SVT Chronology, Living With Arrhythmia
Please note that this document is strictly for informational purposes, and in no way reflects any suggestive treatment on my part. Always consult a cardiologist about your condition.
In late 1986, I was overcome with a new and unusual occurrence with my body. I was experiencing a very rapid heart beat, something very new to me, but something that is now part of my daily life. What follows on this page is a chronology, best to my memory, of what my life has been like while dealing with this condition, and the treatments I have undergone in order to alleviate this condition. I am putting this out on the web, although some of it could be considered very personal in nature, in an attempt to help others who suffer with this condition, and to hopefully educate anyone who wants to learn about it, as much as I can. My knowledge is limited of course, but there are people out here who I just know are going through the same symptoms that I am, and may not even realize the danger of ignoring it, or the possibilities for cure that are available today.
In the summer of 1986, I was going about my normal duties as a flight operations electrician for my employer. At one point in the workday there, I had to put the intake covers back on the jet I was working on. During this time, I was raising my arms above my head in an attempt to push the intake covers in place, when I suddenly felt a rapid increase in my heartbeat. I didn't know what was going on, but soon realized, this was quickly getting the best of me. My heart raced at what seemed an incredible speed for the next few minutes, and I was forced to take a seat right there on the pavement, until it stopped. I was alone at the time, so no one else was aware of what was happening. After about 10 minutes, the heartbeat went back to normal. I then felt very weak, and my knees felt like they could give way with any step I took. I went back into the control center, explained to my supervisor what had happened, and he immediately called for medical attention for me. I was taken out of the facility via ambulance, and transported to the Antelope Valley Hospital Emergency room. Here, I was hooked up to many strange devices, all of which were new to me. Needless to say, they would over the next several years become as familiar to me as my next door neighbor.
Nothing unusual with my heartbeat was recorded at the Emergency Room that evening, and I was instructed to make a follow-up appointment with my primary physician the following day. Thus, I began the long saga I am still on today.
I soon met with my regular physician about the events that had occurred with my heart. He recommended that I be put on a Holter Monitor for a 24 hour period. A Holter Monitor is basically a portable electrocardiogram which can be worn by the individual over an extended period of time, usually 24 hours. Any abnormal heartbeats will be recorded by this device, and can be reviewed by the specialist later.
I was soon diagnosed with what is called a Grade 1 Mitral-Valve Prolapse. A what? I was told that one of the valves in my heart did not always close properly. When this occurs, it basically allowed a back flow, or a rush of blood to pass through my heart in an abnormal fashion. This in turn is what caused my heartbeat to increase. I was told that millions of people have these mitral-valve prolapses, and also that they are graded in severity from 1 to 7, Grade 1 being the most minor of concerns to health.
Over the next several years, from 1986 until 1998, I continued to experience minor episodes of an increase in my heart rate. These episodes, maybe three to five times per year, usually lasted for no more that ten to fifteen seconds, and if they did not subside on their own, I was able to "kick" my heartbeat back into rhythm with a cough, or a deep self-imposed belch. I have since been told, that there are a number of other methods which can be used to try and manipulate the heartbeat back into a normal rhythm - simulation of a bowel movement, massaging one of the coronary arteries in the neck (it is important to note, that never should both of the arteries in the neck be massaged, as that can cause even more severe problems), and filling a basin full of ice water, and lowering the face down in it, in order to basically shock the heartbeat back into rhythm. None of these methods now work for me anymore.
In late 1998, I again experienced an episode of this rapid heartbeat. This time, it was a bit different - it would not stop, and I could not get it to stop. It was early evening, and I had been working in my yard when it started. I at first tried the normal procedures that I had always used to stop this pestilence which seemed to covet me on any given moment, however, my heartbeat continued to race. By 11:30 that night, now in the fifth hour, I decided I had better go to the Emergency Room. As soon as I walked into the ER, as fate would have it, my heartbeat went back to normal. Thus, they were unable to get a recording via EKG of the symptoms I had experienced. I was referred to my primary physician for a follow-up the following day, and was again put on a 24 hour Holter Monitor. Again, no abnormal occurrences were able to be recorded during this period, which not only frustrated me, but also made it difficult for the physicians to further investigate what could be my problems.
