Recently Diagnosed with SVT - I need your advice!
Posted , 14 users are following.
Hello,
In late September of 2018, I was diagnosed with SVT. If I could receive your advice and experiences, that would be truly appreciated.
Background:
I am 30 Years old. I am a designer by trade. I sometimes get health Anxiety. I do not drink or smoke. I am quite thin, 130 lb, 5'10. I exercise about 6 days of the week - Body weight Work Outs + Light Cardio. I was always a night owl; I liked staying up late and sleeping in - not the healthiest of life style choices. I was the type of person who is very productive late at night. In college I pulled many "all-nighters " with no side effects. However, about 9 months ago, I started to experience palpitations and light headedness from sleep deprivation, but the symptoms would only last for minutes, then vanish for the entire day. From then on, I changed my sleeping patterns.
September 2018
In late August I went on an arduous traveling expedition, which required very little sleep and a lot of physical exertion. The thought of me getting very little sleep triggered some anxiety that I would experience these palpitations, lo and behold, the palpitation returned and also hypnagogic jerks when I would try to go to sleep the next day. I decided to go to a Cardiologist immediately upon my return.
Cardiologist Tests
I did a sleuth of tests (ECG, 48 Hour Holter, Stress Test, and Echocardiogram). They caught SVT on the holter monitor, it said I experienced 62 episode of SVT in 48 hours. with traces of Sinus Arrhythmia. The highest heart beat was 132 bpm for 14 beats - not that long at all. However, I did NOT feel anything! No rapid heart beat, no pain, no discomfort, no tightness in chest - Nothing. The Cardiologist prescribed Diltiazem at a low dose, 15 mg. Personally, I stay away from any and all types of medication unless I truly need it. I have rarely taken this medication.
Your Advice
After seeing the tests, it has given me slight health anxiety over my heart. I am always checking my heart rate, I get nervous if my RHR is constantly at 90 (vs my typical 67 - 70), which in turn increases the RHR. My Blood Pressure is always low, almost too low; my blood pressure always averages around 98/67 to 105/70 - which ironically prohibits me from taking a calcium channel blocker since my BP is low. I sometimes get nervous going very distant places or exercising too intensely. I just want my life back. I am being too anxious about this, I know I shouldn't. I don't want to take anxiety medication, My Cardiologist briefly explained SVT to me, but she wasn't reassuring - most likely due to the fact that she has other patients that have more severe heart conditions and can't sit down and talk to me for a pro-long period. I am going to have a phone call with my cardiologist next week with the questions below, but I would like to get your advice.
*
What has been your experience when you first knew you had SVT and Moving Forward? *
Did you get or do you get Anxiety when your heart rate increases? If you get anxiety, how have you combated that feeling?
How often do you monitor your heart rate?
What device do you find best at monitoring your heart rate (FitBit, Garmin)
Do you go by feeling or by heart rate when determining if you have an episode.
What has been your longest episode.
When do you decide to go to the ED.
Which valsalva maneuver works best for you?
What do you do if you notice that your RHR is more on the high normal spectrum (e.g. 80-90 bpm vs 60 - 70 bpm)
What do you do when you're sick, For example, I had a cold and fever yesterday, my RHR was 90bpm the entire day most likely due to the fever, however, I was quite lethargic that entire day, which concerned me.
Have any of you naturally reversed and greatly limited your SVT due to life style changes? If so, what did you change?
Do you take medication? If so, how often?
Again, I think you all for taking the time to read this. I know there are people out there who have more debilitating conditions and I should call my self lucky that it's not as sever as it could be.
0 likes, 23 replies
dominika90457 SamBaqi
Posted
Hi,
SVT starts with more than 150 bpm, if your highest heart beat was 132 then it's "just" tachycardia.
annie56356 dominika90457
Posted
SVT is defined by the rhythm of the heart and not the rate. I frequently get SVT of as low as 120 - 130 bpm in the early morning when I'm in bed, especially if I take a metroprolol when it starts.
However the feeling, the jackhammer in the chest, pulsation in the neck, symptoms of poor cardiac output ie getting breathless walking across the room is present and it will continue non stop for hours unless I do something to stop it.
rick36911 annie56356
Posted
Try taking your meds when you go to bed, unless you have stomach problems. 41 years as a healthcare profession I never go much by definitions. SVT without atrial fib is the ventricle heart beating at a fast bpm. My first one was clocked at over 250 bpm. The last three was 184 bpm. When the heart beasts real fast the chambers of the heart can't fill with oxygenated blood fast enough. Everything is a circle, in time and in space. Thereby causing shortness of breath. Now medical science says without an atrial fib component with your SVT, no worries. Written by docs that never experienced SVTs. My SPO2 dropped to 93% before I got my load of drugs. Thereafter my SPO2 jumped to 98%. ;I was not given 02. Any SPO2 below 88% and one starts to get into trouble. That is depending on the person. Some COPD patients do well with a lower SPO2. Some CO2 retainers, given too much 02 can knock out their drive to breath causing death. Everyone is different. No one is like the next person. That is why a good doc will take the time to get to know their patients. There are many more bad docs than good.
annie56356 rick36911
Posted
25 years as a health professional here and my Cardiologist has been one for longer than either of us. I've had SVT for almost 35 years and I'm pretty sure he knows me.
