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New SVT Patient

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ruth64390
ruth64390

Hello, I am a 28yr old female recently diagnosed with SVT. I'm new with the diagnosis and am trying to get as much information as I can. I had an SVT episode but my heart rate was no more than 160 at rest. It felt very scary. Since then I did fell in a bit of a depression and lost 10lbs in a week. I couldn't eat or sleep at the thought of having something seriously wrong with my heart. I f/u with my PCP and he said He believes I'm ok. He put me on a 24hr heart halter. He then said I had multiple Tachycardic events and was referred to Cardiology. I Recently saw my Cardiologyst and He did confirmed the SVT diagnosis along with PVC. Since I've had a Echocardiogram and am scheduled for a Stress Test thus Wednesday. Learning more about SVT and understanding that is not life threatening has eased my emotions and I can honestly say I am no longer depressed 😊 Thank the Lord for hus strength. Now my question to you guys all is the following. I haven't had a "SVT" episode again however I have noticed that my Heart Rate stays in the 90's or 120's with my every day life activities. My heart rate does not go lower than 83bpm. Is this normal with SVT to have a faster heart rate than most while not having a SVT attack? Please advise. Thank you all for your time and help.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • sarah06516
    sarah06516 ruth64390

    Posted

    Hi Ruth, I am 30 years old and was diagnosed with SVT at around 11yrs old. As long as I can remember, my resting heart rate has always been around 100. I don't know about anyone else but I can only assume this is because of the condition. I hope for ur sake that ur SVT eps stay around 160bpm, mine are usually no less than 220. It's a difficult thing to accept but I hope it's not too bad for you!
    • ruth64390
      ruth64390 sarah06516

      Posted

      Hello Sarah. Thank you so much for your reply it is truly appreciated. I did have a brief heart rate of 203bpm while I had my first episode and was being monitor at the Emergency Room. I say brief because while being monitor I looked over at my heart rate on the monitor and it said 203 but I didn't feel it at all. The nurse that was with me looked confused grabbed my arm and checked my pulse right away and then I looked over again and it was in the 160's again. It was like for 5 seconds. Ever since I've never had it again. This was back in February 2016. Do you take Beta Blockers? Have they helped with tour pulse. My Cardiologyst told me He wants to treat me without meds because of my age and because my husband and I want to plan to have children. He said if need be he would put in Metropolol 50mg. After my stress test I'm due to meet with my Cardiologyst for a final discussion and plan. I ask if the beta blockers helped because at this preaent moment I'm afraid to exercise or do to many things at a fast paste in fears of triggering a SVT attack. Lastly since you where diagnosed as such a young age did it or does it affect your daily day to day? Can you travel in air planes, cruise, or do Rollercoasters etc? Sorry for so many questions. Thanks again for your time and help.
    • sarah06516
      sarah06516 ruth64390

      Posted

      Don't be sorry, ask as many questions as you need to. I wish I had someone to explain this all to me many years ago. I never used beta blockers before but when I was pregnant with my first child in 2011 I was put on them after a severe attack which resulted in the adenosine shot in the ER to restart the heart. I then weaned myself off them after the birth and went back on them when I was pregnant with my second child in 2013. I weaned off them again after that birth but restarted them last week due to 2 bad episodes in the last few months. I haven't really noticed any difference, I still feel like my heart rate is around the same. The only thing I noticed was I've only had one episode during the times I've been on them and it was mild enough that I was able to stop it myself within a minute or so. It didn't affect me too much when I was younger, I did have longer episodes back then (around 2 hours) but were less severe but now they are much shorter but a lot worse. When I was a teenager I would really only get them during exercise (mainly swimming) and I didn't worry too much about it. But now it controls my life. It causes me anxiety and depression and I am too scared to exercise which isn't ideal for my health especially after 2 pregnancies. Im not a rollercoaster person lol so I can't comment on that but I have been on a plane many times and haven't had an issue so far (touch wood). The main thing that triggers my episodes lately is sudden movements like bending down too quickly or stretching out my arm to reach for something. I was told that the condition will get worse as I get older and after 20 years of it I've finally decided to discuss an ablation with my cardiologist.
  • geoff10274
    geoff10274 ruth64390

    Posted

    Hello Ruth,  I am 70 this year, and six years ago I developed svt when my heart rate would go to 160. I had no idea what it was, soone day when it happened I just walked through my doctor's surgery to the ecg machine and demanded an ecg and it was then diagnosed.  Mine only ever started when at complete rest and never when I played sport which I played regularly and still do.  I had various tests on my heart and I was assured it was strong.  I was put on a low dose of beta blocker and low dose aspirin although later my specialist informed me I did not need the aspirin.  Everyone is different, so the tests are very important.  I had AVNRT otherwise an echocardiogram showed my heart as normal.  The svt was interfering with my life so volunteered to have an ablation which I had fifteen months ago and since I have been free of svt touch wood.  My advice is to have all your tests, have trust in your physiologist and if he suggests an ablation is suitable for you then go for it.  I would do it again if circumstances changed and the ablation was not as bad as many people think it is. 
  • GrahamB
    GrahamB ruth64390

