Pre-existing PSVT and pregnancy

[compassion]

Hello everyone. This is my first time posting a question and I would like to start by thanking all of you wonderful people for sharing your experience and knowledge. Sometimes that appears to be the best medicine.

I'm a 24 year old female 5’6; 150lbs. Medical history includes hypertension, controlled well on trandolopril 2mg daily, and PSVT in which I take verapamil 240mg daily. I was checked for anemia and thyroid trouble all were normal. No significant heart history in immediate family. I don't drink or smoke and have stopped consuming caffeine. Echo shows an EF of 55%, mild tricuspid regurgitation, and mild concentric left ventricular hypertrophy. I noticed my first palpitation when I was in the fourth grade and my first run of a rapid heart beat in my early teens. I have palpitations daily. Sometimes they come in groups (4-5 consecutive palpitations in a row), which makes me feel like I’m dying and my heart is going to stop. I have a run of PSVT about once a month with an average heart rate of 170 lasting around 5 minutes. Sometimes it makes me lightheaded and anxious. For some reason winterfresh gum, smoke, humidity (especially during a shower), heat, cool weather, stress, bending over, crying/laughing,   and nothing at all causes palpitations and runs of PSVT. My question is I'm 24 with not kids. I would like kids but am worried it may be too much on my heart or I may become pre-eclamptic or have sustained SVT while pregnant. Some of my friends are nurses and warned me of this. What is your opinion on this matter? Would you consider me a high risk pregnancy? Thanks

[Cleveland Clinic]

compassion,

Many people in your exact situation have completed healthy pregnancies.  That said, you do have some factors that make you 'special' such as a history of hypertension and the requirement of taking daily medication.  These factors make it important to work closely with your OB during a pregnancy. It would be a good idea to meet with one prior to conceiving.

Look at some of the responses, Im sure others have been in your same boat.

good luck

[momof6]

Hi Compassion,

As you can see my nicname is momof6 which will Lord willing change here in about 7 months to momof7! To give you some encouragement and history of myself. I have expierenced pvc and pac and little bouts of who knows what. Not every little arrythmia has been caught on tape. I get missed beats which will make my head feel a real quick short heaviness. I get burst of fast heart rate that doesnt last long but shakes you up when it happens. A gallopping feeling of  a few fast beats.
Ive had all the tests done too and they say I have a healthy heart. I really didnt start this journey of everyday life with these monsters until right after my fourth baby. Before that I would have a pvc maybe once a year that I can remember never thought anything of it. I have had panick attacks since my early teens started when I lost a cousin a few years older than me. So this will be my third pregnancy to go thru with these arrhythmias. As in all pregnancies your heart rate naturally goes up a little. I do take Lorpressor and have had to have it increased during my pregnancies do to the faster hr. And I might get more pvc and pac too. I was a little nerveous with getting pg with this baby because my arrythmia has changed in the last two years since my last baby and flip-flops around more giving me that feeling of my heart beat being really irregular. Ive been doing pretty good so far with this pregnancy and then just last night I got a gallopped fast hr that only lasted seconds and then corrected itself and then a few beats later did its skipping thing and made my head feel that quick short heaviness. I decided that I can freak out and really fixate(sp wrong?) on it or let it go. Its over and IM not going to wait around for it to happen again and cause my blood pressure to go up,which isnt good for the baby. Sometimes pregnancy while your hormones are rising might make you expeirence more and then when they level out  they become less. I try to focus more on the baby and the excitement that comes with that then focussing on myself and my heart. So with my expeirence these arrythmias has not controlled my life to the point to stop me from having my babies. We love having a large family and I look at each one of them and the joy they have brought in my life and am so glad fear has not ruled in my heart. Other meds Im on and have continued to take during the last three pregnancies are: Lorpressor 250mg daily, potassium20daily,Norvasc5mg once daily for mild high blood pressure,Magnisuim2-3 a day,Dyazide(water pill)to help with the blood pressure too,Metformin500mg twice daily for blood sugar,and of course my prenatal vitamin with a omega 3 gel tab which is good for the babies brain developement. I drink lots of water and keep hydrated which seems to help keep my arrythmia at bay. I have 6 healthy children  and praying this one is likewise. The big question is this, pregnancy alone can bring on alot of anxieties doesnt matter if its your first or seventh and these darn arrhythmias can add an extra load of stress and anxiety. How do you handle your episodes? Im not a pro at this myself and its a one day at a time battle. I thank God each day when I dont have hardly any of them. And thank God he got me thru each episode when I do have them. My last thought is this, wether I decided to have no more children after my fourth when these arrthymias appeared or not I still would be getting them. So I geuss Im saying if your heart has been check out healthy, then I would do my hearts desire. I have no regrets only alot of Joy. And remember they do have meds that can help you! I find that I feel my best when Im pregnant too,probably because I eat much healthier. Sorry this has been so long! I just hate it when these arrythmias stop us from living! I hope the best for you.

