Long story. 15 years ago had a weird heart event that never really got to the bottom of. Cause or solution. Just kind of moved on. Doctors discharged me after a few days in IC ward as confused as me. Not long after that, things started up again and was diagnosed with SVT. All heart investigations came back fine apart from svt, ectopics etc on a holter...now these things are something that I am used to and never worried me too much. Even my 7 hour episode during pregnancy came and went.
A cardiologist suggested an ablation but I was pregnant again and so again, it all just fizzled out.
Now fast forward, I have ectopics a fair amount, frequent chest stiffening and occasional svt/atrial tachycardia and narrow complex tachycardia never faster than 140. New EP suggested either meds or an ablation. Last time he scheduled one for me, I bailed due to severe anxiety surrounding the procedure
Literally couldn't walk into the building.
Now I'm booked in for one next week and I have made myself ill, almost at breaking point with fear. Can't sleep, triggered a 9 hour long episode and tightening and pain in my chest all the time, like a lump or a stone. All confirmed as not a cardiac event, just stress although it feels like more.
As my episodes are fairly rare and don't seem to concern the cardiologist (think he is offering the ablation to try reassure me) should I just try medication or destressing or take the risks of a procedure I may not need? He thinks it's coming from changes to the intra atrial septum which he isn't worried about.
My anxiety surrounding my heart has been exacerbated by a second cousin of mine dying sudden cardiac death 2 years ago so of course now I worry this will happen to me and I will leave my 2 daughters behind. Although the rhythm was different.
Any support or similar stories would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps I could try meds and go for ablation in the future. 48 years old female now.
Thank you!
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JLT1976
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I feel your worry and angst JLT - perfectly normal to feel that way - we are all human after all. I have had ablation and it worked for me and really improved my quality of life so my advice for what it is worth is go for it.
Anxiety is a real driver for you and you need to get that under control which is easier said than done. I have suffered from anxiety so much so that I have been on medication for it. My feeling is that worry is a wasted emotion because it won't change anything and it is easy to spiral out of control.
If you can have a chat with your cardiologist and ask him the reason he thinks you should have the ablation. I am sure it wouldn't be just to reassure you but you can ask him if that is the case.
Please take care of yourself and your girls and let us know how you get on
Thank you so much. I really appreciate you taking the time and am glad to hear that you had a positive experience and your quality of life is much better. I guess it's hard to know what came first: the anxiety or the arrhythmia.
I definitely need to control anxiety. I think hormones don't help. Even my period is delayed now which has never happened before apart from last time I was scheduled for an ablation. Cardiologist said it was an option and my GP said I should try meds first. I was OK on bisoprolol for a short time but always give up. The idea of not having the risk of arrhythmia is appealing but knowing me I will worry that the ablation will cause something else and live in fear of that. It's so difficult. Anything with the heart is terrifying isn't it and so many people have so much worse I know.
I suffered from AF for about 10 years before I had ablation about 15 years ago. The thing I worried the most about then was that I would still get AF but that didn't happen. I have had all sorts of issues with my heart over the last 26 years that you can read about in my first post on this forum last year. Cardiac care over that time has improved considerably and if I needed to have ablation today I would have it. You are so right in asking what came first the anxiety or the arrhythmia as they feed each other don't they! Of course anything to do with the heart is terrifying but it is an amazing muscle that does need taking care of. If the ablation gets rid of your arrhythmia then that will be a big positive. Living with arrhythmia is difficult and does effect you mentally - how could it not! There are also risks with living with arrhythmia that increase as you grow older. That is why my wife and I decided to go for it and honestly I couldn't have been happier with the results. Why don't you talk to your Doctor or Cardiologist and get them to outline the long term risks of ablation and weigh that against what you are going through currently and what the risk of not having ablation are. Hope this helps in some way or another!
Yes it does help. If I could speak to him before the day then it would be absolutely ideal. I'm so pleased that you both went for it. I am sorry about my period comment...now I know you are male, I feel embarrassed haha.!
I will try speak to him on Monday and get some answers. You are right in terms of improving treatment like less radiation needed wjth 3d mapping etc...
