SVT - making me paranoid :(

Hi Hannah

I can relate to your post, having had quite a similar experience myself. Last May I had my one and only episode I would describe as 'awful' which lasted 15 hours and put me in hospital. I went through the same paranoia, always counting my heart rate at work etc, and being very aware of my heartbeat in all situations. Have you been given any medication? I was prescribed 2.5mg bisoprolol furmarate which has helped me a lot, resting heart rate used to be high 80s and now its 50-60. Episodes are also a lot less frequent. Strangely the bending down seems to be a common trigger from what I have read, I have raised this question with my cardiologist but he has told me there is no link between bending down and SVT episodes. There definitley seems to be a link for me though.

One method you could try is holding your breath when it happens, I have found this to be an effective way to slow my heart rate down again. Having an effective method to stop an episode will help to ease your mind so that you no longer worry/think about it too much. Talking about it on here and reading other people's experiences helps to let you know you're not alone and many people here know exactly what you're going through.

 

Hannah, I have been going through this for about a year now with my heart beating fast all the time, no matter what I'm doing. I also think the whole bending over thing is real, as it triggers my attacks as well. I feel like I get this big "thud" in the middle of my sternum as well. It only happens for a second or two. I'm wearing a 30 day monitor right now until the 20th and am doing a stress test with an echo on Monday. I hope to find out some answers. I've been told for the last 10 years that it's just anxiety when clearly I knew it wasn't.

You know your body and you know when something isn't right. I'm just glad that my heart doctor believed me. So glad to have this discussion board to talk about our problems that we are all experiencing. It makes it feel like I'm not so alone.

Hi hannah

I felt exactly the same until my cardiologist put me on bisoprolol which seems to have kept the bad episodes at bay. I still get the odd heart flip flop but not a full episode (since being on bisoprolol). I used to be literally petrified it would happen because I've never been able to stop them myself, I always end up having adenosine and it makes me feel really awful after having it.

Finding this forum has helped so much because I know when I get worried about it someone will have some good advice x

Hi Hannah, 

I had an episode when bending over in a shop and my heart was pounding while walking home. I have been diagnosed with ectopic beats and not SVT although I don't know the difference between them. I was in hospital last summer for10 days having tests. I am having 2 heart monitors and an echocardiogam again in a months time. I am then seeing a Dr who performs the operation. I have had this condition for ovr 30 years.I think bending over does start an episode.        

Hi Hannah, it's very interesting reading all these posts, the common threat being "it happens when I bend over".....so, when we bend over we squish our stomachs, right? I know my problems with my heart (ectopics, palps) are being caused by my stomach, especially after food or when I'm hungry,and have now been diagnosed with sliding hiatus hernia and gastritis. Googling these, it's common among sufferers that these conditions can cause our hearts to misbehave. Once we get clearance from heart doctors that our hearts are okay, then it's time to look elsewhere, and that's what a lot of people with these conditions are now doing. One of the things I am doing, is trying to eat more alkalizing foods, google is great for giving us all free access to  lists of what is alkalizing (good) and what is acidicing (not good). The key is balance of course, but some of us will have more acicidic systems and we can fix that usually by researching what happens to some of the common foods we eat once they hit our stomachs. I've always thought dairly foods were "comfort" foods, and often would take a bit of yoghurt or warm custard when my stomach burned. As I now know, that's the wrong thing to do and perpetuates my problem with my tum. And, perhaps it's worth some of you evaluating what you eat, because anything we can do to alleviate this worrying ectopic/svt/palpitation condition is worth looking into. All the best to you all, Lizzie

Hi Hannah!!,YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! I'm a 33yr old female with 2 children and one on the way. I have suffered with PVC's, PAC's and SVT's for over 2yrs now. I've taken myself to ER. I've worn holter monitor's and had 4 EKG's. My heart, they say is fine and this is nothing but anxiety! I however am scared daily. My SVT's lasting a total of 10seconds at the max but still scariest thing ever. So I totally relate to your post. 

 

Hello everyone, I had Svt since ai was a kid, my first episode was when I was at age of 11, then after every year I had an attack, but on last year I had attacks every month speeding my heart at 210 bpm, so I have to go to the hospital , then I went to see the cardiologist, and he discovered that supaventricular tachycardia, he referrd me to the electrophysiologist and he recommend me an ablation, after too much thinking and have to take 2 pills a day of propagenone 150 mg, I decided to do my ablation on may 3rd of 2016, My surgery was programmed at 8:00 am, I arrived at the hospital at 6:00 am very nervous, i change my clothes and the got in my room, getting ready with my intravenous for the drugs , then the doctor get i. The room, nurses, all kind of very good people, then they transfer me to the cold room!!

They shave me, they put me some cold patches around all my body, that room was very very cold, I saw like 10 monitors, and the good part its that they had music in the cath lab haha so I can relax, then after that they put some drugs and I was feeling like dizzy and then after that I sleep, and they wake me up when they induced my heart to go so fast and I felt those palpitations like 3 different times, then after that I rmeember that they wake me up and I saw the doctor and he told me, the surgery was a success you are good, they take me to the recovery room for an hour because of sedation, I remember that I got out around 12:30 almost 4 hoirs of surgery, then later at my room I discovered that they make me 2 ablations one on my left leg and the other on the right leg, i didnt feel pain just disomcort, and they told me you dont have to move until 8 pm, and I was like wow!!!

That was the most painful part the recovery and be on bed with no moving for more than 8 hours , but now its worth it!!

Do the ablation you will get your life back!

Maybe I will drink a coffe tomorrow, chocolate caffeine

I cried when rhe doctor told me do your normal life youre svt free, enjoy your family you are never going to see me again hehe, just one more follow up appointment and thats it svt free, free of frustations, free of pills, now I can enjoy life enjoy my family and live everyday like its going to be the last!! Do the ablation!! Do it!

Its such a blessing to be ok, thanks for reading this long history, if you have questions dont hesitate and make them!!

God bless you all!!

I just had an episode while driving my daughter to school. She was running late, so I was probably stressed over this. I was already feeling a bit off when I woke up. My heart rate was 175 bpm for about one hour. I was able to breathe okay, so I wasn't too concerned. I tried doing val salva maneuver and splashing my face with ice water. It helped a little bit. When I lied down on my left side for 5 mins and took deep breaths it stopped! I don't get svt attacks often, only once or twice a year. I don't drink alcohol or coffee, but my weakness is chocolate! I noticed I get svt attacks when I'm stressed or tired, so I try to avoid these situations.

My first svt episode occurred about 13 yrs ago and the next one didn't happen until 2012. I had to go to the ER because I had shortness of breath. My heart rate went up to 210 bpm. I had an iv and injected with adenosine 4x before my heart rate went back to normal. This all happened in front of my house in the ambulance! They actually started to drive to the hospital when I was stable. Now, I get premature atrial contractions more often than svt. They both make me so anxious, but I live with it. I should exercise more, but I'm afraid I might pass out. I'm not taking any meds because I've heard the side effects are worse than the svt and pac's. Now, I feel exhausted after having the svt episode a few hours ago. SVT is just a condition that you have to manage with or get an ablation to hopefully get rid of it. The doctor felt I didn't have enough episodes to get an ablation, but he did offer to do it.