Ablation for svt on Friday

[Fazerboy]

Hi, some of you on here will remember that I had a time when I was asking about whether to have an ablation or not. My svt episodes were initially rare (twice a week) and for short durations (which I could usually stop by lying down). I opted at the time to not have an ablation. Over the next 6 months the svt episodes got more frequent and harder to stop etc. I therefore opted to go on a waiting list for an ablation. I have also had to take Bisoprolol for the last 3 months to stop the svt from occurring. This works but makes me more tired than normal. I could live like this but I think the svt will just get worse unless I nip it in the bud so to speak with an ablation. Plus I don't want to be on betablockers for the rest of my life (I'm 63). So I have my pre-op appointment today and my ablation next Friday. Am I doing the right thing? who knows. I sure hope I am. I know that an ablation isn't a magic cure all for ever but I'm hoping that it can stop my svt episodes and mean I can come off daily betablockers. I'll keep you updated.

[Stumpy47]

Hi Fazerboy, I had an ablation almost 6 months ago after frequent & persistent svt's needing hospital intervention to convert them with Adenosine. Since the ablation I've not had any at all though I can still feel the heart attempting to go into svt on the odd occasion. Unfortunately nothing can be done about the bradycardia I have , so I now find myself scheduled for a pacemaker in 5 days time!! No doubt will also be on Flecainide afterwards. My advice though is if the episodes become annoyingly frequent , opt for an ablation, pretty painless but a lot to gain. I'd handled my svt's for well over 40yrs until I was 70 yrs, & now hope to get quality of life through my pacemaker. Best wishes

[Fazerboy in reply to Stumpy47]

Hi, thanks. Something I forgot to put in the title was that it will be interesting in that I have to stop my Bisoprolol (1.25 mg). Quite a few people have commented about how difficult it is to come off this and saying cut them into ever smaller portions etc. I'm going to stop as of today so I'll know first hand if it is a problem. No time to reduce the dosage, just cold turkey.

[Fazerboy]

Update. Ablation for 27 Sep cancelled on 25 Sep, now due on 21 Oct. Interesting though that I stopped my Bisoprolol after Monday and I have no bad symptoms. Waiting for the svt to kick in but it hasn't yet.