This episode in late 1998, was a turning point in the condition I had been experiencing for the previous ten years. Following this episode, I was no longer able to bring my heartbeat back into a normal rhythm on my own, the frequency of the episodes increased, and the length of these episodes increased. I soon found myself making frequent trips to the ER. On my second visit to the ER, my heart was racing so fast at 220 beats per minute (I believe my normal heart beat is 72-74 beats per minute) that they were unable to even get a blood pressure on me. I was quickly hooked up to the monitoring machines in the ER, and was for the first time ever, given an IV medication to alleviate the symptom. The medication of choice was one that actually stops the heart momentarily, for maybe 2-3 seconds. The heart then restarts on it's own, supposedly at the normal rhythm. This is truly a remarkable event, to feel ones own heart stop. I was told that as soon as they injected me with this medication, that I would quickly feel something very strange. I felt myself blacking out, then suddenly, there was what I can best describe as a knock in my chest. My heart beat was back to normal. Unfortunately, this lasted about 3 seconds, then the symptom came right back and my heartbeat was back up to 180 beats per minute. The doctor on duty waited another 2 or 3 minutes, and decided to double the dosage, and try again. "Oh boy", I thought, "I get to do that again?" Upon the second administering of the medication, the same thing happened - a momentary reprieve of the rapidity, then back to the elevated heart rate. They then tried a second type of medication, which had no affect at all, and finally decided to administer me with 5 cc of Verapamil. This medication was the trick. After approximately 4 minutes, I felt light headed, as if I was about to faint. Then very quickly, a surge of pressure which seemed to shoot from my heart, up through my neck, and my heart beat went back to normal.
Another follow-up was made with my primary physician, and now I was referred to a cardiology specialist. I was given a prescription from the ER staff, but until I could see a specialist in this field, I refused to take the medication. I was later told by the cardiologist I saw, that I made a good choice there, as they have a procedure, which can actually cure what has troubled me over the past ten years. I was told that the procedure, an Electrophysiology (EP) Study/Radio Frequency (RF) Ablation, had been widely used over the past eight to ten years, and was 99% successful in curing my condition, now diagnosed as Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT).
After a consultation with the surgeon who would be performing this procedure, I decided to go ahead with it. The alternative, daily medication, has been widely known to stop being affective after 5 years. I was considered to be young enough, 37 at the time, to easily undergo this procedure with relatively little risk, and I would be cured, completely.
This procedure is basically a two part procedure. This first stage of the procedure, the EP Study, is performed in order to diagnose the heart rhythm. Once the diagnosis has been performed, the RF Ablation portion of the procedure is performed to cure the irregular heart rhythm. A series of electrode catheters are inserted through the groin area, and occasionally through the chest. In my case, three were inserted through the groin area, and one through the chest. These catheters were then positioned within various areas of the heart, in order to sense electrical activities and how fast electrical impulses were traveling. The catheters were also used to induce the abnormal heart rhythms I had been encountering, in order to determine where they were originating from. This is called mapping of the heart. Once the origination (accessory pathway) of the Arrhythmia is found, another catheter, an ablating electrode catheter, is inserted into the heart, and positioned at the spot within the heart where the accessory pathway lies. The catheter is then heated up, and the small piece of heart tissue where the pathway lies is destroyed. This then forms scar tissue there, which cannot transmit electrical impulses, thus alleviating the pathway.
