Ablation Experience (SVT)

Male (27) - On November 11th I had my first SVT episode, I called 911 and was transported to the hospital, my heart reached 230 BPM and they had to administer adenosine twice for my heart to return to normal. I was then visited by an Electrophysiologist (EP) during that hospital visit and provided me two options, medication or a catheter ablation - my EP heavily recommended the ablation, but it all being so new to me, I opted for the meds because I didn’t realize at the time that beta blockers are intense.

I first started off on Metoprolol (25mg 2x daily) and then switched over to Carvedilol (3.25mg 2x daily) because of some effects I was feeling.

I then decided that the ablation was the best option for me because the medication was just super overwhelming and I just wanted to feel like myself again, so my EP schedule me for Dec 11th, but was then rescheduled due to an emergency at the hospital, so Dec 27th is when I had my ablation and this is my experience.

Pre-op for Ablation

The experience I had was quite simple, I was given a list of instructions to follow from my EP such as, stopping Carvedilol two days prior to the ablation, no food or drinks after midnight, water was okay but I needed to stop two hours prior to my arrival to the hospital.

I was also instructed to go get labs taken prior to the procedure, where they took some blood samples.

On the day of the ablation I was scheduled for 1:00 PM but was told to show up an hour before at 12:00 PM so they could begin preparing my body for the procedure, I was instructed to take all my clothes off and put on the gown that was waiting for me, they place two IVs one on my left and right arm, they then shaved me down on my chest, and groin, after that I signed consent forms and waited for the anesthesiologist team and my EP to make their rounds to come and speak to me about the procedure and answer any questions or concerns I had regarding the procedure. The only concern I had was in regards to the anesthesia and my sleep apnea, the team told me they would place me in sedation then general, but they would watch over me so the sleep apnea would not be an issue.

I then waited for quite some time, I believe it was around 3:00 PM when my EP’s assistant came for me to wheel me off to the catheter lab to begin the procedure.

The Ablation

Once I was in the catheter lab, they placed a hair net on my head and then wheeled my bed next to the bed in the lab, I then got on and they began to place more sensors on my body, and then they placed these foam blocks around me to make me feel comfortable.

After the had me ready, the anesthesiologist came over to me place a mask on me and told me to relax, and I was placed under moderate sedation, I know for most folks this is where they knock out and don’t remember anything, but I unfortunately woke up twice, once when they placed the catheter, and again when the wires began traveling up my body, after that I don’t remember anything until I was woken up again so they can place me under general anesthesia, I took two breathes and that’s all I remember.

Post-op for the Ablation

I woke up, very looped in recovery I remember my doctor coming up to me and saying everything went well, he couldn't trigger an arrhythmia, but he found some arterial anatomy that is known to cause SVT, and he ablated three areas.

I then began to loop again, most likey from the anesthesia, and then I was moved to a more permanent room in the hospital.

When I finally came too it was 7:00 PM, I tried my best to fall asleep and rest but I honestly could not, I felt pressure on my chest (it did not hurt) that was super uncomfortable, I also had shortness of breath, breathing deep was just a no go for me so they placed an oxygen mask on me which helped tremendously, because of the time I was finished, they opted to keep me overnight.

The next day they just kept me in observation, and I spent a majority of the time waiting for my EP to come check on me to see how I was doing, when he came around I let him know that I was having issues breathing and he ordered Echo to come and do some ultrasounds on my heart to see if their was any abnormalities or if I was just inflamed and that’s why I was having difficulties breathing, well it was just me, and from there they began discharge.

Recovery wise, my EP completely stopped me on Carvedilol, started me on Tylenol (325mg 2x tablets every 4 hours) and told me no heavy lifting for a week, light exercise, no baths, swimming, or submerging in water for two weeks.

I currently have an appointment with him on January 3rd to talk more and for him to check on my status.

Post-op Day Two

It’s been only two days, my breathing is improving so it was just me, my heart rate is on the higher end but I’m noticing it improve - my heart rate while I was asleep dipped into the 50s, not sure if this is normal especially after an ablation but I’m taking it as a positive, my throat is legit sore thanks to the tube but cough drops are helping with that, and my leg where I had the catheter inserted is starting to feel sore.

It’s been a wild ride, but I feel like the quality of my life has already improved so much, if you are hesitant about the procedure I completely understand, I too wasn’t sure but now I feel given my entire experience it was completely worth it.