Posted , 62 users are following.
Does anyone else worry about their SVT or do you just accept it as a harmless nuisance. I can't stop worrying about getting another attack, how do you accept it and live a normal life again?
4 likes, 139 replies
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eli17162 toffeecushion
Posted
It was very difficult when I was diagnosed with svt. I've only had 1 after extreme exercise since being on 50 mg metoprolol. My advice to you is this: find a good med that you can tolerate and control it that way. Yes, there are some side effects but small in comparison to the fear of an svt or bad ablation imo. Good luck!
penny97720 eli17162
Posted
i'm on metoprolol 25mg twice daily, had no svt in 6 days...yippee. the down side is side effects. but the choice is metoprolol or adenosine an easy choice to make!
leedsdee penny97720
Posted
penny97720 leedsdee
Posted
I'm seeing a cardiologist on march 27, unable to get an appointment til then. had the adenosine twice in 2 weeks hospital didn't want to give it to me anymore so they got me started on metoprolol which is working
leedsdee penny97720
Posted
agy26775 leedsdee
Posted
Hi! How was your ablation? I'm thinking of having it, but I'm only 20 and scared of any potential complications. Would you have had it at 20? What age were you when your SVT started and how long did it take you to decide on ablation? Thanks!!!
leedsdee agy26775
Posted
Hiya agy, I had SVT for near on 20 years but only diagnosed in the last 4 years up until then I could control them but the last 4 years I would end up at A&E having to have adenosine ...like you I was a little apprehensive about having the ablation but it was interfering so much in my life I agreed to have it done .I would do it all again in a heartbeat no pun intended, and I would say go ahead and have the ablation, , it’s nothing really I couldn’t believe how simple and quick it was, in fact, its more painful going to the dentist, I can honestly say I felt nothing and chances of any complications are so very low , I would have had it done at any age the younger the better if like me they got worse as I grew older , the reason it took me so long to decide I naively thought medication would stop them so after years of different meds nothing helped and I was sick of the side effects that's when I decided..hope that helps if you'd like to know anymore I'm right here .
agy26775 toffeecushion
Posted
Frankly, the uncertainty of SVT scares the hell out of me. But I've lived with it since I was 10 years old.
I've learned a few strategies. The best strategy by far is one I "invented" (though I am sure someone else has thought of it, too). It helps me immensely:
Generally, I never allow SVT to occupy more than 1% of my mind. 1% of my worries. 1% of my life. 1% of my thoughts. That's it. That's all the air-time it gets.
This "1%"-thinking helps me to put my thoughts into place. Sure, I think about SVT or the possibility of getting another attack from time to time, but these thoughts only ever get 1% of my mind. This way, I am content with my life, whilst also being aware that, occasionally, I might suffer from an SVT attack or find myself thinking about it.
You can increase the percentage, up to 2 or 3%, but I find that 1% works best for me!
Perhaps, during bouts of increased SVT, you could say you are allowed to think of it 5% of the time. That's completely normal. There are occasional days when I have an SVT attack, and it's hard to think about anything else. But even then, I try to reduce how much I think about it. I don't block it out, for I believe that's unhealthy, but I set realistic boundaries on myself. Participating in these forums is a two-edged sword; try to get the best you can from it, but don't hang around too much. Whenever you can, try to forget you have SVT in the first place. I know it sounds hard, even comical, to forget about one's own SVT, but trust me, there are times when I completely forget about having it. That is because I am present in the moment, I try to have fun and spend time with good people, and I never give SVT more than 1% of my mind.
So, for when you are able, please consider allotting only 1% of your mind to SVT.
It's amazing how much it helps.
Also, please remind yourself that despite SVT being uncomfortable, it WILL NOT KILL YOU. Whenever you get an SVT episode, remind yourself that there is a higher chance of you being crushed by a grand piano falling through the ceiling, and then you being hit by a lightning, and then you winning the lottery, than there is a chance of you dying.
Also, open up about SVT to people you trust. You might find that this eases the pressure. I've only told a few people about my SVT, but I am already more comfortable around those people. At least just being by telling them you have a heart condition which may sometimes cause you to suddenly have to lie down/take a rest/go to the emergency room. Explain to them that this is normal for your condition and they have no need to be scared, but that their understanding is important to you.
Best of luck, give it 1% of your mind, share with others, and, most importantly, be happy!
barbara82174 agy26775
Posted
Hi Agy, What are your strategies besides not letting your SVT occupy more than 1% of your mind, worries...etc? I, too, have had SVT since the age of 10. I am now 65 yrs. old. I've had this a very long time. I try not to think about it, but, of course, in the back of my mind, I know I will once again have another attack at some point. I now have my husband lift my legs in the air, straight up, as I hold my breath and push, or do some deep breathing. If he's not at home, I scoot myself up against the wall and put my legs up as far as I can. After a few minutes my heart rate usually returns to normal. Another thing that helps is submerging my face into a sink full of ice and ice cold water.This may take 3 or 4 times before I have any success. Sometimes the SVT is very stubborn and off to the ER I go for the dreaded adenosine. I'm eager to hear about the strategies that work for you. Thanks
agy26775 barbara82174
Posted
Hi Barbara!
