Get advice from smart people on medical procedures

[Munson]

Yeah from what I understand it's safe, but I'm very risk averse so even hearing that there's like a .01% chance of serious complications screws me up in the head.

But I'm more worried about some of the stories I'm reading from people who said they didn't get any better, got worse, were always tired after, etc. My hope is it's because they were mostly older people saying these things, and a lot of them were getting it for AFib, which is a bit more risky than what the doctors think I have. But a lot of people saying the tach/palpitations

I really really hope it works and I have no side effects, because I really would like to be able to play sports and run around without worrying about it.

[Eagaholic]

So it sounds like there is more of a chance of getting in a car accident on the way to the appointment than a serious complication. But I hear you, small risk aside, who the hell wants to go through medical stuff like that anyway. Keep a focus on the positive side though. All should go well, and if it does and you ever have a chance for sex your heart should be fine.

[General_Failure]

There's plenty of other things that could go wrong, too. Like you could wake up in the middle of it, or choke on your own vomit because you didn't listen when they told you not to eat 12 hours before you go in. Spread your worrying around to stuff like that, and see what you can do about the problems you can actually do something about, like that vomit thing.

[Susquehanna Birder]

Anyone in here ever have SVT or a catheter ablation done to their heart?

I've been away for a few days - sorry I missed this one. I'm not SVT experienced, but I have (and still do to some degree) paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Bascially it's similar to SVT, where your heart loses its natural electrical impulses, and the rhythm is more of less half beating, very quickly. And then every couple of minutes, your heart kind of stops, and then tries to jump start itself with a giant THUMP. Sometimes for me it's very transient, like 30 mnutes, but I've also had it go on for weeks at a time. It's not painful, and now that I know what it is, it's not as scary as it was...but it still sucks.

A few years ago, I had a cryoablation, where they put in a catheter and then use an inflatable liquid nitrogen balloon to scar a ring around the blood vessel leading into the heart. Since I had that done, the episodes have lessened dramatically, but they haven't gone away altogether. At least I have been able to get off of the nastier anticoagulant meds (coumadin, Pradaxa) and I convinced the doc that asprin therapy is sufficient for my mild case.

Are you doing RF ablation? Either way, I've heard mixed results, and if nothing else, sometimes a second run takes care of any remaining problems.

[Munson]

They're not sure where the problem is originating yet, they suspect SVT due to my symptoms and plan on using the catheter to induce it and be able to locate it. Doctor said if it's in the right side of my heart it's easy enough to ablate, but otherwise they might have to send me to a specialist (or it'll just take a lot longer.)

My big problem now is anxiety/panic. I've never had problems with either before but the possible SVT episode I had last month has led to me having high anxiety every time my heart rate speeds up--which in turn speeds up my heart. Culminated in a panic attack last thursday and me getting so worked up even approaching where I work that I can't go in. It's insane and depressing. I'm guessing I'm going to need some anxiety meds whether this procedure works or not.

[Susquehanna Birder]

Yeah, it's all tied together and it's a pain to track down. I'm taking a somewhat light course of hypertension meds, and the cardio guy says that BP can have some triggering effect. I've also heard a wide variety of other triggers from people, and there is no pat answer for everyone. I have heard of people having your procedure done, and it sounds like a good approach, selectively fixing the spots that mess up the heart cadence. Pretty amazing technology when you think of it.

A good part of it all is the awesome propofol nap you get to take. A not so good part of it is the upper thigh incisions. Hopefully you're all healed up before bikini season.   

[SD]

Good luck munson, I'll drink extra caffeine for you just like I pollute more and fail to recycle to make up for Dio.

[rjs246]

So your heart rate jumps when you're exercising and you have anxiety/panic about your heart rate jumping when you exercise? Sounds like you need a shrink to me.

[smeags]

Smoke pot

End

[Munson]

So your heart rate jumps when you're exercising and you have anxiety/panic about your heart rate jumping when you exercise? Sounds like you need a shrink to me.

haha a little more than that, sadly. When I say spikes up, I'm talking upwards of 280-300 BPM, possibly higher than that. It only ever lasts for 1-2 minutes, but when it happens it's scary. It doesn't gradually get there either, it's like a flip is switched and my heart is suddenly stuck in this superfast rate.

It had been 7-8 years since my last episode of it specifically because I avoided playing sports that would get my adrenaline rushing. But then it happened again last month and now every time my heart rate goes up or I get an adrenaline rush I start to freak out a little. That's where the panic comes in.

I'll go see a shrink if they tell me it'll help. I never had anxiety issues before so this is all new territory for me.

[Susquehanna Birder]

Emotional state does have a lot to do with it. One day I was due for an afternoon treadmill type of stress test, and that morning, my bitch-from-hell boss decided to ambush me in a conference room with one of the HR reps, to "help me" with my job performance. When I did the treadmill that afternoon, my heart rate went up, but it didn't come back down when I finished. I had to sit there for about an hour. That's partly when I knew that I had to leave the job by choice, rather than leaving it in a casket (or putting someone else in one).

Strangely enough, caffeine doesn't seem to bother me much. In fact, I think it actually helps a little...but I've cut way back.

[Susquehanna Birder]

Munson, did your doc talk with you about what they call "pill-in-pocket" treatment? It's when you carry medication (such as flecainide) with you and take it when you have an episode. Sometimes they like to go with that before they start poking around inside the ticker. (In my case I had used a couple of other drugs to try and limit the episodes, but they didn't work...so the ablation was justifiable.)

[Munson]

They said medication was one way to go, but since my episodes never lasted very long they weren't sure how effective it would be. I think my anxiety over it led them to say basically lets go in there, find it, and take care of it so you don't have to worry about it anymore.

My sister's SVT episodes would happen no matter what she was doing and sometimes last for hours, whereas mine only happen during extreme adrenaline rush situations and only last a few minutes. Not sure why that is, really.

[hbionic]

Good luck Munny.

Don't be a Hoyda.

[Sgt PSN]

Does your heart rate spike we you go to the rape basement?