Totally terrified. I so wish i didnt have to be awake for the ep study but can understand if they sedate me they sedate my heart.
I am going to insist on good sedation if they do ablation. I admit i am phobic about any medical proceedure so cardio will definitrly get the nervous patient he wants for the ep study!
Hi Deborah,
Exciting stuff! I can completely relate to your fear about being awake for the ablation. I was in your same boat two months ago. Never had any surgery in my life then going in for an Ablation, and awake?! My cardiologist recommended being awake vs general anesthesia as it can be harder to trigger an SVT and that is a common reason why SVT ablations are not successful is due to not being able to get the heart to go into an svt. I’m addition he mentioned that your throat doesn’t feel good afterwards doing general because of intubation.
Anyway, conscious sedation is what they gave me and I do not remember anything from the point of seeing the docs legs coming towards me. I remember looking for his face to show up behind the equipment and that was my last memory. Then 6 hours later I was in recovery room. My wife told me that I was a Chatty Cathy for a lot of the procedure and they had to up my dose to quiet me down. I have ZERO memory of that. Thy gave me fentanyl(narcotic-pain killer) in one iv and versed(sedative). I also got a small dosage of Valium before they wheeled me back. Honestly, I don’t know the difference of conscious sedation vs general anesthesia because I don’t remember anything. I was fully alert and awake while they prepped me but that’s it. Try to keep in mind, you’re going to be in the best care and they will give you pain killers for the catheter insertion sites. The most pain I ever had was when the nurse put the ivs in my arms. I hope this helps.
They tried to schedule me the other day for 6 weeks out, but I may put it off for a few months until I get my other medical bills paid off..... I also am terrified of the procedure too. I am waiting to hear if they require money up front and whether I have to go on blood thinners for 6-8 weeks afterward. I say that because it says it on the sheet they gave me, but I think it may only apply to people who are getting an AFib ablation.
They gave me a light dose of versed before. And then when they started ablating they dosed me up good with fentanyl. Still hurt though. But in talking to my new EP he noted that my arrhythmia was originating in an area that is really painful to ablate and that if we were to ever try again it'd be difficult to really do a proper job without fully sedating me because it'd be so painful. I would note, however, that I have the least common form of SVT (atrial tachycardia) in an uncommon location. I know people who have had ablations for more common types like AVNRT and they said it was no big deal at all, they barely felt it. So it's really going to depend on what they find. Even my procedure, in the painful area, was still tolerable though unpleasant. Honestly the mental fear and anxiety was much more difficult for me than the pain. If I ever try again I think it will be a lot easier because now I know what to expect and won't be quite so afraid.
So are you saying the ablation didn't take?
What was your SVT Frequency before the ablation? Have you had any SVT's since the procedure?
Hey James,
1st SVT was about 2.5 years ago. Didn’t know what they were until my 1st ER trip last Labor Day last year. 2016, I don’t know if I had any after the first incident. Last year I probably had 6-10 episodes, always while exercising. I was also drinking coffee daily and chewing way too much nicotine gum and a lot of stress with my company shutting down. This year before ablation(7/16) I had probably 10-15 SVTS. Big one on plane that put me in ER on other side of country.
I’m two months out from ablation and zero SVTS. Doc said he was confident he got all of the aberrant signals,(3 spots on my left atrium, crossed septum). They said I was easy to get into SVT and I basically stayed in them until they got all three triggers. I’ve had pacs and pvcs occasionally but that’s it. The 1st 2 weeks after ablation we’re a little rough cuz I’d get Tachycardia between 100-120bpm wile resting. I wore holter monitor a few weeks ago and did a stress test two weeks ago just to be sure my heart is A OK and everything is great according to cardiologist. Anxiety/fear has been the biggest thing I’ve been dealing with post ablation. The fear that I’m just going to have a heart attack now. Probably irrational as I’m healthy male, great diet, exercise 4x/week, stooped nicotine gum and coffee 3 months ago...over thinker.
