I am aged 60 years and I have had attacks of SVT since I was 28. When I reached 50 the attacks became longer and I have been several times to A and E to have adenosine to return my heartbeat to normal. I was offered an ablation 2 years ago but at present I only seem to have attacks of SVT every 11 months on average, so I declined the operation. But the threat of having SVT hangs over me all the time and I am too frightened to travel anywhere that is far away from an A and E department. About 2 years ago I started reading the letters on this site and I am feeling much braver about getting the ablation operation. I take asprin once a day and 80 mgs of Sotalol twice at day at present. Does anyone know if having an ablation means that I would not have to take this medication afterwards? I also have tablets for high blood pressure but I do not expect the ablation to cure this. I would also be grateful to receive any help with my lack of courage from anyone else who has had an ablation at the age of 60 plus.
Hi there, 
I am 43 and waiting for a referral for a ablation.
I have had svt for 8 yrs and been on flecainide successfully for 5 yrs but had a bad episode a few weeks ago.
I too found this forum extremely helpful as after getting released from the A&E, I was a bit worried also but now I feel totally at ease with the possibility of no more medication and worry.
I have since spoken on the phone too a friend of a friend and he has had an ablation twice and said would rather have that done than get a tooth pulled.
I hope you will get some encouragement from this web site...I have :D
All the best
Graham
I'm so glad I found this site as it's comforting to read of others going through the same thing. I've (I now realise) been experiencing SVC's for as long as I can remember, but mildly and not too worrying. However, all this changed just after my 60th birthday and two months ago I ended up in hospital as the SVC's were happening for 10 - 15 mins at a time. Unlike some of you on here, they did not diagnose the tachycardia right away in the hospital even after two ECG's. It was only after I wore a heart monitor for a week, that the results showed that I was a classic SVC sufferer. I am now taking a beta blocker and it seems to have stopped the episodes completely. It's been so interesting to read people's descriptions and I found, like many of you, that it was worse when lying on my left side.
There I was again this time it was Christmas Eve at 11.15p.m. with my heart rate of 147 beats. Of course it was busy but I met a nurse who was in the Aand E last June when I had my last episode of SVT. Fairly quickly I was given an ECG and the Doctor looked at my notes from last June and gave me 6mg of adenosine which sorted me out immediately. At 2.15p.m. I was back in bed trying top get some sleep before I went to visit my daughter and family. I have an appointment with a cardiac consultant to discuss an ablation on 6th January 2009. I am still really worried about this but I shall try to pluck up the courage and have a go at Ablation.