SVT after ablation

[daisy2311]

I had an ablation for SVT on 12th June and today I was back in A & E with a heart rate of 200bpm. I was told to come off my bisoprolol after ablation. I was starting to feel so liberated to get off meds and with the prospect of not having to be mindful of an SVT event happening in the future. So I feel a bit knocked sideways. I know it is never a guaranteed cure but I am 40 with no other medical issues so was hopeful. My recovery from the ablation has been straightforward too. The arrhythmia nurse at the hospital just happened to check the A & E list after I had been admitted and she came down to see me. She immediately contacted the Consultant for advice, which in the short term was to start the bisoprolol again. She mentioned that there can be a period of 3 months after ablation when events can still occur? Has anyone experienced this and have things improved?

[Lezzers]

Yes, my husband had an urgent ablation at the end of March due to VT's. Unfortunately his VT's not only continued but worsened after his ablation, he was hospitalised a few times due to the VT's, but he was also having SVT's & atrial flutter, he has an ICD & that shocked him twice the day after the ablation. His icd threshold has had to be reduced twice as the VT's were below the threshold. However, he now hasn't had (as far as we're aware) any arrythimias since about the end of April time. He saw his EP early June & she's cautiously hopeful that things have now settled down.

My husband has severe health issues and we were told at the beginning of the year that they wasn't sure if the ablation would stop the VT's but it was hoped it would reduce them. This is all new stuff to us but I think it'd not unusual to have more than one ablation. We were made aware that the arrythimias could get worse before they got better, apparently it's because an ablation is invasive & irritates the heart.

I'm surprised your bisoprolol was stopped as usually this is the first line of defence against arrythimias.

I hope things settle down for you soon.

[L31GH in reply to Lezzers]

Hi Daisy,

I had an ablation in November 2021 for my paroxysmal AF, they told me after the procedure that the scars may not fully heal for up to 3 months so to stay on my current meds, which included bisoprolol.

Low and behold I was having episodes up until the following August (22) so they were so right telling me to stay on my meds. After August, I didn't have an episode until the beginning of June (23) I was absolutely devastated when it happened, I really thought that the ablation had been a success. But again, fortunately for me, they had kept me on my meds.

I really think it's a health board lottery, some try to save as much money as they can, and some try to do what's best for the patient.

[Henri33]

Not sure if I have had the ablation for the same cause as yourself but I was told that having had a pacemaker fitted in June last year my heart was in arrthymia for 3 months from Jan this year. I was certainly getting fast beats but in checking them with my blood pressure monitor I found that they were over rated. For instance I think the blood pressure device counts over about 10 to 20 seconds and then pro ratas it up to 60seconds or 1 minute. So if the arrythmia only lasts for 30 seconds say, you get a wrong figure.

I was taking Bisoprolol for the tachycardia but it was giving me very low blood pressure 86/45 was common and I have swollen legs and ankles. So the aim of my ablation was to enable me to stop bisoprolol . However, after the operation there was confusion as to whether to halve or stop the bisoprolol. The final decision was to stop but to monitor my blood pressure which I have been doing. My blood pressure has gone up a bit but sometimes the heartbeat is good but sometimes there is still arrthymia and I was told it could take 3 months to settle down.