Hi,
I've actually had svt for around 6 years. I had one lone episode when I was about 30 and I ended up getting blue lighted to hospital. They thought it was af so they perhaps didn't give me the right drugs. I was completely alone as was at home alone and I didn't have family etc that could.come and support. That experience made me stronger. Anyway, I saw a specialist but he said it was af and a line attack and not to worry.
In the last two years (I'm now 36) I have episodes frequently. Since I have been properly diagnosed, have medication and know vagal techniques that work, I feel much more confident and less worried about svt. I did have an abalation but it wasn't successful.
Once you have a beta blocker in your pocket, you feel more confident that it may go on its own, especially.if.yoi try blowing through an empty syringe! I take one with me everywhere. I also put a timer on as soon as episode starts, and I know the beta blockers takes 30mims - 45 mins to kick in. I tell myself, that if I go past 45 mins I will think about hospital. If I go past an hour then I resign myself that it may not go on its own. Since I've used this technique I've had three episodes and haven't had to go to hospital once. Before, I was there every time as my episodes won't go without a beta blocker or some medicine.
This is long winded but understanding that your mind and your body work together - panic and anxiety feeds into the issue.
Good luck!
Eddie acorn,
Your plan of attack for your SVT sounds perfect...its always good to be prepared, even though a lot of times your anxiety gets the best of you, handling it the best that you can makes you more confident for the next time.
Hi Ross,
I like you have seen doctors and I realize my choices. I have an SVT episode about once a month. Sometimes it lasts for 20-30 minutes but most times they last 3-5 minutes. I have learned to live with it and manage it but it can be a nuisance. I am very active fit and have lots of energy. I have looked into getting an ablation and most doctors that I speak to (mass General Boston) tell me there is 90% cure rate first time around. After reading most of these blogs many individuals have had multiple ablations only to find that they still have this problem. Therefore was your procedure worth it? I'm thinking that maybe ablation is not worth it if the success rate is so slim and that it entail multiple attempts without longterm success.
Hi Ken
Your symptoms seem very similar to mine with most episodes only lasting a few minutes. I too am very active and what most would consider pretty fit but what caused me to consider ablation was the svt's were occurring more frequently and I was told they may increase with age. It was a tough decision to go ahead with it but I actually considered the success odds to be a pretty favorable. A couple different Dr's actually told me that this is a condition they treat a lot of younger athletes for with good sucess. I think maybe who you are before the procedure may determine how you recover. I'm almost a month post surgery and the pvc's and extra beats I was experiencing a couple wks ago have kinds settled down and no svt's so I'm hopeful and feeling more confident.
HI Ross - Thanks for the info. I am 52 years old and still participate in lots of activities - sports, hiking etc. I am leaning on getting the procedure done due to the episodes being more frequent and not desiring to go on meds long term. Were you prescribed meds before or after your procedure and were they effective in your treatment. Getting back to your ablation did you find any short term or long term improvement in your condition?
Ken, yes I was on a low dose beta blocker( metropolol ) before the ablation and they did control the svt's but they made me feel terrible and lethargic. So I went off the medication and felt much better but the svt's returned. The trigger for me seemed to be sudden action like a golf swing or even bending over. I was told they weren't life threatening and I had 3 options...try to control it with life style, meds or ablation. But at 63 and being told they sometimes increase with age I decided to have it done. It's only been 1 month so I can't really answer the long term effect but I've returned to normal activities....elliptical, biking, weight lifting, golf and I've had a few moments that I could feel that trigger which might otherwise start it but no svt's. After the first week I experienced some extra beats and pvc's which I always had so they did a 24 monitor and it was normal. I've always been a person that can feel my heartbeat which sometimes causes anxiety but the Dr said after awhile I might not notice the pvc's as much and I think that is happening so I'm feeling much improved! And I'm not on any post procedure meds. Let me know how your doing.