Don't worry I know about periods as well! Great you are going to chat to him. The risk I was most worried about with my AF was the potential of blood clots forming which could cause a major heart event. Not sure if you have the same concern. My last comment is to consider whether it will improve your quality of life and those loved ones around you. In my case we had two young boys and yes it did improve it for all of us. Good luck with your chat and there is no wrong decision. Please take good care of yourself.
Having anything wrong with your heart will always be concerning so don't feel bad about being anxious about it. Having SVT or other arrhythmias can either be something you can live with, or it is so symptomatic that it controls your life. Either way, the main risks of abnormal rhythms is the increased stroke risk which is why cardiologists try to manage the errant rhythms. Medication can and does work for loads of people, but can come with side effects, it's known that ablations are very effective and although much more expensive for the NHS to do, it's worth doing because of the success rate (if that makes any sense).
When I had my ablation for atrial flutter I was really anxious, but the team in the cath lab were SO brilliant. They know you're anxious, (who wouldn't be?) but they're so good at helping you through it. And I know from other comments here that it's not just the team at my hosp in Glasgow, but elsewhere as well. The ablation was far easier than going to the dentist and although it was uncomfortable for a few days afterwards, it was then brilliant afterwards; no odd rhythms, no breathlessness / dizziness or anything. I could do everything I wanted to. Unfortunately, my abnormal rhythms returned in the guise of atrial fibrillation and no medication seems to work so I'm on a waiting list for an AFib ablation and I can't wait. The thought of being able to plan my days around what I want to do rather than what my heart lets me do, and to not have to keep ending up in A&E when my rate goes over 200 will be wonderful. I wish you luck. It will be ok.
Thank you so much for your reply and your reassurance. I'm so sorry to hear arrhythmia returned. I'm so pleased you are getting it fixed. My cardiologist said that ablation can cause further arrhythmia as well as curing the original ones so all this is swirling around in my head the whole time. I had been on a waiting list for over a year and for the past 6 months had almost zero symptoms starting up again with the anxiety of being given a date.
Really enjoy when you're all cured and not having to go to A&E...you almost feel embarrassed when you go but the gp sends you there. As if we want to be sitting there wondering our fate.
Thank you for your support x means a lot x good luck to you too x
Hiya, I have AF and SVT as well as HF. I took was terrified of allblation and ran away on the day. However my AF and SVT came back with a vengeance and put me in hospital again I was very poorly. I got another chance to have an allblation. I was supposed to be put to sleep but didn't fancy that due to my HF. I stayed awake with sedation. I felt heat in my heart muscle during the burning allblation parts. It was uncomfortable for a while but after 4 hours on the table I got used to it and fell asleep. I am so grateful I have had the allblation now because, the electric system in my heart was pretty knackered in both sides of my heart. My surgeon worked really hard to fix me. My SVT and AF have ceased. I feel great . My only advice would be go to sleep for your procedure if you are that worried about it. But I am no longer afraid of it and will have it done again if I need it. Hope this helps. Good luck.
This is wonderful. You are out the other side and damn happy to be there I bet!!!! We have the running away bit in common. I was so embarrassed to tell people who knew I was going in. I haven't even told my parents this time just in case. Plus who needs extra worry and invasion on top of your own. I don't think I have all the rhythms you have which is why I'm not sure I really need it but I guess until they look, we don't know.
Thank you so much for sharing with me x long may you enjoy your good health!!
I shouldn’t think for a minute that they would give you an ablation if you did not need it.
I had an ablation several weeks ago, for weeks and weeks before it I could not sleep I was so afraid almost all my waking moments were thinking about it I was so terrified but I knew it had to happen and on the day of the ablation, when I got to the hospital I told them all of my fears and how frightened I was and they put me at my ease.
It was over very quickly and I was very well looked after and went home the same day, so please don’t worry you will be absolutely fine and it could save you more serious problems in the future. I wish you all the very best.