    Posted

    Hi Ruth , your normal bpm of 83 is nothing to worry about. As you may have  guessed,  it may be due to the condition and more specifically due to ectopic beats, which will often be prominent with SVT sufferers, and help to trigger SVT. Ectopic beats can throw in up to another 10 beats a minute. 
  • ciaran33745
    ciaran33745 ruth64390

    Posted

    Ruth, you have been given sound advice already here so I have little to add except to agree with Geoff about the ablation. I too had one about four years ago and have not had a single SVT episode since. Unfortunately, not everyone is suitable for an ablation but if your specialist says you are then go for it. The procedure is over before you know it and it is truly life-changing. Best of luck!
  • mary90
    mary90 ruth64390

    Posted

    Hi Ruth,  I can only speak for myself but my resting heart rate is around 60 - 62 bpm so quite low.  However it soars to over 200 within a few seconds of having an attack of SVT.

    Mine started over 20 years ago, while I was in my 30s, and to begin with I had them only one  every couple of years - so I just put them down to  "funny turns".  However over the years they became more frequent and I was fitted with various monitors but never managed to catch an espisode until about a year ago when I was given a monitor to take away and use as and when.  I was then diagnosed with SVT.  My attacks now occur quite randomly - sometimes not for several months and then twice in the same week.  Last November I underwent an attempted ablation, but it was unsuccessful as they were unable to trigger the SVT during the procedure.  The cardiologist is going to have another go soon and says that if he is unable to trigger the symptoms this time he will carry out a kind of educated guess ablation and will hopefully zap the right area.   The alternative is a lifetime on beta blockers - which I really don't want!!  Good luck to you for the future.

  • pinkcatfairy
    pinkcatfairy ruth64390

    Posted

    Dear Ruth

    My 21 year old son was diagnosed with svt . He had a loop recorder fitted in the end which picked up the attacks. Im not sure of what his pulse rate is in general but i believe it is faster than normal at times. He has attacks few and far between, they did try cathetar ablation but was unsuccessful in treating him this way. He has beta blockers i believe to have if he feels an attack coming on but he doesnt like to take them if he can help it because he says it makes him drosy.. He does go to tge gym and flys too so it hasnt stopped him doing things.

  • ruth64390
    ruth64390

    Posted

    Thank you all so much for your time and reassuring

    Replies. I'm so new at this and still learning whats normal and whats not. But you all make me feel so much better. I don't really want to do the beta blockers because I have read the side effects and am just not looking forward to that but we will see what my Cardiologyst tells me after my stress test. I was discussing the ablation with my husband and did told him that if it is a option for my specific case I will surely go for it. I work in the medical field and the Dr's I work with know of my condition now and they also have told me that ablation is best. They said it beats living off of pills. Thank you all again. Best of luck to us all 😊

  • brandi6481
    brandi6481 ruth64390

    Posted

    Hi My name is Brandi . I am 34 years old . I started having SVTs 13 years ago with my last pregnancy . It wasn't until after I finished RN school in 2014 that they became a daily or every other day issue . I ended up in the hospital for 5 days while they ran test . Along with my SVT I would have red hands and feet and they would be sweaty .my cardiologist put me on a beta blocker . I am now on my third one due to side effects . I am numbed he never suggested ablation and I am going for a second opinion once my insurance kicks in next month. I do however workout daily and eat right . I do some pretty long work outs . It took forever to be able to do them as I was so afraid . My goal to keep my resting heart rate lower . I have not had an attack in several months . I did a diary or what I was eating or doing when they happened . It seems different foods trigger mine . I can not have any caffeine , liquor or lemons . I do not eat Chinese or oriental food all triggers . I eat whole foods I prepare .the diary really helped .i am going to see about an ablation to be able to get off the beta blockers . They have changed my life and I want to fee like me again . The fear doesn't really go away but I live and I know how to get out of an attack on my own now . I drink water all day keep hydrated that really helps . It's life changing but you can do a lot . I travel and only had problems on the mountains in Arizona it's a hit or miss kind of thing so live your life and find out how you can control yours . Ice water to the face when one happened helped also baring down helps . Good luck to you .
  • poppy08416
    poppy08416 ruth64390

    Posted

    It's normal for your heart rate to be elevated during activities.  Stop measuring it.  SVT is not dangerous.  Your resting heart rate has nothing to do with SVT.  Your heart is normal when it's not in SVT.   If you want a slower heart rate you will have to get fit like anyone else!
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