I've had svt 18 years, at the start it was mild episodes were short but I was getting regular dizziness and sometimes near passing out but the dizziness & passing out subsided as the years went by. once I got to the 18th year my episodes went longer 10 hours plus. had 6 adenosine injections to restart my heart in a month so hospital put me on 25mg metoprolol twice daily and my svt's have improved dramatically, rarely get bad episodes anymore, skipped beats are gone also and I used to get them all the time before metoprolol. I'm not having an ablation because of the risks that I could make svt worse. the problem with ablation is that if they don't get all the pathways you will still get svt or you can make it 10 times worse. go to your doctor ask for a prescription for metoprolol succinate start at 25mg twice a day, I have mine at 7am & 7pm. it will stop & prevent svt attacks its worked with me and I was getting svt's very bad. before metoprolol I was in emergency everyday and now have not been to the hospital in 2 and a half months
I would love to know what unconventional things you’ve done to convert? I know all the normal maneuvers like ice water, baring down, blowing in a saringe.. etc, but have you noticed other things can convert y’all also? A few that have worked for me is laying down flat on my back within 10 seconds of my SVT kicking in. This one is a bit more odd but uncontrollably crying helps as well. That’s a bit more awkward with people around but it’s worked for me a few times. I’ve also noticed the same things that put me in SVT can also get me out. Jumping, throwing up, bending down and getting up quickly... anyways... what other odd things have worked for all of you!? I would love some other ideas before resorting to the good old ER for our favorite shot of adenosine. Lastly, I really enjoy this thread. It’s good to know I’m not the only one.
I was taking metoprolol 12mg once a day and it controlled the svts but didn't like the side effects....tiredness, depression and poor sleep. Was very apprehensive about having the ablation but so far I'm feeling very good. Seems like this frustrating condition effects some people differently than others. Glad the medication is working for you!
Hey Ross, sorry took so long to respond my condition has gone from bad to worse with SVT. Today my EKG was abnormal again. I saw cardiologist today and he said that I am having so many episodes during a 24 hour period, and that he said “your heart is a muscle and if you over work your muscles the wrong way that muscle is going to start to fail” so bloodwork, stress test and another echocardiogram have all been scheduled. My new symptom is EXTREME SWELLING. My feet ankles legs and arms have doubled size. I have gained 30 pounds since January 😭😭😭😭 cardiologist is not really concerned with swelling as much as he is my abnormal ekg. He doubled the Cartia and left me on the Digoxin. I have fought with my depression badly since this all started and I’m losing. My therapist has been very helpful.
Hi CieraBlue,
When I have my svt episodes, I get on the floor, or ground if we're outdoors, and my husband immediately picks me up by my legs and turns me almost completely upside down. I bear down while he does this, and sometimes blow out threw my mouth while holding my nose. It works almost every single time. It will usually take about one or two minutes, but my heart almost always converts. Good Luck with this horrible nuisance called svt. I hate it!! I've dealt with it for many years.
Glad you have access to a therapist...this condition can be very depressing. Have they prescribed any antidepressants? I know sometimes it can feel like your all alone so I hope you have some support from family or friends. Hope they can find something to calm your heart down...sometimes I could slow my heartbeat down with breathing exercises. Prayers and best wishes that you can find some comfort!
I’ve read on this site that someone finds handstands help break their SVT.
I worry everyday. I just had one today. Luckily the meds worked in an hour.
its not dangerous as long as you got meds to stop it your ok. I take metoprolol 25mg twice daily and if I get an episode that don't stop after an hour I take an extra 25mg which has stopped it everytime. most of my episodes end by themselves only get the odd one that goes past the hour and of course a rare one that I may need the adenosine for
Thank you. I know they aren’t dangerous but they are scarey. I have had 3 this year. I take Diltiazem and they stop within the hour. I still worry when the next one will show up. I was put on meteopolol last year when they started but could not take it so was switched to Diltiazem as needed. I don’t want to have an ablation if one pill works you know?
I've been told of the risks of the ablation by my cardiologist and the risks he told me were very dangerous, so I won't be going down that road plus it could make it worse. you've made the right decision in regard to the ablation because these pathways grow back later and they may not get them all during the procedure so you'd have to have multiple ablations. pills are better method because they stop all arrythmias and in my case I also I have atrial flutter besides the svt. because as we get older we are at risk of getting others as well and of course we have to be on a blood pressure medication as we get older. in my opinion a long term treatment is better
No, the episodes won't kill you, but when you've had them while driving and you feel like you are going to pass out any second, it could cause a wreck or kill someone else with the car. That is what scared me.
I’ve never had that symptom. My episodes don’t go over 160 and I typically have nothing but the rapid heart beat
Yes I will continue with the as needed dose and move to the everyday extended release if they come more often. Diltiazem doesn’t bother me. I get a slight headache for about an hour but that’s it.