Frustrating - another SVT episode yesterday.. ablation or not?

[kristen79]

I'm not sure what is happening lately.. My heart surgeries were back in 1997 & 2000, I haven't had any major problems until this year I've had 3 SVT episodes. And each episode feels like I'm having a full blown heart attack. I had lunch with my husband and my twin girls..15 months now and I was driving back to work yesterday when I had to pull over due to tachycardia.. My husband was on the phone with me and could notice that I stopped talking and under my breath I could barely get out "another attack".. He could tell I could barely talk, so he called an ambulance.. So I start doing all of the maneuvers in the book (except for the ice water since I was in my car).. I'm baring down, blowing in a straw, you name it.. all those seem to do for me each time is make me almost pass out. Ambulance arrived, hooked me up to the ECG which showed 187 HR, SVT, etc.. When I informed the paramedic this has happened before and I didn't want to go to the hospital, he printed out my ECG strip and my husband took me to my cardiologist.

An hour later since my episode started, I'm at my cardio office waiting to see my nurse.. they call me back, hook me up to print out some ECG strips for my cardiologist (since I'm still in an episode).. Still at 187, they decide I need adenosine and start an IV.. the needle made me a little startled, which low & behold I reverted immediately to 95 and no need for the Adenosine.. whew! (Nurse also changed my dose of Toprol from 25 to 50mg daily).. What a day!!! I'm still very weak and exhausted today from yesterday's marathon episode and my heart feels very sore..

I had my first visit with an electrophysiologist earlier this year and he said if this continues he suggested an ablation.. I now have a follow up with him next Friday.. I'm not to fond of the idea of an ablation.. I guess I'm worried that they may zap the wrong area?? What is everyone's thoughts on ablations? Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[Terry45]

Kristen, I had an episode about a month after my surgery last year. Surgery was Aug 8th, and was in the ER and hospital for dour days in Sep due to high HR. I had my second cardioversion and was schedule for an ablation about around the middle of October. My cardio was pretty sure that the cardioversion was nothing more than a band aid and that the ablation would prevent another episode. So far so good. The ablation was painless, cold, naked and hungry because the procedure started three hours late but other than that it went well. I had to stay in the recovery room for three hours afterward and then went home. I have not had another episode since.

 

[Guest]

The first route of treatment should be beta blockers to see if the meds can control the SVT.