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Anyone with Both SVT and Atrial Fibrillation?

Posted , 4 users are following.

jimjames
jimjames

Wondering if anyone has been diagnosed with both SVT and Afib. And if so could you provide a little history including how it was treated. If you decided to have an ablation, did you have an SVT ablation (right side of heart), an afib ablation (left side of heart) or a combination SVT and Afib ablation (both sides of heart).

I have had afib episodes every ten years ago since my early 40's but recently (I'm 70 now) I started having SVT episodes a couple of times a week. Looking into both meds and ablation.

Jim

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • rebecca70681
    rebecca70681 jimjames

    Posted

    I do.  I had an ATTEMPTED ablation on June 22nd, where he couldn't get my SVT to trigger for some reason (Murphy's Law, I had had an hour long run just 24 hours prior to this procedure, unprovoked.) and, for whatever, reason, he chose not to ablate the A Fib part.  He's just placed me on MORE medication, which I was trying to get away from with the ablation in the first place.  Apparently, my A Fib COULD be being caused by an enlarged coronary sinus, so I've got an MRI on the horizon.  I'm not truly even sure why he couldn't have just "fixed all this" when he as already in my heart and charged me $63,000 for the "failed" ablation.  Now I'm going to have to pay AGAIN to have the coronary sinus fixed, at a later date, which annoys the HELL out of me!  

    I had a stroke in February of this year and already paid thousand of dollars for that hospitalization, then I got fired and lost my health insurance all at this same time.  So, now I've had to start all over again with deductibles and out of pocket maximums, etc.  

    I just want to be "normal".  I don't want to have to take medication for the rest of my life.  I don't want to constantly be scared of having an "episode" or having another stroke.  I sometimes wonder WHY this has happened to me, as in , what is the "root cause" of all of this crap!

    I'm only 46 and I had my first SVT, although I didn't realize it at the time, when I was 16, so this has been a LOOOOONNNNGGGG time of dealing with this stuff.  I'm over it.  

    I'm sorry that I don't have any better "advice" to give you.  My ablation was an utter failure.  I hope you have a better experience with yours!!!  

    • jimjames
      jimjames rebecca70681

      Posted

      Hi Rebecca,

      Sorry you had to go through all of this. Did you discuss the ablation strategy with the EP prior to the ablation. My understanding is that if you have both SVT and Afib that they can choose to either do an SVT ablation or do a combination SVT and Afib ablation. An SVT ablation alone (right side of heart) is a shorter procedure with a success rate over 90%. An Afib ablation (left side of heart) is a longer procedure with around 60% chance of success. It sounds like the strategy was just to do the SVT ablation but when the EP couldn't trigger it they decided not to ablate since I believe if they can't trigger it the chances of success decline. I don't know if you're going to have another ablation or not, but if you do try to find out exactly what their strategy is before the surgery.

      I haven't made up my mind yet regarding ablation and plan to discuss this with a couple of EPs.  Good luck moving forward, you have been though a lot.

      Jim

  • rebecca70681
    rebecca70681 jimjames

    Posted

    We did NOT discuss the strategy ahead of time, as he and I both thought that the SVT was the MAJOR issue.  Turns out, according to my hearts response to the stimuli, the A Fib is the "bigger fish".  Neither one of us suspected that.  Like I said, I've had "issues" since I can remember and I've TOLD them that I felt like the A Fib was the bigger issue, but when I was in the ICU and telemetry after my stroke, I was having nearly non-stop SVT's, PVC's, P and R wave disorders and just an all around disorderly heart rhythm.  So, I can understand the "why" of it all, truly I can.  It's just my dumb luck that my heart wouldn't cooperate the day of the ablation.  

    He hasn't suggested having another ablation but I know that he's waiting to get the results of the MRI (which no one has even called to schedule me for yet) before we move forward.  It's just frustrating.  I feel like I'm one step forward two steps back 

    • jimjames
      jimjames rebecca70681

      Posted

      Rebecca,

      It's such a complex thing and I'm dealing with it right now with my newer SVT episodes on top of my older afib. I will certainly bring up these issues with the EPs but like in your case seems that they can only guess at times.

      Question -- on June 22, when he couldn't trigger the SVT, did he ablate anything on the right side anyway or just abort the procedure? I've heard it both ways.

      Sounds like your EP is now hesitant to go into the left side for afib ablation and his caution may be warranted as afib ablations are often not successful the first or even the second time. Of course you could get another opinion but again keep in mind it might not work.

      I truly hope you find some relief be it better medications or meds. I don't know what meds you're on but I heard many tolerate flecanide quite well.

      Lastly, a few here and myself have had some sucess with the FODMAP diet. It might be worth a try.

      Try and stay strong and let us know how everything works out.

      Jim

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