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When should you get a SVT Ablation?

Posted , 8 users are following.

Caitlin.O
Caitlin.O

Hi All,

I am hoping to get some reassurance and advice here if possible.

I am 23 years old and booked in to have a catheter ablation at the BMI London Independent Hospital to cure my SVT in 2 weeks time. 

I am feeling extremely anxious about the operation and worrying that I am going to feel worse after it then I do now...

I had my first SVT attack in October 2016 where my heart rate hit 200bpm and I was taken to hospital and administered Adenosine three times before my heart rate returned to normal. I then had another SVT attack in April which led to me in hospital again and needing Adenosine. 

My question is, after having an SVT twice in six months should I be getting the ablation or would you advise waiting for it to become a weekly/daily occurrence? 

I do experience palpitations daily and an increased heart rate after eating often but i have not suffered from SVTs on a daily basis as of yet. 

As we all know, SVTs won't go themselves so am I right in getting the ablation done now before it gets worse? 

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated. I cannot stop worrying about whether I am doing the right thing and if the risks of the operation are worth it sad 

Thanks in advance!

0 likes, 26 replies

26 Replies

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  • bob51648
    bob51648 Caitlin.O

    Posted

    Hi Caitlin. I had numerous episodes of SVT, hospitalisation and one incident when I blacked out with a change of SVT medication. Can I suggest you have the ablation and kick SVT into touch. After the black out I was forbidden to drive but could after the ablation.  There is nothing to fear with the ablation. 
    • Caitlin.O
      Caitlin.O bob51648

      Posted

      Thanks so much for your response. I have decided to go ahead and thank you for your reassurance! 
  • rickper
    rickper Caitlin.O

    Posted

     Hi, I am 13 dats out from my ablation and I can say the procedure is not a fun day but it is not something to be as scared as I was leading up to it. It is pretty routine. The recovery has not been bad, I am trying to hold myself back but I am back at the gym lifting about 90 percent of what I was and doing 30 min of Cardio. The groin area is back to the same as it was before. I was nervous but was able to do some leg exercises yesterday. I would say give it a try. The one thing I can't tell you yet is it worked. I won't know that until I have a few drinks or push myself and don't have any episodes.

    • Caitlin.O
      Caitlin.O rickper

      Posted

      Thanks so much for your reply. I have decided to go ahead with it, so this is reassuring to here. How long did you have off from work? Glad to hear you are recovering so well!
    • rickper
      rickper Caitlin.O

      Posted

      Hi, I am in between jobs but depending on what type of work you do, it shouldn't be very long. I normally work in a office and I could have went back in a couple days. I was able to go to the grocery store the next morning. I am now 18 days out and I don't really feel any restrictions on activities. I was lifting heavy weights at the gym yesterday. The only thing I get is some skipped beats but they seem like they have changed a little, the skipped beats seem to be a little less intense or booming than the extra beats I got before the procedure. Now I am just crossing my fingers that she was able to get it but there is not really a way to test that except not getting SVT. The real tests will come if I have a few drinks and or don't sleep great and have Coffee and push myself. This is the situations that used to trigger SVT. Let us know how it goes. Try not to get nervous, it is really routine. 

    • jimjames
      jimjames rickper

      Posted

      Hi Rick,

      Glad your ablation went well. Can I ask you what part of the country you got it in? How long did it take and did they use general anathesia or twilight? Thanks.

      Jim

    • rickper
      rickper jimjames

      Posted

      Hi JIm, I got it at Marin General Hospital just north of San Francisco.Doctor is great and highly recommended I was just slightly sedated for about 2.5 hours during the Study part, it only took so long because I did a bad job weaning off the Beta Blocker as I had withdrawls so some was still probably in my system. Once she was able to get a abnormal beat and she only got one beat that matched my episodes, she was not going to give up till she got something, she came and told me they were going to ablate and then they put me out with Propofol, so no General or Intubation but I was out. Then woke up in recovery.
    • Lolasmom
      Lolasmom rickper

      Posted

      what sort of withdrawals did you have from the beta blockers, and for how long?
    • rickper
      rickper Lolasmom

      Posted

      Hi, I have been on them for 24 years for blood pressure or my SVT probably would have been worse earlier. The withdraws are a heart rate higher than it normally would be if you were not on them, you get anxiety and feel like you had to much coffee. It is kind of a rebound effect. It was driving me crazy so I couldn't do the 6 days off that she wanted and was only off them about 40 hours before which made it harder for the doc to get the SVT to start. Are you on a Beta Blocker?

    • Lolasmom
      Lolasmom rickper

      Posted

      Nope, no beta blockers. I would rather have SVT than feel the way I did while on them......and withdrawaling from them   
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