Heart function

[Hobowank]

Will having an ablation affect my heart function I am in pretty good condition don't want to lose that.

[DeltaDawn23]

Michelle -- you have a unique way of putting this whole thing in perspective.  I, too, think going with your intuition is a good way to approach these things.  Unless, of course, you are on the floor of the emergency room!  That might be a time to do what the doctor suggests.  Hesterbox's experience is a good example of what you are saying.  Thanks for sharing:)

[Hobowank]

Thank all of you for your response it helps

[hesterbox]

I agree with Michelle. I think you need to think that it is right for you. And how you feel about it is telling.
I was offered an ablation 6 years ago but at that time I was more anxious about the ablation process and accompanying risks, than I was about my WPW syndrome which, to me, was just a nuisance.
However a month ago I had a 4 hour bout of very fast racing irregualr heartbeat with over 300 bpm at times.  When I was told that my cardiologist wanted me to have an ablation as soon as possible I was happy to have it arranged.
Even though I was still very nervous about the procedure it was now much safer than leaving my WPW untreated.
I looked foward to my ablation, which was done just over 3 weeks later, and I am now recovering well.

[littlegreenman1]

No, athletes have it all the time.
I'm running my 5th marathon this weekend on my ablated heart. It's a solid foundation.

[MichelleP_3811]

In general the purpose of an ablation is to prevent tachycardia events that can over time damage the heart or lead to heart failure or other problems.  Whether or not a particular person will ever have complications or trouble down the line from their svt is unforeseeable.  That said, all tachycardia issues have the potential to get worse as we age.  All ablations carry the risk of irreversible damage to the heart however ablations in general have a fairly high success rate with a really low complication rate compared to other medical procedures.  Afib doesn't have as good odds as my avnrt did and unfortunately it does also carry a higher reoccurance rate but many have the procedure and never have any further issues.  This all said, you really need to go by what you feel in your heart is the right thing to do.  If you are at all feeling agitated over doing the ablation then hold off.  Get a second opinion if necessary.  Really question the doctor about your situation and how much at risk you are for developing complications down the line.  I had avnrt.  It is an issue with an extra muscle fiber in the heart that caused my heart to fall into a fast beat in the 200s.  I lived with it all my life but it started to get very active once I hit my 40s to the point I was getting it almost weekly.  I was also starting to have daily symptoms from the frequent episodes.  I started noticing my heart everyday when in reality most of us never know it is there.  So for me my heart was starting to be affected by the tachycardia.  It was still an optional choice but due to the affects the tachycardia was having on me it was probably wise I went through with it.  But even beyond that what stuck with me was how I felt about doing the ablation.  I was absolutely terrified of the procedure but even through the terror I had an underlying sense of calm that I needed to do the ablation for my best interests and so though I was scared out of my wits in my heart I knew it was the right choice for me.  If you do not feel that calm telling you it is the right thing to do then take a step back and assess the situation, get more facts and a second opinion if necessary and then proceed if and when the time feels right.  It isn't like you can't reschedule.  This said, your afib will likely not go away.  You will always be at risk of falling into tachycardia and should be diligent about taking the blood thinners to avoid the complications of throwing a blood clot.  But it isn't like you have to rush in there this minute to get it fixed if you are paroxysmal/only having episodes occasionally.  It is a big decision and one that shouldn't be taken lightly so by all means go with your gut and you can't go wrong.  Take care and we are always here if you need to talk this through more.    

[tom_h]

It shouldn't.  That's not to say that occasionally you may come out in worse condition than when you went in.  I was informed that in the event of an emergency a pacemaker would have to be inserted and I had to basically sign my name to that agreement before the procedure.  Mine was uneventful and I'm nearing 2 years free after nearly a lifetime of SVT.

[demps123]

Not that I know of. I've had an ablation and everything seems fine. Early days for me. If anything it should improve your heart as ypu wont have the problem anymore.
The only thing that people say they feel after an ablation is the odd skipped beat feeling.but that's not too bothersome.