Sophie - AVNRT - Ablation
I wanted to get my experience out there so that it might help others who either have this
operation pending or have atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) and are
struggling to decide whether or not to have Cardiac Catheter Ablation. Had I of found something
like this from someone my age before surgery maybe it would have helped me.
From as far as I can remember, palpitations have always featured in my life. One memory in
particular from when I was very young was getting overly excited on Christmas day about a new toy
– this bought on extreme palpitations which then meant I spent the next two hours lying down. I
have many memories of spending hours in the nurses’ room at school and having to lie down on the
floor in the office at work as I got older. My ‘episodes’ were mostly sporadic and happened out of
the blue while watching TV, driving or even laying down. Sometimes they happened when exercising
but I can never tell if exertion bought this on or if it was just coincidence.
For many years when I complained about these sudden onset, extreme palpitations it was always
put down to a symptom of anxiety. Although I do suffer with anxiety I never ever had ‘episodes’
whilst having a panic attack so I always thought that diagnosis was rubbish.
In the year leading up to my surgery my ‘episodes’ became more frequent and much worse lasting
longer each time. Some of my symptoms towards the later stages included;
• Extreme rapid palpitations – this felt like my heart would actually beat out of my chest and was
very painful
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Feeling of faint
• Rise in temperature
• Blurred vision
• Unable to stand or hold my own weight – weak feeling
• Complete loss of being able to concentrate on anything
• Occasionally my speech went slurred and incoherent (I am not sure how common this is)
These could last from anything between two minutes (which was very rare) to more often than not
2-4 hours.
So I decided that I wanted a proper medical diagnosis from a cardiologist. After many tests I sat with
my cardiologist who diagnosed me with AVNRT. It was a relief to find out that I had been right and
that there was a problem. I then looked on horrified as he told me about the surgery I would need to
correct this condition: Cardiac Catheter Ablation Surgery (as it would only get worse with age and
the last year had definitely proven that).
As he went into detail about how the surgery is done I felt instantly petrified at the thought. At 23
years old it was a big, unexpected hiccup. I was told I needed to take Beta Blockers, which I started
immediately and although they did help, they didn’t completely stop it. The cardiologist then went
onto tell me that from now on I should avoid drinking alcohol, smoking and caffeine – all things I
liked doing. Since then I have quit smoking, cut my alcohol consumption massively and drink herbal
teas rather than normal tea.
After that he told me to sit back and wait for the call to meet with a top leading cardiologist. I got
the call about three months later and met up with my doctor. We decided that I would have the
operation done in London. I then had to wait for my operation date. As soon as I got the date three
months later I dreaded it. Leading up to it I hated talking about it and didn’t like being reminded that
it was coming. It was a very stressful and scary time.
When I went into hospital the day before my operation (procedure to have bloods done etc), I was a
nervous wreck. The staff at the hospital were amazing though. I got no sleep and in the morning they
had to sedate me before wheeling me into theatre as I was so scared I was climbing the walls.
Eventually when I got to theatre I don’t remember much – no count down from the drugs or
anything, just going in saying bye to family and the next thing I knew I was waking up 4 ½ hours later
in recovery.
I felt groggy, tired and extremely sore in the groin area with some tight chest pains but I had
expected to feel a lot worse. The next day I had many vasovagal episodes – these could have been
caused by the amount of drugs and dehydration.
When I finally went home it was great to be in my own bed, however, I spent the next two weeks
unable to do anything for myself. I could barely walk, sit or bend. Things like getting in and out of the
shower, going to the toilet and lying down were really painful and I would not have been able to do
them without help from my mum who was there every step of the way. I had extreme bruising on
my groin area that lasted for about 2 months. My fitness level also plummeted dramatically as I
spent the next month shuffling around like an 80-year-old.
Now, five months on and I feel much better. I have a new lease of life as I now don’t have to worry
about pushing myself at the gym and I can enjoy all the things I love like snowboarding and not
worrying I might get an ‘episode’ at the top of the mountain. I don’t worry that it might happen
whilst driving or anything. I have had a few periods where I have had chest pains and a few times my
heart has skipped a beat – I am told this is all normal.
Overall the whole experience has probably been the most stressful and scary time of my whole life
to date but now I am well on the road to being fine (was told heart muscle can take up to a year or
more to fully heal). I am glad I had it done. I am now 24 years old and looking forward to spending
the rest of my life heart-trouble free.
Sophie, 24, Hertfordshire (2014)