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After two months...SVT is likely my answer!

Posted , 4 users are following.

jab1023
jab1023

About two months ago I started having "attacks." My heart would begin beating fast, I'd feel weak and very dizzy, like I would pass out any minute. Originally this would happen fairly rarely, maybe once every couple of weeks. In early March, I had a major attack out to lunch by myself. It got even worse after I came back to the office, so I went home and called 911. I was horrified I was having a heart attack. All my tests came back fine. My heart and arteries looked great.

Then it kept happening. And increasing in frequency. My GP said it could just be anxiety, but that didn't seem right to me. I was referred to a cardiologist and had my first appointment there yesterday. I almost cancelled it because everyone kept saying my heart looked fine. 

Well, yesterday, almost as soon as I walked into the cardiologist's office, I have another attack. The nurse take my BP and it's pretty normal but my heart rate is jacked. After an agonizingly long time, the Doctor comes back.

He's seen my EKG and my CT of my chest, and my chest X-ray. He calmly tells me it's likely I have SVT. Very likely. 

I'm 6-3, in good shape and 31 years old. He says it will NOT kill me. I have a heart monitor coming next week to wear so they can record any events. I hope I have one during the time I wear it so they can see. 

The relief is incredible! Every time I had an attack, I thought I might die. It often happens in the car, which is also very scary.

I will opt for the ablation if /when it is confirmed, so I can hopefully get my life back!

Those who have had it, how long did it take to get a diagnosis, and how long until you got the ablation?

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • jenny02938
    jenny02938 jab1023

    Posted

    I’m wearing my monitor now. I had my first attack a little under 2 months ago. I’ve had 3 major attaches since then (where I had to goto ER) and a few minor ones that went away quickly after they started. I’ve completely  eliminated caffeine - dehydration also seems to be a trigger and the major ones wipe me out completely. I send my monitor in on Tuesday and follow up with my cardiologist a couple weeks after.  He highly suspects PSVT as well.

    Mine seem to have gotten better but who knows it maybe different every month. I’m not doing any meds - took a couple after my attack’s and they made me feel so tired. Not sure if I’ll get an ablation will wait to see what dr says in a couple weeks. I’ve recorded a few minor episodes on my monitor.

    It is scary. I was really scared the first few weeks after my first trip to ER but now I’m coping much better. I managed to survive 2 plane rides over the ocean that were each 5 hours without having an episode so that made me get over the worry. I was so scared about the plane ride I cried - it was awful but I managed.

    Keep us all posted.

  • linda90194
    linda90194 jab1023

    Posted

    I probably had SVT for 5 years before being diagnosed. It used to happen once in a while and when it happened , I was told that maybe I was too hot, maybe I was dehydrated, maybe the lights in the church were too hot on me, maybe a medication I was taking? Then it became very frequent and 3 times I was driving which was very very scary. I even stopped driving for awhile and I never drive on freeways anymore. I had an ablation and that fixed the SVT. But when they did the ablation, they found 4 other arrythmias. They found atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, atrial tachycardia and asymptomatic tachycardia. I take 2 heart medications, which control other arrythmias, but I still have episodes but not as bad as SVT. I had 2 in February and 1 last Sunday. I saw my cardiologist yesterday and he said that people think caffeine or certain foods that bring on these episodes , but it doesn’t. He said it is a  malformation  in the heart and is more than likely genetic. He said the times that I’m having these is sporadic and medicine is controlling that but that if I keep having them more often, then I might have to have another ablation. I have to take blood thinners because I’ve had some atrial fibrillation. That rhythm can cause blood clots and strokes. The doctor said that if I have an ablation to fix a rythm , then the other rhythms can rear  their ugly head and cause me grief. No it won’t kill you, but it sure is scary and impedes my lifestyle. 
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