These procedures are relatively painless. I receive a very pleasant anesthesia, which leaves me totally out for most of the procedure. During the first one, they were able to begin work on me before I was all the way under, so I was able to watch each of the catheters as they were positioning them inside my heart. Pretty wild thing to watch. Yet I felt nothing. I could not even tell that they were moving these catheters up through my body. Occasionally I would awaken during the procedure as they were up pacing the heart to a level so fast that it caused me great chest pain, but once they got it up high, then they lowered it back down. I compared this to the running up of throttles on a jet engine, because that's what it seemed as though they were doing to my heart, throttling it up. The worst part of the procedure is the 45 minutes to an hour after that I have to remain totally motionless, flat in a bed with my groin positioned between the bed and the large pointed bed vice that was clamping the imposed wound closed to my artery, in order to keep it from bleeding. Oh, that's painful, only due to the amount of pressure used though.
My first procedure, in late May of 1998, lasted 4.5 hours (the procedure typically ranges from three to 8 hours in length, depending upon the complexity and difficulty encountered with the diagnostics stage). I was in a semi-conscious state for the procedure, but I believe I was asleep for about 80% of the time. I was painfully awakened on occasion, as I felt my heart racing at what seemed incredible speed, and would then drift back into sleep.
When I awakened again, I was in recovery. My doctor visited me, and told me the procedure was a success, and that I was cured. I was informed that my condition was one that was with me from birth, and that I did not, have a mitral-valve prolapse as once diagnosed. I was told that for the next couple of months, I could expect to feel occasional short palpitations, but that this was normal, and not to fear them. I went home the next day.
As my doctor explained to me after the procedure, I did feel these minor palpitations. Each one brought a bit of tension to me, a reminder of sorts, as to what I had been going through over the past ten years. However, they were minor, and lasted no longer than one beat. All was well.
In early August of 1998, I was again hit with one of these palpitations, only this time, it continued. My worst fears were before me - it was back. I tried to convince myself, that this was going to stop, thus, very unwisely, I ignored the symptom. It was again early evening when it struck me, and I was doing nothing strenuous at the time. I went to lay down, hoping that the relaxation would cause it to stop, and I drifted off to sleep with a heartbeat close to 200 beats per minute. When I awakened in the morning, I immediately realized, that my heart was still racing, and had been throughout the night. I felt extremely tired and weakened, and sharp pains were shooting up my neck into my right jaw.
Another trip to the ER in my 17th hour of this condition, another dose of Verapamil, and I was back to normal. I again followed up with my cardiologist, was unfortunately informed, that I was not part of the 99% first time cure bracket, and that I would need to undergo the procedure a second time. It was arranged, and in early September, I underwent the procedure again. Again, I was told that I was cured, and that they had found the problem.
In December of 1998, I again found myself in the ER, receiving yet another dose of Verapamil, in order to bring my heartbeat down to normal again, after another lengthy episode. Again, I consulted with my cardiologist, and again I was informed that I would have to undergo the procedure. "My God", I asked him, "How many times can I go though this procedure?" I was told then that if this third time did not cure me that they would put me on a prescription medicine and not attempt the procedure again for at least a year.
In February of 1999, I underwent my third EP Study/RF Ablation procedure. Again, it was deemed a success, and I was cured. I had great confidence this time. I felt different after this third procedure, than I did after the prior two.
EP Study/RF Ablation Procedures performed on 3 different occasions by Dr Anil Bhandari - May 31, 1998, September 9, 1998, and February 26, 1999. Each of these procedures was termed a success by Dr Bhandari after the procedure was performed, and on each occasion, the symptoms reappeared after approximately 3-4 months. In mid-June of 1999, I again began to experience unusual palpitations which lasted approximately 10-15 seconds in length. Unlike any previous palpitations, these left me lightheaded after they ended, along with the other symptoms I had felt before.
