Catheter Ablation for SVT - any success stories as I'm so scared?

[ReggieEve]

Hi, I'm a 32 year old female, diagnosed with SVT in December 2011. I saw an Electrophysiologist in March and he advised that I have a Catheter Ablation due to possibly having AVRNT or a concealed accessory pathway...
I am absolutely dreading it to say the least. I understand that I may be sedated and I have never experienced that before. I don't want to be awake and know what they are doing as the whole thing freaks me out. I am als petrified that something will go wrong. Can anybody share anything that will make me feel a little better? I know I need to have it done as I am living with constant fear of the SVT. Many thanks :-)

[ryanj137]

Here's an extraordinarily long-winded story for you, from my ablation experience last week.  I'm sorry for the length but I wanted to provide my complete experience.  I was worried too but it wasn't really all that bad.

Part 1:  http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Heart-Rhythm/Post-Ablation-Experience-Review---Part-1-2/show/2523945#post_12286995

Part 2: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Heart-Rhythm/Post-Ablation-Experience-Review---Part-2-2/show/2523947#post_12287000

[Patch2015]

Thank you for listening.  Reading what you referred me to helped. April 2nd so close and I feel like fleeing. I don't want to have SVT again as I like my independence but this procedure, ugh! I hope it works and doesn't make things worse. I feel fine and think, why fix it if it isn't broken?

[tom_h]

Read the following post by Jannie411.  It will give you all of the details of the procedure.  Jannie411 also has posts of preventing and post ablation notes.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Heart-Rhythm/Jannie411s-Ablation---Part-2--Section-2---The-Actual-Ablation-Procedure/show/1499077

I was completed sedated for mine and a tally felt nothing.  If you get anesthesia, they my put a Foley in. It actually nice because you don't need a bed pan afterwards.  You will be required to completely remove the hair in the area.  Do it yourself prior to going to the hospital.  If not, you'll most likely be dry shaved by a rough female orderly (assuming your a woman as your profile indicates).  The insertion area is right where the leg joins the torso.  Insertion is done by a puncture, not by slicing your leg open.  The puncture rapidly heals to just a red dot in about 2 days.  I got a hypo of Valium just prior to going to the lab.  I barely remember getting on the table.  Good luck!  You'll do fine.

[Patch2015]

I am having an ablation next week for SVT and am scared to death. I don't want to be awake and feel the needles go into my groin veins. Painful?  The whole procedure makes me afraid. I don't want to be shaved either!
Does it hurt having the groin catheters placed? Do they place the Foley catheter when you are not  sedated? I called the doctor's office and spoke with a nurse who told me she would let them know that I was super anxious. I am not sure I believe the nurse. I also have an arthritic hip so am worried about that pain too. I am really nervous and afraid and don't do well with pain.
Can anyone give me a detailed account from start to finish and any pain description? Thank you

[airolsen]

You should check if you have a latex allergy.  I thought I would die after a catheter and then I found out they had used latex and the allergy had caused it to be inflamed inside.  The first reaction may not be horrible but the allergy gets worse and you DONT want to know what happens after that.  To be safe, just tell them you have the allergy so they always use non latex and you should not feel any pain after removal.

[tom_h]

Congratulations!  Join the long line of former SVT patients that have come through this forum.  You'll probably be walking around by tomorrow.  It's hurts a little for a couple of weeks, then you're as good as new.