[compassion]

CCF-MD-bkj:
Thank you so much for your knowledge and the valuable time you take to answer our questions. That definitely helps to ease the anxiety such a question provokes. I'm relieved to know that the thing to watch during pregnancy is the HTN and not the PSVT and PVCs. Although, I know that BP elevations are serious. At least the HTN is something, for the most part, that I can control. I will make sure, God willing, that I seek an OB doc before I get pregnant. I will also watch my blood pressure even closer than I am now and make the appropriate lifesytle changes to keep in down. Thanks again for your advice.

Anacyde:
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I wish there was a cure for palpitations. I'm not thrilled about the possibility of their increase during pregnancy, but I'll think positive and about the miracle I will soon create. Hopefully I'll have your luck and they'll tapper off during late pregnancy. I hope I will still be able to take some type of medication for the PSVT. Before I took meds, I would have runs that would cause me to almost pass out and they happened all the time. It was so debilitating. Now, on meds, the duration is shorter and they don't happen nearly as often. I'm sure there's a blood pressure medication that's safe during pregnancy that I can switch to. Your post definitely helps to ease my mind, especially knowing I'm not alone, thanks again.

Momof6:
You would make the perfect idol for all of us in this situation to turn to. You have proven that this doesn't have to control our life, and even though it worries you as well, you have maintained positive outlook that's an inspiration for us all. Sorry to hear about your cousin and I hope you've recovered from that ok. Maybe I can go on lopressor if my other BP medication is not compatible with pregnancy. I find myself often fixated on my heart, sometimes so often that I just want to stay in the house. I handle my episodes alot better on the verapamil than before I had it. It was debilitating before and I had runs all the time. Now, when I have a run I get a little anxiety but I just wait it out until the runs suddenly stops then I try to forget about it. I handle the palpitations well except when they come in groups, then I worry all over again. I keep GOD in my prayers always and that helps me try to forget about them. I'm going to try and think positive as you have and think of your success. Even though you had these bothersome heart issues going on for three pregnancies, you still didn't let it stop you from the miracle of life. I wanted several kids, but I was going to settle for one for fear that I may not even be able to have one. Now, my passion, I want at least three and I'm not going to let this nagging heart try to stop me. I love kids, and like you, I want to have several children to charish my life with.  Us women have a wonderful gift and I'm not going to let it go to waste. I appreciate you long post. You gave me alot to think about and if I get discouraged, I can read it again and again. Congradulations on your pregnancy and I wish you the best painfree pregnancy possible.

[tickertock]

Hi,

  I'm a male, so I can't relate in that respect. I am not a MD, but from what i understand and to certain extent have some knowledge of, you can have a baby, just keep the B/P well monitored. The PSVT /PVCs are of limited significance in your case and the risk involving your case should be minute when followed closely by your doctor. Good luck and best wishes.

[cryingheart]

I'm having a hard time understanding why you all would put yourself at risk like that. I know lots of people desire kids, but if you have a heart problem, expecially PSVT even before you've had any kids, why would you risk it. I know a few people who went into SVT and never had it prior to that. Maybe you should try to get your heart problem under control so you or your future baby(s) won't be at risk. I don't mean to be harsh or anything but this is almost a no brainer.

