[Dragonfly2756]

Thanks everyone

I have been through the gamut of tests, the last ones 3 yrs ago.

And so, I know my heart is structurally healthy...now it's probably just a decision of treating my rare PSVT episodes (one a year or so) or not. Hmmmm...to ablate or not to ablate?? That is the question.

I get the 28 day monitor next wednesday, and speak w/ Dr. again on Jan 24th. So we shall see!

I DO know I need to get my rear end back in the gym. That's what got me to the e.r. last weekend more than anything.

I am also making an appointment to see someone about my anxiety...which for ALL of us, doesn't help any :/

Happy Happy Holidays to All of you, my kinsfolk in cardiac craziness!! LOL.

J.

[Jeff]

Hmm. ablation for a single episode per year? I'd talk to Jodie - I suspect she'd talk you out of it. That procedure, though relatively non-invasive, is still a procedure, and the risks may outweigh the prospective gains, despite those risks being seemingly small.

[jkfrench]

My cardiologist completely dismissed my request for an EP study. He said that attacks 4 times a year do not warrant a study, nor the slight risks involved. He opted for the beta blocker.
I got another opinion just this last August and got the same answer. He told me if it started happening 4 times a week, then to call him. I know they are scary and it would be nice to know that if we did have the ablation that we probably wouldn't have to worry about them happening out of the blue again. However this last doctor I saw at Scripps told me there is a chance they will just go away. The atenolol or some type of calcium channel blocker on an as needed basis works for me. Just ask for a perscription and keep it nearby. If your SVT pops up again, take the beta blocker. It stops mine in about 15 minutes or less. Sometimes mine stop on their own after just a couple of minutes, so I only take the beta blocker if after 5 minutes is still beating along at 220. I am almost afraid to mention this, but I haven't had an SVT episode in almost a year. Knock on wood!

[Dragonfly2756]

That is good to know...what I find interesting is they did an ablation on a woman I work with, and it was after her FIRST episode. Now, she is very obese, and I also suspect maybe something more was of concern to them, even though she said all her tests were normal. So I thought for a bit that maybe ablation was an option for me, but now I see it more likely isn't going to be. As long as I know that I have a medication nearby to take if I have a longer episode, and that the PSVT isn't going to kill me, (which I already know, just have to believe) I'd be fine without the procedure!

[jkfrench]

Yep, I keep a few pills in my glove compartment of my car, in my purse and in the house. Just in case....
The nice thing is, you don't have to take them on a daily basis if you don't want to.

[dr461]

One of the issues is that an ablation is a surgical procedure. No matter how "minor surgical" it is, the definition of minor surgery is surgery on someone else. There are risks, and few doctors, other than electropysiologists do it. Most Cardiologists won't even consider doing them. My cardio doc said that it is a procedure of LAST Resort, and has inherent risks, with no guarantee of success in terms of benign PVCs. He said that it is a useful tool in more grave arrythmias, but would certainly not do it for anyone who was not getting at least several hundred thousand per day, or someone with additional symptoms (such as shortness of breath, chronic lightheadedness, etc).

[Susie]

A friend of mine had ablation for A-fib, I guess it helped for awhile, but, then she went back to having all her symptoms.