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WPW Post ablation symptoms

My 54 year old husband had an ablation for WPW in May of 2009.  He hasn't had any symptoms until yesterday when he said he felt a little "pressure" in his chest, just like when he would experience SVT but his pulse was 68 and BP was 110/70.  He felt a little light headed.  He said he felt the same as when he would experience the SVT but without the racing heart.  Had an EKG which showed normal sinus rhythm.  Family doctor was not concerned.   My husband says he just doesn't feel "right" even though everything looks normal.  He's had the feeling for about 36 hours now.  
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1398166 tn?1358870523
There is NO normal HR for running.
Tom is on track... what shape are you in?
How long have you been running?
How far can you run?
If you are just a beginner, talk to your physician, but this doesn't sound like a valid excuse to NOT exercise.

I would argue if you're in shape (running regularly for > 60 days; can run 3-6 miles without difficulty), then perhaps a 24 hour holter would be the first step to diagnose your chest pain. If you are not in shape... it hurts because you're not in shape.
Helpful - 0
1423357 tn?1511085442
While I don't know for sure what's causing the arrhythmia, I can offer this.  Think of an ablation as a barrier across a road.  The road is still open up to the barrier, but traffic going each way can't make it to the other side of the barrier.  In your case, the path will still very much support conduction, but it can't cross the scar tissue barrier the ablation created. However, there could by a small number of cells that were missed during the ablation that could still support conduction when thngs are just right.  I'm two years post ablation, and I get an occasional flutter, or a brief run of SVT.  I lived with it nearly all of my life though, so to get this little blips every now and then are no concern to me.

As for you heart rate when exercising.  Rates can vary from one person to another, and are also largly dependent on how fit you are.  How far is "well over 200"?  When I was 22 I could get my heart rate under extreme physical output up to 215 or so.  As I aged, that rate went down somewhat.

Perhaps a stress test might reveal what is going on, and you'd get a professional viewpoint of your situation.
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Avatar universal
I am 22 years old. I had an ablation when I was 17. I feel fluttering and chest tightness periodically. I haven't been in for a check up since I was 18 and I always believed it to be normal until recently.
To everyone in this forum,
what is your normal heart rate when trying to exercise? lately mine gets well over 200 bpm and i get this sharp painful sensation when breathing.  I always assumed I may have asthma until I my boyfriend (a trainer) saw my jogging heart rate. i assume this is't normal either.
Helpful - 0
1500909 tn?1289260927
I am actually suffering the same effects I think.  I am 30 now.  I had the ablation when I was 21.  Every few months in a twilight sleep I get really really intense chest pains and a massive head rush.  I have been to several doctors and had full cardiac workups and they all come back normal.  I had a really bad episode this weekend and am going to call the doc that did the ablation tomorrow to see if I can get his opinion.  Googled the symptoms and I am glad I am not the only one.  
Helpful - 0
1140055 tn?1264056251
Here's one possibility. I'm certain that going through the WPW, SVTs, an ablation, was pretty stressful and caused a lot of anxiety for your husband. The new chest pain, even though it feels the same, may be unrelated. It could be triggered by stress, and somehow the mind/body has gone through this other experience and perhaps finds a way to put its stress into his chest. And then that brings back his previous experience triggering new anxiety which could certainly lead to dizziness and all that.

That said, even if that is the case, it's probably going to be difficult for your husband to really believe that when something just doesn't feel "right." So if he's gone to his family doctor, who has told him he looks OK, and he still doesn't feel right, he should go see another. As Jerry said, his EP that did the ablation should be consulted. If there is something going on, the EP would probably be better suited to make the diagnosis, but if it is some type of anxiety-related symptom, I think what your husband needs is someone whose authority he trusts (I'm assuming he trusts his EP) to tell him his heart looks OK, and maybe he doesn't entirely believe the family doc's word on this matter.
Helpful - 0
88793 tn?1290227177
I know it is not right.  I got such feeling or symptoms like your husband.  All the doctors think OK, nothing wrong.   I think it is the symptom of some kind of "Block".  Every time that I have chest tightness, dizzy, light headed.... My ECG turn out with "Bundle Branch Block".  

I have those symptoms lasted more than 2 years.  It becomes more and more often and just has a black out on Sunday night.  I already have a pacemaker (number 4).  It didn't help at all.  I think my pacemaker is useless and I'm not prepared to have it renew.
Helpful - 0
612551 tn?1450022175
COMMUNITY LEADER
It is good he had it checked with his primary care doctor.  It may be best, given the continuing symptoms, to make an appointment with the doctor who did the ablation to get it checked there.
Helpful - 0
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