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Can exercise during svt episode damage the heart?t

Posted , 3 users are following.

wendy17313
wendy17313

i have had psvt for twenty years, usually about once a year sometimes lasting several hours and for no apparent reason. I found that if I did some vigorous exercise (say ride my bike fast around the block) my heart rate would then gradually come down "normally". My cardiologist seemed to think this was okay. I had an episode while playing tennis last week and continued to play for over an hour, when I had to stop. Afterwards I was exhausted, not surprisingly, I suppose, but my heart rate did return to normal quite quickly. Now I am worried

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Alaskan
    Alaskan wendy17313

    Posted

    What's your heart rate?   I don't think it's a problem, since the pumping action of your heart is working just fine.  It's the electrical impulses that are messed up. You're fortunate to get them so infrequently. In the past couple weeks, I've been in SVT about a fourth of the time. Just went for a half hour jog while in SVT and was just a bit slower than usual.

    Looks like I'll need to have another ablation procedure, as I really don't want to get on meds.

     

    • wendy17313
      wendy17313 Alaskan

      Posted

      It was about 140 I think, but maybe more when I was running around the court. It wasn't until after the event, when I felt so exhausted, that I wondered whether excessive exercise could actually cause damage. I feel fine now.

      I sympathize with your situation and can understand that you don't want to be on meds permanently. I have occasionally taken 25mg of Ran-Atenolol as prescribed by my doctor, to get my heart rate down after a few hours, and it works fine for me.

      Good luck with another ablation, and thank you for responding to me.

  • Alaskan
    Alaskan wendy17313

    Posted

    Thank you for the drug info.  I used to have Varapamil, a calcium channel blocker, on hand to treat episodes when they first showed up over 30 years ago.  At that time, my heart rate would be similar to yours, 125-140, and I would only get a few episodes per year.  I think a big part of what causes fatigue afterwards is the stress factor, at least it has been for me in the past. Also the drugs, if taken will naturally leave us feeling wiped out.. 
  • gene91169
    gene91169 wendy17313

    Posted

         Wendy, since you have your cardiologist's support, your approach sounds constructive.  Instead of allowing your SVT to disable you, you're in some way continuing a "normal" life.  I'm not surprised by your fatigue. You gave all of you a good workout.  

         I've had episodes of SVT for 50 years, had an unsuccessful ablation 2 years ago, and now am having some success  stopping my episodes with breathing  techniques you can read about on this and other forums.  Most importantly for me, I think, I'm having some success with not allowing the SVT to dominate my life.  I try to continue whatever I'm doing when an episode begins, begin the "special" breathing, and wait for the episodes to stop.

         Best of luck to you.  

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