Odd symptoms alongside svt...
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi,
i hope everyone had a lovely Christmas.
im a 21 year old male and I've been experiencing what i assume is some form of SVT episodes. its not panic attacks ive had plenty of them before, it usually starts through an ectopic beats and ends with one too suddenly. instant rapid pulse.
(currently trying to diagnose with cardiologist)
i captured my highest heart rate at approx 230bpm with a regular rhythm but usually between 180-210 bpm if im relaxed when it happens. theres a few things i would like to discus with people who have svt and see if they can relate. btw my episodes range from 20 seconds up to about 5-10 minutes (usually 2 minutes)
i cant lie on my right side in bed without getting a fast run of ectopics, sometimes this can set off an episode. I've also found that i can terminate my svt episode by just simply lying on my right hand side for maybe 10 seconds and bam my heart will stop for a split second and drop back to normal speed and rhythm it seems to be a really good way to end the episodes for me i wondered if anyone else had a similar situation. id imagine this is bc it stimulates the vagas nerve .
if i have had bag indigestion (not pain just lump in throat /chest feeling ) i get s odd feeling like theres something in my upper abdomen pressing something weird. and if i take a high deep breath its uncomfortable and guess what.... causes lots of lots of ectopics which sometimes sets of an episode of svt for me. oh yeah and its much worse when standing up (feels tight from throat down to tummy ). this sensation usually lasts 3-4 days which results in many svt episodes per day during that period then once its gone i rarely get and episode. wondering id this is to do with irritation if the stomach/esophagus/vagas nerve ?
do people with anxiety and/or svt /arrythmias have "palpatations" (heart besting normal speed /rhythm) all day long. i seem to be permanently aware of my heart beat as it feel like it contracts hard(chest bounces a bit most the time ). ESPECIALLY after eating, if i est a meal im done for. couple hours, fast heart rate with strong pulse, fatigue , breathlessness . but with empty stomach (ie morning ) im absolutely fine .
i was hoping people can share there experiences on this topic and shed some light.
Any input is very much appreciated.
Matt
0 likes, 8 replies
jimjames matthew83766
Posted
Hi Matt,
I've had recurrent SVT's, including mostly aflutter now, going on two years. I will try your tip of lying on my
right side to terminate although a little awkward in the supermarket lol
If you haven't already, you might want to invest in either a Kardia Mobile or the newer Kardia 6 lead. Or alternatively,
the Apple Watch 5. Each of them will give you an instant ecg at the time of the attack, that you can later save
and send to your cardiologist which will be helpful with diagnosis. It will also help you better define the irregular beats you have, which I also have. I've been using the Kardia products, but just got the Apple 5 Watch, and it seems to work just about as good.
As to the feeling of indigestion -- lump, etc -- it sounds a lot like GERD, a kind of chronic heartburn/reflux. Antacids might help, but you could try experimenting with H2 antagonist/s like over the counter Pepid AC or rx PPI's (PPI's are stronger) to see if they will help the GERD. And if the GERD is a trigger for the SVT's, it might help them as well.
Also, if your overweight, some studies suggest that simply losing weight can stop or significantly diminish SVT episodes. And overweight doesn't mean "fat". Most of us can benefit from losing 10% of our weight, but of course check with your doctor. If could be the single most important thing you can do can do to help avoid these attacks. A sleep study also might be in order to check for sleep apnea, another trigger. Lastly, food and diet can be a trigger and I have experimented with the FODMAP diet. Some say it helps, I'm not totally convinced but it might. Also eating smaller meals.
You seem to have a good system to terminate the attacks, but the valsalva manuever, and now the newer modified valsalva manuever can be very helpful. You can google both of them but would want to watch a video on the modified valsalva. Should be on YouTube.
Hopefully, this is temporary, but at some point you might want to be referred to an EP. Cardiologists can only take you so far in this.
Good luck.
