to get to there and that has to heal as well.  I remember a dull ache in my chest for several weeks following my ablation.  I'd lean over and clutch my chest, and my worried wife would ask what was wrong.  "Heart ache" I'd say as that's wat it literally felt like; my heart hurt.  Give it time!  At 8 days, you still should be taking it easy.  Your strength will slowly return.  You'll have jumps, misses, skips and the like.  It's normal!  Expect perhaps a year or more before that goes away.

[Boinks]

Hi, I had ablation for SVT 8 days ago my surgeon said it was a success but I am feeling so tired and drained at the moment is this normal? I was thinking I'd be ok by now, I am 35 and have three children between 8 months and 13 years ( so resting can be tricky) I was diagnosed with svt  almost 14 years ago, thanks

[DontCloseUrEyes]

Thank you so much everyone for commenting and putting me a bit at ease. I am still very tired and hope this all wears off at least a little bit in the next month before I go back to teaching. Thank you again!!

[claytex]

I had an ablation for afib in july of 2010.  The first couple of months I had PVCs..skipped beats off and on. It took about 3-4 months for my heart to completely heal and get a  normal feeling.  I have been just fine since about the 3rd or 4th month following the ablation.. No PVCs.. no afib ..oh I may notice a pvc every 2-3 weeks or so.. but almost every one has that...I now hav a very regular beat.  It took a full 4 months for my heart to feel normal even when not having pvcs...It just didnt feel comfortable..sorta stressed feeling at times..my heart that is.. especially when sleeping as you described...I had the same problem.  Id say just try to avoid things that bother it...and be sure and not use caffine (coffee, tea, chocolates etc and no alcohol.  I notice even now if I drink a small glass of wine, it will make my heart feel stressed or uncomfortable.. Im so glad to no longer have afib the I just leave the caffine and alcohol alone.. I also think our mind and body has to get used to the new feeling of the heart if that makes sense... We were used to the old feeling and always wathching for a suspicious beats or feelings.. but life is good for me now ..no afib... I had afib for about12 years and no telling how many electro cardioversions I had over those years.. hope this is helpful Claytex// ( I figure you will be just fine in 3-4 months)

[tom_h]

It's way too early to tell if your ablation is successful or not.  You may not know for up to a year or more.  What you're experiencing now sounds typical in the aftermath of an ablation procedure.  It is also not uncommon to feel a dull achiness in your chest.  Mine hurt for several weeks afterwards as the burn area was very wide.  Just take it easy for a couple of weeks, and allow your heart to heal and recover.

[merileegal]

Oh my, you've been through a lot! You're so lucky you had such an experienced EP. Trust him and what he says. What you're experiencing is absolutely normal. I had my ablation 2 months ago. It is normal to feel the skips and flutters and even little runs of something that feels like a small tachycardia. I was told they are small runs of PACs which are totally harmless. Like you're doctor said, the heart is healing from that burn. It takes time to heal and you'll feel some arrythmias. It isn't the dreaded SVT.

When I had mine done and started to feel that energy after a few days, I tried to do too much. I was breathless, my heart hurt, and I had more arrythmias. I'm 60 (today) and I'm just now starting to feel like I did before the ablation as far as energy. Just baby that heart along for a little while and keep coming back here so we can help if we can. There are some very good journals that you can read here by people like myself who have had ablations for SVT. Let me also say welcome to this forum. It has been a godsend for me.