Post PVC Ablation blues - Heart Disorders Message Board

vicjay · 12-30-2007, 06:39 PM

First of all, hope that everyone has enjoyed a wonderful break this time of the year!

Here is a little history - I am 40yrs old, non-smoker, non-drinker, moderate wight of 210lbs, and 6"2'...relatively good shape!

I have struggled for about 7 months with frequent PVC's and PAC's as indicated on my ECG (frequent as in constantly 24/7 at least 12 a minute, probably close on 20k each day!!). My Cardiologist tried me on Toporol, Flecainide and Verapamil and there was no change to the extra beats. A lot of my symptoms have been buzzing in my ears, dizziness, fatigue and the generalized focusing on the PVC more than any other issue in life, which as you all now is explained as losing our "quality" of life.

My Cardiologist referred me to an EP Specialist who ran an ECG, took all my vitals and agreed that I am having 'lots' of extra beats. He scheduled me for a "catheter ablation" on December 24th and talked me through what he was going to do etc. I was not awake for any of the procedure, and when I came out of the OR remember looking at the Monitor and saw good regular beats! I was so happy!

As the night wore on, I started feeling the same old PVC thumping in my chest, and have felt them since....

I haven't felt too good since the procedure, feeling light headed and foggy, off balance somewhat and constantly fatigued. I went back and saw the EP Specialist and he said that most of areas that were generating the PVC's were ablated but that there were some areas close to my Sinus node that he didn't want to get too close to otherwise it would have meant inserting a pacemaker.

Saturday, I went out for a drive with my wife, started feeling very foggy and blurry vision, got home, lay down with a migraine then felt quite nauseated had a bite to eat, lay down, and developed an incredibly sharp cramping pain in my left belly radiating through to my lower back, the pain was excruciating , so much so that I ended up going to the ER, they ran my blood, did chest xray, and pumped me full of potassium. I came home 4hrs later, after they called my Cardiologist (he wasn't on call, so they spoke to the on call Cardiologist), and felt that everything structurally is good with my heart.

I guess why I am sharing this is because I know how terrible these PVC's can be, and what effects they can have on us especially those of us who are extra sensitive to "things" we feel happening inside of us! I would love to hear from anyone who has had a PVC catheter ablation and has felt ill after and also felt the PVC's partying in your chest like there is no tomorrow?! I know there is some discomfort in the chest area, for sure that is what I have at the moment, and then the thud of a beat preceding a PVC...it is once again driving me around the bend!

Has anyone had a similar experience, knowing that you were not DX'ed with Vtach, or Afib or any other cardio problem, just the PVC's and now you feel out of it - does it get better and if so what kind of waiting period are we talking about here?

I am talking Monday with my EP Specialist and just wanted to know if there is something I should be asking him with regard to me feeling 'out of it"?

Thanking you all in advance already for all your sincere responses...for sure we are not in this alone...that is comforting...

Thank you

Mileena42 · 12-30-2007, 07:37 PM

Sorry you are having such a rough time. I have PVCs on a constant basis......but I went through a period much like what you are discribing a year or so ago. I had quite a bit of dizziness.....and my heart acted up for several days (more than normal PVCs), I had a horrible experience where my heart went totally bonkers.....jumping into my throat and feeling beats in my back and down my side. This really really bad spell lasted for only an hour but like I said the extra bad PVCs went on for a week or more. I came here to get advice and someone had mentioned that a magnesium supplement helped. I went out and bought a $2 bottle of magnesium/calcium/zinc supplement and within 30 minutes my heart calmed to a rhythm I could live with......!!!!

Now, I keep a bottle on hand at all times. There are days that I don't have to take any, and then days on end that I take them every day. I might add that there have also been people who say the magnesium made theirs worse. It might help you, and all you can do is try it. I honestly don't think I could have survived that horrible episode with my heart if I hadn't found this board and someone told me about this. I hope this helps you! It's an awful thing to have to constantly be aware of what your heart is doing. I am so thankful for the days that go by now, that I can say my heart is soooo calm!

Good Luck
Mileena

andral · 01-08-2008, 11:24 PM

You can try with Spirulina too. It's sooo effective. At least it worked for me. But without lesser stress in your life, nothing will work.