Heart monitor

Posted , 3 users are following.

Hi,

I had a quick question for anyone who has had a holter monitor before, were you on any heart medication whilst wearing it? I ask because I was taking verapamil when I had mine and I am now wondering whether this would have skewed the results? i am diagnosed with IST but i suspect i have SVT that wasn't picked up on the monitor. Just wondering about other people's experiences and whether it is worth asking my cardiologist.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Edited

    I have had several monitors while being on medication. I take tiazac . this med does not stop my SVT (AT), but it does help with blood pressure.

    I was never told to stop the tiazac when wearing a monitor.

    The only time I was told to stop the med was when I went for 3 attempted ablations. ( long story)

    I understand why you are asking that question though.

    Its like of you are taking a med that is helping, then possibly the monitor will not pick up the problem.

    If you think you have SVT, the best thing to do is when you are having an episode, go to the Er, and get them to do an ekg. That was you can have it documented.

    Mine started feb 2016. i was so very lucky to get an ekg on the second episode that happened 2 weeks later..

    SVT sucks!!!!!

    • Posted

      hi,

      thank you for replying! ok i will do that. How were your ablation experiences & did they fix the problem?

      Also may i ask how fast your heart was beating whilst in svt?

    • Edited

      Mine is usually 14-160 bpm, but usually its around 140.

      I was told that AT has a lower bpm where other types like AVNRT have mush higher rates.

      Yesterday I had an episode that last 4 1/2 hours.

      I did everything I knew to get it to stop.......and many times with each maneuver.

      After 3 hours, I start getting anxious.

      Especially when I have tried everything I know.

      Finally I ate a piece of toast without chewing and just swallowing a piece whole and that seemed to stop it.

      Normally a modified valsalva maneauver is my ticket but not this time.

      I just keep doing things until I get it to stop.

      After episodes that long, I am extremely exhausted and pee like race horse.

      I have gone for 3 attempted ablations, but never ablated. Its a really long story...

      My last attempt was the worst day of my life, and I swore I will never do that again.

    • Posted

      I can understand the panic whilst its happening, its horrible.

      I am sorry to hear that the ablations didn't work, have you tried a beta blocker to see if that helps?

      The heart rates are very interesting though, I didn't know about the difference!

    • Posted

      When I started having tachy in 2016, I did go on a beta blocker.

      But when I went for my first attempted ablation, I was told to just stop the beta blocker 5 days prior to procedure. I asked if stopping abruptly would be okay, and was assured it would be.

      WELL, it was not. I went through extreme withdrawal.

      Never again!!!!!!!.

      I am on a calcium channel blocker, but it does nothing for my episodes

    • Posted

      I can't imagine having to stop it for a day let alone 5 days cold turkey. It must have been so uncomfortable!

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