On Monday, June 28, 1999, I was sitting at home because I had not felt well that morning and stayed home from work. At approximately 10:30 AM, I began to feel quite overheated. I had not turned my air conditioning on yet, so I stood up and went to close the front door and turn the air conditioner on. I then returned to my seat at the computer. I continued to become overheated, and began to sweat profusely. I soon began to have a strong urge to belch several times continuously. My face and arms became clammy, and within another 2-3 minutes, my tachycardia kicked in, and I was experiencing a rapid heart beat again. It continued, and after a couple of minutes, I began to feel extremely lightheaded, and began to lose focus with my eyes. I thought at first, that my glasses were dirty, so I took them off, and still could not see properly (I was obviously becoming incoherent, as I cannot see a lick without my glasses). It was as if a haze had been drawn down over my eyes. Within another 2-3 minutes, with the tachycardia continuing still, I began to feel as if I was losing consciousness - I was blacking out. I somehow convinced myself that I was not going to black out. I then took my cordless phone, and went to my bedroom to lay down. I told my 2 sons to come and check on me every 2-3 minutes, and if I was asleep to wake me. If they could not wake me, then they were to call 911 immediately. My youngest son remained in the bed with me, feeling my chest pound, while my oldest son came back every couple minutes to check on me. I did not fall asleep. I was now extremely weak, and very tired. After approximately another 20 minutes laying down in the bed, the rapid heartbeat suddenly was released, and my heartbeat went back to normal. I told my youngest son that it was gone, and he felt my chest again, and was astonished it seemed, at the difference he felt. I then went to sleep and slept for a couple of hours.
When I awakened, I called my cardiologist. I spoke with the nurses on duty, explained to them what happened, and my doctor called me back after she paged him. He was again surprised at the return of my symptoms, and again recommended that I come down and be put on a 24 hour Holter Monitor. He also called in a prescription of Atenolol 50 mg tablets for me to take once a day, I have been on this medication continuously now for 3 months, and it works in prohibiting the tachycardia.
The following day (Tuesday June 29) I went and got the Holter Monitor attached to me. During the 24 hour period I wore the monitor, I experienced nothing other than a couple of minor 2-3 second palpitations. I returned the monitor the following day.
Wednesday, June 30, 1999 - Upon the advice of a close associate, I contacted a Dr Marc Platt at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center in Pomona, California, and arranged a consultation on my own for Wednesday, July 7, 1999.
Wednesday June 30 - Wednesday July 7, 1999 - I remained out of work, on a medical leave, and continued to feel minor palpitations on a daily basis, each time wondering if this was going to be the one to do me in; this is my mind set now.
Wednesday July 7, 1999 - I met at 4:00 PM with Dr Marc Platt at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center. I had a 30 minute consultation with him about my condition, and the symptoms I was feeling. He was astonished that I had been through 3 of the aforementioned ablation procedures, and was even more astonished it seemed, that my symptoms had again returned. He stated that in his medical opinion, if he cannot cure a patient in 2 attempts with this procedure, which in itself was a rarity, he is either missing something, or is just unable to fix the problem, and will consult with another surgeon on the matter. He requested that I have my medical records (especially the tracings reports from the previous EP Studies performed on me) sent to him, so that he could analyze them. He also wanted me to see about getting a 30 day event monitor issued to me, so that we could catch one of these episodes on a recording. He deemed this an absolute necessity. He feels that I have what is called a "concealed" Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, a form of SVT.
Thursday July 8, 1999 - I contacted my regular physician (Dr Lyn) at Anna Verde Medical Group (my assigned Maxicare Insurance provider). I requested that I have a referral put in for permission to have my case transferred to Dr Marc Platt, and that I am put in for a 30 day event monitor. He said that he would put the referral in.
Sunday July 11, 1999 - While laying in bed getting ready for the nights' sleep, another episode of the tachycardia began. It lasted approximately 30 minutes, was not as serious as the one I had experienced on June 28, but again left me feeling as if I was going to black out. When it subsided, I went to sleep. When I awakened in the morning, I was still extremely tired, and had a major headache.
Monday July 12, 1999 - I called Anna Verde to check on the referral. No answer as of yet. Minor palpitations experienced today.
Tuesday July 13, 1999 - I called Anna Verde to check on the referral. No answer as of yet. Minor palpitations experienced today.
Wednesday July 14, 1999 - I again called Anna Verde to check on the status of the referral. I was informed then that the referral was declined, and that I would be receiving mail as to how I could go about an appeal of the decline decision. I was told it was because Dr Marc Platt was not under the network of providers for Maxicare.
