Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Paroxysmal Supra-Ventricular Tachycardia (SVT)
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
The first consultant wanted to put me on a beta blocker as well. I'm inspired by the cases of Glyn Tromans who went on to become UK cross country champion and US Cyclist who got an Olympic bronze and came 3rd in the Tour de France. Both had ablations. So if this works I'm hoping to compete again at the level I was at before.
Beta Blockers are not good for training - I had Paroxysmal AF for about 6 years before my cath/ab and Beta Blockers were not an option due to asthma - a guy I befriended at the Freeman Newcastle who was being treated for a similar condition, also a runner was on them and they completey ruined his training... they made him lethargic and he couldn't put any work into runs, his body just wouldn't respond.
Since I had my second Cath/Ab (First didn't work) I've had no problems at all and am able to train almost to the level I was at before... though, I did lose a bit of confidence when pushing the boat out re speedwork... I'm quite sure that this was all in my mind though and not as a consequence of any physiological changes to the heart or its efficiency.
Hi Corinthian
Not heard from you for a while. That's why I didn't want to go onto
beta blockers. Also he wanted me to go on warfarin as well. I have
subsequently had to go on warfarin for 6 weeks prior to the ablation which
is on 30th March. Hope you don't mind but I have a few questions :-
How long did your procedure take ? Was it under a general or local? How long
were you in hospital? How long before you could run again?
Apparently mine will be 4-6hrs under a general. Also I have a trans oesphegal
echo cardiogram which is a camera down the throat job that apparently gives
clearer pictures than the non-invasive external type. Did you have one of these?
This seems worse than the ablation as you are awake for this. Hope it's all
worth it.
The first one I had took about 6-7 hours... it was done under local and heavy sedation; the reason why it took so long I'm not sure about, but I'm led to believe it was because my heart refused to go into AF for a sustained period (Despite the beggar being in AF for 30 hours a couple of days before!)
The second procedure took about 45 minutes
Was it general or local?
Both were locals but the first I was so heavily sedated I fell asleep... the second I was aware about what was going on but couldn't have cared less!
How long was I in hospital?
I had an overnight stay for both procedures - for the first procedure I felt like someone was sitting on my chest at about 3AM next morning and the nurses gave me painkillers and soothing words... I enjoyed the soothing words! The consultant discharged me mid morning and I was back in AF for tea time
The second procedure I slept like a baby that night and I've not been in AF since
How long before I could run again?
I left it three weeks but felt I could have ran after one week. I didn't start pushing the boat out for about two months... but I feel that was down to self confidence issues
Trans oesphegal echo?
No, I didn't have that - they introduced some sort of electrical wire via a vein (Artery?) in my neck and another device into my groin... they also put something into my chest just under the collar bone... I honestly didn't experience anything other than mild discomfort... but this was only for the first 10 minutes or so... after that I was out of it. They did nick the vein/artery in my groin and I had some spectacular bruising running down my leg.., it didn't hurt.
To be honest - I cannot praise the team at the Freeman Hospital enough - they gave me my life back and it was definitely worth it Malcolm
Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.
Best of luck
C
To think this started as a few weird beats very early in the morning and progress to this in just under six years. The strange thing about it is running/exercise didn't seem to be a trigger.
I was elated when I went a week without AF... a few years later post attack and I still feel the same way.
A word here for Plodding Hippo, she doesn't come on here much now, but she gave me loads of support from an experts perspective and was a great friend.
Yep, it way way beyond anything I experienced! Great outcome!
An active fetchie though!
Hi Guys just a quick update. Had the ablation on 30/3/2011. All went OK (took just over 4 hours). Pulse was very high for 24hrs (100-110). Got bad chest pain the next morning when I was allowed to get up but ecg and echo showed all was OK and just needed a few painkillers. Pulse has gradually come down to 76 which still 30+ above my normal resting. Have really impressive bruising on both groins and shoulder where the tubes went in. Up to 2 miles a day walking. Feel a bit short of breath on steep hills but it's still not a week yet. Have to remain on warfarin for at least another 4 months but have stopped taking the flecainide.
Just a few comments on your earlier comments. I think I was somewhere between Corinthian and Dr Dan. Initially I only got attacks while exercising or post exercise. I never had any blackouts but came very close and my blood pressure dropped very low (95/55). Non exercise related attacks were on the increase and the longest lasted 8 hours. On two occasions I was woken by these in the early hours of the morning and trying to get back to sleep was impossible.
I did question whether I really wanted it done as the problem was at present liveable on medication and without running although it was getting worse.
Thanks for all the help and advice it has been a great help. I know you are an active fetchie Dr Dan as I have been following your progress which again has been an inspiration.
great to hear Malcolm. I had a chat with my Consultant last week. I will see him around May/June again but I think we are slowly moving towards this solution. If the flecainide doesnt work (we have increased the dosage) there is one other drug they might try (forget its name) then it would be an op. Have to say, the op, although not a guaranteed solution, seems the way to go.
Hope all goes well and you are back running soon
I'll keep you posted on how things go when I start running again. If it goes as well as Corinthian and Dr Dan I shall be more than happy. My resting pulse is still a lot higher than it was pre-op (lowest recorded since op of 74) but I guess it's early days. I'm walking 2-3 miles per day and went back to work yesterday (8 days after procedure). Was very tired after work and feel very "heady" today which I guess is from the anaethetic.
