u/freya_kahlo

Original post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/askCardiology/s/pnynlZpYfT

Update:

I finally got the ablation they’d been pushing off this whole year, and semi-gaslighting me about for the last 5 years (mainly because I’m a CYP2D6 ultra rapid metabolizer, and Metoprolol doesn’t work for me, but that’s another story).

The EP study showed that my SVT was orthodromic AVRT caused by an accessory pathway, an extra muscle between the atrium and ventricle that I’d apparently had since birth. Then the EP dr said something about needing to approach it from the left side, and that took a little longer, but was still quite fast and straightforward. I hope I’m explaining that correctly. I’m delighted because I was warned at least half a dozen times that the procedure might not work and that was why they didn’t want to put me through it. (I gathered from my EKG readings of an SVT with aberrance the EP was expecting a complex issue — but they only had Kardia / holter readings to go on.)

They asked me if I wanted to try going in with “no sedation” because they thought my case would be difficult and starting with no sedation would be more effective in triggering the arrhythmia. I have no idea what happened because I fell asleep anyway, then awoke when they triggered the SVT strongly, then fell asleep again until they moved me.

So after months of uncertainty and “maybe this won’t be fixable,” the actual answer turned out to be surprisingly concrete and treatable. I hope recovery goes well. 10/10 care at EP surgery clinic, would prefer not to be a repeat customer, no offense to the clinic.

I’m seeing a new PCP doctor a because mine retired and she just told me that no women over 60 should be prescribed stimulants and “it’s just not done”. She doesn’t prescribe my ADHD meds, FYI.

I’m also not 60 yet, but will be in a few years and she implied she wouldn’t work with me because “I need to allow my body to slow down naturally”. This makes me think she’s also going to take away my HRT and T3 thyroid meds because she mentioned the latter specifically. That’s not really an ADHD issue but I have complex autoimmune stuff and it’s mainly a lot of fatigue and I don’t know how I can function without ADHD meds and T3. (Note: I take T4 as well which is the storage hormone, but I don’t convert it well to the active form of T3, so I need both.)

My life has turned around so much since I’m properly medicated and I really can’t afford to “slow down naturally” now, my partner has (early middle stage) Parkinson’s and I need to support him as he’s supported me when I was a mess.

I told her I was open to moving to non-stimulating medications, but I feel she’s treating me like a drug addict.

I’ll note I also have a heart arrhythmia and both this doctors and my cardiologist are blaming my thyroid and adderall, but arrhythmias also run in my family.

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Edit: thanks for all the support lovely humans! 💖 I knew I picked the right place to unload. I’ll reply when my headache eases.