PSVT, event monitor, weakness

[em1981]

I'm a 25 year old female, good health. I posted about a year ago after a holter catching psvt, pvc's, pac's, bigeminy, etc. Recently found out it also caught nsvt. Had a normal echo at the same time. I have recently been having episodes of rapid heart beat with weakness. The intial episode was preceded by nausea, spine tingling, and exhaustion, several hours leading up. The rapid heart rate itself only lasted for maybe 10-20 minutes, during which it pounded and I felt very weak. My GP still thought it was anxiety but got me an event recorder which I'm on right now. I've caught some episodes although not quite the same. I've also been having some episodes of feeling faint, but I'm bordering on being anemic and currently taking iron supplements. The faintness has occurred in extreme heat and after a lot of exercise (not during).
My GP has said everything is from anxiety. However, this morning a few minutes after I had put on my event monitor I felt a one second head rush/shortness of breath, which I would have attributed to anxiety but looked at the event monitor and my pulse read 208, at least for one 3-second reading.
I've also been having difficulty eating without having diarreah a few minutes afterwards. This often either follows or precedes a rapid heart episode, but not always.
1. Is it likely something has changed to something I should be concerned about?
2. Is the 208 pulse something to be concerned about? Are event monitors accurate in pulse readings over 3 seconds?
3. I would like to have children, but am terrified to be pregnant with this - advice?
Thanks!

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hello,

1. Is it likely something has changed to something I should be concerned about?


The answer is in the holter/event monitor. It is usually fairly easy to differentiate an SVT from sinus tachycardia (seen with anxiety in some people).  I doubt anything significant has changed.

2. Is the 208 pulse something to be concerned about? Are event monitors accurate in pulse readings over 3 seconds?

I would not be concerned.  That is a very short burst of "something."  It could be real or artifact from motion -- I would have to see the study. Several beats of PACs could do this and would require no additional therapy.

3. I would like to have children, but am terrified to be pregnant with this - advice?

Have the children.  SVT is almost never a dangerous arrhythmia and there is nothing about your case that sounds dangerous.  Talk to you doctor about this, but I am sure he will encourage you to have children.

I hope this helps.  Thanks for posting.

[em1981]

I knew I forgot something - for 2 nights over the past 2 weeks, I have had irregular beats while laying in bed, that won't go away unless I sit up. This caused 2 relatively sleepless nights. This has happened several times, but less more recently until these two episodes. These worry me less than the rapid beats.
I would like to hear from anyone who has heart an event monitor, or any monitor that showed really high but nonsustained (or sustained) pulses, like over 200. I'm trying not to freak out but I've pretty much been having a panicky few weeks. Oh, how we all think we're going to suddenly die :) it's a bad way to live.

[em1981]

Thanks so much for your comment. I do have anxiety, and it's 100% worrying about my heart rhythms, which is what gets me - which comes first, the actual heart rhythm disturbances or the anxiety? It's hard to figure out. All I know is I do feel much better during times of minimal stress, and when I get enough sleep, don't drink alcohol, eat well, exercise, etc. I can almost guarantee that my current sudden spike in symptoms is due to some major life changes - getting married AND getting a house this summer, so things are hectic. But there's been no problems or anything - it irritates me that I seem to be overly sensitive to stress. Any little thing and my heart freaks out on me. Which is why pregnancy concerns me, but I'm happy to hear you made it through successfully.

I'm also afraid of the lack of sleep in the months following a birth, because exhaustion seems to effect me more than monthly hormonal changes. But my mom and fiance know that, and have already said they'll help me through the times when the baby doesn't sleep through the night so I can at least mostly sleep through the night. So that's great, they're supportive of me.

Do you know if your heart spikes to 200 often? I was feeling good for about a year, even with occasional symptoms, but of course I educated myself too much and became terrified of the fast rhythms more than the pvc's, pac's, etc. Then when I started getting weakness and fatigue symptoms it really freaked me out and that's when I went back to the docs. But I guess my frame of mind should be, I'm still alive :)

I was back to feeling ok last week, after catching some episodes on the event monitor and seeing that it mostly only spiked in the 150 range. But the 208 freaked me out this morning.

Minimalizing the freak outs is probably critical eh? Haha. Eh - yeah I'm Canadian, and the health system is from my perspective much slower than it is in the US, which also doesn't help.