Thursday (9:43 AM) July 15, 1999 - Called Maxicare Insurance provider, and asked to speak to the Physician Medical Director. I was told that I would be transferred to Dr Alex Bokor. Upon the transfer, I spoke with Char Simons. She stated that he was out of the office. I requested that he calls me, left my name and number, then she hung up.
Thursday (3:51 PM) July 15, 1999 - Called Maxicare again in an attempt to speak with Dr Alex Bokor. I was directed to member services, and spoke with Desiree Cowens of member services. I asked to be transferred to Dr Bokor, and she denied me the privilege of speaking with him, and stressed to me that there is a chain of command that must be followed for appeals. I informed Ms. Cowens that I desired to start my appeals at the top, and would like to speak with Dr Bokor. I was put on hold. When she returned to the line, she informed me that the only thing that I could do, was to write a letter and to be as detailed as possible in the letter. I was then to send it to Maxicare and place attention on the letter to "Grievance". I asked how long that I would then have to wait, and she said they have 30 days to review this letter. I informed her that I could easily die in 30 days time. She then put me on hold again, and when she returned said that they could label it as urgent review, then asked me if I had a fax. I replied no, and asked if they had an email address I could send it to. She put me on hold again, and when she returned, stated that Maxicare had no email address I could send this letter to. She then informed me that this was how the appeal process worked. I informed her that I don't really care how the appeal process works, and that I want to start my appeal process at the top with Dr Bokor. She again placed me on hold, came back and said, "Okay, I am going to transfer you." So I assumed I was being transferred to Dr Bokor. When the line was again picked up, it was Nancy, also of member services. She informed me that she had been around a bit longer, and that if I explained to her what it was I wanted, then she would try and help me. I re-explained all the information again, and was asked by Nancy, if I had Dr Platt's telephone number. I gave it to her, and she informed me that she was going to make some phone calls, and that she would be back in touch with me by 5:00 PM this day.
Thursday (4:35 PM) July 15, 1999 - Received phone call from Nancy in Maxicare Member Services. She told me that they could arrange for me to see Dr Platt, only that it would mean that I would have to change medical groups, and start all over in the medical referral process. She could not get in touch with the person in Dr Platt's office that she needed to talk to, and stated that she would call her back in the morning, in order to find out which medical group they were contracted under, so they could arrange to have me transferred to that medical group.
I opted, after much thought, not to transfer to a new medical group, as this would just cause further problems for me, and my family, as the doctors we would have to see on any occasion would then be located over 100 miles from where I reside. This makes no sense. Thus, I continued to battle with my insurance company, and my current medical group, to get me another doctor to see. It is not that I had no confidence in the team of doctors that worked on me before, they are some of the finest in the world, but after 3 unsuccessful attempts, I felt the need for a second opinion, and I was bound and determined to get it.
I decided to run the appeal option out, and that's exactly what I did, ran it out, to the end, no success. It was determined first of all that my case was not eligible to be heard on the urgent appeal platform, that my condition was not life threatening. Second of all, after my case was finally heard for appeal, it was deemed that the doctors within my current medical group were satisfactory to meet my requirements, and I would not be allowed to be a patient of Dr Platt's.
So, over the next several months, I remained out of work, have had numerous problems with interrupted pay, and had not yet secured a doctor to see. I went through many twists and turns during this time, but finally, in September of 1999, I managed to get my regular primary physician to find me a cardiologist within my medical group that I could see. My case would be taken over by the USC Medical Center Electrophysiology Lab, and he would submit the referral to make this happen.
Over the month or so, I continued to have problems with my insurance company. When the allotted time had expired for me to hear about the state of the referral, I called them to inquire about the status. I was then informed, that they did not have me in the system for a referral. Well, up goes the tension again, and when I asked why, after explaining the whole story to them about my primary physician putting the referral in for me, I was told that they had just started a new computer system, and that I had evidently been omitted. She assured me that she would contact those necessary, and that I would be back in the system that day, and that my referral would be answered. I received the same answer the next 3 days in a row, as I was still not in the system. Well, finally, I am in, after 4 days more, and I come to find out that the same thing happened for the doctor I was to see at USC; they omitted him as well. After another week goes by, I finally receive the approved referral in the mail.