[momof6]

Hello, thank you for your kind words! but I am no idol just a person who has been living with these arrythmias for 10yrs now and have walked thru all the garbage that these scary irregular beats can bring. And thru it all have learned that when we live by fear we only limit our lives and it totally keeps us from living. Fear produces nothing except a more fear. I choose to live by faith which in my expierence has offered life abundantly and filled with so much joy. Yes we should make sure our hearts are healthy and that you are under a care of a good cardiologist and beyond that when your heart has been given a clean bill of health then dont let fear stop you! My best friend has Afib and WPW. Not a fun mix, but I will tell you that she has four children that she has given birth to with no meds and has healthy beautiful children. She is currently trying to conceive her fifth. Alot of people think of pregnancy as a illness,but that is the farthest from the truth! Our bodies were created to bare children. It is a natural and beautiful way our bodies were created. Our hearts were also created to adjust to this along with our whole bodies. Im amazed all the good that pregnancy and breast feeding brings to a womans body. It decreases your chances of ovary cancer and breast cancer. And if your like me I eat so much better when pregnant that I believe my heart is even healthier. ;)

[momof6]

Hello,yes we should make sure that our hearts are healthy. But these arrythmias once your heart has been checked out healthy is not heart desease. They can become very controlling of our lives too. There is more of a risk of crossing the street then to have these arrythmias and getting pregnant. Yes its a no brainer for me, limit my life and regret that I didnt live my life to the fullest or press on past these darn things and expeirence a full life of complete joy! Having this arrythmia does not put your baby at risk just like the doctor said. Im living proof as I look into twelve beautiful eyes. :)momof7 to be!

[lisa616]

Hi all,

   Compassion, I am in a similar situation to yours regarding having children. I have had PSVT since my early teens and am 33 and we are wanting to start a family in the next year or so. Unlike yours I get them in bursts of 30 to 45 mins., sometimes an hour with a BPM running betweeen 210 to 230. I experience palpitations, sharp chest pain that runs into my shoulders and down my arms and ocassionally across my back, lightheaded, dizzy, shortness of breath, burning in my throat, weakness, ocassional nasuea and sometimes disoriented. They happen at any given time and in the past years have begun to wake me in my sleep. It is a very scary feeling and last week I had my worst episode to date and during it I had lost sensation to my jaw, mouth and cheeks,I thought I was having a heart attack.
I had an appointment with my cardiologist yesterday and am seriously considering having the catheter ablation done. It has been suggested in the past but I was nervousr about it but I was told that in my case my BP drops very low during an episode and could cause a loss of oxygen to the placenta. I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to my child due to an episode of PSVT and I chose not have the CA done. I am going for an echcardiogram in two weeks and in the meantime will be seriously considering having the ablation.  It is not for everyone, it depends on your symptoms and frequency but if your Dr. has suggested it ( I do not know if he did)I would look into it. Good Luck! Has anyone here had similar syptoms (symptoms) to mine that went through pregnancy? I would be interested in hearing how it went.

[compassion]

Hey there,
Good to hear from you. I remember how afraid I use to be as a teen with PSVT. For a long time I thought I was going to die and I would pray to at least let me live one more year. I use to have PSVT as bad as you. I had even passed out and woke up in the ambulance and all I could remember before that was that I was walking outside in the cold and all of a sudden my heart took off and started racing. On the verapamil my runs happen alot less frequent and the duration is alot shorter. I still wake up from my sleep to discover that my heart is racing as you do. Sometimes it does make me feel a little nauseated and lightheaded. Sorry you have so many symptoms with yours. I've never had my blood pressure checked during an episode. Are you on any meds for the arrhythmia? Have you ever had adenosine pushed? I have twice. My cardiologist talked of ablation with me several times, but I am terrified of EP studies. So, we are trying to treat mine medically with medicine to see how I do. It has helped alot, but I still have runs and palpitations. I've had my dosages increased twice already. DO you have any worries about having an ablation? I'm only 24 and you are young yourself. My friend who's a nurse told me I could go into sustained SVT in which I would have to have adenosine pushed again during pregnancy. I don't want to put a baby through that. I really don't know what to do but I want kids soooo bad.

[lisa616]