[mia2552]

i am a 28yr old female. i think i might have symptoms of mvp. heart beats so hard out of my chest, iget dizzy from that. i can't fall asleep on my left side or my heart starts fluttering and sometimes after an hour of sleep i'll wake up and my heart beats real hard and slow. my sister is 26 and has an irreg. heart bt. and takes atenol(beta-blocker) for it. she likes it and no longer gets dizzy from her heart. well, i go to the cardio next month. hopefully he finds that my heart is not doing its job right. so, do u think this sounds like mvp???

[Pum]

I have been pregnant and actually found it decreased my anxiety hugely.  The pregnancy hormones calmed me right down and all my anxiety symptoms cleared.  This continued on right through breastfeeding.  So please don't worry about that.  Having children is such a joy and I'd hate you to miss out due to irrational fear.

Good luck.

[em1981]

Thanks again for the post. It's always comforting to hear of someone in a similar situation, because nobody in my personal life really gets it at all. They're supportive and don't think I'm psycho or anything, but they really can't understand.

I've been trying to wean myself off of the websites, they are definitely torture. Unfortunately my willpower declines when I'm feeling particularly bad, which is when it's most important that I don't read, haha.

I'm glad to hear you had relatively good pregnancies. How was being in labour? I'm concerned about the hormonal changes in general, but also the moments of being in labour - being in that type of stress gets your heart rate up to begin with.

I'm mostly concerned of my heartrate going into a sustained rhythm that's over 200. But, I guess I shouldn't be when I have no proof that I've ever gone into any sustained rhythm, other than nights full of pvc or pac bigeminy, still, I can even knock myself out of that rhythm if I get up out of bed. And even if it DID, I hope as an atrial rhythm I'd still have time to get to a hospital. My biggest problem is getting over the "what ifs".

Having children might be good for me - get my mind off myself and onto someone else :)

Always good to get another opinion and thanks to the doc for that. I love this website. Also because unfortunately I really don't trust my doctor, she's had me diagnosed with anxiety/panic since before she got any test results back. And it's annoying when the tests show that yes I do have psvt, she still thinks I'm completely psycho haha. Drives me nuts. Took me 7 months to get into see a cardiologist the first time, and I don't think she'll send me to one again with these event monitor results. The last cardiologist I saw basically laughed at me and told me to go home - but the holter results he had only had a few pvc's and pac's, no runs.

Anyways, I AM STILL ALIVE! Haha. And I have a wedding to plan...

[bama jane]

I have had a few short episodes of high heart rates as well.  I am on a low dose of atenenol and when it does race now it usually doesn't go over 130 or so.  It still races sustained for no more than 10 minutes about once a month.  I have short bursts of psvt lasting a few beats daily.  Also I have pac's or pvc's that wake me most nights for 7 years. My doctor doesn't seem that concerned either.  The problem is in living with it and the shortness of breath and discomfort it causes. Tried an ablation did not work for me. Tach was much faster and more frequent back then. Makes it difficult at times to get enough rest at night. If anyone has any tips on how to sleep through runs of palps at night I would love to hear it.

[mom4cem]

Can't say anything better than what has already been said. I've been through 3 pregnancies. It was worth it. It was rough at times, and other times it was good.

It is hard to get past the fact that your heart is fine, good, when you get those pvc,pacs and pesky arrhythmias.  I still freak out about it and I've been going through this for years also.

I recently have been going through bouts of my heart pounding and it gradually going up and up until it hits it's peak and hangs around, sometimes for up to an hour. I even went to the e.r. with it hanging at 120 for about 2hrs...know what? At the er they said it was sinus tachy. I've worn an event monitor and caught many of these, and the cardio says sinus tachy. It is hard to believe when they say that it is fine. That you will not die from it etc.. When it is happening to your heart, it is hard to accept that and keep on moving.  I still find it difficult. Guess we have to trust the dr's to know their speciality. I think the ccf doc just posted above about sticking with a dr if you trust them and then you have to move on from there. Eventually, one will find something. I've been told that too.

Anxiety is the whole chicken or the egg deal, what comes first.

[JennJoy]

Hi!  So glad I found this thread.