I hope I can help you a bit. It's interesting that during my very first episodes of SVT some ten years ago, I instinctively lay down on the floor and put my feet up. It happened on a boat ride in the North Atlantic, five hours from the nearest hospital, probably the worst place to get it haha. Thankfully, my lying down, first on the boat and then on the dock, stopped the attack. I wonder if it's some kind of animal instinct we have! Oftentimes, laying down and breathing slowly was enough to stop the attack, although it usually took around 10 minutes to stop. Sometimes I would lie down, then feel uncomfortable in that place, so I'd move to another room and lie down, until finally it stopped. Now I am using Beta Blockers and Calcium Channel Blockers, so my attacks are less frequent, yet more severe, so I usually end up going to the emergency room. The last time I went, the doctors were hooking me up to the Adenosine, and just before they administered it, my heart converted by itself. I was so relieved. It was probably because the cardiologist had given me a carotid artery massage. I was very surprised that it seemed to work. I'm now going to learn to a proper carotid massage at home!
Anyway, other strategies... when I was younger and I used to lie down with my feet up, and this might sound quite gross, I used to stick my index fingers in my ears. It created some kind of pressure in my head, and I felt like it helped with stopping the attack. Or maybe because I couldn't hear anything, I was able to focus more on stopping the attack. When I have an attack, the outside world becomes terribly overstimulating. I usually close my eyes, too. It helps me to "remove myself" from the situation as much as I can, although, at the same time, I am more focused on the SVT.
When I'm cleaning my teeth, I've noticed that mouthwash containing alcohol always causes my heart to "jump" a bit. It's not an unpleasant sensation, but it's very palpable. It's probably due to the alcohol. I haven't tried this strategy yet, but I read that someone on these forums said that he always uses rubbing alcohol under his nose to stop an SVT attack. There seems to be something in strong alcohol that makes his heart "jump". And for this man on these forums, alcohol provides the right "jump" back to a normal rhythm. Next time I get an SVT attack, I am sure to try either using mouthwash or putting rubbing alcohol under my nose, to see if the "jump" I get from it will revert my heart to normal rhythm. Whatever works!
Magnesium is probably the most effective in reducing and preventing my SVT attacks. I use the powder from a brand called Natural Vitality. I mix a lot into hot water, about three tablespoons, which is a super dose. But it works. It slows down the muscles. And the heart is a muscle. It can make you drowsy, but it definitely works for me. Even when I had my most severe SVT, a cup of magnesium in hot water really helped to make me feel calmer and more at ease. You make it like a tea. Though my heart was beating in SVT rhythm, it still felt calmer. And that really helps.
By the way, I find that there's not many of us who've had SVT since childhood. Being 10 years, I had no idea what was going on with me. I'm interested in knowing how you felt when it first happened, and what your parents/guardians might have done to help it? In my case, my mother was completely ignorant as to what was going on. She once attempted to take me to a cardiologist, but for some reason I refused to go in. Silly me - had I been treated for SVT at that age, perhaps had an ablation, my quality of life would have increased substantially. It caused me such fear and anxiety, and I had no one to talk to about it. Not until now, really!
Did it affect you a lot growing up?
barbara82174 agy26775
Posted
Hi Agy,
? Thanks so much for the reply. Lots of wonderful info. Next time I will definitely give the 'alcohol under the nose' a shot. I'd never heard that one before!! If it works, that would be an easy fix for me. I guess I can even carry a small bottle wherever I go. lol As a child, i would run into the house and tell my mom there was something jumping in my chest. After a while, she would take my pulse and realized it was my heart that was racing. She took me to several drs., GP's and cardiologists. They all said it was anxiety. I never cared for drs, and the office visit would scare the heck out of me as a child, so, therefore, I was always very flushed and anxious and they blamed it on that. I have the 'white coat syndrome'. Not good, especially when you have SVT. It only makes the heart race even faster. I'm a mess!
