Fixing a racing heart
Modern medicine has crossed into magic.
My wife Ann went into the Brigham and Women’s Hospital today at 6AM to have her tachycardia — episodes of a racing heartbeat — fixed. A little before 10AM, they threaded five wires up through her arteries (veins?), from her groin directly into her heart. Ann says the procedure was basically painless.
Once the catheters were in her heart, the doctors stimulated a tachycardia episode and used that to figure out which circuit was going astray. They heated the tip of one of the wires and burned a square millimeter or so of her heart. They then tried to stimulate another episode. They failed, which is a good thing. Ann was wheeled back into the recovery room a little before 11. There she lay on her back to let her blood vessels recover. She was discharged at 3, and was told not to lift any heavy objects for a day or so; otherwise, she can go back to her normal routine of lifting light objects. We’ve been home for half an hour, and Ann is resting in bed, drinking a cup of tea.
Everyone we dealt with at the hospital treated us with warmth and humor.
Details about Tachycardia: Ann had been having episodes for several years. We were assured that they were not life-threatening to healthy hearts, but because of the episodes’ frequency, duration, and intensity — typically over an hour, 250 beats/minute, about once a month — her cardiologist thought she was a good candidate for the procedure she went through today. (Beta-blockers were making her tired so staying on medicine forever wasn’t an attractive option.) We were told that the fatality rate is well under 1% and the chance of ending up needing a pacemaker because of the procedure was also under 1%. The success rate is 95%. So, we decided to go ahead. Her problem turned out to be with the AV node.
Categories: Uncategorized dw
Nice post. Informative. I’m glad to hear she’s doing well.
Modern medicine is wonderful. Too bad it’s not available for everyone.
Glad to hear it went well. Best wishes to all of you.
Very glad everything went well. Please give Ann my best.
-E
hi
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Peace,
Ryan
That’s great to hear! I’m very happy to hear it went well. Once you can start breathing again after a procedure on a loved one, it’s nice to marvel at its technical excellence.
Our love and prayers to Ann — glad to hear things went well.
Best wishes, glad it went well.
Best to Ann and glad it all went smoothly.
David, some day you may collect this post with many others on a blog about how we all lived to be 150 years old or more, but we didn’t realize we were headed there back here in the early days. I think life expectancy is about to really jump way beyond our expectations. The blog might be called, “Don’t Hold A Grudge” as it will prove very unhealthy to be mad at someone for a hundred years or so.
The Brigham rocks. Best hospital in the world! Add my hopes for Ann’s quick recovery.
In 1931, Erich Kästner wrote “The 35th of May, or, Conrad’s ride to the South Seas”. If you haven’t read it, you should, but don’t let Ann get near it because it will be bad for her heart. It’s that funny and crazy. In the book, Kästner writes about a man who takes out a phone handset from his coat, while on the street, and tells his wife he will be late for supper. It was supposed to be impossible as the 35th of May is.
Your description of Anns’ operation seems to me like 35h of May, today.
Be well,
Hanan
Glad to hear she’s well, David.
Very glad to hear such good news, Dave, and thanks very much for sharing it. My spouse has had some episodes this year of tachychardia, prompting a visit to an emergency room at one point. It’s good to know of someone who’s pursuing an alternative to beta blockers in the event that my spouse needs additional therapy in the future. Thanks again, give our best to your spouse.
My husband Rahul had 2 episodes of tacycardia in 2002 since then hes on sotalol hydrchloride doc here after conducting EP study said this ablation procedure cannot be done becoz of multiple focii . Any input on this? All the best to Ann.
Soma, I can’t give you medical advice. I can’t even give you shoe-tying advice. But our doctor stressed that most tachycardia’s are not dangerous. Obviously, I don’t know how severe your huband’s episodes have been.
Good luck!
I had catheter ablation twice. It didn’t work the first time. I kept going into a-fib. 6 mo later I needed a pacemaker. I just went for my second ablation last month. I am experiencing a great deal of atrial flutter. It is now 9 days in a row non stop. Has anyone out there been through ablation twice? Does this irregular heartbeat ever go away? I would like to hear from you.
Hi!
I’m very glad that Anne’s surgery went well and that she’s feeling better!
Does her heart still race?
-Victoria
I was just wondering what the name of the surgery is called.
Thank you
Lois,
I have had a racing heart about every 3 months for the last 25 years, 12 months ago I ended up in hospital and afterward did some research into natural cures, I’am now taking Magnesium Complex and I haven’t had a heart pulpitation for over 12 months (and I sleep better!)
Give it a try you have nothing to loose!
chris, i was glad to hear that someone is trying natural… where and who makes the mag complex you take? i have been trying to get my husband to try something other than meds. i just talked him into taking some magnesium at least. he is having the racing heart agin this week. it worries him alot….but i am very glad to hear this young lady is doing well. kathy
I am going to document my Ablation Procedure complete with pics and comments soon. It occurs on march 2nd, 2007. I have been suffering from FREQUENT attacks of tacychardia that have stopped me cold during my rather strenuous workouts. I usually bike between 15-20 miles a day in the summer, eat pretty healthy, and was taking supplements regularly.
It had stopped me from going on bike rides with a “no drop” policy becasue I would get the attacks, and the WHOLE pack would have to stop for ME.
I got so depressed with having to have crappy short workouts, I put on 15 pounds. I am really hoping this helps. I am 41 years old, and like to race with the 20-30 year olds. I will let you all know!
I just wanted to say i have a -fib i got and attack in 2003 and now i had another easter 4/07 seems to be getting worse and i get scared everytime i get it know matter what i tell myself when i get it . I wish they would really find a way they can get a=fib out of my life forever because it is ruining my life . I,m tired of pills and my doctor said it is to dangerous to get it fixed but i beg to differ ? I,m scared to get it fixed but i do not want to live in fear everyday so i was wondering want is the best operation to fix a-fib ? joe
Hello Everyone Starting January I had freaquent episodes where I Would wake up at night and have a racing heart.. After 1 month of tests they said they think its Super Vascualar Tachycardia … I chose to do the Ap Study instead of taking medicine my whole life on March 22nd…. I had the surgery they found the problem while I was awake and before they burned it they put me to sleep after the Surgery i went into recovery I was told to stand up my pulse went to 140..when i sleep at night its 70 or laying down. Everyday since its been going that high and the doctor told me he burned the problem off and now it must be somethign else causing the problem… He thinks its the nervous system because I had a virus in late january.. I am soo lost please anyone help me I would fly anywhere in the world for the best doctor! Please email me [email protected]
I’ve had the racing heart, tachycardia episodes off and on now for over twenty years. I have found that they are nothing to ignore. If they go on too long they can cause an inflamation in the heart which gradually spreads until it stops the heart from beating. To stop the heart from racing stop eating wheat. Take pottasium chloride and low doses of iron. For immediate relief of tachycardia take 200 mg of Kava Kava herb. Bioplasma also helps. Too many people have died from this. Hope the above help you to stay alive.
I’ve had a racing heart type of thing for over twenty years, i just know if my heart beat gets over 100 bpm, i will feel very dizzy, and then blackout as it accelerates up to 170 or more in the course of a minute or two. Noone has been able to tell me what to do about it except to drink wine and stay off the stimulants, esp. caffeine. I am now seeing a specialist though, as I have not been able to do exercise for more than about 10 minutes unless it’s like pilates or something. I did a treadmill ECG test and it appears to be an unusual electrical problem. Hoping to get to the bottom of it soon.