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Trouble Diagnosing SVT?

Posted , 8 users are following.

mssteed
mssteed

I have not been diagnosed with SVT as of yet, but from everything I have researched I am pretty sure that is what I have. Not to mention, it can be genetic and my mother had the same symptoms and was diagnosed with SVT a few years ago.

My question is, did anyone have a hard time getting it diagnosed? I have been to 4 doctors now. I have had multiple EKG's, an echocardiogram, and a holter monitor that all showed normal results. I am currently wearing an event monitor and have been for a few days now. I recorded a number of events but none have shown SVT or any other problems beside the high heart rate. Anyone else have these problems? Did anyone try to induce an episode while wearing the monitor?

Thanks for any replies!

1 like, 56 replies

56 Replies

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  • rochelle43965
    rochelle43965 mssteed

    Posted

    I wore a 30 day event monitor and recorded several SVT's in the first few days of wearing it.  I think that's the best way for it to be diagnosed.  How could you induce an episode?  I would just go about your normal day and press record anytime you feel an event.  Just because your heart rate goes up that doesn't necessarily mean it's SVT.  It could just be sinus tachycardia which can occur from panic or anxiety. 
    • mssteed
      mssteed rochelle43965

      Posted

      I can get high heart rates when excercising, drinking caffiene, eating a lot of sugar, or drinking alcohol. It's not panic or anxiety.
  • geoff10274
    geoff10274 mssteed

    Posted

    Hello,  I had difficulty getting it diagnosed but for different reasons.  Initially I went to a few doctors with unusual pains in my chest in my heart area, and some were very short stabbing pains lasting only a second.  They said it was nothing and all tests on me were normal.  One day I awoke and stood up and my heart suddenly started racing for no reason.  I drove to the surgery, walked straight into the nurses quarters and they gave me an ecg straight away.  I was diagnosed then with svt.  Five years later I underwent an ablation and thankfully I appear to be cured.  In your case if they have recorded your heart racing then it would be a simple job to diagnose svt.  Therefore I can only assume you must have something else causing this effect.
    • mssteed
      mssteed geoff10274

      Posted

      That is what I am afraid of. My mother said she had the same problem I am having and it took a long time for them to diagnose it for her, as well. I really just hope they figure out what it is soon and fix it. Thanks for your comment.
    • kristenk36
      kristenk36 geoff10274

      Posted

      Were you on meds until your ablation? How come it took so long for you to get one? Any other symptoms besides pain In your heart area? Could you feel it coming on? I was just diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome but I'm not convinced. I think I have SVT.
  • kristenk36
    kristenk36 mssteed

    Posted

    I feel like my heart rate is always high too. I was thinking I had SVT too but I just had a tress test and echo a couple weeks. As soon as I stood up, my heart rate was 124. He knew what was going instantly. I have Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. Look it up and see if you're symptoms are similar.
    • mssteed
      mssteed kristenk36

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply. I looked it up and while I have some of those symptoms, I don't think that is it. Sometimes when I stand up I get the syptoms, but I also get them when lying down or walking through the store. I will probably bring it up with the doctor if he rules out SVT, though. Thanks again!
    • kristenk36
      kristenk36 mssteed

      Posted

      See I have your same symptoms too. I'm not convinced that I have POTS. I'm on fludrocortisone and it's only a .01 mg pill and I can take up to 3 times a day but it doesn't seem to help too much. I hope we can get this figured out. It's very scary when it happens.
    • mssteed
      mssteed kristenk36

      Posted

      I agree, Kristen. It's scary and I am tired of having to deal with it. When you figure it out, please try to let me know what the Doc says about it. Good luck!
  • Paladinx
    Paladinx mssteed

    Posted

    So you are saying you had the episodes and they were recorded?   I too thought I had svt or some kind of heart abnormal rythm.  I also suffer from anxiety, but I felt these racing heart beats came out of left field every time I am trying to fall asleep.  I got a holter monitor and than I had one of those attacks that night.  They said it was sinus tachy.   What are the chances the machine could be wrong?  The way the electrodes were attached to me seemed odd,, I called the doctor about it and he said that it was fine and the machine got a good reading. I can't believe I got smething which i thought would be a conclusive test .. and I still am not convinced and I am paranoid.   They always happen the same time when I am bed and about to fall asleep.. I start feeling hot and than its like a battle or something.. sometimes the feeling goes away other times it keeps going and than my heart speeds up,, I get hotter, speeds up even more,, usually i start to sweat.. and my heart takes off...  Than I usually feel a sense of calm or that its over and my heart slows down ... Its weird.  Sometimes It really doesn't feel like an anxiety attack....  The only thing i can think of is some kind of nocturnal attack where my body dumps adrenaline out of no where or something.   I guess my main question is what are the chances the monitor didn't pick up the right results.    
    • Paladinx
      Paladinx

      Posted

      oh just to add,, i went to a cardiologist. He also gave me an echo.. and said i got a strong heart, and the monitor didn't even pick up one PVC/PAC. and that i had sinus tachy.   Also again.. to the OP.. Did you have an episode when wearing the monitor or ek etc?   I did.. And I still have my doubts..
    • kristenk36
      kristenk36 Paladinx

      Posted

      The exact same thing happens to me in bed too! Soooo scary. I'm glad someone else is going through the same thing I am. I don't wish this on my worst enemy. I also get this big "flop" in my heart too. I've also had a echo and stress test, EKG, heart monitor, everything you can think of! I just got diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. I'm on fludrocortisone and have to drink 2-3 liters of water a day and intake my salt 3,000-10,000

      Mg a day too. I'm not sure it's helping at all yet as I've only been on it for a week.

    • Paladinx
      Paladinx kristenk36

      Posted

      Just curious how do we have the same thing?  I don't have an issue with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome where my heart races depending if i stand up or not.  My episode was caught on a holter monitor that the cardiologist gave me, and according to that test, I was going through sinus tachyrdia.  I didn't get any diagnosis.. I am questioning if the machine made an error picking it up. 
    • Paladinx
      Paladinx

      Posted

      Sorry was meant for kristen. 
    • mssteed
      mssteed Paladinx

      Posted

      I also wore a Holter monitor and I felt like I had a small episode and they said the same thing. I went to a new doctor and they have me wearing an event monitor for 30 days now. My mom went through the same thing, had small episodes and they didn't catch it. It can be hard to diagnose SVT from what I have read.
    • Paladinx
      Paladinx mssteed

      Posted

      I read that its hard to diagnose SVT because they have to record your heart rythm while you are wearing a monitor.  What the hell good is a monitor if you are wearing it and it doesn't detect svt if you are in svt.. makes no sense. Isn't an ecg an ecg whether its in the office a holter montior or 30 day monitor?   What do you mean by small episode?  When i was wearing the heart monitor i got the attack that was similar to the others... and I finally got it recorded.. now your saying don't trust the recording?  get multiple recordings till someone diagnosis it as svt?  I need to stop reading these forums.. its gonna make me even more paranoid than i am. 
    • sarah87602
      sarah87602 Paladinx

      Posted

      I have experienced the exact same symptoms as you! Feeling warm then heart starts racing when falling asleep or while sleeping. I get up, walk around then after 10 minutes the rate goes back to normal, 65-75bpm. During a few of those events, I was wearing a Holter monitor but my Dr said it recorded 100bpm but I clocked it at 145 with my pulsox monitor. But it also recorded numerous extra beats originating from the bottom ventricles so I'm headed in for an echocardiogram soon. I'm female and only 38, but served in the military for 9 years. My ekg also said St-t T abnormality borderline for gender and age. Hope to get answers soon from the VA!

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