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Avatar universal

skipped beats and tachycardia after ablation

I had a catheter ablation for avnrt 5 weeks ago.  I am still experiencing occasional skipped beats and also some rapid beats (2-8 in a row) that feel like the old svt. These rapid beats occur about every other day.  Today I also felt several irregular beats before starting into several seconds of what felt like svt. Is this normal?    Could the irregular beats have been several skipped beats in a row?   They only lasted a few seconds, but I had an episode of a-fib a few weeks before the ablation, which the ep felt was probably caused by the svt, so I am worried that the short irregular beats could have been a-fib again. I know that skipped beats and rapid heart beats can occur for a few weeks after the ablation, but I'm getting concerned that this is going on too long.
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Avatar universal
Hey, although a bit too late but I wounldn't mind sharing my part. I'm 22 male and I've been dealing with PSVT for over 3 years now. I finally got the courage up to do an ablation, and did it two days ago. The results came in, typical AVNRT. The electrophysiologist said it was a success, but I need to take Metoprolol (beta-blocker) for 3 months following the ablation. However, since the day of ablation I'm having bouts of PACs/PVCs (not sure which one but from 3 years of experience I assume it's PVC), they weren't as many before. Some of your comments regarding the heart's healing process and its accompanying friends (skipping beats) were so reassuring. I'm going to keep a positive attitude and continue taking the beta blocker until the termination date comes and see what happens then. I really relate to all of you who are dealing with the stress and anxiety that this bothersome little spoiled child (palpitation) is causing. It isn't easy not to panick when your heart is racing so fast that it feels like you might fly off to meet your maker any seconds :D Anyways, just wanted to say that you're not alone and there are a tons of good people out there fist-fighting with this little bas**rd. Try to keep a good perspective (I know that it isn't easy) and please leave a comment and encourage others who walking with us in this path. It can help a lot. Thanks. Will keep you posted
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Avatar universal
I am 44, and hanot an ablation a month ago for a fib and arrythmia. They said during a sonogram that my heart was strong. The Cardiologists I saw put me on propranolol. I still feel palpations and what feels like irregular heartbeats, when I lay down.I've been in and out of the ER, because of my anxiety. My bp goes up. This is scary. I also developed anxiety from this, but im trying to remain positive and hoping for the best. Good luck to everyone.
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2 Comments
I am 36 and just had an ablation for SVT done on 11/2/16. My follow up is next week and hopefully I will know then what type of SVT I had and how many burns the Dr did, etc. I have had palpitations since childhood. They would always come and go and usually were not bothersome. I was always able to deal with them. Then 2 years ago when pregnant with my 2nd child my heart went crazy! HR so fast and irregular, my RT husband couldn't even count it. I went to the ER and it was in the 220s and they couldn't break me. Gave me adenosine, which feels awful btw, and that didn't work.  I ended up in A-fib. Eventually, they broke it with calcium channel blockers and lots of metoprolol.  I have had so many holters and echos and EKGs and noone ever had an answer for these palpitations that would happen whenever they wanted to rear their ugly head. I avoided the EP bc I was so afraid of doing the EP study. Well, I stopped running and saw the EP and he told me I have been having SVT my whole life and eventually it would just get worse, be unpredictable,  and one day cause me to pass out. So, I decided to have the ablation and try to fix it while it would still be "easy". Well, my recovery has been up and down. Palpitations and HRs varying from 60-140, and days where I felt perfect. Its been an emotional rollercoaster. Unless you experience these types of sensations and rhythms, you can't understand the stress, anxiety, fear, panic, frustration, loneliness, and worry it causes. I  try to tell myself it's not life threatening and it will be over soon but it still scares the crap outta me!! Im trying to stay positive that the ablation has worked. I really don't want to go through that again. Sorry for the long post. It's nice to vent to people who know what it is like to live with this condition. Makes me feel less alone.
I had the same issue and was in the ER 4 times-they changed my medication.
Avatar universal
just done ablation for my svt at 1st June 2016, but still have sinus tachycardia (heart rate 90-110), i go consult ep that he said my ecg is normal and no need take any medicine, just let my heart heal itself...i just hope my ablation is successfull and i can recover quickly....really trauma of svt....
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1 Comments
I had my ablation in October for SVT, it solved that issue but I had 4 other arrythmias that the doctor says I can never get all of them fixed. Since then if I just normally walk across the room, my heart immediately goes from 75 to 110-115 and neither of my cardiologists say they don't know why? Does anyone have this similar issue?
Avatar universal
just done ablation for my svt at 1st June 2016, but still have sinus tachycardia (heart rate 90-110), i go consult ep that he said my ecg is normal and no need take any medicine, just let my heart heal itself...i just hope my ablation is successfull and i can recover quickly....really trauma of svt....
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I still feel like the heart is hiccupping on a daily basis. No afib but of course I have anxiety if it is doing any damage. Had ablation in april. Feel like it was a success. Usually notice it laying still get that feeling like its trying to go into afib but it doesnt. Do you think this is still part of the healing process?
