SVT

[kasey]

I have a couple questions about SVT.  I'm 22 years old and have had this condition since I was in my early teens.  My heart rate goes up to about 260bpm.  Ever since I started a beta blocker, my episodes have only been once a year.  I've had all the test ran and I was told that my heart was healthy, except when I get the SVT. My questions are:
1) When does this become a dangerous situation?  How long can a healthy heart beat for 260bpm without damaging it?
2) Does having this condition shorten your life span?
3) Does this put me at high risk for pregnancy?
  
Any answers to my  questions would be great!  thanks so much!

[lorretta]

i too get increases hr in the shower..120..130..my own theory is the heat. my heart beats faster in summer too when my body temp is elevated.

[jan]

When my heart rate wasn't under control it went up to 120's in the shower, too. I just read about naps in Intelihealth, here is a quote from the article: "...due to a complex chemical reaction that occurs in the body shortly after waking and increases heart rate and blood pressure."  Since I have IST that would explain why mine gets that high. Hope this helps.

[dodgybeats]

I have noticed recently that when I am showering, my heart rate is always elevated to about 120-130/min and slows down when I step out.  I get bouts of tachy at other times as well...usually about 2 or 3 times a month, but I can always feel my heart racing in the shower.  Just wondering if anyone else ever gets this.

[Lindy]

I suffered with svt's from the age of 11 to 34.  I took loads of anti-arythmic drugs.  Nothing helped.  I was on the table for ablation when the cardiologist found several accessory pathways and decided it was not safe to proceed.  I was fitted with an anti-tachycardia pacemaker 9 years ago and it is brilliant.

[angeline]

I was wondering if any of you had suffered from SVT as young children or even as babies??
I know that may be hard to remember, I am just curious.
When I was carrying my son(my 2ndpregnancy), I went in for a routine check and they found a heart problem with him.  
After seeing a whole lot of Doctors a cardiologist told us he had SVT, the top half beating at over 300 and the bottom beating at 80.  I was put onto digoxin for him, but had to be monitored heavily so I didn't go toxic.  
He was born premature by 3wks, and hasn't had any SVT since birth, the cardiologists at Womens and Childrens hospital in Adelaide, South Australia, have since discharged him from the clinic.  Telling us all the telltale signs to look for and what to do when we see them.
Do any other ppl have children as young as this, that have had SVT but it seems to have gone?
If you want you can email me on ***@****

[Simon To Steve]

This is the solution my cardiologist here has come up with.  He feels that through RF Ablation, he can find the "extra pacemakers" that are converting me into afib.  As a side note, this only happens to me when I either sleeping or trying to sleep. When I had the hoilter monitor on, I had an extra 800 beats from 2am-8am.

I am curious if anyone else is on Rythmol.  It sounds like it's not really the drug of choice in this forum.

[matt]

Hey Melissa,

I just had Radio Frequency Catheter Ablation 1 week ago.  Unlike Steves, I dont remember any of the Operation.  I know my parents who brought me to the operation told me the doctors came out all excited and said "WE CURED HIM!!!"  I was on the operating table at 8:30 am and left for home at 4pm the same day.  I do have some weird side effects since the operation.  My heartbeat has been pounding ever since the operation.  Its a real annoying feeling and I really hope it goes away soon.  Otherwise, I am fine/ went back to work 2 days after the operation, and went on a nice bike ride 5 days after.  My thought was always "rather be cured, than on meds the rest of my life."  I will let you know if I really think the operation was worth it.  Right now, this pounding is really annoying, but I read some other forums, and people with similar symptoms said it eventually goes away.  If it does, it will definately be worth it.  I will try to keep you posted if you want, here or email me if you have any other questions at ***@****

[Penny To All Above]

I have had the same procedure and also fibrillated on the table,  my cardiologist was not concerned and said it happened because he was stimulating my heart so much (to try and induce any dangerous arrythmia - v-tach I imagine), that it slipped into fibrillation and I needed the packer wackers (anyone reading from Australia?).  He didn't think it was a big deal.

[stevebu]

You mentioned getting the RF ablation for atrial fib?  I thought ablation was not effective for atrial fib?  Just wondering.