I believe him when he reads my resting ECG at 125 bpm and confirms that the wave form indicates SVT and not sinus tachycardia. The difference is that the conduction pathway is different and is dysfunctional, therefore leading to poor cardiac output (any healthy heart can manage to fill its chambers at 125bpm in sinus rhythm). I also believe the way I feel because it's not how I feel when my heart is in sinus rhythm. It's a milder form of how I feel when my heart is in SVT at 210 bpm but either way it usually remains until I've converted out of it in one way or another.
My heart at 125bpm in sinus tachycardia works just fine. I've run for kms and felt very well.
Definitions are vital to understand the difference between a tachycardic sinus rhythm and a dysfunctional supraventricular short circuiting one.
It doesn't matter how fast your SVT personally has been, the definition of what an arhythmia is has always been pretty clear.
Fex SamBaqi
Posted
You are over thinking this.
If your heart rate didn't go above 132 and then only for seconds AND you felt nothing then it's hardly impinging on your daily life.
If you took the diltiazem you were prescribed it may well mean you never had another episode?
When to go to hospital? If my heart rate goes above 150 and stays thereI would attempt valsalver and if no luck with that I would go to A&E. I live half an hour from hospital but even if I call an ambulance they won't hurry as SVT isn't immediately life threatening.
Mine is triggered by infection and stress.
Lifestyle changes. The number one thing you can change is your attitude to SVT. Stop obsessing about HR and get on with life. So maybe get the anxiety treated and the SVT will not be a problem.
carey71439 SamBaqi
Posted
Hello,
Heart rate of 132 is not high considering SVT. At my highest it was 280 and lowest 260. Maybe your palpitations are caused by being too thin. That is a possibility. People who exercise a lot and don't get enough calories can experience tachachardia.
Manuevers did not work for me. I always had to go to ER. ALWAYS. After increasing episodes, that never went away, I had the cardiac ablation and so far so goo but it's only been a few weeks. Stress triggered my episodes. Sometimes no triggers! At times, alcohol could also induce it but most often it occurred when sleeping. When you are sick, your heart tends to beat faster naturally. Many times my episodes occurred when sick.
I was given atenenol but it never worked.
sweetmelissa SamBaqi
Posted
Something doesn't sound right.. Perhaps get a second opinion? Svt has a lot higher heart rate than 132bpm. Also, you should feel it. Anyway, even if it is Svt, I have to agree with everyone else here and say your over thinking it. Being you can't even feel it and this is not a life threatening condition, don't worry about it and go on and enjoy your life.
annie56356 sweetmelissa
Posted
No SVT is not defined by the rate.
I frequently get SVT lower than 130 bpm. SVT describes where the beat originates from.
sweetmelissa annie56356
Posted
Interesting.. I learned something new today. Is it odd that he doesn't know it's happening and doesn't feel anything at all? I guess it just seems unreal to me, as I cannot imagine having an SVT attack and not feel nothing.
rick36911 sweetmelissa
Posted
Hi sweetmelissa,
I can't either imagine not having symptoms with SVT. At this time, I am grieving the loss of my only best friend and companion. I am having problems coping with my loss as I am alone in my suffering. My heart has been jumping all over the place. I have been taken my medication to stave off having an SVT. I will try to get back to you. Best Wishes.
annie56356 sweetmelissa
Posted
I agree, based on my own experience I think I'd know if I had even a short run of 15 bpm, But the holter doesn't lie and it's picking up very short runs of SVT which obviously aren't too much of a problem.
cindy78227 sweetmelissa
Posted
What is Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT, PSVT Definitions)? Supraventricular tachycardia is a rapid heart rate (tachycardia, or a heart rate above 100 beats per minute) that is caused by electrical impulses that originate above the heart's ventricles.
makenna03808 sweetmelissa
Posted
I am 19 and have SVT. My heart rate gets to around 120 to even 200 at times. My cardiologist confirmed that i have it even though its a low number like 120. Sometimes you can feel nothing when it gets that high and others it feels like your chest is going to explode. 98% of the time i always feel mine, but rarely i dont feel it. If its getting above 130 you will probably and most definitely feel it.
rick36911 makenna03808
Posted
19 is very young to have SVT. Have you been taking any medications including over the counter meds? Advil is known to cause SVT. At 19 years old, 120 BPM is tachycardia even in a resting mode. Any family history of SVT? My first SVT clocked in at just over 250 BPM according to my EKG. I am currently taking a cardiac beta blocker. What is your resting heart rate? Are you exercising? Any stress factors that is chronic, or spontaneous that you feel you have no control?
annie56356 rick36911
Posted
19 is not young to have SVT. Many people are diganosed as children or teenagers. Advil does not cause SVT. An accessory pathway in the heart does. Advil (ibuprofen) might trigger it although I've never heard such a thing.
annie56356
Posted
PS I've seen foetuses diagnosed with SVT in utero picked up with foetal heart monitoring.
I remember having some long runs (a few hours) when I was 13 and apparently I used to complain of the fluttering when I was younger but it never lasted long enough to get a diagnosis. I've also seen many other young kids diagnosed.