Choices about my SVT
Posted , 16 users are following.
Hi!
Today I was at a new cardiologist, to see other opinions (abroad). A stress ECG was done, and echo. Both was good. Doctor said that I don't have a heart disease and SVT is not life threatening if everything else is OK. I didn't got any medications because he said that if I have episodes a few times a year it's not necessary to take pills. He said that there are two options for me.
- not stress about it and just live with it, or
- get the ablation if I fear to have an episode and limits my everyday life.
Now I don't know what to do. It's nice to think about that I will not going to have any episodes ever, but I'm a bit afraid of the procedure.
What are your opinions? Would you do it? If you've done it, are you satisfied with the result?
0 likes, 26 replies
linda83225 dominika90457
Posted
I too only get an occasional episode, I do take Bisoprolol but don't think I really need to however I think, rightly or wrongly, that it keeps my blood pressure steady. I wouldn't have an ablation - might make things worse.
XxaimxX dominika90457
Posted
I had an ablation April 2017 and it was the best decision i could make. I havent had an episode since and no medication. I get the odd flutter and skipped beat but nothing compared to what i had. I dont fear SVT anymore. I reccomend the ablation 100% from my experience
dominika90457 XxaimxX
Posted
Did you had episodes frequently? And how long does it lasted and did it recovered by itself? Thank you for your answer, happy to hear that it worked for you!
XxaimxX dominika90457
Posted
I didnt get frequent episodes but it impacted my life massively as i had a 1 year old to look after and it scared me a lot. Mine didnt revert on their own and i had to go to hospital to have adenosine. The cardiologist recommended the ablation as he could see how terrified i was and that it was controlling my life through all the fear of another episode
dominika90457 XxaimxX
Posted
I am, too, very afraid of an episode (2 years ago I had a long one and had to go to ER to revert it and from then I'm afraid of SVT), I'm taking Xanax for my anxiety. Now I'm afraid that the ablation would not be successful and my episodes would get worse... BTW, I'm a 27 y/o mother of a 4 y/o girl.
XxaimxX dominika90457
Posted
literally the same as me. i think its the unknown you are affraid of. maybe look into having the ablation, the chances of it being a success is more than 95%
The procedure wasnt half as bad as i thought and i was back to my usual self within a couple of days.
SVT caused me my relationship because i couldnt handle the fear. so i decided to go ahead and now im looking for a relationship again.
Look at the pros and cons, if its affecting your life now then id go for the ablation
Lolasmom dominika90457
Posted
My first ablation attempt, I could not be triggered. EP thought because I was taking a benzo.
I had to do the grueling task of weaning off the benzo in order to have a second attempt at ablation.
If you decide on having ablation, and you are told to come off the xanax, please plan way ahead and do it very slowly.
It was the hardest thing I have ever gone through.......
dominika90457 Lolasmom
Posted
Yes, I'll definitely want to stop taking Xanax, as soon as possible. I don't say that I'm addicted, but if I don't take my regular dose I get really irritated, I get in that "you talk to me I'll punch you" state, and that's not good. All because of a bad SVT episode... I'll go soon to my doc to discuss the process of cutting down the dose slowly and stop it eventually. I don't take too much Xanax, 0.5mg twice a day.
makenna03808 XxaimxX
Posted
Hi i am 19 and having the ablation in two weeks to help my SVT. Was the procedure too bad? Did you have pain afterwards? I wanted some advice to see what i can expect from doing this.
XxaimxX makenna03808
Posted
No the procedure wasnt bad at all, the drugs they give you to relax make the time fly by and its over with before you know it! The worst part for me was having to lay flat afterwards, i just wanted to move! I dont recall any pain after i just felt very tired for a week or so. You may get flutters after but its nothing to worry about it should settle down.
I wish you all the best for the procedure and i hope it is successful for you!!
chadcf dominika90457
Posted
I think it's a very personal choice based on how you feel about it, but for me if it were just a few times a year I'd probably do nothing. Or maybe a low dose of a beta blocker. But the odds are good as you get older it will get more frequent, not guaranteed but it seems to be a common progression. But for now I probably wouldn't do anything drastic if it's not that disruptive.
Ablation vs medication is a tough situation. I did medication for years and was having enough break through episodes that I figured I should get an ablation because it was only going to keep getting worse. Unfortunately for me the ablation was not successful, and it turned out that I have a difficult and uncommon form of SVT. I'm now on a high dose of beta blocker which does the job for now but I expect at some point in the next few years it won't. At that point they want me to go on flecainide and see how that goes. At this point they don't want to do another ablation attempt unless nothing else is working, because they feel that it's a low probability of success.
There are, luckily, lots of options. And if you only have infrequent episodes you have plenty of time to think it over. I will note for SVT ablations are very safe and successful these days, though they are quite expensive and unpleasant. And it's the only shot at a permanent cure. I think ablation is worth considering, possibly even as a first treatment choice, once symptoms become frequent and severe enough to impact your life (either physically or mentally).
linda83225 chadcf
Posted
My SVT episodes started in my 40s and have not got any worse - I am 72 now.
Lolasmom chadcf
Posted
Would you mind sharing what type of SVT you have ?
chadcf Lolasmom
Posted
It's a focal atrial tachycardia which is rare-ish with like 10% of SVTs from what I can find. My EP says it's trickier because there's no clear spot to zap like with AVRT, it can be anywhere, it can move around and ablations can just irritate nearby cells causing them to take over the arrhythmia. Though the studies seem to suggest a high success rate with ablations. If they get bad again I'll probably seek a second opinion.
agy26775 chadcf
Posted
Hi there dominika and chad. Just wanted to chime in since your story sounds a lot like mine.
I had really terrible SVTs for 10 years. I was on a high dose of beta blockers too, and due to a past medical trauma, I can't really have ablation. I really understand your reservations about ablation. Some people just aren't the right candidates for it. That's not to say that you shouldn't keep the option open.
After ten years of pretty intense fear of another SVT, I was lucky enough to be finally prescribed a medication that works for me.
Have you ever tried Verapamil, also known as Isoptin and Calan? It's a calcium channel blocker that has changed my life. My heart feels so amazingly calm now that I take it (120mg x 3 per day).
My fear of an SVT is largely gone. Of course that fear exists, but in my experience, this is a pretty great medication.
It has a very specific function on SVT. It almost completely eradicated my SVT. Maybe that's something to consider if it is a viable option.
Trust me, I know what a bloody pain this is. The fear of an episode can be absolutely overwhelming and depressing. But just remember, you're being proactive about it which means that it will hopefully get better soon.
best of luck