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I have been diagnosed today with wolff parkinson white syndrome from my cardiologist. I was originally diagnosed with a right bundle branch block but my gp got it wrong. I have been advised to get the catheter ablation and am booked in to get the procedure done. I am 24 and think I should get it done while I am fit and healthy. I am just wondering what the ablation is like? How was your procedure and recovery?
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EmilyP88 Kayla092
Posted
Hi Kayla,
I am sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with WPW. I was diagnosed with it earlier this year at 29. Upon diagnosis, I was prescribed beta-blockers to help reduce the number and duration of my SVT episodes. However, after a few months on them, I realized they were not a long term solution for me. They made me truly exhausted, and I didn't feel like myself. I was also told that WPW could cause complications further down the line, so I decided to do an ablation.
I had a catheter ablation almost exactly a month ago. The procedure took about four hours and was a bit more complicated than expected, as the location of my extra pathway was difficult to reach. They ended up having to go into the left side of my heart (not a big deal, but it does mean I'm on baby asprin for the next month). They believe the procedure was a success. My understanding is that if that is the case, I should never have WPW-related issues again.
I will be honest, the ablation was more than I expected. I was quite awake for parts of it, and felt every time they burned my heart and injected me with adrenaline to induce the arrhythmia. I am not sure if that is normal or if it had to do with where my pathway was - I am going to ask about it at my follow-up appointment. Other people I know who had the procedure were a lot more 'out' than I was. All that to say, they will give you twilight anesthesia at some level; however, if they have to induce the arrhythmia to find the pathway, it might be less anesthesia, as the anesthesia suppresses your heart rate and can make finding the pathway more difficult. I would highly suggest you talk with your doctor about how awake you will be and then prepare accordingly. I brought music to listen to, which really helped, and also practiced some meditation techniques. I really don't mean to scare you, but I wish someone had told me in advance that I would be awake and feeling the procedure as I did.
Finally, the recovery - it is definitely still in process, but each day is better than the last. I feel totally fine, but my endurance is still pretty low. I used to be very physically active, but I am still quite limited. I just introduced a mile walk each day and some gentle yoga to try and start working my endurance back up. I was out of work for a week after the procedure, and I highly recommend taking the time you need. Being patient with myself is a practice, for sure!
I truly hope that this helps. I had a very hard time finding useful stories of other young people with WPW who had ablations. I know what you're going through - you're not alone. I believe the ablation was the right choice for me, and perhaps it will be for you, as well. Happy to answer any other questions you might have! Good luck!
Best,
Emily
EmilyP88 Kayla092
Posted
Just wanted to make sure you saw my response below - hope it was helpful!