Jim
matthew83766 jimjames
Posted
Hi jim,
thank you for the reply. its funny you say that i had to curl up in the mud on Christmas eve to get it to go lol 😂 i will look into the kardia or similar. i have tried a ppi once it it certainly helped on the day. i do alos have anxiety gives me stomach cramps, i heard anxiety can make stomach produce more acid to which probably doesn't help.
about weight thats certainly not an issue if anything I'm underweight, 6ft 3 and about 11 stone.
i will definitely look into the other tips you have mentioned.
with
when you first started getting svt episodes did it give you severe anxiety as i had a couple not knowing what they are thinking i was genuinely gunna die. what im asking is, does it get easier to deal with mentally ?
tom220 matthew83766
Posted
Hi Matt. I can certainly relate to what you are saying. STV is definitely set off by PAC or in my case a run of PACs. I have been dealing with heart rythym issues for over 50 years. I have had 2 ablation surgeries. The first eliminated the Afib. The second was for PACs and SVT. It has definitely helped but I still have to be careful about what I eat and how I sleep. I have sleep apnea and since I use a CPAP that has decreased heart problems greatly. I also have to sleep sitting in a recliner. Eliminate all caffeine and stimulants and eat only small meals especially on the evening. Stay hydrated and consider taking magnesium supplements. I take 50 mg Flecainide twice a day and it really has helped, before and after the ablation which was last August. If you haven't already done so, find and consult an electrophysiologist. Praying and asking God for peace and guidance will help regardless.
matthew83766 tom220
Posted
Hi Tom,
do you have a structurally sound heart or not?
i am meant to be having a echo of my heart in jan to see if theres anything else going on.
regarding your PAC's, can you feel the difference between PAC's or PVC's. as whatever i get they are very hard skipped beats where you feel pressure build up in your body for a second. i have had ectopics when they've felt weaker but usually they are the once that give you a hard thump suddenly.
with your ectopics do you find when you get angry/excited/frustrated they get worse?
i did used to take beta blockers (officially for anxiety) but dont at the moment (probably the reason it came back) if i feel rough or feel like they might come on i will take them they are only 10mg propranolol which works brilliantly i just dont like constantly taking them.
yeah i pray for something to change as its taken over my life the last year.
tom220 matthew83766
Posted
Yes my heart is structurally sound to the point I passed a stress test last June and was approved to have a second ablation and to be able to take Flecainide. Despite having a "sound" heart structure I was still having episodes of SVT and multiple skipped beats. The day that I wore the holter monitor ot recorded 24,700 eptopic beats... most were PACs but some were pvcs but not a lot. I had multiple runs of PACs....biegemy triegemy and so on along with episodes of SVT. No I can't yell the difference between PACs and PVCs. I can definitely feel the arrythmia when it occurs but since the ablation 6 months ago symptoms have greatly decreased...PTL. Emotions and especially stress arr a trigger as is overeating. Digestion also effects the heart due to the vagus nerve response so I avoid gassy foods, caffeine, and foods with a lot of additives like msg and nitrates. I also avoid gluten which I seem to also be sensitive to. I was on beta blockers for about 40 years until just a week ago when I backed myself off of Metoprolol Succinate anf my heart is doing good just with the Flecainide. The echo cardiogram will let you know about the structure of the heart and will be the next step in the recovery process. Don't get too discouraged. I too have been a little depressed over the years dealing with arrythmia but technology has advanced to where there are corrective proceedures available. The episodes can be scary but it is amazing how erratic the heart can beat and still keep the body supplied with blood.
matthew83766 tom220
Posted
Hi Tom,
wow thats a lot of ectopics! and can you actually feel each of them pacs or is it the holter monitor picking up slight ectopics where there impossible to actually feel?
yes i have linked that my heart goes funny if i eat processed red met like a meat dominoes pizza, they really make me ill so i try to avoid now.
okay i have notice people do seem to struggle as i thought i was loosing my mind. my doctor as telling me this is ALL anxiety and to just take some tablets hut it didnt go away.
yes thank god there are procedures that can cure this inconvenience.
yes your right I've come to realize just how strong the heart really is..
thanks
penny97720 matthew83766
Posted
hi matthew, i've had svt 19 years. was mild at the start but it deteriorated 2 years ago was running 5-15 hours having adenosine daily now i'm on metoprolol tartate 25mg twice daily and its controlled the nasty episodes. i still get them but most of them just running just a few minutes and stays between 120bpm-140bpm. svt is not dangerous but the heart racing over time can wear it out. svt over the years gets worse but you don't want your heart rate going at over 200bpm. I would request a medication for it its helped me and I had a severe case of svt. in regard to the ablation its not 100% successful and has been known to come back, thats why I'm sticking with the meds
matthew83766 penny97720
Posted
Hi Penny, damn that definitely sounds nasty im sorry to hear that. how are you dealing with SVT 19 years later mentally? as im hoping this doesnt stay but from what ive read it might like you said.
it may be worth mentioning i recorded a bpm of 230 whilst i was panicking which makes it a lot worse, usually during the episode is 170-190bpm anything below and it reverts back to normal rhythm.
im gunna wait to speak to cardiologist and make a decision .
thanks