Failed ablation for S.V.T. (Super ventricular tachycardia)

Heart health and blood vessels
1

Hi, I'm sure you know my name but either way I live in Australia.

Age 25.

I dignoised with S.T.V after coming off a drug known as Abilify that was put into my body via an injectable form (because I resisted medication) I had also previously taken medication that is dangerous for the heart called Clozapine for a condition called Paranoid Schizophrenia which was misgnoised after I had was forcibly injected with abilify.

Ever since I got off Clozapine my heart had acted a bit funny, first it was pain coming from my lower stomach at the bottom of my ribcage were my ribcage bagain, at first I thought it was stomach spasams and tried to treat it with valium which made not care about the situation, it didn't take away the pain but due to my frequency visits to the E.R because they were tired of my visits they send me to the psych ward were I was exposed to druggies and drug dealers my time wasn't very pleasant. Not to mention I was on a drug known as propranolol because I had a very high heart rate and it helped me with anxiety however the phychatrist took me off it because he thought it was useless and they thought a forcible injection of abilify was the correct solution.

I have my first 'bout of S.V.T when the injectable form of abilify was weaning off. So I managed to capture it on video camera and the paramedics were able to reverse it with valsalva maneuvers. I didn't have another 'bout of S.V.T for until I saw my cardiologist who put me on Atenolol 25 mg. I was sitting in the car with my Dad and felt one coming on so I simply just preformed the techique by myself and stopped it, another one came when I was sitting at my computer desk. Atenelol was a great drug for a while, i was able to get back to walking for a bit and I was offered an ablation which I put off for 2 months because I didn't want to risk an operation to my heart. However while exercising and pushing myself to the limit the S.V.T's would linger back and cause me to pass out while I had a hold of my dog which was 'dangerous' for other people. Not to mention I begain to suffer with bradycardia and low blood pressure. 

So I made the choice to get the ablation done and mostly all I heard were positive reviews. In the case of my luck the procedure was a living nightmare. Prior to this I had to get off my betablocker for a whole week. I had one of the best cardologists in my area but I was anxious as hell. I thought I was going to get knocked out and wake up but the opposite happened I was simply 'sedated' with a hypnotic. Due to my benzo addiction that I developed, the hypnotic did not work as intended, every prod, every tug and every pull was felt vividly and antagonising. For the next two hours I was 'highly aware' of everything that was going on. He stated he found the problem that was located at the back of my heart in the upper left chamber which he proceded to burn 15 times. After all the adreneline pumping drugs and the prodding he could not seem to get my heart to go back into an S.V.T.  Which I proceded to do the whole 6 hour recovery thing. And for the next 8 hours my heart rate was going 140 bmp before it reduced down to normal.

I begain to go into the cover stages, I took about 4 days until I started to move properly. Everything seemed to be going fine until I started to sweat violently get dizzy and felt like I was going to pass out. I had a fact sheet that said if you had an of these symptoms please go to the E.R. However because of my visits there previously I didn't care if I died I simply called my Cardiologist who told me that would pass in 7 - 10 days. Which it kind of did. Every once and a while I'll get dizzy and feel like passing out. A month went by and I proceded to attempt to get back into the gist of things, sexual activities, walking going down into the shop and attempted to plan to move somewhere else. However all of these activities would bump my heart rate up to 150-160 bmps, I also had an oxi-mointer on which tell me my pusle rate and oxygen levels. My oxygen levels would drop down to about 85 while my heart stayed around about 110 during any form of 'normal walking'. So I got a holter mointer, I knew I would pass out so I asked my father to help me go for a power walk but he said he couldn't be bothered doing anything and I took my atenolol agian to deal with these fast heart rate symptoms. I would also start to develop a rash right where my heart was, on my back which would ich and sting. Doctors simply told me to put creams on it but it never resolved no matter what I do.