Hi Compassion,

       I was on Verapimil about 10 years ago and I was on it 2x a day but it did not stop the PSVT. We had tried some others but to no avail. It was decided by my Dr. to discontinue meds as I was still getting the episodes and the effect of taking a long term drug 2x a day could cause damage in the long run. He had suggested the CA at that time and discussed PSVT and pregnancy. I was told that when I decide to have children I should seriuosly consider it as those who suffer from PSVT tend to have it happen more during pregnancy. I read a post on this site, I believe, where a woman passed out a couple of times during delivery and they needed to do an emergency c-section.
I have never passed out from PSVT but 90% of the time I am unable to function and I often feel like I will pass out. I will go in and out like I am fighting it, it's very weird.My husband will be talking to me and it seems like so much time goes by before my brain processes what was said and what my reply is. All I can do is lay down and ride it out.  
It must have been horrifying to pass out and wake up in the ambulance. My Dr. told me this week that he does not want me in an episode with the symptoms I am having for more then 25 mins. that I need call for an ambulance and go to the hospital to be taken out of it. I imagine it would be an adenosine push.
I am very nervous about the CA but I know I could not live with myself if something happened to my child due to a PSVT episode. I just can not take that chance. I was told that the medication has a chance of making my BP go lower and if it does not stop the PSVT then my BP could drop dangerously low. I asked my Dr. what he would do and he said he would lean toward the CA.
I have noticed that I get PSVT episodes less as I have gotten older BUT the symptoms are much stronger and painful. But then I have a week like last week were I got one on Mon. & Tues. over 30 mins. and another on Saturday.
I am giving myself until after the echo is done to make my final decission but I am 80% for the CA at this point. The other 20% is worry about the procedure, it had taking me close to ten years to get to this point so I understand your fear. I have a great deal of confidence in my cardiologist but I am a chicken. I need to be put out to have a tooth pulled! Most of my friends and family have told me to have it done but it's is a hard choice to make, if it was my elbow it would have been done 10 years ago!

[momof6]

I am so sorry to hear of your symptoms that you have with your psvt! that would scare me too! Im a big chicken too and am afraid to even go to the dentist. I didnt even want to take the injection to put my heart into stress to do the stress test. I begged them to let me work my heartrate up. In which they did thankfully. My heart just breaks to know that you have this and the desires you have to have children. Im praying for you both that you can work closely with your cardios and come up with a plan that would give  you both a wonderful outcome! I believe that they can. I know that my friend with afib and wpw went into afib while pregnant with her last baby at a heartrate of 260 bpm! for five hours. She is such a calm gal I would have been at the ER in a heartbeat but she never even went in. Which she learned she should never do again if it last more than 20min. She could have thrown a clot. But this does not stop her from wanting more and is trying to conceive. She has learned manovers to help shorten her episodes. With the WPW she cant take betablockers and the other meds because of the WPW is not safe during pregnancy. I think she should research that a little before she gets pregnant for a game plan just in case her episodes increase during pg. I wish the best for you ladies and hope that one day soon we will see an announcement from you two and a wonderful birth story sucsess!! Covering you in much prayer!~momof6

[swim]

Hi,
I am a 27 year old female with psvt. First of all I would like to thank everyone for posting their own stories, it is the first discussion online I have found about women, pregnancy, and psvt. I starting getting experiencing psvt when I was 16 with heart rates that raced about 260. The only symptom I have ever really felt with acute jaw pain, angina. I had two oblations one when I was 17 and the next when I was 21. They were both painless and easy procedures. The first one was successful in the way that they oblated the extra pathways I had in my heart (a different heart condition unrelated), but they were not able to fix my psvt. The main reason I decided to post a comment was to let the woman who is considering having an oblation that my experience was fine. There is really no risk, it is quick, the recovery is fast and simple. I am even considering trying a third since the technology has improved over the past 6 years.
I am ready to get pregnant but have am concerned about my psvt. I have been taking 60 mg of corgard, a beta-blocker that is not safe for a fetus. I have not been off the medicine in 10 years and have actually increased my dose a few times to offset episodes. I cannot take verapil as it drastically increases my attacks for some unknown reason. Right now I am trying to slowly take myself off the heart medicine in hopes that my episodes will be mild and I will be able to have a healthy pregnancy. My question to anyone out there who has psvt and has had a child is: Did your episodes of psvt increase with pregnancy, were you taking beta-blockers (not verapamil), and did you have a healthy baby despite having episodes of psvt? Thank You!

[lisa616]

Thank you for the sharing your experinece on the ablation procedure. I am going to be scheduling mine in the next 2 months and was/am a bit worried on what to expect. I am glad to hear that it was painless and the recovery was quick for you, OI hope mine will be the same. The caridologist believes that my PSVT is caused by nodal re-entry, perhaps that is what you had the first time. I hope that it will stop it once and for all! I do not have children so can't offer any advice there but I was told with my symptoms that there could be an oxygen loss to the placenta when I am in an episode. I was also told that it tends to happen more during pregnancy and some women who never experienced PSVT sometimes do during pregnancy. Good luck with your decissions!

[RimDragonfly]

A related discussion, PSVT, Anxiety, Adenosine IV was started.

[rhapsadaisy]

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