[Amy to Aaron]

Hi Lin.  I had my surgery at Baystate Medical Center, Springfield Massachusetts (western MASS).  They told my husband that they had to use the paddles because my heart was fibrillating while they were in there (happened twice).  They didn't elaborate any more than that, and I didn't even think to ask when I saw the doctor.  But really, that whole thing didn't scare me, I was just kinda surprised to wake up and have the burn on my chest...it doesn't hurt.  Anyway, my cardiologist was Glenn Kabell, and his collegue Dr. Kirkoffer performed the surgery.  I found the group by calling the Baystate Medical Center referral line [phone].  There are four cardiologists at the hospital that specialize in electrophysiology and do these surgeries..they do about 100 a year they told me.  I'll be checking the forum, if you have any more questions...
:)

[LINDA CAROLEO]

Reply to Amy
Thanks Amy.  I have an appointment with my cardiologist today and I'm going to ask him about going up through my artery.  Did they take you off all of your meds?

[Cuore]

In reply to Amy and Simon:
Thanks for responding.  

Amy, why did they have to use the paddles, did you have a heart attack on the table?  Also, what hospital did you have this done in?  I live in NY.

Simon, where are you having yours done?  I had heard that there is a 1% chance of heart attack or stroke on the table if they poke a hole in your heart.  Did the doctors say anything like that to you?

[cc]

I have had two unsuccessful ablations.  I suffer from tons of PVC's (which I was hoping they could cure), and short bouts of v-tach (which really scare me).  They could not induce v-tach or anything so they quit the procedure after one hour.  I live in Calgary, Alberta CANADA and apparently they do quite a few out here.  Vancouver was the first place that they started doing the procedure in Canada so I am sure they are quite confident in doing it.  My doc says there are great docs out in Vancouver for doing ablations.

[Simon]

Lin, I'm on the westcoast of Canada.  The procedure is apparently quite new out here.  My concern is that they're doing lost of them in Victoria (where I live) but in Vancouver (the big city), they're a little hesitant and performing the procedure.  I'm going for a second opinion in Vancouver in October.

Never heard about the 1% chance of stroke or heart attack.

[Simon to Lin]

Hi Lin!!  I am 22 years old an have been having periods of atrial fibrilation for the past six months.  Just went to the hospital and got it on a ECG in May, diagnosed within three weeks and ready to head into an ablation procedure.  The only thing that's stopping me is that my Cardiologist told me as well that they would have to poke a hole in the chamber wall to get to the right chamber.  He did tell me that this was a tricky procedure and there are some concerns involved.  Basically he told me the worst case scenerio was that they actually burn outside the heart instead of into the other chamber.  He says that if this happens, you just have to stay at home and take it easy for a week until it heals.

I'm really tired of taking the Rythmol and am still getting some minor episodes of AFIB so I want to go ahead with this.  I really want to figure out more about this procedure.

[Amy to Aaron]

Thanks for your reply Lin.  They didn't say anything about poking a hole in my heart to get to the other side.  They just went up an artery to get there.  I think the doctors in this forum could answer your questions better than I can.  My surgery took about 3.5 hours.  The worst of it was waking up to them trying to stop the bleeding in my artery (literally pushing on my leg with their fists) and that was over in just a couple minutes.  I have had a really bad backache too, but I dont know if its because I had to lay still so long, or if its from them using the defibrillating paddle on me during my surgery.  I had my procedure done on the east coast, but I think if you find a cardiologist that specializes in electrophysiology that you trust, location really isnt a factor

good luck to you Lin
I think this was definitely worth doing.  I'm tired of feeling afraid every time my heart flips out, and tired of restricting my activity for fear PSVT'd happen (happened in karate class, power walking, etc)

[LINDA CAROLEO]

Hi Amy,

I read your reply and I also have svt's originating from the left side of my heart.  The doctor told me that they would go up the right side of my heart and have to poke a hole to get to the left side and that this is a bit more dangerous so I've been afraid to have it done.  Where did you have it done?  Who was your doctor?  Did they tell you it was more danagerous?  How long did it take?  I would really like to chat with you about this.  Is there somewhere I can email you about this?