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1 Comments
Yes! My EP has me convinced that it's a long process. The healing part especially if they were able to get down and dirty with the problem and nail the source. Basically they told me my heart is pissed! Hang in there I am....mine was 11/23/15
1423357 tn?1511085442
You didn't say what kind of irregular beats you're experiencing, or what your ablation was for.  But if you're feeling PVC's and PAC's, "skips", they may not be associated with your electrophysiology procedure.
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Avatar universal
I also had an ablation done, but about 3, almost 4 years ago. I have been having irregular heartbeats the last month or so. I am not sure if it is due to stress, because I definitely have been under a lot of stress lately. Is this normal or is it something I should have checked out by a doctor?
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Avatar universal
Thank goodness for this forum. I had an AV node ablation 18 years ago after 20 years of SVT flecanide; atenalol etc. The minute after the ablation i had my first mini "heart do" which felt like a minor SVT after a couple of months I saw a very unhelpful consultant who told me that I could continue to medicate if I like but it wouldn't get me anywhere! He said that they can't zap all of the electrical pathways so you're always going to have issues. Thanks that's really nice to know. Over the last 18 years I've had episodes of mini SVT usually due to caffeine or stress but literally the last couple of weeks have been very difficult. I am experiencing skipped beats which then seem to overcompensate with a big one and then it beats normally until the next jump every 7 beats or so. It's really bad this evening and making me feel light headed and queasy. For the first time in my life though, someone (my husband) actually felt the jump this evening as soon as he put his fingers to my neck. I was so glad because it feels like noone takes me seriously. He's concerned now and wants to know whether to take me to the hospital but I said it's not life threatening but I really don't know what to do anymore. I'm just so glad that the internet has given me the opportunity to connect with others who have the same thing but may have had more up to date treatment. Any suggestions gratefully received.
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Avatar universal
I had my 3d ablation (2 for AF and 1 for flutter) 7 months ago Jan 15, 2015.  Had plenty of AF episodes for 3 months after the procedure then things calmed down and I stayed in sinus rhythm for 2 months.  After some very salty food and some excitement I went in to what my E.P. doc calls "Interventional Tachycardia".  The main problem is that I could resolve my AF in an hour with Flecainide.  The "Interventional tachycardia" will not self resolve and requires cardioversion and overnight in the hosp.( Arrrrrrgh!!)
I have been in sinus rhythm with skipped beats PACs etc. for a month now.  Has anyone heard of this term or know anything about prognosis with this??  Can't get much of an answer from the EP docs.
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1423357 tn?1511085442
Congrats on your ablation. Yes, it's very common to experiences skips and short runs of SVT during the recovery process, and may last up to a year or so.
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14765401 tn?1436374640
OK I see her comment was back from Oct 2014, oops :)
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14765401 tn?1436374640
Allena, I am new to the community, just had my ablation two days ago for SVT. I am experiencing the same thing, several skipped beats throughout the day. What I think is worth noting is that I notice them more when I am sitting reading, or working on the computer, or lying down trying to rest or sleep -- and I think it's just because at that moment I am more hyperfocused on my heart during this quiet time. So while I'm home resting post-procedure, I am also trying to keep busy and keep my mind off of it. The dr. office says this is normal, as does everyone else on this forum -- which is so reassuring!! We need to give it some time, and try to stay positive. I'm suggesting this to myself as much as I am to you :)
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Avatar universal
I had an ablation for AVNRT in Feb 2015. I felt great until a few weeks ago (beginning of June) when I began experiencing crazy skipped beats that would run for 10-20 secs and come back every 15 minutes or so.  One night, I felt them while I was sleeping and went into SVT which lasted a few minutes and stooped on its own.  They sent me an event monitor and one day it was so bad I called the EMT's who took me to the ER and of course after 5 hours it never showed up on an EKG and never came back.  I did catch one on the event monitor and they said it was PVC's and PAC's and nothing to worry about.  Noting to worry about?  I felt like I was going to pass out when I get them.  I never had this before the ablation! I'm still on the event monitor and have had several episodes. I see my cardio on Wed, and I'm not happy.  How have you made out since this post?
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Avatar universal
  I noticed since the weather is getting hotter, my heart beat seems different than it did last year. I had an ablation in April, I am still taking atenlol.  When I say different I mean harder.  Can anyone confirm this feeling?  Thanks NMR
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Avatar universal
I am posting this since I had episodes of Afib I think my whole life (thought it was just  my heart beating funny) and was finally diagnosed in November 2013 at the age of 48.  I decided to go the catheter ablation route since I am a runner and work out and was afraid of meds. About 8 weeks after the ablation, I developed atrial tachycardia which was not picked up until 3 months later after my follow up with the electrophysiologist.  Of course I was upset thinking the ablation did not work. Doc decided to put me on Cardizem since I had been dealing with high blood pressure of and on as well.  After being on Cardizem for 4 months, I have definitely noticed a decrease in palpitations, and after reading other posts, I do think it takes more time for the heart to heal for some people. I was still getting some episodes of tachycardia even on the Cardizem for awhile (although much milder) and now I am not noticing them much at all anymore.  So I am thinking positively that the medication and healing process after the surgery has helped.  And to think in the beginning, I was afraid to take Cardizem because of side effects and basically have had none.  i just want my message to get out there, since I was so scared for months after the ablation and was paranoid about every heartbeat to the point where I was getting panic attacks.  I think once you are diagnosed with a heart arrythmia, you do have to mentally adjust to it and not get overwhelmed, but it is a difficult process.  My thoughts go out to all of you who have been through this.
