Mental issues after cardiac ablation.
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hello,
I am a 20-year-old male. I am from India.
It's been a year since I had undergone cardiac ablation. I had the episode while I was running. It lasted for around thirty minutes. I went to the hospital where they took ECG and found that I had SVT. Since then for two months they kept me on beta blockers.
I didn't want to take medications throughout my life. So, I asked my doctors for other solutions. They said that I could undergo the cardiac ablation, after which I can be perfectly normal if it goes successful.
Unfortunately, it didn't.
All the suffering in the hospital during the procedure and money went in vain.
Post ablation, I took medication for three months. I didn't have any episodes till that time. I used to carry out my normal exercising routine every day.
Then, I asked my doctor that if I could stop taking tablets. He said that the ablation was unsuccessful and the tachycardia was inducible even after ablating all the points they could see. So, I if want stop taking medication, I have to do it at my own risk. I agreed and stopped taking tablets.
The problem started when I tried to run the next day. I couldn't run for even half of the distance I used to do before. Soon, I had noticed that I was having an episode there itself. Fortunately, it lasted for only fifteen minutes.
The doctor said that if I wish to do heavy physical exercises that could induce an episode I have to take my daily dose of metoprolol.
I know that there are people whose condition is far worse than mine.
But, limiting myself from running which I loved the most, hurts. I do not face any problems doing normal activities like walking etc.
I have decided not to take tablets even if it costs me from abstaining physical exercises.
I am a student, and my whole feature stands on how well I study.
Since the very first episode of SVT, I wasn't able to perform well in studies. I am depressed, and the whole time I keep on thinking about the problem I have.
The days are going unproductive. I oversleep and has been addicted to porn and masturbation.
Most of the time I find myself thinking about my future and death. It was a nightmare to be at the hospital and to be inside the terrifying machines they use.
I do not have any strong emotional support at home since mum and dad are also fragile, mentally. I also lack friends.
It would be of great help if you could share your experiences with SVT and how you coped with mental issues.
0 likes, 12 replies
annie56356 shree18287
Posted
Even though the ablation wasn't successful there is still a healing process that your heart muscle needs to go through.
Why would you go for a run the day after an ablation?
I've had SVT, many episodes over 30 years and it's never stopped me running or doing anything I want to do because if I'm not in SVT then my heart function is normal - just like the majority of the rest of people with SVT. I refuse medication and I refuse an ablation.
tracey04371 shree18287
Posted
Hi Shree, sorry to hear about your struggles. If you really enjoy your exercise what's the problem staying on the metoprolol? I'm hearing that you really don't have any support which is vital for your mental wellbeing. Can you see a counselor to discuss these concerns as you sound depressed. I have an anxiety disorder and when I have an svt episode the anxiety is worse which then leads to depression. Remember svts aren't dangerous even though they are uncomfortable.
gene91169 shree18287
Posted
Please seek counseling. Many of us know how debilitating the emotional part of SVT can be. I hope you can find some effective help.
elisa_76015 shree18287
Posted
Shree
I have suffered with depression ,anxiety and svt since I was young I am now 50, i was miss diagnosed for over 34 years until 2 years ago. You are blessed to not have to suffer as long as i did without knowing what was going on and why no one could help me. You are very fortunate to have found out so soon, maybe the first ablation did not work but do not stop trying. The way you live your daily life affects the outcome on how you feel. My advice to you is to take the medicine and take good physical care of your self, run if that is what makes you feel good taking that medicine is no different than a person taking an medicine to get rid of a headache we take it to help an ailment we have. Look at this the same way and later try the ablation again till it does work it will be so worth it. As far as the other sexual porn and other masterbation it could stem down to you feeling out of control and this is way in some people in depression lose the ability to those functions and some it is reversed. Your fighting 2 things take care of number 1 take the pills, run and feel better and the other will change as well. Only you can choose to live life to the fullest you are young don't waste it on something you can can do something about.
Tatarewicz shree18287
Posted
Did you read my initial, earlier posts and apply firm pressure with three fingers of right hand on the left carotid-vaqgal area of your neck for three seconds? Might have to do it several times. Best done immediately when ventricles stop pumping, indicated by heart burn type flash across chest and absence of pulse. If you do it quickly you should feel pulse returning in neck and a feeling of elation, sort of a hi.
I had one recently that woke me up from sleep and didn't act fast enough so it took an hour and a half with periodic pressuring to return to "normal". When pressuring it's good to have someone nearby in case of stroke.
Avoid dwelling too long on any frustrating, impossible to resolve situation. Move thoughts to something else and see humor in everything you can. Mind-brain circuitry/field is the easiest to change; not so easy with other internal organs. I wish you well.
Lolasmom Tatarewicz
Posted
My EP and cardiologist both said to never do this. We are not experience at this. There are so many other maneuvers to do
Tatarewicz Lolasmom
Posted
"are so many other maneuvers..."
I Have used others but they no longer work as effectively if at all compared to pressure application and of course, avoidance of contributing situations.
Lolasmom Tatarewicz
Posted
What maneuvers have you tried?
Lolasmom shree18287
Posted
What maneuvers have you tried?
Tatarewicz Lolasmom
Posted
See replies to shree below (meant for you).
Tatarewicz shree18287
Posted
Tried those in Winter Griffith's Symptoms... book: arm pinching, cold stinging snow slapped against face used to work well in winter, nice high feeling immediately, carotid massage. West-end hospital medics told me to lay on back, protrude stomach out, close eyes and have someone unexpectedly give you a hard slap on it. Worked for me with one neighbor. Nurse next door another time wouldn't do it; but I had neglected to note that since she had been separated from husband for some time she was not in shape to slap anybody around, my bad.
Then there's current favorite of bearing down; didn't work in Doc's office so he called an ambulance; wouldn't let me take the bus. Another occasion it worked but at the wrong time. Nurse had given me a beta blocker but following shortly afterwards I had a bowel movement urge. The bearing down returned heart beat to normal but when medicine took effect my pulse on the electrocardiagram was bouncing around under 30, getting the nurse all excited.
When an episode took place while driving and near university hospital I decided to stop by Emeg. After monitoring and carotid massage didn't work, Doc assembled an armamentarium of medicines on tray. But I asked for massage one time .Sure enough , beat back to normal.
My latest three second carotid pressure currently works best, providing I do it immediately after heart "stops."it may all the past experiences , my 85+ , over-dosing on chocolate chips, keeping heart healthy with beet juice and pressure down with egg plant; from ECG university Doc said I had a healthy responsive heart.
For a clue about cause of SVT might be good to have Doc give you prescription to take a blood test within a few hours of SVT onset to determine the level of troponin, the enzyme released when there's heart damage. On some real bad, long episodes mine was up to 6 and 13, way , way above the under one normal. Don't know if it was caused by severe fast beating or in response a heart attack (which set off the SVT). Hope this helps and you get well.
Tatarewicz
Posted
Please note to shree18287; it was meant for you.
I should have emphasized my success in controlling PSVT is a heart that has had no ablation, no burning out of offending electrical circuit path. Talked my way out of it.
In my case if minor damage occurred in heart chamber rhythm path it probably would be repaired with new tissue. In an ablation the burnt out area may be too large to replace with new tissue.
Folks at Critical Health News (US) regard these ablations as barbarism akin to that centuries ago when barbers were medics of the day. However, university electrophysiologist assured me today's error rate is no more than 1%.