In late October of 1999, I had my initial consultation with Dr Kosar at USC Medical Center. I was surprised with the amount of time that he spent with me, nearly 2 hours. He listened intently as I explained my whole history to him, he studied the of the findings Dr Platt had come up with during the consultation with me, and explained to me the way the center worked, and the options open to me. He informed me that he knew all of the doctors I had previous associations with, and that each was respectable. He also told me though, that the facilities at USC have more technology at there disposal to better track this problem down, simply because they are a research facility. One of the options they have, which were not previously available to me is the ability to use an additional catheter during the diagnostics portion of the procedure which has an integrated circuit on the end of it. This integrated circuit would enable them to build a 3 dimensional color computer image of my heart, then lay in the electrical system of my heart over that image, thus producing something similar to an electrical schematic of my heart. This will enable them to be able to examine closer what is going on inside me, where this problem may lay. Dr Kosar also informed me that he would not be the primary cardiologist in my case, that it would be handled by the Director of Electrophysiology at USC, Dr Nademanee. Dr Kosar was in concurrence with many of the recommendations set forth by Dr Platt, and agreed that it would be arranged for me to receive an event monitor.
Within a matter of days, this event monitor was delivered to my home, and I was given instructions on what to do with it. This device, shaped like a flat 6 inch football, had four prongs on the back of it, and a couple of buttons on the front of it. I had stopped taking my medication 3 days prior, at the doctors orders, and was instructed to hold this monitor over the center of my chest during an episode. It would record my heart beat for approximately 45 seconds, and store it. I would then call a telephone number, and transmit this sound over phone lines to a firm which then decodes the information and creates an EKG which will then be forwarded to my doctor. Well, being off of the medication, it did not take long before I was able to give them all of the information that they needed. In a 2 day span, I was able to send them 3 transmissions, when they said that was enough and I went back on my medication.
Within a few days, I was contacted by Dr Kosar, we talked for a few minutes about things, and he was ready to go ahead and schedule me for the procedure. However, I had already made plans on visiting my family for Thanksgiving, this was an important trip to more than just me, and we both agreed that if on my medication, I should be okay to hold off the procedure until after Thanksgiving.
November 30, 1999 - So, this is where I stand today. I have called my doctors, the trip was a success, and I am waiting any day to hear when they will be able to schedule me for the next, my fourth procedure.
December 2, 1999 - I received a phone call today from Dr Kosar, and my fourth EP Study/RF Ablation Procedure is now scheduled for Tuesday, December 7, 1999. This comes to me with great anticipation, as well as a bit of anxiety. I am fully aware of the capability of the doctors who will be on the team and have the greatest confidence in them, yet when one goes through something like this, there is always that slight bit of anxiety about it. You should have seen me before the first one, I was a pain in the butt!
This reminds me of a humorous moment during the third procedure. I had been wheeled into the lab on a gurney, and was getting ready to make the transfer to the surgical table, when one of the staff asked if I needed to use the restroom one last time, I said "sure, why not?" Well, my glasses were off already (me needs the glasses) so they led me through a backdoor of the lab, down a hallway, and to a bathroom, where I was left. Upon completion of my "duties", I opened the door, and was not able to read a thing, so I went by memory, back to the backdoor of the lab, where I promptly saw a big red sign that even I was able to read "Authorized Personnel Only". Hmmm, I thought, I cracked the door, saw the staff, and said, "Sign says authorized only, am I allowed in here?" They all chuckled and one replied, "Why of course, you're the guest of honor." How could I refuse?