I am a 24 year old female and have had episodes of PVST for about 10+ years.  I remember getting the episodes when i would work out really hard at sport practices.  I was never afraid when i was younger.  I always new the episodes would end, but now that i'm older, I HATE the episodes and am starting to feel flutters accompanied by PURE exhaustion.  Does anyone else with PSVT feel tired ALL THE TIME?  I feel like I have cancer, or am extremely old.  

I'm going to be Holter Monitored in the next week and am anxious to see the results.  I am constantly aware of my heart beat and have trouble falling asleep.  I wake up tired and sometimes don't even get out of bed because i feel i have no energy.

Does anyone with PSVT have any suggestions about falling asleep at night, cutting out the anxiety level, and reducing the fatigue!?

[hollyloxx]

HELLO!!

i am a 24 yr old female whom had svt for 3 years beofre they were able to diagnose it. until then i was told by all the dr's i had seen that it was all in my head. i had worn the monitor's and nothing was caught on it. needless to say ui covinced myself that really was the case. until i suffered a major episode in the mall w/ my mother inlaw calling 911. they were able to record it!! a whopping 253 beats per min.
i took atenolol for 1 yr to help it did not do enough, i was having so many attacks or episodes that my weight was affectd i dropped down to 100lbs. standing 5'6 i looked sick!! finally they decided to do the eblations since the meds were not working.
since then i have not had an attack but i do still have palpitations. i have gone to the cardiologist again, wore the monitors again he said that he seen nothing there was dangerous . it was something i would probably have the rest of my life.
i do have anxiety and it seems that they feed off each other (palpitations) but there are months that i will have one or two here or there and then times like now where i have 20-30 in a row for days on end.
i do notice that they usually happen more often a week before my period,
my question is does anyone else have palpitations after an eblation?

[RHYTHMRN]

HI,
BEFORE MY SECOND ABLATION FOR SVT, I WOULD HAVE PALPS A FEW TIMES A WEEK, JUST A SKIPPED BEAT HERE AND THERE.  IT HAS BEEN OVER 8 WEEKS SINCE MY ABLATION, FOR THE FIRST 5 WEEKS I WAS HAVING INAPPROPRIATE SINUS TACHY - HEART RACING REGARDLESS OF ACTIVITY.  I WAS BACK IN THE HOSPITAL AND PUT ON INDERAL.  THE TACHY SETTLED DOWN, NOW FOR THE PAST 3 WEEKS I AM HAVING SKIPPED BEATS SEVERAL TIMES A MINUTE WHICH SOMETIMES CAUSES SHORTNESS OF BREATH.  THESE FEELINGS HAVE CAUSED A LOT OF ANXIETY AND NOW I AM IN THE VICIOUS CYCLE.  I ALSO HAVE BEEN LOSING WEIGHT - FEELS LIKE WHEN I EAT THE PALPS ARE WORSE.  HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOUR ABLATION?? WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING FROM ANYONE WITH PROBLEMS POST ABLATION.  THANKS..............

[hollyloxx]

i had my eblation 5 years ago!! no real problems til a yr or 2 later.... i dunno if the palpitations are from the eblation or something else.. like i said i am a worry wort and stress over everything. but it does seem that they are not in any pattern at all.
they came on a couple weeks ago pretty heavy and its been awful. i have missed a ton of work and lost wieght too. i know the vicsious cycle of anxiety. i am back on zoloft and loprezam for that part. i am having my thyroid checkd tho too, they say its enlarged and my blood work is fine so i am waiting to do an ultra sound on it. i guess some thyroid problems cause palpitations too. i feel them alot more right before my period also...... i dunno it makes me tired, but i cant sleep i always feel on edge waiting for it to happen. its scares me badly. makes me cry.

if anyone has any advice or info please lemme know!

