SVT is ruining my life
Posted , 19 users are following.
Hi everyone!
I just want to thank you all for your posts it really makes me feel better to know I am not alone in this. I had an SVT attack 3 years ago where my heart rate got up to 204bpm. I was freaking out as I didn't know what was going on. I went the ER and they had to actually stop my heart in order to get it back to normal. Worst feeling ever. I had the heart ablation shortly after and I've been fine (minus anxiety) up until yesterday when I had another episode. Luckily, I am currently wearing a heart monitor due to pounding heart beats that I informed my cardiologist about, so he suggested I wear a heart monitor for two weeks to see what's going on. Does anyone else feel their heart pounding while lying down? Mine beats so hard sometimes that it actually shakes the bed. I know I was diagnosed with SVT, and even though I am not a doctor, I really think I have anxiety. Ever since the episode 3 years ago, my anxiety has been horrible. I am constantly worried that something is wrong with my heart and I may have another episode at any moment. Because of these fears, I hardly ever go anywhere far from home or where I am around a lot of people. Does anyone else experience anxiety? I am currently taking Sertraline 50 mg for anxiety, but I don't feel like it is working so my family doctor prescribed 0.5mg of Xanax to take when needed. When I started having the episode last night I took a Xanax and begin to take deep breaths and within 10 minutes my heart rate had went back to normal. I am so confused. Do I have SVT or is it simply anxiety? I exercise 3-5 times a week doing both cardio and weights and I feel fine. I am never out of breath, having chest pains or feeling lightheaded. I am thinking I may need to see a psychiatrist to prescribe me a different type of anxiety medicine. I had a friend who went through similiar situations. She was being told that it was her heart and after several attacks, a different doctor finally diagnosed her with anxiety and she's been fine ever since. Can anyone else relate?
0 likes, 32 replies
gillian95988 lala23623
Posted
My anxiety is through the roof with the return of my svt... Always comes when I am waking up or wakes me from sleep. Frightened to even go to sleep now. When I had it last year I slept on the sofa sleeping upright for 4 months, I was so scared I Hate It. Off work, Always got to think about where I'm going and if it comes on when i'm out how would i cope! Thinking of going on holiday absoloutely terrifies me. "What if I have an episode on flight, in a country where we don't speak the language, where is the nearest hospital"??? The thing is I have suffered with anxiety all my life. I actually felt I was getting better then THIS... I know they say it's not "life threating". But My God every time I have a flutter, missed beat or even my heart rate is slightly raised, I think i'm going to die. I always think maybe it's not just svt this time maybe it's another more serious arrhythmia... I have an appointment with my cardiologist tomorrow, so I'll see how that goes.Spend my days searching the internet for help...I can totally relate to thae anxiety!
ciaran33745 gillian95988
Posted
Good luck with the Cardio appointment. Do ask them about an ablation
gillian95988 ciaran33745
Posted
Thanks, yes, I'm going to ask them this time... Sares me even thinking about it, but it can't be any worse than this excistense
ciaran33745 gillian95988
Posted
Having one was the best thing I ever did. Really much easier than it sounds. Give me a shout if you want to talk it over. Good luck
lala23623 gillian95988
Posted
Wow, Gillian I am so sorry you are going through this I totally understand how you feel. Mine also happens right when I seem to be falling asleep and like you, I was afraid to go to sleep for a while so I had to take sleep meds. I am no longer having to take them now thank God, but I do have sleep apnea so the machine makes it hard for me to slee anyway. Everyone says it's not life threatening but like you, whenever i even feel my heart beat I'm scared that something is wrong. I want to go to visit my family and I'm too afraid to go because like you, I am wondering well what if I can't find a hospital and what if something happens while I am driving and my mind is constantly on over drive. We have got to get this taken care of. We cannot let this continue to ruin our lives. Please let me know how your appointment goes. I'm praying for you!
donna20744 lala23623
Edited
I've been diagnosed with SVT since 2011 when my heart started racing and wouldn't slow down. I've had these attacks mind you since I was 18 I'm now 60 and I take metoprolol 25mg twice daily and it seems to work for me. when my heart starts to flutter I hold my breath and push down real hard like going to the bathroom, this helps stop my heart from taking off completely. If I purposely cough when I feel an attack coming on it sometimes helps stop it. An EMT told me once to breath like I have a straw in my mouth to slow down my heart. Like you I don't go far from my home and never alone my husband does all the driving now I can't and won't risk other lives or myself if I had an attack while driving. It's not easy living with SVT . My entire existence seems to focus on "Oh no, not again!" I don't have to be doing anything I don't have to be stressed it just happens Hang in there you are definitely not alone.
wes1188 lala23623
Posted
hello everyone. i know these are kind of old posts but just started experiencing what i believe are SVT symptoms or possibly panic attacks. It usually happens once or twice a week and always when im really still or laying down for bed. It always starts with my heart throbbing harder than normal. Im usually pretty good about not panicking until my heart rhythm changes and feels sporadic. Does anyone else feel like they cant get enough oxygen? Like your body is being starved. Anyway i dont know if its just in my head and im having an anxiety attack or SVT. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Roz1967 wes1188
Posted
Hello! My first SVT episode came on after I bent over abruptly to pick something up at 27. Sudden racing of heart and harder to breath. Been dx by five electrocardioligist. What helps is to lay flat on back and suddenly put super cold ice water on chest. It should convert. I suggest seeing a heart specialist in SVT . I've had it for 17 years.
brianna27118 lala23623
Posted
Hi,
I have had Tachycardia since I was 3 years old (I'm 26 now). In my teens I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can definitely cause tachycardia, but I have also had my Tachycardia cause panic attacks. For me specifically, my tachycardia comes more often when I'm relaxed and happy, not when I'm having severe anxiety or panicking.
