Anyone with SVT ?
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hello there my name is Alex I’m a 20 year old female.. I’ve posted here before. My first episode of svt was when I was 5 months pregnant. They thought it was just a panic attack. My second one was when I was 7 months pregnant right before I delivered.. they caught it on ecg but my heart converted back to normal after 30 seconds.. they did not give me treatment or anything for it. Nor did hey give me information about svt. They just sent me home and said I went into svt mode. I’ve recently been having episodes of it .. I went to my gps office the other day and I told him about it and he said he was going to refer me out to another cardiologist. He said that my rhythm to my heart was steady just fast. He said not to worry but if my heart does that again and I feel like I can’t take it to go to the hospital.. why? I thought svt wasn’t dangerous. Anyone out there with svt please help! I need tips on what to do during an attack 😕 svt makes me really scared and anxious afterwards 😢
0 likes, 4 replies
reastoe alex_38985
Posted
Hi Alex. I get SVTs from time to time. As your GP has said, generally they are not dangerous but it's well worth seeing a cardiologist to get them checked out. Mine are mainly annoying nowadays but if they go on for a while you can start to feel a bit rubbish hence the advice to get to A&E where they can help get you back into a normal sinus rhythm.
There's a good Arrhythmia Alliance page here with some info on SVTs that's worth a read :
http://www.heartrhythmalliance.org/aa/uk/supraventricular-tachycardia
The NHS also have a page here :
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/supraventricular-tachycardia-svt/
They also have some info on vagus nerve manoeuvres like the valsalva technique that you can use at home to try and stop SVTs :
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/supraventricular-tachycardia-svt/treatment/
Valsalva works well for me and I can now stop SVTs in a minute or two, but it takes a bit of practise and doesn't work for everyone.
Hope that helps. All the best,
Richard.
alex_38985 reastoe
Posted
reastoe alex_38985
Posted
Hi Alex,
With my SVT my heart rate suddenly jumps from its normal 60 bpm to about 120-140. But it has been up at around 200 bpm in the past. I'm on bisoprolol and ramipril so I suspect these are helping limit the top speed
Apart from the racing heart rate I mainly just start to feel pretty rubbish. I get a bit breathless and slightly lightheaded so try to find somewhere to still down if I'm out and about. I'm less anxious about them nowadays but you can't help but still get a bit nervous when it kicks off. Panicing will only cause your body to produce adrenaline and make it worse, so it's useful to try and stay calm. But as I mentioned before, I find the vagus techniques usually work and get me back in sinus rhythm.
Bob37393 alex_38985
Posted
Yes, I had SVT.
My pulse rate was regular but at 163 beats per minute.
It depends on what type of SVT it is to know whether it is an emergency or not.
?I reckon I must have had it for over 24 hrs and symptoms included difficulty in breathing at night but not during the day.
?After nearly two days I felt I needed to go to A&E where it was diagnosed as the Atrial Flutter form of SVT in the Resuscitation Unit and promptly admitted to the cardiac ward for treatment. Vagal stimulation didn't work in Resus.
?My atrial flutter was treated on the ward and after a week resolved into Atrial Fibrillation (no ecg p-wave) which many people live with. I was discharged (after my pulse rate dropped to around 70 beats per minute) pending follow up outpatient treatment.
?Treatment on cardiac ward included nasal oxygen, GTN and diuretic infusions, and anti-coagulant.
?
?It looks as though you can slip in and out of your form of SVT but it would be wise to seek emergency treatment within 48 hours if you are getting symptoms of breathlessness.