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!
Your so right time to re claim our lives one thing about svt and anxiety we can feel our heart beats we're other people aren't as aware of there heart I know it's hard but try and ignore it try not to concentrate on it says me who does it all the time but I find it helps I'm have so much to do I'm so sick of living in fear but every time I go to a doctor no one know how to deal with no only anxiety but svt some anti depressants make it all worse to good luck I hope things improve for you soon
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
hey i know this is old but did you wver get relief ? im dealing with the exact same symotoms and its ruining my life.
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.
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…
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.
Hello everyone,
Ive had SVT for a while now and have been having an episode every 2 weeks approx, usually around 245bpm. It has reverted back either by itself or ny being tipped up and down.
I wanted to say how much better reading all your responses has been. Even though I hate to hear your all suffering, it makes me feel less like im going crazy. I worry when I wake through the night, worry when im not busy, whenever my heart blibbles, its awful, I worry about dying too. Sad to be a part of a group that are all clearly suffering but THANK you for giving me some comfort that I too am not alone.
I wish you all the best 
Hi! I know this is an old post but your story is so similar to mine
How are you doing now? X
Hi! I know this is an old post but your story is really similar to mine
How are things now? X