You are the expert on your own body. I highly suggest going to therapy for anxiety as it can really help you get that under control. If you still have episodes when you feel your anxiety is better controlled then maybe you do need further treatment for tachycardia. Otherwise it could just be the anxiety.
Roz1967 lala23623
Posted
So glad your ablation helped! My cardiologist said ablation isn't the answer for as it causes scar tissues and doesn't work as often. I believe your correct regarding anxiety and heart pounding. Hopefully the monitor will find out for sure! I came up with something that converts my SVT within two mins! This am I woke up to 188 bpm, poured a bowl of ice water over chest! Done! Wishing you all the best!
LMSal lala23623
Posted
Hello,
I know I'm late to the game, I just stumbled upon this and found it helpful. I have had SVT since I was 17 (now 32). I was just recently diagnosed with it. Cardiologists suspected this but my episodes were never long enough for me to get to a doc for an EKG, or far and few between so my heart monitor was useless. Anyways! My episodes have increased in frequency and duration. I was on half of the lowest dose of a beta blocker but just stopped recently because of the fatigue side effect. (I'm also navigating through thyroid issues which were misdiagnosed as depression and I was put on an antidepressant that made me feel awful and an adverse reaction put me in the E). So needless to say, I struggle with terrible anxiety, so the ablation scares me but am hopeful you can speak about how it went for you.
After the birth of my daughter I had a delayed hemorrhage. It was a near death experience that kicked off my anxiety and PTSD. It was severe. I was afraid to be alone, couldn't walk through a grocery store without feeling dizzy, heavy chest feeling, scared to fall asleep in case I didn't wake up in the morning. My doctor helped me solve my issues (I was having tons of GI problems so I assumed it was gallbladder but she helped me see it was anxiety causing such havoc on my body). I have Xanax as needed. I was afraid to take it but when I did and saw that my headache went away, the cramping in my legs subsided, no more tingling feeling, I learned that was anxiety and not my body failing me. I would tell myself that if I still felt some pain or discomfort after taking the Xanax, then I knew it wasn't a symptom of anxiety, if that makes sense. I also began seeing a psychologist.... amazing. I still see her, 5 years later. The point of all of this, is that I feel my severe anxiety creeping back in. I'm nervous to continue beta blockers, I'm nervous to not take them, the ablation scares me. I can get through the day, but when it's time for bed.... it's time to think about every little thing I think I am feeling and wonder what's wrong.
LaLo22 LMSal
Posted
Hi there,
Just want to say that I relate to this and you are not alone. Your story is identical to mine. I had my first SVT attack when I was 17, wasn't diagnosed with it until I was in my early thirties. Had my daughter at 36 and had life threatening complications from her birth that had me hospitalized twice just days after having my daughter (bacteremia then subsequent GI infection that went on for months FROM the extreme antibiotics they gave me to treat the bacteremia). I was (still am) SO traumatized by that experience. Then on top of that to have these SVT episodes.. its all just too much and im constantly afraid of dying. I get panic attacks in the grocery store, while driving, pretty much everywhere but home. I can psyche myself out and tell myself positive things like "its just anxiety, it cant hurt you" and ill feel better, but some days are harder than others. I feel like if I didnt have SVT i would not have this extreme panic even after all ive gone through. I think because im a mom now and my daughter is only 3 I worry about having an SVT if im driving with her or out in public with her or at the park. I should probably have the ablation but i am afraid. I read somewhere the other day that the heart is so strong and made up of super strong muscle fibers and can beat 200 bpm for days without doing any damage. That has been making me feel better for the time being. Im going to a second electrophysiologist for a second opinion and hoping they will reassure me that this condition will not hurt me. I just need to hear it over and over. Anyway, just wanted to let you know you are not alone. I know that i personally have felt so alone in my struggles having ptsd from severely traumatic life threatening birth coupled with SVT. Not many can relate. I felt not so alone reading your story. Take care.
s22122 LaLo22
Posted
Rest assured that SVT is not life threatening! I've had it since I was born (now in early 30s) and despite sometimes letting it go on for longer than suggested, I have never gone to the ER for it nor have had any lasting effects from it. I was never referred for an ablation when I was younger and even now the EP that I saw made it seem like the ablation would be more risky than the SVT itself, so there's that...
alyssa96849 lala23623
Posted
hey i know this is old but did you wver get relief ? im dealing with the exact same symotoms and its ruining my life.
aaron19912 lala23623
Posted
My SVT caused my anxiety. It made me very aware of my heart, and every skipped beat I never noticed before became something that I paid attention to, either because I was worried i'd get another episode or that something else was wrong with my heart.
It is a vicious cycle/circle, because Anxiety causes more skipped beats/ectopic beats for me, and that in turn causes SVT episodes, which causes more anxiety.
So the answer is that yes you may have Anxiety AND you may have PSVT.