Another incident I found quite humorous was after the first procedure. When they do the procedure on me, they have to open a major artery in my groin area to send all these catheters in. Well, when they are through, they have to close the artery back up and apply a large gauze bandage to the area, securing it with loads of heavy tape. So when this procedure was over, I awakened to extreme pressure in my groin area. I looked up/down my chest to see three ladies hard at work on me. One was pushing hard on the gauze, one was pulling and placing the tape in the areas needed, and the other was, well, keeping certain things out of harms way you might say. This last lady saw me look at them, then said to me, "So, when is the last time you had three lovely ladies groping at your groin?" I started laughing, and replied, "I think this is a first", and lay my head back down.
Mid February, 2000 - It has been a little over 2 months now since my 4th procedure on December 7, 1999. The procedure was performed at USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, and lasted approximately 6.5 hours. My hat goes off to the teams that perform these procedures, they worked late into the night on me, when I awakened, it was 11:30 PM. One of the worst things about this procedure, and I was dreading it, believe me, was the pressure that they have to put onto my artery following the procedure. It is about 30 minutes of excruciating pain. Well, this time, to my pleasant surprise, I was not subjected to that, as they used a new device, called an Angio-Seal, to instead of the mechanical compression.
View some pictures, xrays, and information about my procedures.
The three xray pictures below show the catheters as they are positioned in my heart during the procedure. During my first procedure, I was awake as they were sliding these catheters into place, and actually watched on the monitor next to the table as they slid these catheters into position.
The advanced techno picture is the 3D image they generated on the computer using an integrated circuit on the end of one of the catheters that you see in the xrays. This was used as an aide in the mapping and diagnosis of the Arrhythmia. Better explanation of the picture from the doc himself, below -
"Hi Paul.
Here is the CARTO map of your heart's right atrium during the Arrhythmia. The color sequence demonstrates as a rainbow, with red being earliest and purple the latest electrical activation, your Arrhythmia focus. The orange dots show the location of your av node or natural electrical junction between the upper and lower heart chambers. The red dots show the location of the ablation. The red tube or circle shows the location of a heart vein called the coronary sinus.
Sincerely,
Dr Kosar"
The final picture is of the Angio-Seal device that they implanted in my artery after the procedure. Oh, I think I love the inventor of this device!
To date, I have had 2 reoccurrences of the Arrhythmia, both occurring on the New Years weekend. Since this time, I have had another consultation with my doctor about this. I was put back on the event monitor, but nothing so far has been recorded. I live day to day, hoping that this will be a part of my past.
Suggested Reading - Mitral-Valve Prolapse Less Common, Less Harmful Than Previously Thought
May 2003 Update - It has been close to 3 years now since I updated this page. There is not a whole lot of information that I have, but some things have changed. After moving to Ohio about 3 years ago, I began having minor problems once again. Then one evening, I became involved in a physical altercation with someone and my condition went haywire. My heart was beating at an extremely high rate, and I was having terrible difficulty breathing. I was transported to the hospital where they were eventually able to slow me back down.
I then sought out a new doctor. After several meetings with this new group, and some stress tests, it was decided that prescription therapy would be tried rather than putting me through a 5th procedure. They tried using Verapamil only, but after a month or so, it was not working right. They then added Metoprolol. After experimenting with some dosages, we finally found one that seemed to work. I now take 240 mg Verapamil twice daily and 25 mg Metoprolol twice daily. As long as I don't miss my dosages, I don't have any problems. I have not had to return to the doctor since the visits to determine what medication would work for me.
March 2005 Update - It has been 6 years now since my last procedure, and almost two years on the same medicinal therapy. One thing that always remains in my mind is what my first doctor said about the medication for this problem, that "it wont work forever." Additionally, the medications tire me out. For these reasons, I have been considering undergoing a fifth procedure in the next couple of years. If I do so, I will more than likely make arrangements to see Dr. Warren Jackman. I am noticing more and more that my medicinal therapy is becoming less effective. I am also noticing that there is really no room for missing any prescribed dosages; I have noticed irregularities by missing as little as one dosage, on more than one occasion.