"cuidado con mi corazón, me siento algo desnuda"

[melayneseahawk]

Went to cardiac surgeon today, so as to talk about the surgical procedure to fix the SVT. Was pretty funny; I was the youngest patient in the waiting room by a good 50 years. The nurse thought that the age on the forms was a mistake, and the doc called me the "young Ms. [name]" when he came in, though he was smiling. I guess they're not used to seeing someone younger than 75 in there much, eh?

Anyway, discussed the two options here: medication and the procedure (ablation). The meds are once daily oral pills, beta blockers (adrenaline blockers) that keep the episodes from happening. Beta blockers are used to treat many heart conditions, including mitrol valve prolapse (which I also have, but not a severe enough case to be syptomatic) and hypertension, and then only side effects are fatigue and low blood pressure, but both are usually minor. The major downside is that the only way to know the meds aren't working is to wait to see if I have an episode; at that point the dosage would be increased. However, I would be medicating for the rest of my life, and I could possibly require higher dosages at a later date.

With the ablation, they run a couple of catheters up from the vein in my right hip to my heart, induce an episode, find the bit of heart tissue that has its own electrical current, and zap it into submission. Both the original cardiologist, the doc at the ER, and the surgeon say that it's a low-risk procedure, but the surgeon said today that 1 in 150 cases wind up on a pacemaker, due to the good node (the one with the correct current) becoming damaged during the procedure. Those odds are frighteningly high, esp. for such optimistic doctors. Must do more research. On the positive side, though, it would be a permanent fix.

Am currently on the meds, because they can't hurt and I only need to stop them 48 hrs before the procedure, if I decide to get it done. Am currently conflicted. If anyone has advice, don't hesitate to put your two cents in.

*subject from "Be Careful (Cuidado Con Mi Corazón)" by Ricky Martin (shut up, his music is good). Translation: Be careful with my heart, I feel naked.

Comments

[somayyouall.livejournal.com]

Sounds like aaaall kinds of fun. Good luck with whatever you decide, sweetie. *hugs*

[kashmir-ki-kali.livejournal.com]

Between the fire and frying pan, to quote Tolkien. The surgery is worth researching more, as well as surgeons, since pills for life with possible higher dosages sounds like a bad deal. Do whatever you feel safest about doing, dear.

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Merg. Was expecting such a response.

The doc's been doing the procedure for 12-3 years and has never had this happen, and it's a relatively common procedure, so I'm not sure that statistic is right.

[allandaros.livejournal.com]

As I told you - my own personal chance would be to go for the ablation. That's my own personal preference, and I can very well understand any reluctance you may have to do that. After all, it's terribly easy for me to talk - you're the one with the heart problem, and it'd be you who'd end up wearing the pacemaker.

That said, to me, it seems an acceptable level of risk. Nothing in life is certain. Better to dare and lose than to stew and wait.

Besides, as a certain Corellian once said: never tell me the odds!

That is the question

[triannamaxwell.livejournal.com]

Ahh, the surgery vs. other procedures question. It is now facing my family with regards to the younger sibling. I don't know what to think about that situation, so I know I wouldn't be of aid in yours. Hope all turns out well!

Re: That is the question

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Oh? What's wrong with tall, red-haired, and spiky? He ok?