[RHYTHMRN]

HI,
MY PALPS ARE ALL THE TOME NOW, BUT PRIOR TO ABLATION I WOULD ALWAYS GET THEM AROUND MY PERIOD.  INTERESTING ABOUT YOUR THYROID...I HAVE HAD A THYROID NODULE SINCE 2002.  I GET A SONOGRAM AND BLOODWORK EVERY 6 MONTHS BY ENDOCRINOLOGIST.  MY BLOODWORK IS ALWAYS NORMAL BUT THE NODULE IS GETTING LARGER.  AT MY LAST APPT. 6/06 THE DR. REFERRED ME TO A SURGEON TO HAVE IT REMOVED - IT GOT LARGER AGAIN - EVERYTIME IT GROWS IT HAS TO BE BIOPSIED (3TIMES SO FAR). BUT HE WANTS ME TO WAIT UNTIL MY HEART SETTLES DOWN TO EVEN CONSIDER SURGERY. THE WAY I FEEL RIGHT NOW I COULDN'T EVEN CONSIDER IT.  SAW MY REG. CARDIOLOGIST ON 8/23 AND HE SCHEDULED ME FOR A CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION ON 8/29.  I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THE SKIPPED BEATS - HE SAID THE SAME "EVERYONE HAS THEM , SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST MORE AWARE OF THEM" I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS ALWAYS AWARE OF THEM - WOULD HAVE MAYBE 5-6 PER DAY.  NOW AM HAVING 2-3 TIMES A MINUTE AND I CANNOT FUNCTION LIKE THIS. I AM STILL NOT CONVINCED THAT MY THYROID ISN'T MY PROBLEMS.  I HAVE ALL THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS OF HYPERTHYROIDISM.  MY OTHER GUESS WOULD BE THAT THE ABLATION IRRITATED MY HEART AND THAT HOPEFULLY THE PALPS WILL GO AWAY.  I KNOW THAT I CANNOT GO ON LIKE THIS INDEFINITELY.  DO YOU WAKE UP AT NIGHT WITH YOUR HEART BEATING HARD - NOT FAST, JUST HARD?? THIS HAPPENS TO ME AT LEAST ONCE EVERY NIGHT.  I AM JUST SO DISGUSTED BECAUSE THIS ALL STARTED AFTER MY ABLATION. WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, TAKE CARE......

[hollyloxx]

i really tried to think back to when i started felling the palpitations and svt. I did not have the problems till i was 17, but i remember being 8 and waking up scared my heart was racing and i didi not know why. i would just go cry to my mom that i was scared.
i dont think the ablation has anything to do w/ the palptations, at least i am hoping not. i had on of the best cardiologists in the nation at one of the best cardiac care hospital's so i am trying so hard to have faith in them. its is very hard.
but i feel like you that there is more to this than they know.

i dont wake up from feeling a strong heart beat, i wake up from some of the palpitations, kind of startled sucking in air. they sometimes give me that knocked the wind out of me feeling.
i have learned to live w/ having a higher than normal resting heart rate, and i often feel it pounding in my chest various times of the day. for me i think it has to do w/ my blood pressure, when i get into take a shower sometimes i feel it racing and pounding like i could pass out. other times after i eat.
it really doesnt bother me its the palpitations that freak the **** out of me seriously.
its like they start a chain reaction, they amke my stomach burn, i start to swea, have to pee. basically they cause me to go into panic attack mode. i hate it. i jjsut dont understand how mine will be bad for months then go away for months , then ne bad for weeks then come back.. i dunno, the only time i know i will have them for sure is like the week before my period.
i will let you know what i find out after i get my sonogram on my thyroid.
if you want you can also email me anytime holly_loxx***@****

[dimmbeanie]

I am a 31 year old female. I was diagnosed with PSVT when I was 14 years old.  I have spent many hours in the ER over the last several years...many times my episodes would stop and many times I would need adenozine to slow my heart down.  My heart rate was usually at 200 bpm.  I am happy to tell you I had an ablation 3 days ago and it was a breeze.  I put it off because I was so scared I was going to be the 1 in 1,000 that would not make it through the procedure.  I was a basket case the night before the procedure.  I want to tell you it was super easy and a piece of cake.  If you are thinking of having the procedure but are nervous about doing it...don't be.  When the procedure was complete and I heard the doctor say "you are cured" it was a true blessing.  Over the years when I would have an episode I would tell my husband that I wanted to be normal and now I am confident that I am.  I hope this helps anyone who is in limbo about getting an ablation.  Good luck!

[RHYTHMRN]

Hi,
Hope you are one of the lucky ones who is cured by ablation!! I must say I am in much worse shape now than I was prior to ablations. (had 2).  I am still hoping that my heart will settle down.  I would like to hear how you are doing post ablation since it was very recent.  Take care..
Rhythmrn