ablation

[STRO]

I wanted to know if someone can please let me know about the procedure. I have had 2 svt attacks inthe past 2 years. I am not sure if I should have the procedure done. My doctor said it was up to me,and then continued to say if my daughter had 1 attack I would have the procedure done. I am a little scared of the risks,and how you feel when you have the procedure.I am looking for any insight. My doctor also said the svt can get worse with age. I am always scared that they are missing something,and it's not svt. thank you! .

[Gunnardog]

I just scheduled my 3rd Ablation, has anyone else had it done 3 times?

[rosetoes]

I had my ablation done at the University of Chicago by Dr Knight.   He is the head of the EP department there.  He is board certified in EP, Cardiology and Internal medicine. I wanted the best person I could fine, lol.  He was great and the entire staff that I had contact with were so nice and professional...it was overwhelming.  I had such a wonderful experience.  

Do ask all the questions you can possibly think of....it's important.  But at the U of C does so many of them and they are the highest ranked hospital for cardiology in Illinois.

Best wishes and let me know what you decide.

Rose

[STRO]

speaking of typos I just reread my last post. Wow,you would think I did not even know how to talk,enjoy the day!

[coyotedav]

i agree with everyone else... i waited 20 years!...i did it 4/30/08  now i feel great!

[STRO]

Hi there! Thank you for all your advice.I think I have to call my doctor ,and go through a couple of things with him. I for the most part understand what he is saying,but he said something about freezing something,that I did not understand. Rose were did you have your procedure done? I am going to a doc. Nazari whpo has offices in the chicagoland area. What tests do you have to do befor the ablation? Thank you again for all your help.Enjoy your day !!

[rosetoes]

I know exactly what you mean when you say you should have had the ablation 2 years ago......such wasted time with worry.  

Glad to know that you are cured and healed!  

Life is good now!

Take care,
Rose

[twinbee]

I had my ablation done in January (for a-fib and a-flutter) and like rosetoes it took me over 2 years to decide to have the procedure done. Like you, I was scared by what the doctor told me about all the risk factors. At the time I decided to try all the different meds to control my a-fib. Finally, in December  my a-fib and a-flutter just went crazy where I was passing out daily and my heart rate was going over 300. So the ablation was a "must" since everything else failed.
The procedure wasn't bad at all. I was asleep most of the time, whenever I woke up they gave me more meds to put me back to sleep. Unlike rosetoes, my procedure took almost 8 hours. The worst part for me was my back hurt from laying flat on my back for so long.
I wouldn't hesitate to do the ablation over. My life has changed so much since the ablation. I look back now and wonder what was I thinking, I should have done this 2 years ago.
Whatever you decide to do I wish all the best!

[rosetoes]

Please forgive my typos, its late and I was typing too fast, smiles.
Rose

[rosetoes]

Mara,

I have to be one of the biggest babies around.  I was scared of the ablation, that is why it took 2 years to do it....2 wasted years that I can't get back.  I have 3 children, one a freshman in college, a junior in high school and a first grader.  When I think back to how pre-occupied I was the last two years, I could scream.  Let me assure you that it is a procedure that is done daily and SVT is the easiest to ablate.  

The ER use to scary me so...what if the adenosine didn't work....what would happen.  It always did the trip, but sometimes I need to adenosince pushes to get my heart to slow down.   And the terrible thing is that the ER docs aren't as experienced with SVT and they all wanted me to stay overnight for observation.....which my cardio doctor said it wasn't necessary....he said get the adenosine push (have your husband drive you to the ER, no ambulance in necessary) and then after a couple of hours, I could leave.   My cardio doctors hospital was 25 minutes away and there was a near by hospital 5 minutes away that I'd go to.  

I do miss my cardio doc, he really encouraged me to have the ablation, knowing that I would never have to see him again...no more medical charges, lol.  He told me that I was either going to have to live in fear and stress myself out, or have the procedure to correct the problem and live a quality life again.  

Mara, I can't tell you how easy it was to do, my procedure took 1 1/2 hours, I was out like a light and have never had a bad moment since.  I know how it feels to worry and wonder about SVT and is so much better to rid yourself  of it!

If I can answer any question, please don't hesitate to write....

Take care,
Rose

[STRO]

Thank you so much for your post! I think I would have been great with having the procedure done until the doctor told me the risk factors. I would love not to worry about it any more,I feel like it has taken away a little of my life. I have 2 wonderful children that I want to spend time with not wondering when my heart will race. I am glad you did not feel anything during the procedure,I'm a bit of a baby.The ER bills are getting a bit crazy! Thank you again! Mara

[rosetoes]

I had an ablation for SVT on Feb 11th 2008, after 3 episodes over a 2 year period.  I couldn't never convert myself and always ended up at the ER with an adenosine drip.

It took me two years to decide, 1st thinking that maybe it was isolated and I wouldn't have another.  20 months later, another episode, then I went on beta blockers in hopes that that would cure me....5 months later another episode.  That is when I decided to have the ablation, I just couldn't continue to live my life never knowing when or where I'd be when the next episode happened.

The ablation sounds far worse than what it is.  It is a outpatient procedure.  They do go in through your groin and burn the extra pathway, but you are totally out and I didn't feel a thing!  I swear if I didn't have a patch at my groin, I would have thought that they hadn't done the procedure.  I stayed home for a couple of days and then I was just too bored to stay at home.  It has been almost 3 months now and I feel wonderful, I exercise (to lose the 15 pounds that I put on due to the beta blocker) and I never think about SVT now.  

If I had known then what I know now, I would have had the procedure 2 years ago and saved myself the worry of SVT...not to mention the outrageous ER bills.

They do give you Versed and Fentenyl during the procedure and it makes you as comfortable and stress-free.  I went home the same day and have felt great with no problems.  I never regret deciding to have the procedure and I would recommend it to anyone with SVT....

Best Wishes,
Rose

[STRO]

Thank you for your answers,and comments. I am not sure what I am going to do yet.

[ireneo]

Aha - you are here. I answered your msg over on the other board. Glad to see you posted here as well. You'll get some good stories and great information. Good luck with your ablation. I'm sure your doctor has done all the EKG's and such and they're able to see the electrical workings of your heart. They don't need to guess at what it might be. It's pretty obvious on the monitors.