James,
They prescribed me 325mg enteric coated aspirin for 2 weeks after my ablation. Pretty normal for any type I think since they are putting catheters into your veins. Keeps post op risk of clots low(already at <1% I believe). In addition, if you have insurance you shouldn’t have to pay anything out of Pocket. I aren’t even gotten the hospital bill yet ($3200 my portion). Cardiologist bill was separate ($419 my portion) and I got that a month ago.
I can totally relate to the fear part and the procedure itself was easy compared to how much I was worked up the month leading up to it.
Nope, about 6 months post ablation it came back worse than ever. Currently being managed ok with increased dosage of beta blockers and they want to try flecainide next if the beta blockers stop working. But I'm a uniquely difficult case, less than 10% of people with SVT have atrial tachycardia.
They put me on 81mg of enteric coated aspirin for 2 days when they some blockage in my artery and my stomach couldn't tolerate it for 2 days without pain from it. I'm just sensitive to it. I am sure they must have an alternative. I guess my biggest concern is all the money spent so far (Echo, Stress Test, Table Tilt), and then to go through with this procedure to tell me that they couldn't trigger the SVT or it didn't take. It's funny how terrified I was about getting the SVT's once a year, then 5 times a year, etc. Now I have had over 50 this year alone. It's all perspective I guess. You just get used to it. Thankfully, I am able to get them to stop on my own. 98% of them I can get them to stop within 30 seconds. Thanks for the perspective.
Thanks for the perspective! I have tried everything to get them to stop on my own, but nothing works.
Is the atrial tachycardia Afib or something else? My EP didn't even want to do a holter monitor. No one has ever recorded exactly what I have. He feels confident he knows exactly what it is and easy fix. I don't know. I see the glass half empty.
Of course! I feel ya. I did lifestyle modifications first (no caffeine, no nicotine, more sleep-7-8hrs, stress reduction, praying, meditating, whole food diet, more consistent exercise) it helped but I’m not sure how much because I don’t have a lot to compare. After several months of that went to drugs, they rxd Cartia 120mg XT. Worked but again, not much more than lifestyle. Finally said going all out. With such a high CURATIVe rate and low risk it was worth it to do it. I aam amazed at some people’s stories on here and where that people have dealt with their SVTS for decades. It was too disruptive for me to continue on without more permanent intervention.
Well that’s awesome that you’re able to stop them. Modified valsalva, I’ve face, gagging, all the different things to stimulate that vagus nerve. I found the best one was someone’s suggestion on here about fetal position on right side. That coupled with belly breathing technique helped me a lot before ablation.
I suppose if I was very active outside the home, I would have dealt with this long ago. The past 10 years I haven't got out much, working a lot (desk job) and raising a family. I am now averaging twice a week and I am ready to get it done.
The right side fetal position is my last resort. First I try and hold my breath. I then try coughing. I then try touching my toes. I then try just laying on my back. If those don't work, I lie on my right side and bring my knees to the chin and it goes away. Actually, today when it happened, I touched my toes and flexed my chest and it went away. But who wants to do all that when you are out in public? LOL Only about 30% of the time will it go away within 30 seconds by just sitting still and waiting. I am just surprised that my Cardiac Electrophysiologist wanted to skip the monitor to determine exactly what kind of SVT I have and assume that it is the typical SVT. He basically said he knows what it is based on my description and super easy fix.
Hi!
I had my ablation done last August. And was awake for it. And I am like you, totally terrified of these things. But it really went well. You don’t feel a thing. In fact I didn’t even know when they entered and I could see my heart on the screen in front of me. I didn’t feel a thing really. It’s very easy. So please don’t be afraid. It’s totally worth it!
If you have anymore questions about it, please just let me know!
Not Afib though sometimes it can cause Afib they told me. But it's mostly just SVT coming from a random spot in the heart. He equated my case to being like finding a needle in a haystack, where the needle can move around. For most forms of SVT it comes from a known common spot they can find. Most cases of SVT are pretty simple and easy to fix, I'm just unfortunate to be the exception.
Can i ask about post ablation. I have read a few people who said they got sinus tachy in the weeks after ablation. You said you got this 100-120 bpm at rest. Can i ask how long the episodes lasted and how often you had them. I find if i know what to expect i cope better! Drs are notorious for not explaining.