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Guys, TOM Need Your Help!
As some of you may know, I had my heart ablation done in December of 2010. Everything has went fine until a few minutes ago. I got up, went to the bathroom and when I sat back down, my heart started acting funny. It wasn't SVT, but my heart started to beat with like 5 short, fast beats, then a regular one, then about 5 more of the short, fast, then another regular one. This lasted about five minutes. I got that, I don't know really how to describe it, a scared, panic like feeling all over like when I had SVT. Everything is back to normal now, it quit as abruptly as it started.
What did I just experience? It wasn't SVT. This is all I need, another heart rhythm issue. Any insight anyone might have would be greatly appreciated.
What did I just experience? It wasn't SVT. This is all I need, another heart rhythm issue. Any insight anyone might have would be greatly appreciated.
I wouldn't call them strong, forceful beats, just more rapid than normal, together in a cluster, then a pause and regular beat, followed by about 5 more of the fasters beats and so on. I haven't had another episode like that since the intial one, though my heart has been feeling kind of quacky from time to time the past few days. Kind of like the feeling I would get when an SVT episode was about to start, though that hasn't happened.
Whoever the guy was who said it was AFib for sure....please don't do that. From his description there is absolutely no way to tell exactly what it was. Alot of people are on the forum here because they are scared out of their wits and their doctors aren't concerned about answering questions for them. I know what that feels like.
Beyond that I just wanted to ask for a little more info from the original poster. I am not a doctor or an expert. I do have a long history of arrhythmia problems (A-Fib, A-Flutter, SVT, PAC and PVCs) and I have done a ton of reading and other amature research on the subject because it genuinely interests me.
You said I believe five "fast beats" then a "normal one" then five more "fast" ones? Did you mean they felt absolutely normal other than being a little faster? Or did you mean they felt like five fast strong beats like BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG then a regular beat? Reason I ask is because I have had that type of beat before and usually lasts only a short time. There was no compensatory pause in between my beats like the pauses you get with PVCs and some PACs. (You know... regular beat - odd pause - THUMP!) Instead, it was as if someone just hit me in the chest five times very quickly with a hammer. The last time this occurred I was lucky enough to be wearing a month-long event monitor and it was captured. The doctor told me that it was five consecutive PACs and that was all. I told him that they felt pretty forceful and that I had thought it must be ventricular. He showed me the tape though and indeed they were 5 PACs and exactly at the time and date I had noted them. Sometimes when this happens, it's exactly like what you described...a few quick bangs then a normal beat then a few more bangs then back to normal rhythm.
Try not to worry yourself but do ask your doctor about it. It is true that ablation scars heal up sometimes and many many people go back for second, third even fourth ablations. Or it could be something new. Often when one problem is ablated it causes another (which was already there but hidden) to surface.
Just for the record, when I have A-Fib or A-Flutter episodes they feel nothing like this. To me A-Fib feel like my heart suddenly swells up (or a gas bubble type feeling) and then, sometimes, it starts jumping around and feels like squirrels fighting in my chest. (A-Fib with rapid ventricular response)
Sorry my post was so long. Take care of yourself and definitely ask the doc about it when you can.
Beyond that I just wanted to ask for a little more info from the original poster. I am not a doctor or an expert. I do have a long history of arrhythmia problems (A-Fib, A-Flutter, SVT, PAC and PVCs) and I have done a ton of reading and other amature research on the subject because it genuinely interests me.
You said I believe five "fast beats" then a "normal one" then five more "fast" ones? Did you mean they felt absolutely normal other than being a little faster? Or did you mean they felt like five fast strong beats like BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG then a regular beat? Reason I ask is because I have had that type of beat before and usually lasts only a short time. There was no compensatory pause in between my beats like the pauses you get with PVCs and some PACs. (You know... regular beat - odd pause - THUMP!) Instead, it was as if someone just hit me in the chest five times very quickly with a hammer. The last time this occurred I was lucky enough to be wearing a month-long event monitor and it was captured. The doctor told me that it was five consecutive PACs and that was all. I told him that they felt pretty forceful and that I had thought it must be ventricular. He showed me the tape though and indeed they were 5 PACs and exactly at the time and date I had noted them. Sometimes when this happens, it's exactly like what you described...a few quick bangs then a normal beat then a few more bangs then back to normal rhythm.
Try not to worry yourself but do ask your doctor about it. It is true that ablation scars heal up sometimes and many many people go back for second, third even fourth ablations. Or it could be something new. Often when one problem is ablated it causes another (which was already there but hidden) to surface.
