Wolff Parkinson Whyte

[Taffy649]

I have been struggling with the above, the hospital do not know what is causing it and it is seriously affecting my mental health, I have been prescribed anti-depressants and hope that they can help me regain confidence and return to work….

[Hidden]

I think you’re a little bit confused: WPW is the cause. It’s a congenital condition whereby you were born with an extra electrical pathway in the heart that leads to episodes of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). SVT and WPW are not the same thing, though, as SVT can also be idiopathic, whereby they don’t know the cause; everyone with WPW has SVT, but not everyone with SVT has WPW, although anyone that has episodes of SVT is usually checked to see if WPW is the underlying reason it’s happening. The good news is that ablation is usually an extremely successful treatment for WPW, moreso than it is where the cause of the SVT is unknown.

[Warm-heart]

Hi, this is a scary condition. Seek another cardiology opinion if you are not happy with this outcome. If your depression is due to the WPW's effect on you, it seems to me that an anti depressant is not the answer. I know someone that had the operation and is fine since. It is relatively straight forwards as far as I know.

Bear in mind too, that a raised heart rate affects the body in such a way as to increase anxiety as it puts your body in fight/ flight mode (sympathetic nervous system). So people can think you are anxious and need a psychiatric drug when in fact your heart is out of kilter. I hope this helps and maybe can get another opinion from someone who knows about WPW.

[LMor]

Hi. Sorry you’re feeling so low. How long have you knowingly had this? I’ve had Svt all my life and finally had an ablation a couple of years ago. The surgeon told me it was a birth defect straight after the surgery so I assume it was WPW. My heart would suddenly beat 250beats per minute for no reason. When I was younger it would last for 15-30 minutes. The more recent episodes would last for 3hrs and evidently had to be rushed to hospital and given adenosine. (Not nice). The hospital should talk to you about the appropriate options. (Ablation, medications etc). I’m not sure Antidepressants are the right path unless stress is the cause. Talk to your Gp

[DollyWolff]

Wpw is the condition, you either have it or you don’t. I’ve just been diagnosed with it this year and it explains so much about various episodes in my life. Seek treatment for wpw it can be cured.