Hi
Just wanted to sign in as the latest sufferer. I haven't got a got a definite diagnosis yet, probably SVT but possible atrial flutter or even AF. Had my 24 hr tape yesterday. First happened mid-March when my Garmin started measuring a heart rate of 236 and I couldn't get it below 200 even when I stopped and sat down. Lasted about 10 hours before my heart rate and pulse were back in sync. Had another episode a week ago, but it only lasted 4 or 5 hours. I'm on aspirin daily and Flecainide as a "pill-in-the-pocket" if it happens again.
Regards
F'tB
Hi
Seems very similar to what I had. Is this the only attack so far.
I just started light jogging yesterday. Resting pulse still over 80 almost double what it was before the ablation.
Hi Malcolm
Yes, only the two attacks so far, as far as I know. My resting pulse is back to low 50s, in fact when I left hospital after the first attack I was bradycardic with a resting pulse of 38.
Hope the recovery goes well.
F'tB
Hi Malcolm - just catching up on this thread. Good news that the op went well ... how have things gone over the past month?
FatBloke ... hope you get it sorted. Those were long attacks compared with anything I experienced!
Hi Dr Dan
I'm back doing a bit of running. Resting pulse still 20+ beats higher than pre ablation and its about 20+ beats higher when exercising. I haven't ran flat out yet but I can easily make 180bpm which is above the 220- your age (56) of 164. I also require a lot more sleep (9-10 hrs). Ran in my clubs 1 mile track time trial 2 weeks ago and did 6-28 hoping to get closer to 6 minutes next time. I'm also targetting a park run next week end.
I keep track of you on fetcheveryone and you seem to be going from strength to strength.
Hi Dr Dan
Just got my cardiology appointment - not until September. Apparently I'm just a routine case.
F'TB
So I am now 2 weeks into the wait, which they have indicated could be anytime from july to september depending on where he puts me on the list. He did say I was a priority case.
So now I am paranoid constantly and stressing about the op... It's great to hear from people who have had success.
All the best to you both - keep us posted.
p.s. Just as I'm feeling better I've sprained my ankle !!
The second go I did nothing for a week and was walking briskly within 10 days - running shortish distances within a fortnight and back to full training within a month.
There were two differences - my RHR went up by about 5BPM and has never come down to what it was. I'd slowed down by about 30 seconds a K - even when pushing the boat out. However, I'd not done any training for about a year and was finding my feet for a while - then I lost interest in running - don't know why, I'd done it all my life - but spent a couple of years drifting into semi -obesity.
I'm sure the psych docs could speculate a reason.
Re the General Anaesthetic - i had one of those for a shoulder replacement due to trauma and found that I was useless running for about a fortnight - felt awful - though, this might have been due to blood loss etc
Good luck lads
(Funny how it's nearly all lads?)
Nothing to worry about Matt ... I got the bus home the next morning and was running 5 days later.
I had my op one year ago tomorrow ... 1800+ miles later and no problems at all. BTW, my RHR is now lower now than it has ever been (43 bpm).
off to see my consultant tomorrow for my AF condition. We increased the Fleicinide and that has made things a bit more stable but I still get good/bad days. The stability has seen my run times come down by about a minute!
but I would love to get rid of this thing. As ever with this condition, I can run or work out without a problem then feel pretty erratic when I am doing nothing but lying in bed that same night! We will be discussing options for the op but might give the medicine a while longer before taking the big leap.
How did it go with the consultant highway_star? I'm fed up with it as well and I've only had it since March. Mine definitely seems to be exercise-induced, I was scrubbing a table from the garage on Friday which resulted in another episode.
F'tB
well I am sitting here with a monitor on for 48 hours to then go back to the hospital to have a look at. I feel I still get small events of AF although nothing major so hopefully it shows something but if it doesnt then as my consulatnt says they will need to scratch their head as to what is going on!
Anyhoo, the option is for another pill rather than Fleicinide and if AF still persists then it will probably be the op, late this year if it happens. Despite some of the risks I am at the '**** it!' stage now and would go for it. Just hope the docs dont suddenly discover something else that is causing these apparent flutters!
Hi Guys
Just a quick update. I've run 2 club 1 mile track time trials in 6-27 and 6-04. Warming up for the last one (8/6/11) my pulse was 140-150 (just light jogging) and I started the race at 134 and reached a max of 183. Decided to try the flecainide again (the consultant said after the ablation to use them if I felt necessary). I'm still on 7mg of Warfarin a day (INR target 2.5-3.5).
There has been a steady improvement resting pulse is down in the mid 60's now and I'm running 4 miles in 29-48 with av pulse 148. I have had 3 minor episodes while running the worst being where my pulse went from the 140's to 194 for about 5 mins then returned to the 140's.
I'm going to continue the flecainide for the rest of the June and then try coming off them again. I go back to see the consultant 5/8/2011. Not sure whether its the flecainide, psychological, or just a matter of time but thing are picking up. I'm up to 25 miles a week and don't feel as tired. I was beginning to think the ablation either hadn't work or had gone wrong. I'm running a 3k track race this Friday.
hope things are working out malcolm. No real change for me, sticking with fleicanide and will see how it goes for another few months. Day to day things seem more settled and my run times have picked up. I dont think its psychological but as far as I am concerned I get the feeling that at times I am having a wee turn but heart monitors say otherwise so not quite sure what is going on there. Hey ho! on we go
Flecainide certainly helped for me but only when I was on 100mg twice per day. Strangely however I started getting more minor attacks (100-140) when not running and some of these woke me up at night. Are you taking warfarin or aspirin as well ?
Ran 4.84 miles on Wednesday @ 7-20 miling pulse 154av/164max. A month earleir I ran 5k park run @ 7-16 miling pulse 173 av/183 max so things are improving. Resting pulse still a lot higher than pre op 65-70.