'Failed' Ablation. What now?

[Protimenow]

I've been getting PVCs for quite a while, and they're getting more frequent. A 24 hour holter showed that I was getting PVCs about 12% of the time - but I've heard about people who were getting them into the 20+ % of the time.

My electrocardiologist said that I need an ablation to knock out whatever is causing tis arrhythmia.

On Tuesday - March 16 - I went for the ablation. Here's the troubling thing:

Although the mapper and the doctor tried to get the PVCs to recur, so they can find where they were coming from - they lowered the base number on the pacemaker, gave me a drug that should have caused an arryhthmia - but couldn't get it, so they couldn't map it, and couldn't zap it.

When I'm laying flat on my back, tied down to a table, I don't get the PVCs. It's when I'm sitting up, or walking around, or exerting myself that the PVCs happen.

So - can they map me when I'm sitting up? When I'm standing and maybe moving around a bit? Perhaps if I partially tire myself out, and they quickly strap me to the table and get the tools into me, they'll finally find the bugger that's causing the arrhythmia?

Vitdoc and NoBog, and maybe others -- do you have any ideas about this?

Thanks

 

[MdaPA]

A 24 hour holter showed that I was getting PVCs about 12% of the time - but I've heard about people who were getting them into the 20+ % of the time.

My wife (3 OHS for multiple valves) had a 48 hr halter which reported benign PVC's around 17% of the time. They were most noticeable when resting sitting-up or laying down. Her Cardio instructed her to cut her dosage of thyroid medicine (Synthroid) in 1/2 which drastically reduced them.

Have you had your thyroid checked and/or are on thyroid medicine?

Thyroid and PVCs

I (no valve issues but CAD) get benign PVC's during heavy aerobic and anaerobic exercise. They are most noticeable on recovery and I can actually feel a pounding sensation in my neck. I had a stress-echo which confirmed it. I'm on a beta-blocker to make them less frequent/noticeable.

 

[pellicle]

Vitdoc and NoBog, and maybe others -- do you have any ideas about this

Well that's bad news. Sorry mate well above my area of knowledge.

 

[vitdoc]

I have nothing to add about the PVCs. In general however if they are singular they tend to be less worrisome than if they come in runs. If this is happening then implantable pacer/defibrillators are considered. Good luck.

 

[Protimenow]

I had a blood workup before my ablation - if there was an issue, I assume that I would have been informed. None of my prior blood tests showed any thyroid issues. I'll check online to see what my last results were (a week and a half ago).
I'm not on any thyroid meds.
My PVCs seem to come when I'm not laying down - sitting up, walking, exerting myself, all run me out of breath.
According to my 24 hour holter, I was throwing PVCs about 12% of the time - but when I was on my back, having the ablation, my doctor said that they were around 30% of the time.
Thanks Nobog and Vitdoc for your replies.

I will see if I can get into UCLA's Cardiac Arrhythmia department for an evaluation - I finally got approval from my HMO to see them about my pacemaker - I assume that if they find other issues, they'll escalate from there.

 

[newarrior]

I had a blood workup before my ablation - if there was an issue, I assume that I would have been informed. None of my prior blood tests showed any thyroid issues. I'll check online to see what my last results were (a week and a half ago).
I'm not on any thyroid meds.
My PVCs seem to come when I'm not laying down - sitting up, walking, exerting myself, all run me out of breath.
According to my 24 hour holter, I was throwing PVCs about 12% of the time - but when I was on my back, having the ablation, my doctor said that they were around 30% of the time.
Thanks Nobog and Vitdoc for your replies.

I will see if I can get into UCLA's Cardiac Arrhythmia department for an evaluation - I finally got approval from my HMO to see them about my pacemaker - I assume that if they find other issues, they'll escalate from there.

Keep us posted...So sorry to hear

 

[dwhist]

Not sure if this helps. I had PVC's before heart valve replacement and they continued afterwards. I had a stress test stopped one time because they were coming 3 in a row. With valve clicking, it got hard to sleep. At a point doc wanted to reduce my blood pressure and first drug ( NORVASC) helped. Later he added Losartan. A few weeks later I noticed I no longer had PVC's when I went to bed. They still occur at times, but greatly reduced.

Hope you can get answers and get better.

 

[Protimenow]

Thanks.

I see the doctor on Monday - probably just follow-up after the ablation attempt.

We tried this with slightly increasing the dose of Verapamil. I can increase it again and see if this helps.

I may also see the head (or one of his other docs) at UCLA's cardiac arrhythmia clinic. My HMO approved a visit to interrogate my pacemaker - I assume that this includes investigating issues that it may display.