I simply at this point gave up to the point where I was going to jump off a building if they were not going to give me a stress test, I couldn't leave the house, I couldn't do any sexual acitivity (being male kinda important), caffeine was a a no go, I couldn't even play video games properly because it would get me too excited. Either way I got the stress test sorted. I decided I'd get off my beta blockers 3 days prior for the best results. Presumably I said my goodbyes to a lot of people because of my luck and asked the person who was preforming the stress test what would happen if I had a heart attack and what I should do? He laughed saying I was too young, but boy me and him were about to comfirm that I had bad luck. Getting up onto the tredmill my heart rate sky rocketed to 160 before it even begain dropping rapidly back down to 110. I would begin to walk, steadily at first, 115, 130, when it inclined at the beginning 160 then it inclined to the second beginning stage 170. Then . . . even before it started the third stage 180 the PVC waves would start to show I was hitting an SVT. The doctor quickly came to my add and told me to try and relax. I stated 'I can't'. I was told to lay down she asked me to cough as I could and I did so and nothing happened. So she started rubbing my neck and it brough it down a little, she told me to do it myself and I did more and a little more. Before it was completely back to a normal rhythm . The doctor said 'you have to take it easy and walk around slowly' I promptly replied snarkly 'I know'. My Cardiologist was informed and I was simply given another date to go see him which he suggested another abolation, after the first one I'm not sure I'm willing to go through with a second one. My only question is what should I do?

All I've noticed is that I've put on weight after the operation, my heart rate is faster, my oxygen levels are dropping and I'm serverly depressed because of my situation.  I'm always alone I'd prefer living on the street with good health if I could. The last thing is got a rash on my back located where my heart is. 95% chance success rate kinda seems like there is something else going on with me. It's just because I'm 'too young' 25 everybody treats me like sh*t. If I was 50 I'd be in hosptial for months for them trying to figure out what is wrong with me.

Additional notes: Yes I'm no longer taking any phychatriact medication, they've backed off. I'm planning a lawsuit but it's very hard for even me to get from one location to the house to the other. And I will admit I'm physically/metally addicted to valium. I also take atenelol 25 mg which only bring smy heart rate down to 88 bmp, it used to bring it down to 54. If somebody could please help me figure out what is going on with me it would be appreciated. Also I was very physically fit before and after the phychatric medication I loved to go for walks but now I can't. 

Emis Moderator comment: I have edited this post due to the swearing. These are open forums so as per the T&Cs please do not use offensive language in posts otherwise they may be deleted.

2

Hi Matthew. Sorry you're having such a rough time.

I'm 57 and male.

Its hard for me to work out the right advice to give because I lack any real medical knowledge and I've never gone through a lot of the stuff you mention.

I too became almost addicted to Valium which a psychiatrist put me on after a fatal cancer diagnosis (luckily I've made it through so far). I found it very hard to get off the stuff because of the shakes and anxiety, but eventually managed to after very gradually reducing the dose over about a month (and sometimes taking a small amount of weed instead).

I can thank the cancer for a very bad heart reaction to chemo and IV steroids that forced me to have an ablation within a day or so. One of the best things that ever happened to me because, from about a dozen SVT episodes a day, I've not had even one since then (about 4 years ago). I would strongly recommend another one for you if a cardio specialist you trust says you are suitable. 

My heart still beats faster than most people because of other conditions I've picked up along the way, but if this is as bad as it gets then I don't care.

I really hope others here can help you untangle and deal with some of the other stuff you mention.

You take care of yourself. 

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I'm sorry for your cancer fatal cancer diagnosis. Yes Valium is highly addictive. Sometimes I'll purposefully miss a dose for days to get a stronger feeling from it so I don't care. 

It's just it doesn't make sense to me a 95% success rate that it'll never come back and it has come back suggests to me there is another underlying issue. I just don't know how to approach it logically to my cardiologist. I've never had an issue with my heart. As for your example it didn't come back for 4 years but mine came back within a week or two. It's too suspicious. I'm 25, and I can barely move or do anything and because I'm so young people just expect me to deal with it. If I could be done with this fast heart rate or S.V.T I would join the military and leave to a different country the youth isn't treated correctly here. 