Your life before your ablation is exactly where I am now. I am paralysed with fear. Even standing up has to be done slowly. I took my daughter to the cinema last night hoping for a distraction and spent the entire time just feeling the adrenaline coursing through me, absolutely feel for anyone who has anxiety simply because they do without good cause. What a sentence. Horrendous insomnia too but that has been all my life.
What was your ablation for? Did you have a known arrhythmia?
I understand how debilitating and “mind painful” anxiety can be. But as many have discovered through their life, having overcome the issue they were anxious about, we recognise after the event that the anxiety was worse than the object of the anxiety.
Years ago I went for a very long time anxiously avoiding dental care. When I finally HAD to succumb, the experience proved to be much easier than I had imagined. Really, I had worried over not much.
In the last year I’ve had 3 ablations, a pacemaker installed, and then an AV node ablation.
I can assure you that there was virtually no pain involved during or after any of the procedures.
Last week I had a small SCC (squamous cell carcinoma) excised from the top of my ear. The pain during and since has been annoying but quite bearable. All in all that little procedure was much worse than my ablations.
I hope my story gives you some confidence. Good luck.
Yes your story is very inspiring and you have been through a lot and come out the other end to tell the tale. I need to feel less alone and don't talk to friends or family anymore as they don't understand. It's easy to say just go for it when they don't know what it's like.
Anxiety in itself must be a killer. This is definitely the worst bout I've had so should consider myself lucky it's not every day.
I’m so sorry you are feeling this way. You could try working with a CBT therapist who would help you over come your fear avoidance and catastrophic beliefs about the procedure. You are not alone many people fear health procedures. Talk with your GP who may have a short term solution for your anxiety to get you through the test. He can also liase with your consultant. Best of luck, all will be well.
Yes I wish I could take a sedative for the remainder of the week. Have to stop all meds so all is clear for Friday. Will try use some medication techniques and definitely look at CBT as an option for life in general. I'm sure I'm catastrophising no doubt but those risks are pretty damn terrifying. I like my cardiologist so should trust in him a bit more perhaps. Thank you for your support x
Hi JLT I feel your worry and concern too as I am scheduled for ablation the week after next. And I too have SVT and AF also HF I am considerably older than you and have the same fears it is hard to get your head around things the "what if" keeps coming back in your head but reading some of the supporting advice here from people who have been through the same experience it has helped reassure me that it's the best way to go .And hope it can do the same for you .If ablation works and helps eliminate or reduce some of the symptoms we have to live with it can only be a bonus and give us the opportunity to do more with our children/grandchildren for a little longer .Wishing you all the very best for your procedure and pray that all goes well for you.
I wish you all the very best too. The waiting and the unknow and the active mind all collide for some horrid days and nights. Going into work every day having been awake all night and struggling even to stand due to chest ache is so hard and just want the week to be over. I hope you can find some ways to relax. I think that if I was being told it was necessary then I would accept but knowing it's a choice and all the what ifs and maybes for all the options is a killer.
I had an EP, which didn't lead to ablation on the day, because the doctor didn't think it was necessary and the EP itself gave him good information. I was nervous before the EP, and whilst it wasn't pleasant, it wasn't painful and the staff were very reassuring and supportive. I believe it is possible to have light sedation, though I didn't. Perhaps ask about that if you're nervous?
The worst part for me was the drug they give you right at the end of the procedure which makes you shake uncontrollably. I wasn't expecting that and it was alarming, but it stopped soon enough.
My diagnosis is likely AVNRT, a form of SVT. I had infrequent, but severe palpitations. They seem to be much better anyway since I started blood pressure tablets.
Thank you for this. I guess this could be with case with me. How often were you getting the runs of tachycardia? I get a lot of ectopic beats as well. Apparently the episodes can increase as we age so prevention is also a driver.