It was not until maybe 10 years ago that I was actually diagnosed with SVT. They finally caught it on the EKG. It didn't really affect me much in my younger years. As a child, adolescent, young adult...etc., my attacks always went away on their own. I even had an attack when I was 9 months pregnant with my daughter. It finally went away after about 30 minutes. I was petrified that it would hurt the baby, but it did not. It wasn't until a few years ago that the attacks became very stubborn and nothing would convert except for the adenosine in a few instances. I've had the adenosine about four different times now. It's just horrible, as everyone in this forum already knows! I've never been a smoker, so I cannot attest to the SVT stopping without any nicotine, as Cheryl below has experienced. I'm happy for her! I carry a straw in my purse at all times. Blowing through the straw really hard helps me to convert occasionally. I'll try anything!! Once again, I will try to only allow the SVT to take up 10% of my brain space. I've done pretty good all these years. I refuse to let it take over my life. My husband and I have traveled the world extensively. I will not let it stop me from living. Thanks again. 
cheryl84115 toffeecushion
Posted
Since my original post to this thread some interesting things have happened. A brief reflection. I have SVT and have done since the age of 14. I was then diagnose as having panic attacks. My next 'attack' was in my 20's while pregnant then 2 more followed in my 20's then as if by magic, nothing. No SVT for over 20 years. I had 1 SVT in my 40's. All of these were self controlled. Remember, I had 'panic attacks'. About a year ago I decided to quit smoking and vape. I was at work, on my computer and felt my heart go funny and next thing I know, I''m on the floor unconscious. When I awoke, aside from being embarrassed, bruised and scratched I was good. I immediately went to see my P who said I'd had a panic attack. I shouted and said, 'These are NOT panic attacks!!!' I was sent for all the usual heart tests which all came back normal further convincing the GP of Panic attacks. You can read my initial post to see what happened next and next and next.....I saw a Cardiologist who also said I was having Panic attacks until I slammed down my recorded heart rhythms from my worst SVT 265bpm!!!!!! The Cardio looked at me and said, you've got SVT!!!!!!!!! Finally, vindication!!! I digress, prior to the Cardio, my GP put me on the usual heart meds that people here talk about however, the Cardio said stop taking those as they do nothing for SVT, nothing. The node in the heart has an electrical short and no tablet can fix that. I slowly stopped those meds. As my SVT's were severe and often he scheduled me for an ablation. I mean the Adnesone by itself was a cause for ablation. I detest that drug!!!! Fast forward 8 or so months later. I didn't have the ablation as I decided against it. I began to make a connection about my SVT and it all went haywire when I quit smoking and began vaping!!!!!!!! I stopped vaping immediately and since, no SVT. Is it a coincidence? Who knows but what I do know is stopping the vape has had a positive impact. I continue to have flutters and feel my heart either drop out, miss a beat or speed up but no full on SVT's...I'm sure it's lying in wait....I use a plastic syringe in SVT and blow into it as hard as I can. It makes me see stars but after 3 or 4 times, my heart returns to normal rhythm. It's not 100% successful but I never go anywhere without it, ever!!!
SVT is quite common in children but is rarely diagnosed as such. I'm grateful for the SVT free days as I'm sure all of you are too.
cheryl84115 toffeecushion
Posted
CieraBlue toffeecushion
Posted
I am 35. I’ve had SVT since I was 14 but not diagnosed until 21. You can’t be diagnosed unlsss you get to the ER before it stops so they can get it on monitor. For the longest time my SVT would stop before I could get there. Finally on that magical day I got to the ER in time. Yep. SVT. I had an ablation when I was 24. I went into SVT the night I got home from the procedure. Total failure. I don’t take any medication. It gives me anxiety. I have pretty frequent episodes but I’ve become almost an expert at converting myself so I don’t have to have the good old adenosine push. Here are the things that work to convert me. I know there are plenty of ways to do it but this is what I do. When it starts if I lay down flat quickly it stops in about 15 seconds. If I can’t lay down right away laying down will no longer convert me. Baring down like Im having the most incredible bowel movement has worked for me several times. Basically the same things that send you into SVT are the same movements that get you out of it. Throwing up, bending over and standing up quickly, coughing, jumping etc. my last line of defense (this is the most awkward if you’re out in public) is hysterically crying. I know that sounds bizarre but when you start to sob loudly and make that sobbing feeling in your chest it converts you also. This has worked for me 3 out of the last 4 times I’ve gone into svt. I found it out when I was at the ER because I couldn’t convert and they were getting the adenosine prepared. I HATE THAT CRAP! So I started bawling like a baby because I was scared of the adenosine and upset I couldn’t convert myself. About 30 seconds into my tempurtantrum/pity party I converted. 🙌?? I wasn’t sure if it was the crying or I just came out of it so I tried it again the next time. Same results. Three times so far when my other “tricks” have failed crying has worked. I know it’s not ideal especially if you’re out in public but hey, I would rather make a fool of myself than have adenosine. I’m undecided if I want to try another ablation. I have “surgery” anxiety after my last one and walked out of the OR twice when I tried again. I don’t take any medications to manage I just do the best I can. I’m not as scared of it anymore like I used to be. I don’t have WPW or any form of SVT that can kill you, it’s just a massive inconvenience. I hope this helps anyone that reads it! Good luck and don’t worry! It won’t kill you. Just scare and annoy you and most likely happen at the most inconvenient times.
penny97720 CieraBlue
Posted