As for the weed I would deffiently give that a shot but I live in Australia, it's not legal and most weed is not used for medicinal purposes and is mixed in with narcotics or boosted with hydro to get a 'super high'. A lot of people don't know about the different strains of weed like Indica or Sativa. The last thing I want at the moment is to stalk around towns looking for weed and another complication is that it would probably give me an even higher heart rate and blood pressure. For the relief symtoms of cancer it's understandable though.

Thank you for taking the time to give me a comment, I don't have many people to to talk to. Good luck with your journey.

4

Hi again Matthew.

From reading your posts I'd guess that you are right about having other underlying and complicating conditions, and I'd also guess that it would be very difficult for a physician to diagnose these unless you are in a controlled environment like a hospital. 

I think you might need someone like a really good GP to try to pull the various strands together and get you into somewhere for diagnosis and treatment. Do you have a good GP you trust?

I live in Ireland so weed is illegal here too. I'm lucky to have a young person that gets some for me every few months from someone that grows it. But I only use a very, very small amount in a rollie last thing at night to help me sleep. Its so little that it never really makes me high or causes a faster heart rate, but somehow it works and is much kinder on my body and mind than Valiium and sleeping tablets (I do have some weird dreams though!). If you were thinking about trying it I'd encourage you to first talk to a physician (especially about interaction with medication you are on) in case it might actually make things worse.

All the best, Ciaran

5

I just I might give you an update. I did see my Cardiologist again and went over everything I could with him but he simply said he did not think I was in S.V.T. He just said my heart seems to be beat very fast, although the doctor who was in me said that I was in S.V.T while I was having the the stress test, I have no idea why the Cardiologist wasn't there because he was in that room the very same day. 

The explanation was very vague. He simply stated as I exercised my heart did go past 200 bmp but it increased in a steady rate without spiking going into one. For example he said that if I were in an SVT it would of jumped from 140 to 230 instantly but he said it was increased with the workload. But the only thing is the rubbing of my neck brough down my heart rate, which I brough up and he believed it was placebo. The only other thing I wish to note is the fact that I have exercised before and been at a steady heart rate when a S.V.T kicked in and caused me to get knocked out. I may of gotten to go up to 170 on an incline up a hill before the SVT would start, jumping up to 180 then 185 when I sat down.  

Yesterday I tried to contact the physician who was looking after me during my stress test but I didn't get a reply back. I mean jeesh I just want my life back.

My legs and stomach ever since the operation have been cramping real bad, I've had violent blood pressure spikes which cause my body to go into a spasm (shaking) and from here I have no idea what to do. I can't rush this I have to think logically. I just don't see how my Cardiologist would think it would be my adrelinal glands now I'm suppose to give a urine sample that I know will come back as fine but the worst part is I have to get off my Beta blockers first. I just don't know where to turn to anymore or who to trust maybe I'm just better off taking my Valium and forgetting about my life. 

Every S.V.T ablation I read is a successful one which is why I went for the surgery but why do I out of all people have these unsuccessful issues? Ugh, I'm complaining but thank you for reading.

6

Hi Matthew, the confusion and different opinions abaout SVT do not really surprise me because your symptoms appear more complex and don't interlock in a way that seems predictable to a layman like me.

The best advice I think I can give is to ask your family/friends to find the best GP available and then to go through all of this with him or her.

I'm not convinced a medical sprecialist should be your first port of call unless sent there in an emergency situation. I think instead you need a really good generalist (GP)  to organise, track and make sense of stuff.

Best of luck, Ciaran

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TRY HADA YOGA...IT WILL HELP...

 

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sorry to hear your going through hell, I am going through a very similar situation, had my ablation in 2020, and to this day still cant figure out what’s going on,although it was successful I am still having issues. I am 34 and I do think that doctors don’t take young people with heart problems as serious as older people. things need to change.