hi JLT1976 I was very worried before my ablation but felt really safe and looked after by the NHS during the process which was far worse in the imagination than the reality. I was let out the same day and fully recovered in 3 days. Best wishes Lexi71
ectopics 20 per cent load. Ectopics are generally harmless but at very high loads can damage your heart. I had my ablation when awake with happy drugs to keep me calm which was fine . For some types of arrhythmia s the ablation is carried out under general. There is a very big team of doctors and nurses (about 10). I has one nurse whose main role seemed to be just to keep me safe who carried on looking after me after the ablation. Until I was discharged In my case it really was the NHS at its best
I'm so pleased for you...x it's a great encouragement to know this. Thank you for sharing. That sounds crazy. I've had phases of ectopics. Have a few every day which is normal but occasionally they seem burdensome. It will be interesting to know what is going on. Enjoy your good health. X
I havent had an ablation, but have had 2 bouts of stent insertion and 2 x 3-hour-plus operations to unblock my carotid arteries under a local anaesthetic (the first without sedation). In the run-up to all the procedures, when I was seized by panic (usually while sleepless in the early hours of the morning), I found it very helpful to focus on the positive aspects of my treatment, namely how well I was going to feel after having the stents, how I'd no longer suffer breathlessness and constant coughing, get some stamina back etc., and in the case of my carotid op, how it would greatly increase my chances of avoiding the stroke which my vascular surgeon had warned was almost certainly waiting for me down the road.
I also started thinking along the lines of 'This time tomorrow the procedure will all be over', 'This time next week, I'll be well on the road to recovery and it'll all be a memory' etc. , which also made me feel braver
Finally, I had a few sessions of self-hypnosis. I'm not saying that it completely stopped the fear, but the hypnotist taught me a deep breathing technique (in her words, 'It's impossible to panic when you're breathing deeply') and also how to detach myself from what was going on and picture myself in a more pleasant scenario - in my case, lying beside the sea on a Greek island I once visited - to distract myself from the procedure.
As people have said above, you'll be in very good hands, the procedure will probably not be as bad as you fear and think how well you'll feel after it's done. Good luck and good health!
Thank you so much for your message. It really touches me as everything you say is where I am now. This time next week etc...I totally understand that feeling.
And Yes a Greek island. I tried to imagine myself on a small island somewhere off the Australian coast last night. Somewhere warm and far away.
I really appreciated your insight and wish you many years of good health!!
I very much identify with all you are saying. I was diagnosed with AF when finally after 10 years of intermittent PAF it became persistent 24/7 - no relief. I became agoraphobic and had awful visions of collapsing in the street. I had a constant tight feeling in the pit of my stomach and no saliva so it was hard to eat.
I found a therapist online through the Charity Anxiety UK. You can choose which therapy you think will suit you. They have a list of approved therapists, who will tailor fees to suit your income if £60 / hour is too much.
My therapist was brilliant. We talked through all the habits I was stuck in - over-thinking, catastrophising, negative thinking. We talked about my past and the causes of the habits - the overprotective subconscious mind triggering physical reactions like adrenaline, cortisol etc.
Best of all she used hypnosis as a part of the therapy. She said it works faster. She taught me breathing exercises, new thought patterns, visualisation techniques and self-hypnosis, with audio to use at home.
After that I had 2 ablations and they have really improved things a lot. I still do the self hypnosis if things are tough. It takes practice but really worth it.
Thank you so much. It is so difficult when you have a brain that seems to almost work against you doesn't it.
I guess it is trying to help but not really doing so.
I'm glad that you have ways of dealing with things and I will definitely have learned the importance of trying to be calm. I don't ever want to feel this anxiety ever again although I know it is part of life.
Go for the ablation. I was really anxious like you but you will be well looked after. I was diagnosed with SVT at 49 and had an ablation last September aged 56. I was conscious but had local anaesthetic and light sedation. I’ve suffered with anxiety since childhood but I was fine. It’s uncomfortable in parts but all tolerable. You will have a nurse checking on you throughout. Unfortunately mine wasn’t successful because an area was too near the AV node to ablate without risk of a permanent pacemaker. I’ve now been prescribed Flecainide which is controlling things really well. I was disappointed the ablation didn’t work because it’s the only way of getting rid of SVT for good and to be off medication. I guess I was just unlucky but I would always advise others to go for it.
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Cardiac Ablation
Electrophysiological (EP) study 
Being referred for an angiogram and anxious 
Ectopics and bisoprolol 
Aggressive Afib
