Ablation in 11hrs =[

[xfireissheet]

Hey everyone, im a 15yo male undergoing an ablation for svt in about 11hrs. I have some questions for anyone that has had an ablation for heart rhythm before.

What did your heart fell like when you woke up after the procedure?
If it cured you, did you have any arrhythmias whilst your heart was healing?
How long did it take you to get your life back to normal, without worrying about arrhythmias?

That's all, but im sure ive missed some so if you think there's anything i should know please tell me, Thanks :)

[ireneo]

After one of my ablations it was quite uncomfortable for weeks to sit. It was easier to stand and keep the groin area straightened out. But I think they must have bruised a nerve that one time. The other ablations didn't bother me like that, just the common tenderness of a bruise.

[tom_h]

Mine took about 2 weeks until I could walk around without a limp.  Then the inside of my thigh from my groin to my knee was painful if pressed upon for about 2-3 months.  Check "Hematoma" in Wikipedia, and that picture looked just like mine except mine was on the inside of my leg.

[littlegreenman1]

Took about a week. Most injuries, healing, procedures, etc... hurt more on days 2-4 than day one. The body blocks pain for a day.

I had some "hand size" bruises on each thigh. And knots at the entry point. Not painful though.

[xfireissheet]

Thanks for all the support:). For anyone that's had an ablation, how long did it take for your groin to heal, mines healed but it fells like its getting more painful now it fells like a sharp pain even though i can walk around fine. Maybe its because ive been sitting up for the past few days i think i better take it easy :P

[MichelleP_3811]

I suggest adding cardiovascular exercises to your routine.  They helped me tremendously cope with the episodes.  Prior to exercising the episodes had me laying flat.  After I started to exercise I could get up and move around even with my heart rate at 230.  Obviously you will want to take it easy when you are having an episode and if one comes on while you are exercising you should stop and rest but you will be amazed at how much stronger you will feel by exercising.  Also, my doctor told me the extra pathway fibers mature as we get older.  Maybe as you get older the pathways will separate enough to allow them to ablate.  It is actually one reason I read that they don't generally do ablations on young people.  In any event, hang in there.  Like most I lived over 40 years with avnrt and found it really mostly just a nuisance more than anything else.  Stay strong and know you always have others here to give support and encouragement.

[tom_h]

Sorry to hear that they couldn't fix it for you.  But you're young, and you have many years ahead of you.  Perhaps in the future, they'll find a method that will get the accessory path without damaging the the good one.  I think you're way too young for them to intentionally destroy the node and go with a pacer.

I had for 54 years of SVT , 3-5 times a month towards the end. Yet was still able to surf, speed skate and cycle at competitive levels.  You learn to cope with it, to push forward, and not let it dominate you.  Don't let it control you.  Always challange it.

[ireneo]

Your heart condition is in the minority then and that's tough to take. My first and second ablation were not successful either. It's hard to wake up and be told, "sorry, we couldn't fix it." My third ablation helped but didn't "cure" the issues. My heart still fires off now and then, sometimes daily but they're short bursts of tachy so I go with the flow.

Try the medication, think about how much you can tolerate in terms of arrhythmias. Perhaps in a few years they'll come up with new techniques for cases like yours. Don't give up hope and don't give up being active. Just work around the SVT for now.

[xfireissheet]

Sorry for the late reply, My ablation was not successful. It turns out that my abnormal pathway is rite on top of my regular one, just from touching the pathway i got heart block so my doc didn't try ablate it even though rite before i went in i said I don't care if i have a pacemaker i just want it fixed.
so im on new meds then, Avnode blockers i don't think there working but im not to keen for more surgery anytime soon i think ill just wait it out now think about it, still haven't come to terms with it not being a success.

[ireneo]

You must be home by now. Probably a bit groggy, just want to sleep it off. Hope to hear how things went. No rush but we are thinking of you.

[xfireissheet]

Thanks for the responses guys leaving home now for the hospital!!!

[ireneo]

I'm an old lady compared to you and I've had 3 ablations (back in my late 40's, early 50's). The ablation itself was no big deal thanks to the happy drugs they gave me. I've never had a hematoma after the procedures, just an ugly bruise. Although I'm female, I did wear boxers for a few days because tight girly panties cut into the groin too much. So no tighty whities for you.

I had a dull ache in my chest for a few days, felt a little tired but was able to pretty much do whatever I wanted. I sure wasn't going to lay around in bed for days. Yuck! They just say you can't lift anything heavy. The heart does flip flop around and do short races as it heals but nothing like what you had before.

Let us know how it goes. Oh, and my second ablation took about 7 hours and I don't recall having a catheter put in. If they did, they removed it before I was fully awake.

[tsco]

Hey Bud,  No worries. The anxiety and being scared is far too much for the procedure. I have had three ablations. I have never had a urine catheter. I really never had any pain maybe a dull chest pain one time. Honestly my back from laying so long hurt more than anything. I was knocked out for my procedures and it really is not a problem.  I am a real stubborn case so you should do great and cured after. Sometimes you will have runs of SVT and skips here and there for a while after because it takes a while for the scar to develop and cover the focal point. If you can keep from worry you have it licked.
Tim

[littlegreenman1]

No worries.
I was on my back for 6 hours after the 7.5 hour procedure. I was on my back for 2 hours prior... so the 15 or so hours on my back hurt. Get a pain pill for that. Getting my catheter pulled: HURT for 1 minute (and I peed blood for a few days - that burns like mad, but also normal).

My heart felt "burnt" and crispy. I didn't hurt, but I could tell "something happened."  I had some flip flops, skips and weird beats during the healing process. I'd just say, "Man my heart is ticked off!!" But it was just a "feeling," a sensation where there was previously none.

I have not had an episode of SVT since. Fixed and no need to think about the arrythmia other than to answer questions here.

[tom_h]

" It was a sharp pain, just a dull ache."

-should be-

It wasn't a sharp pain, just a dull ache.

[tom_h]

You might experience some achiness for up to a couple of weeks afterwards.  I called it literal heartache.  It was a sharp pain, just a dull ache.

It is very normal to experience skips, and short runs of SVT for months following ablation.  The difference is, the SVT should quickly drop out after a few beats.

I guess it took me about 2 months before I trusted it enough to go out and do some strenuous workouts.  Almost exactly one year post ablation, I've finally have begun to forget the arrhythmia problems of the last 54 years,

Good luck tomorrow!  If you're going to be under anesthesia (as I was), don't be surprised to find a urine catheter (Foley) has been "installed" while you were out. Removal was interesting to say the least, but not painful.  Also, you right leg may be really nasty looking for weeks after the procedure.  It's not uncommon to develop a large hematoma.  Look up "Hematoma" on Wikipedia and that's what it'll look like, except on the inside of the leg.  Hope everything goes well!