When to be concerned with SVT episodes?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi,
I'm just looking for a little bit of reassurance, i've been having episodes of SVT for 15 years, I am 30 now. They are fairly infrequent. Sometimes I only have an episode once every 2 - 3 months. Recently however I have had severe anxiety, lots of chest pains, sudden and dull, also a feeling of someone sitting on my chest. I am currently travelling around Europe, making it difficult to get to the bottom of anything.
I spent a day in Emergency hospital in Italy about 6 weeks ago, where they carried out lots of different tests - ECG, Blood tests, X-Rays, Heart Ultrasound etc .. These all came back normal. Obviously no SVT during any of the time I was hooked up to a heart monitor.
Last night I had an episode and completely broke down during and afterwards, I'm not sure why but it was the most terrifying episode i've ever had.
My Doctor back in England is very dismissive and unhelpful, She just says that there's nothing to worry about. I do know that SVT can be harmless, but I am just wondering if there are any more tests that should be done, or if I should see a Cardiologist. I have not yet received a proper diagnosis, as the ECG's have never caught an episode.
I think I just need to get some answers, for my own peace of mind.
Thanks in advance,
Reading some of your posts have been reassuring and inspiring.
0 likes, 5 replies
linda83225 lucy2332
Posted
Hi Lucy, you don't say how long the episodes last. I have episodes infrequently but I do take beta blockers (Bisoprolol). I believe that SVT is not life threatening unless it goes on for hours. I was referred to a cardiologist over 20 years ago and more recently at my request my GP referred me again. I would ask to be referred, a 24 hour or 7 day heart monitor might throw up an episode. My episodes were (and still are to some extent as I still get the odd one) brief. I have had a couple (in 20 years (before taking beta blockers) which lasted over an hour but I am still here! Mind you the beta blockers can have side effects, a lot of people on here complain about Bisoprolol but I keep taking it and it helps to keep blood pressure down.Go back to your GP for your own peace of mind. Best wishes
lucy2332 linda83225
Posted
Hi sorry yes, they don't last long. Never more than 10 minutes.. I feel very silly after reading some of the other members experiences and episodes, and very lucky that mine never last too long. Still very frightening. Glad to hear you're doing well. I think a change of doctor may be in order.
elisa_76015 lucy2332
Posted
You need to see someone who does electrophysiology my dr here in the states does
Dr. Aamir Amin, MD is a cardiology specialist in Arlington, TX and has been practicing for 8 years. He graduated from Texas A&M University College Of Medicine in 2004 and specializes in electrophysiology, internal medicine, and cardiovascular disease. He has published many medical articles.
sweetmelissa lucy2332
Posted
I am 39 and have had SVT attacks since I was about 14. I myself knew what they were thanks to dr. Google, but every time I had an attack and went to the hospital, it was over before I got there, as I live 45 minutes away from the nearest hospital. So.. I ended up buying a hand held ECG moniter to record my attacks. It worked too.. I took the little hand held machine, which I bought off amazon for around $100 to the doctor and he took one look and said yep.. I was having SVT attacks. Prior, the doctor and hospital kept saying they were panic attacks, which I knew they wern't because I suffer from both and know the difference. Perhaps you could buy an ECG hand held machine, which records each time you use it and then you'll be able to show your doctor and get a diagnosis? Hope this helps. Also.. my longest attack was 2 and a half hours. I kept thinking it was going to stop any minute now, and so I kept putting off the hospital. Thankfully it did stop on it's own..
gene91169 lucy2332
Posted
Lucy, I hope you've done better since you posted. I'll share some thoughts with you based on my 50 years as an SVT person.
Your most recent symptoms would have frightened me, too, and I'm very glad that your test results in Italy were positive. The individual test result that gave me the most security was a stress echocardiogram. When I, as a then 70-year-old, was told that results from that test strongly suggested that my coronary arteries were still in good shape, I felt emotionally (and physically) great. As a 30-year-old female, yours are quite likely better than mine were and are, and it could be reassuring to learn that.
I've been SVT free for the two years since my second ablation (the first didn't work well), and my quality of life has improved dramatically. Please consider ablation, if that option is available to you.
During my SVT decades, my emotional response to them varied tremendously. Often, I could more or less "shake them off" but, occasionally, they would be devastating. Probably had lots to do with what other stresses I was experiencing. Maybe you'll have less difficulty with your next one.
Hope this helps you a bit or better. Lots of us out here wish you very well. Please take the best of care of yourself.