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Being diagnosed with SVT

Posted , 9 users are following.

rachel_51241
rachel_51241

Heya, just posting on here looking for some advice. I'm a 28 year old women and about 2 months ago I had heart palpitations of 240bmp  for 1 hour and 30 mins before i was admitted to A&E. I had been ill on and off since September and that same day after visiting the GP I was told I had  bronchitis and given medication. The attack happened a few hours after taking medication so I thought at first I was having a reaction to it but I was told by the hospital this wasn't the case. As a side note I was also very fatigued as the bronchitis effected me sleeping. I was kept in hospital to the early hours of the morning and was given various medication aswell as blowing into a tube which brought my heart rate down. I had x rays and blood tests which came back fine. I was allowed to go home once my heart rate was at a stable 100bmp. I was told I would have a follow up appointment to find out what caused this. Last month I went to have an ECG which came back normal. I then spoke to a specialist who informed me that I had SVT. I was offered either pills that I would have to take everyday or a pill  in the pocket that I would have to take if it happened again or surgery which he said I should take.

(Sorry going on a bit)

I'm unsure if I should take the procedure as this is the first time I have had an attack and all my tests from the doctors came back fine so it's even hard for my to believe I have a heart  problem. I was just looking for advice if this has happened to other people on here and just looking for some help. I'm really scared to have a procedure done and not sure if I really want to put myself though it since it only happened to me once? I'm so confused. I would appreciate any help/ advice very much (if any of this even makes sense haha!) many thanks Rachel smile 

0 likes, 25 replies

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  • sara75083
    sara75083 rachel_51241

    Posted

    I am not only an ICU nurse, but I’ve had episodes of SVT since I was 20 (26 now). Just know that SVT is not life threatening. That’s what has helped with my anxiety with it. I always carry around a 12.5mg of lopressor no matter where I go. Mine is set of by my electrolytes being low (still trying to figure out why this happens to me). I normally only go to 150s-160s, but have reached 250 one time. My electrophysiologist does not want me on lifetime beta blockers, and also does not recommend an ablation for me. He is one of the best. Ablations can be very dangerous, but also very helpful if it is an electrical problem. Mine is more of an electrolyte problem, so an ablation wouldn’t be good for me. Are your electrolytes okay and your water intake good? Also, my coworker went through the same thing and had an ablation and ended up in many other different arrhythmias that are much more worse than svt. I highly recommend you research everything and you develop a trusting relationship with your electrophysiologist (or get one if you don’t have one instead of a cardiologist). If it’s happend once, just know more than likely it will happen again. But also know that you’re okay and it’s only temporary. I was 20 when I found out, so you can only imagine that I didn’t cope with it/accept it really well. I have incorporated yoga into my life and eat and drink super healthy. Sorry this is so lengthy, but if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to ask! No caffeine at all btw!

    Sara

    • linda90194
      linda90194 sara75083

      Posted

      When I had my ablation for SVT, they found 4 other arrythmias, which surprised me but I take medication to keep them in check. 
    • rachel_51241
      rachel_51241 sara75083

      Posted

      Yea I have stopped drinking anything with caffeine in. My overall fitness could be better and diet and is something I'm working on again it's okay, but could be way better. Yea knowing SVT won't kill me has helped me, as I know if it was to happened again even though it's terrifying I won't die. I accepted that and decided I didn't want an ablation and would just use the medication on an emergency basis. However my doctor has urged me to get an ablation because of how I reacted to it and how high my heart rate was. Kinda scared me into the fact that I could pass out it if was at that level again and if I was driving/ alone/ cooking etc then there would be consequences (And even my mum is pushing it)  However I stayed with that bmp for hour and a half before I literally couldn't walk and was barely conscience. Even though they have put me forward for ablation I'm still unsure if I will be able to go through with it. Especially reading the mixed opinions about ablation on here rolleyes I'm really scared and don't want to end up with more problems after something that's supposed to make me better. As for my electrolytes I don't know. My water intake Is okay and I try to drink at least two litres a day. I live in the U.K. and have the NHS so I'm not able to choose who my cardiologist is or even how I would go about getting a electrophysiologist sad 

    • sara75083
      sara75083 rachel_51241

      Posted

      Ask your cardiologist to refer one to you. Unless they don’t have them in the UK? I’m not sure. But eat a banana everyday. Kind of like the apple theory, but it’s a banana a day will keep the SVT away! Lol.
    • artavia77925
      artavia77925 sara75083

      Posted

      Does the yoga and eating healthy cause you to have less episodes? 

       

    • sara75083
      sara75083 artavia77925

      Posted

      I have 1-2 episodes a year so I’m lucky. And I do think this helps. I just had an episode and I haven’t been eating as healthy, so I think that’s what caused it!
  • artavia77925
    artavia77925 rachel_51241

    Posted

    OMG I am so happy to hear your story and others because I have been going through the same thing. I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks due to the fear of medical related death issues. But my heart beat increasing doesn’t happen because of anxiety or panic attack. I will be just sitting at my desk working and all of a sudden I feel my heart rate increase and I check it and it’s 140 bpm. Went to the ER everything was normal followed up with the cardiologist had a stress test and echo cardio gram normal. I’m almost starting to think that I may have the same issue. I’m OK with dealing with it I just need to know if that is what I have. Thank you so much for telling your story because it’s been a challenge for me and my husband. I swear sometimes my family thinks I’m crazy 
    • rachel_51241
      rachel_51241 artavia77925

      Posted

      No worries smile yea having medical related anxiety sucks, because of my mind set (Which I know is irrational) I literally think worse case scenario every time. When I left A&E after my first episode the last thing the doctor said to me was to get help with it, as it didn't help with them trying to get my heart beat down. And I'm struggling with having this issue knowing that I'm being put forward for an ablation rolleyes is terrifying to me. Even though the success rate is high I'll take the negative information and think I'll end up worse case... I hope you find out what's causing your problem and hope you get it sorted out smile and don't worry I think my partner and family think I'm crazy too! Lol 

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