Eps couldn't find trigger

[qlucybell]

I'm hysterical and only people know this feeling if they've have been through this. I had my eps yesterday and the surgeon couldn't find the trigger. I had no sedation and was administered adrenaline several times maybe 7. He popped to see me after I got outta theatre and said just keep taking your heart meds but sure my tachycardia will return sometime . This has led me to formally complain but in the meantime I'm living each day wondering when and where I'm gonna have my svt

Sian Johnson

Wales uk

[Kam73]

What are you formally Complaining about? The doctor? Lack of results?

Many times when the catheter enters the heart the "funky" beats stop. It is the reaction of the heart to a foreign object being moved around in the heart. Not all that unusual.

[wal4d in reply to Kam73]

hi

have had 4 ep studies and 2 attempted ablations. I have had similar problems because my ectopic beats are totally random and not triggered by stress, exertion etc. they simply go into erratic mode - sometimes leaping to 190 bps then frequently dropping to 30- 37bps and staying there - leaving me exhausted with presyncope. I do not have tachycardia - just incidents leading to bradycardia which is the longer lasting problem. the eps has to be done without sedation in order for the consultant to be able to communicate with the patient throughout. administering adrenaline is normal but not very pleasant - along with the other drugs they use to try to replicate the triggers and reactions and then target the specific area that is causing the problem.

I can sympathise with your reaction as I have found that the ep can be too confident ( I have seen 3) and raise your expectations too high so that when it 'fails' your are left wondering all sorts of things. however 1 eps is frequently insufficient and you should see how things go on the meds but follow-up with your cardiologist if problems persist.

my ablations have only had limited success for the reasons i have explained above but one thing I have learned through the past few years experiences is that I can reduce the impact of any episode by making a conscious effort to relax - however worrying an incident is - as anxiety does prolong the incidence of tachycardia and can lead to panic attacks - I been there too often - but also to call 999 and get a paramedic to check if you need treatment/admission if it does get too bad - they are often wonderfully reassuring.

don't accept that 1 eps is the end and nothing more can be done - sometimes it can take several - maybe even by different access points eg groin or arm because of the need to minimise the amount of scar tissue in one area from repeated treatments.

i'm no expert but i hope this helps

[Hidden]

I had an attempted ablation 2 years back but my AF had gone away. They tried to stimulate it but couldn't, so they aborted. I got the opinion it doesn't happen very often as they seemed surprised. Not a lot they can do about it I guess. The EP who did mine is the same one who did a very successful ablation for me 1 years ago.

Can't see what you are going to complain about to be honest. They tried and it didn't work because your ticker didn't cooperate, like mine.

Koll