Feeling disheartened

[Aun4sim]

Hi everyone after having my ablation last Oct for SVT I recovered well with no hiccups but had an svt attack with in a couple of weeks I knew this could happen with repairing period but since then my heart tries constantly to go in to svt and sometimes does but only for a minute and no where beats as strong or debilitating as they were .I saw Dr Gupta in York who was really happy with my quality of life and me been able to deal with these rather annoying short attacks I was cracking on with life building my confidence up so he said to see him in 6 months...Brilliant!!!But a week later I went on holiday and had weird heart flutters all week making me feel out of sorts with myself sick and very scared then on Easter Sunday I just started with an svt that wouldn’t stop I ended up in a&e for 3 hours about to be given the horrible injection to put my heart back into rhythm when magicly my heart went back to normal itself (thank goodness).I just feel so disheartened with how well I was feeling to this sudden change and hate living with the time bomb just not knowing when or if it will happen again and as to why so long this time .Sorry for the massive rant just feeling fed up living with this seemed to be unfixable problem.Thankyou for listening xxxx

[jeanjeannie50]

Are you on any medication at the moment?

[Aun4sim in reply to jeanjeannie50]

No never have been but thinking this is the next step iv just heard such negative comments about it.Are you?

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Aun4sim]

I used to take 2 x 100mg Flecainide and 2 x 12.5 Metoprolol daily. I think Flecainide is the drug of choice for quite a few people on this forum. Some take it, with good results, only when they have an attack. I just take Warfarin now, but would take Flec as a pill in the pocket if needed.

Changing my diet to a more plant based one and cutting out all artificial additives, helped my AF more than any pills.

Jean

[Aun4sim in reply to jeanjeannie50]

You are so right I k ow when my diet is bad and eating a lot of sugar my heart is very wobbly I’m back on track with my healthy eating and am keeping a diary of my heart .I was offered pill in the pocket and now think il take it for future.That is amazing you have got off most medication and got it down to diet well done.I have been told the meds can make you extra tired and sluggish ?Also how long does it take to work once you have taken it.Thankyou jeanjeannie.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Aun4sim]

It depends just what the heart is doing, whether flutter or AF. It's quite a while since I've tried the PIP method, but for me personally, I would say between two to 24hrs. My attacks would make me feel so ill that the after effects of taking medication wouldn't be given a thought, as I wouldn't know whether the way I felt was the after effects of my heart malfunction or the pills.

[Jafib]

I am very sorry to hear of your frustrations. I had my ablation on December 3rd and it has taken my heart quite a while to calm down. It still acts up but only for short periods of time and not often unless I do something to trigger it (sudden onset intense exercise, eating until I am way over full, eating anything that results in heart burn, laying on my stomach). Other than that I seem to be on track most of the time. Point is...I have felt very discouraged as well along the way with flare ups, hours long flutter episodes, etc. but the encouragement of the great folks on this forum and a wife that gives me perspective has gotten me through. I look at it this way...the worst is that I have to have another ablation (granted, I REALLY don't want to do that, but is still not much at all compared to what I see others go through all the time. I hope your heart calms and you get peace and rest.

[Aun4sim in reply to Jafib]

Thankyou Jafib very good advice and positive words and yes your right this forum is amazing.I really can’t bare the thought of another ablation plus my pathway is so close to my own pace maker it was too risky to go any further so don’t think it would be an option although my heart specialist tells me instead of burning they can freeze now so complications aren’t such a problem .Like you thou the on and off heart flutters and abnormal rhythms are so soul destroying when trying to have quality of life going places or on holiday as you just never know if it will start .Positive thinking and not letting it get the better of me work so well and my husband has been my absolute anchor.Thankyou so much for finding the time to reply I hope your heart starts to behave and you get back to some kind of normal.

[Bmwpaul1971]

My SVT is very well controlled with medication. If I didn't take them it would be all over the place.

[Shcldavies in reply to Bmwpaul1971]

What medication do you take

[Bmwpaul1971 in reply to Shcldavies]

I take Verapamil a calcium channel blocker at the moment due to ectopics but I was equally good on beta blockers for SVT too. Mine suddenly started when going to the gym lifting weights. Used to race like mad. Then have had them since. I crouch down and hold my breath and it sends it back to normal speed. I was offered an ablation like it was as easy as going to the shop, but I declined while the tablets worked.

[Shcldavies in reply to Bmwpaul1971]

Thank you, it's good to know you can control them

[Bmwpaul1971 in reply to Shcldavies]

Really. Don't feel disheartened. Honestly. The medication does work for SVT in my experience. It's just finding the right one.

[Aun4sim in reply to Bmwpaul1971]

Thankyou I will be able to go back to my heart specialist with all sorts of tips this is so positive to hear I’m so grateful.Glad your fixed on meds .

[Shcldavies in reply to Bmwpaul1971]

Yes, getting the right medication is essential, sometimes it's a bit of trial and error and getting the right Doc. My experiance with meds has not been so good with the last addition of Flecainide morphing my MAT into Aflutter which I could not tolerate (OK when horizontal but collapse when standing). A cardioversion and an ablation later I am now on a small dose of Bisoprolol 1.25 and so far so good, though just 8 weeks post ablation. Doc says I no longer have Aflutter but the MAT remains and hopefully treatable with Meds.

[MydogBrandy]

Oh bless you, I do have a little 1 minute weird sensation, but that’s all. Hope you soon pick up, maybe you need another ablation . Get well soon x

[Aun4sim in reply to MydogBrandy]

Mine were like that but then this full blown one has just knocked my confidence a bit.Its so good to hear so many people managing this horrible pain in the arse....X

[MydogBrandy in reply to Aun4sim]

The only other thing I suggest is drinking ice cold water. This used to work quite a lot when I had episodes. You have to drink about four glasses quickly, it seems to shock the heart back to normal rhythm .

[T8746]

It can be very frustrating.

Feel free to rant !!

Best wishes !

[Aun4sim in reply to T8746]

Thankyou .