Just for the record, when I have A-Fib or A-Flutter episodes they feel nothing like this. To me A-Fib feel like my heart suddenly swells up (or a gas bubble type feeling) and then, sometimes, it starts jumping around and feels like squirrels fighting in my chest. (A-Fib with rapid ventricular response)
Sorry my post was so long. Take care of yourself and definitely ask the doc about it when you can.
I get these quite often (I've had 3 ablations). I call them tachy bursts and they can be annoying. They never seem to stick around for long like the old tachy times. In your case it may be just one of those days when everything wrong came together (electrolytes, stress, fatigue, certain foods) and your heart decided to act up.
If you continue to have these tachy bursts, tell your cardio. That means wearing a monitor to catch it but that's the only way to know exactly what's going on.
If you continue to have these tachy bursts, tell your cardio. That means wearing a monitor to catch it but that's the only way to know exactly what's going on.
There are just so many possibilities, too hard to guess based on the feelings. If it happens again, may need to get a 14 - 30 day event monitor.
Well, everything has went well today. I had to travel out of town and was on the road most of the day. My heart behaved as it should.
I know what I experienced last night wasn't SVT. It was about 4 or 5 quick, strong beats, followed by a slower, regular beat. This process continued for several minutes, then everything went back to normal. I don't know what it was or what triggered it. I took some laundry out of the washer, put them in the dryer, went to the bathroom, came back in the living room and sat down in the recliner. Then my heart started acting up. I have to see my family physician soon, so I'll bring it up to him, provided I don't have any more episodes before then.
I know what I experienced last night wasn't SVT. It was about 4 or 5 quick, strong beats, followed by a slower, regular beat. This process continued for several minutes, then everything went back to normal. I don't know what it was or what triggered it. I took some laundry out of the washer, put them in the dryer, went to the bathroom, came back in the living room and sat down in the recliner. Then my heart started acting up. I have to see my family physician soon, so I'll bring it up to him, provided I don't have any more episodes before then.
I had a terrible week/week and a half last July, 8 months after mine. My cardiologist saw it as I walked on a treadmill, and said I was firing salvos of SVT, PAC and PVC's. I went back on 100mg Metoprolol per day, and one day started to subside,and vanish. I still get occasional clusters of PVC's and 3-5 beat runs of SVT, but I don't bel;ieve the path can no longer support good conduction. I'd say keep an eye on it, perhaps call your cardilolgist. It may go away on its own.
I am with itdood, there are any number of things it could be. If it persists you may need to get a monitor to figure it out. I have read, though I am sure this isn't necessarily an absolute, but if the issue arises after a year that it is likely a new issue not a reoccurance of the previous issue, that is if your issue was one of the more run of the mill svts. Afib and ablations for pvcs have a higer reoccurance. For what it is worth, the short duration and the fact that it felt more like a jog than a run is probably a good thing that whatever it is will not be of much harm to you but if it persists definitely go back and see your cardiologist. Good luck and take care.
a-fib. i know from experience. sorry i know its not something anyone wants to hear because once you have it, you keep getting it.
No, it wasn't really fast, like SVT. Instead of running away, I would say it was more like jogging, lol
I don't know where exactly I had my heart ablated. Its been well over a year, I thought I had this heart issue long behind me.
I don't know where exactly I had my heart ablated. Its been well over a year, I thought I had this heart issue long behind me.
I'm sorry, you said ablation was over a year ago. I'm thinking this past December. doh, where does time go??!!
Well, if this happens again, may need to get on an event monitor to see what's up.
Well, if this happens again, may need to get on an event monitor to see what's up.
Well, how fast was fast?
If it was tachy fast (meaning you think it was > 100 beats per minute) let's think of the possible sources for beating that fast.
It can come from either the sinus node, a run of PACs, atrial flutter, atrial fib, from the junctional node (AV), or ventricular in origin (non sustained ventricular tachycardia).
What did you have ablated? maybe you could narrow it down if you know where the burns were. Other than that it's pure guess work as to what happened, there are lots of potential causes and I'm not sure we could rule any of them out.
It sounds like to me some of the ablated tissue may be healing up. It's not uncommon with ablations to have these bumps along the road.
If it was tachy fast (meaning you think it was > 100 beats per minute) let's think of the possible sources for beating that fast.
It can come from either the sinus node, a run of PACs, atrial flutter, atrial fib, from the junctional node (AV), or ventricular in origin (non sustained ventricular tachycardia).
What did you have ablated? maybe you could narrow it down if you know where the burns were. Other than that it's pure guess work as to what happened, there are lots of potential causes and I'm not sure we could rule any of them out.
It sounds like to me some of the ablated tissue may be healing up. It's not uncommon with ablations to have these bumps along the road.
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