SVT and ectopic heartbeats.

Hi I have svt and get all this as well try breathing techniques they really help I've been living with this for 20 years hope you feel better soon alcohol caffeine to much sugar make it all worse for me

You could be writing about me!  After my last long episode, when I ended up in A&E (it had course stopped by the time I got there) I was put on 7 day monitor, had a heart scan and saw a cardiologist.  My heart was normal.  She did explain it all to me with diagrams, but most of it went over my head. 

Alcohol is without a doubt a trigger for me and I suspect vodka is the main culprit, so I avoid it completely now and try to stick to just a few glasses of something, but even then only once in a while.  Excess definitely causes hops, skips and jumps next day.

SVT and "skipped" or "extra" beats can be related, Alastaire, but it's a complicated story.  I encourage you to do some searching and reading on this subject.  You may well be rerassurred by what you find.  An otherwise healthy heart can do very well with both challenges.

That said,  many of us struggle with this stuff.  A misbehaving heart is, I think, likely to frighten most people.  I do hope you gain more information, including from forum particiupants, and feel much better after doing so.  Please take good care of yourself.

I have all of the same exact symptoms. I did notice after drinking an alcoholic beverage that was high in malt that I had severe reaction the next day so I have avoided malt drinks all together. The multiple skipped beats and lower heart rate are also things that I experience as well. I am scheduled to have an ablation next week and I've been told it's going to make my life a whole lot better. So if it helps ask your doctor for a 30-day monitor because very often with my episodes they aren't consistent and it took the 30 days to pick them up.

Hi I have probably had svt for a Very Long time, (only diagnosed last year when caught on monitor) Been to A&E a few times as well but I think it is my panic that keeps it going... Just freaks me out evry time.

Ectopic beats,missed beats, palpitations I get the lot sometimes for hours on end and sometimes it can be every third beat... I pesonally think stress is my trigger.

As yet not been offered ablation, my cardiologist doesn't seem to think it's that simple and doesn't come without risks.

I am at the stage where I think I would take the risk, as this is really getting me down   

Yeh i have had different tests which came back all normal which i struggle to believe, but i am waiting on an appointment letter to see a cardiologist soon an hopefully get this fixed, i have alot of questions to ask because i need answers.

My trouble aswell is i have a hiatus hernia and i get acid reflux quite bad and alcahol is a big trigger also, but i suffer from anxiety and i drink alcahol to help me socialise, i know thats wrong but its the only thing that works for me but it causes chest pains that radiates to my back, usually the day after i drink, along with the heart palpatations makes me think im having a heart attack, im forever ringing ambulances because it gets that bad an i worry.

I have read alot on the internet to try an understand my condition an reassure myself but joining this forum and hearing all your comments have really made me feel ten times better its nice to talk to people who suffer with the same symtoms as me.

Please let me me know how your ablation went redboo.

Hey,

SVT and ectopic beats are closely related. Sometimes these skipped beats can actually trigger an episode of SVT. But don't go all crazy about this, they most likely don't pose any risks at all. I know though, they can be annoying like hell. First see what your cardiologist suggests. I had an ablation about a year ago because they started to annoy me so much that I couldn't really tolerate them anymore. The operation was a piece of cake. They give you sedatives and all you may experience are some vague images of the procedure with occasional pinching feelings which aren't that discomfortable. Next thing you know, you're awake in the recovery area, where you may experience an amazing high. I was literally laughing my a** off with the nurses for half an hour. The only bad thing about ablation is the boredom caused by ~6 hours of immobilization to prevent bleeding from incision site. But once again, wait for your cardiologist's suggestion, go through the options with him/her and find the best one that suits your ideals. For me it was the ablation.

All the best

Hello, I had a scary incident of SVT last week and ended up in A&E. I'd been on the treadmill at the gym walking at a brisk pace with the treadmill set to a fixed speed and incline. I do this once a week usually.  All was well for the first 25 minutes with HR hovering around 125 -135 but then in the last 5 minutes it shot up to 180 (max HR should be 161 for my age 59). I cut speed and incline straight away but it didn't come down. Went home and sat down for 30 mins and it only fell to 138 so I took myself off to A&E. The ECG they gave me was apparently okay and I was sent home with an ECG printout to show to my GP.

Since September last year I've been getting daily palpitations. Through my GP surgery I managed to get a 24 hour Holter initially and then a 7 day event recorder as well as an echo done at the hospital. These came back normal with the exception of a lot of atrial ectopics. My GP just dismissed me when I told her about my SVT episode today over the phone.  I'm now getting these atrial ectopics for about 50% of my waking hours - very often in bigeminy or trigeminy that can go on for hours. I'm very unhappy with my GP who says I've had all the tests and there's nothing wrong with my heart. I think how can this be - it isn't normal, surely?  I don't know what to do other than to request a referral to see a cardiologist privately as I feel I need a second opinion. My GP hasn't referred me and I know she'll say it's not necessary if I ask her! 

I'm interested to hear about the experience of others posting here if similar, and whether GPs have generally referred you to a cardiologist or electrophysiologist without any pressure. 

Hi, I had SVT for quite some time when I was 17, the doctors always said to me that it was just anxiety, I put up with this for just over a year with my heart racing to about 240 bpm but by the time the ambulance got to me my heart was going back into  rhythm so they didn’t catch it unfortunately, so when they finally pick up that I had SVT, I had a  oblation that seemed to work but I still get SVT, now and then but no we’re near as much as I use to maybe once or twice a year I’ll get it but only because iv  drunk to much alcohol on a night out that seems to  trigger it or not enough  fluids to keep  hydrated, all I’m left with now is loads of ectopic heart beats and palpitations, that they are uncomfortable but my heart  specialist   Reassures me that it’s completely normal and they won’t cause me any harm, there is a load of things for me to try like more  exercise and breathing techniques less stress and healthy diet and to cut out caffeine and ease up on alcohol.