Thanks so much, Lin

[Amy]

Hi Melissa and Steve.  I had PSVT for 15 years and had the RF ablation 2 days ago.  Melissa, as far as pregnancy goes, I began having the fainting spells some people have with our condition only after I got pregnant with my first child.  After the birth of my second though, it was still happening, and I was always alone with my kids so I chose to do the ablation.  I took digoxin during the pregnancies, and that helped keep the attacks to a minimum.  My surgery was also a piece of cake like Steve said, but my pathway was way on the left side so they needed to go through an artery in my right thigh rather than just the vein in my neck and vein in my left leg.  That site did hurt quite a bit when I came out of the general because they were pressing very hard, and I have quite a bruise at the moment.  Also, they had to defibrillate me twice with the paddles during the surgery, so I have a rectangular burn on my left breast and another on my back... not painful really, just incredibly itchy.  I wish you the best whatever you decide.. I definitely feel the piece of mind is so worth the procedure.  good luck!

[stevebu]

The ablation was not bad.  I was given some pretty good meds that made me mellow, but I still remember a lot about it.  There was some mild pain when they put the cath in my legs, but nothing bad.  I also remmeber when they started my heart beating fast, but I did not feel the actual ablation when it happened. I remember them giving me adrenaline to try and reproduce the SVT after the ablation.  I was out of the hospital in 24 hours.  I started running again 5 days later.  As the doctor predicted, I did get an increase of extra beats (PVC's and PAC's) for a couple weeks after the ablation, but they have since gone back to my normal 1/2 dozen a day.

The risk of a serious complication during the ablation is under 1% according to my EP doctor and other info I have read.  Since you are young and healthy, the risk may be even less.

I know someone that had SVT and got pregnant.  Her condition did flare up because she was not allowed to take the meds.  I don't know if this is normal or not.  Good luck to you whatever you decide to do.

[kasey]

To Steve

I was told that I had SVT, not WPW.  I actually had an episode when I was at the cardiologist, and he didnt say it was WPW.  I know that the wpw is more dangerous than svt.  So, the ablation wasn't so bad?  I have considered that, but Im kinda scared.  I take Atenolol, and it works really good.  If the meds. didnt work, I 'd definately have an ablation b/c I would'nt be able to take frequent episodes.   Good Luck to you too.

[stevebu]

Hi Melissa.  I have also had SVT since I was an early teen, maybe even as far back as 9 years old.  Do you have PSVT, or perhaps WPW?  I had the PSVT and my heart rate use to get up to around 200 (except for one time I will explain later).  Since yours gets up to 260 I thought maybe it was the WPW Syndrome.

I also took meds from about age 21 until this year at age 33.  It seemed my body could no longer stand the meds and they don't make you feel very good (side effects for me were lack of energy and constipation and both were a long term problem).  I had RF ablation done in June, and so far no more attacks.  My EP doctor is very confident he cured the problem and I believe he is right. Only time will tell.  I am now running over 30 miles per week and feeling great.

I also had all the test and no problems found.  I was told I would have a normal lenght of life and try not to worry.  The problem was I still had attacks now and then and never knew when they would happen.  What if I were out of town, over seas, and could not get it stopped.  I think the longest episode I ever had was 2 hours.  I had to be converted twice in the hospital with IV meds.  How about you?  Anyway, I just decided to do something about it.  The RF ablation took 4 hours and it was a piece of cake.  You may want to consider this option.

When I was in my early 20's I experimented with a recreational drug and ended up having a really bad episode.  My heart was going over 300 and basically not pumping. I happened to be 50 ft away from a hospital when it happened.  I hate to think what might have happened if the hospital was not right next to me. Not that you would ever do this, but just a warning I will pass along.

Good luck to you!      

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

1. If the fast heart rate is associated with lightheadedness or fainting, sever cchest pain or shortness of breath, then it is dangerous. A young and healthy heart will not be damaged by a few episodes of a rate that fast, even if lasting a couple of hours.
2. THis will not shorten your life span.
3. Sometimes SVT does flare up during pregnancy. It might be a good idea to see a cardiac electrophysiologist for an EP study (done in a catheterization laboratory) to see if you have any abnormal electrical connections in your heart that could be cured permanently.