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Avatar universal
I had a cryoablation about seven weeks ago. The Doctor told me that everything went well. All four of my veins had alot of activity in them. He killed all the activity and now I just needed to wait for the scaring to take hold and let the heart simmer down. For the first six weeks everything went pretty smooth. Except for a few short 8 to 10 second runs all was well. This last week was a little tough. Had two episodes of what I think were Afib. But they weren't nearly as intense as before the ablation. And I was able to get them to convert by themselves. This never happened before. I am also having alot of palpitations that start at night. But they go away in the morning. Just hanging in there and putting in my time. Enjoying all the hours when things are good and looking forward to the day when it all settles down.
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Avatar universal
Had a afib ablation on 31 st Oct and 3 days later AF came back with pulse 146. went in had it cardioverted and now normal for 1 wk. Heart rate going back up on double the drugs that I was before, clearly hasn't worked. see cardiologist next wk. fed up had AF 14 yrs and still keeps coming back . Christine

PS Took 4 hrs procedure hit 15 burns tut tut
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1423357 tn?1511085442
I think it varies a lot from person to person.  But I think everyone has some sort of arrhythmia following the procedure.  Mine was for SVT, and afterwards, I had almost daily short runs SVT; perhaps 6-10 beats.  I too had PVC's following mine, but not to the degree of what you're describing.  These little "blips" lasted for over a year before subsiding.  It will take a long time before it begins to settle down.
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Avatar universal
I had an ablation 8 days ago.  After 12 years, they finally caught my problem on an EKG during a stress test.  I went in with the doctor looking for the area causing VT.  He zeroed in on it and ablated 3-4 times over that area, and could not induce the rhythm an hour after the last burn.  While he was trying to induce me for VT, my heart went into SVT.  He found an area close to a node and ablated that as well.  For the past three nights I have been having what I -think- are PACs or PVCs.  Rate is nice and low, but every beat (or every other beat) feels like it is skipping or something.  It will go on literally all night.  I can change position and they will stop for about a minute, then continue on their merry way.  I honestly don't think I have them during the day- I feel no weird beats.  Only at night!  Anyone have any insight to this?  I called my doc and he is not concerned, feels this is part of the healing process and tells me it could continue into December, but should decrease in frequency.  He offered to do a holter to give me peace of mind, but I said if he is okay with not doing one then I am too.  Any insight from others?
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Avatar universal
Sorry....typing on this damn phone!!;). ...partly caused by the electrical impulse trying to rebuild its old short circuit, so to speak.  Yes, it makes me nervous at times and would like to stop it.  But the great pert is the SVT is completely gone.  I'll keep you guys up on how my ticker keeps beating.  Good luck and keep up your cardio
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Avatar universal
I had an ablation for AVNRT 2 years ago.  Took a while to get the rhythm back to some type of normal.  I have been very athletic my entire life.  I'm 57 years old and still question why and how this crap hit me.  I have recently developed a "skip session", but keep reading its a normal thing.  My rested heart rate is in the low 50s, so I guess that's why it's such a "pronounced" feeling.  PA told mevthatits partly caused
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Avatar universal
I had my ablation five months ago and everything went fine until this ladt month. Started getting skip beats and today I had a run of about an hour with a heart rate of 108. Heart feeld very much out of rythm to me but my rate is in the 70s. Im scared to death, frustrated. I goy pneumonia while I was in the hospital and had a very rough recovery.
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Avatar universal
I found this searching in Internet for an answer. I had the ablation for AFib  in June 26th 2013 and I was well  having some little tachs sometimes till they put me the monitor (Lifewatch) to see if I could leave the anticoagulant. But then, in the last week I began to feel arrhythmia in the nights, while sleeping, I spent almost completely two nights without sleep because any time it began again. I trasmitted and they told me it was not that bad, some AFIB very brief, and other were PVCs. The process to form the scarr  is supposed to be 3 months, although some sites say 'FEW MONTHS'. I am worried that may be the ablation was not a complete but a partial success. Now I see that you and others have troubles in the night too. As they told me it was not that bad (the EKG) I decided to trasmit only once and then not to worry and continue sleeping and I did it last night
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Avatar universal
Hi,
So happy to find you and others that share these heart issues. Yes, the gastritis/GERD/reflux/hernia connection is really true! Went to my EP and he said I was having alot of PAC s only. I said good but I am tired of them EVER
Y day and night. He gave me a new med to try(really for angina) and I am not sure I will try.  I am so against heart meds as I read they either do not work or cause other heart problems. He also offered to try another ablation!  That would be 3! I fight off depression as I dream of my life before any ectopics:)  Keep in touch.  
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