27yo recently diagnosed with SVT

[Cheermom1125]

I got a portable pulse ox to monitor my heart rate. Tonight it went from 53 to 92 to 106 all at rest, within a 5 min time frame. Why? The dr explained what SVT is but I'm worried. He prescribed me Digoxin and Lopressor. But my heart is still being crazy. Wondering if I need an ablation. Hmm.

[DeltaDawn23]

If your pulse is erratic, as in afib or flutter, the pulse ox cannot be depended on.  It just captures a snapshot of your pulse.  If it's changing, you're not getting an accurate picture.  This is from a cardiac nurse.  Hope this is helpful.  You might be better off counting it off manually if you can.

[tom_h]

Couple of things:

If your rate was indeed 106, that would be the slowest case of SVT I've ever heard of in my 4 years on this forum.  Mine was typically 220.

SVT rate doesn't vary much. It sets in at a particular rate and stays that way until it or you terminate it.  It starts and stops on a dime.  It doesn't ramp up and down.

Digoxin??  My first SVT episode was when I was 6 years old.  They prescribed Digoxin, a leading edge drug at the time.  That was back in 1957...... Digoxin has some side effects.  It has a very long half life, so it can slowly build up in your blood.  Given the side effects and the fact there are so many more modern medications, If it were me, I'd refuse to take it. Lopressor aka. Metoprolol is commonly given today for among other things, SVT.  It's a modern (although pretty mature) beta blocker.  Lot's of us are prescribed it.  I've been on it for nearly 10 years now, and continue to take it following my electrophysiology procedure 4 years ago.  What strength are you on?

I have found over the years that a lot of general physicians have little to no experience with SVT. Many have never seen an episode in progress, but rather hear the symptoms from the patient.  Quite often they're diagnosed with anxiety and put on some SSRI when it's really not an accurate diagnosis.

Is it possible that your pulse ox monitor is not working correctly.  I mean, is it capable of recording pulse rates typically seen in SVT?  160bpm up to the high 200's are typical in adults.

If I were to make an amateur diagnosis, having experienced SVT for 54 years, I'd say that while you may have some cardiac anomaly, you most definitely don't have SVT.  You may have something else.  But not SVT.

[MichelleP_3811]

106 isn't very high for an svt.  Can I ask did it fluctuate up and down between the numbers?  Did it feel like it happened in one beat or did it raise and lower slowly?  I had an svt called avnrt which is the most common and it would start and stop in a beat and run at rates well into the 200s.  It is crazy manic and usually pretty fast.  106 sounds more like something like inappropriate sinus tachycardia or even something outside the heart causing it to speed up a bit.  I guess it is possible there may be some afib but you are very young to have that unless you have had undiagnosed high blood pressure your whole life but odds are well against it being afib. No matter what, to know for sure what is going on you will need to see a cardiologist and get a monitor to catch it officially.  

So what were you doing?  Were you feeling anxious at the time?  Why were you checking your heart rate in the first place?  Did you recently have a big meal or do you have acid reflux?  Has your thyroid been checked recently?  Do you exercise?  I think it important to rule out other factors and get it officially diagnosed as an svt before you start to worry about an ablation.  But if you did need one they really aren't as scary as they seem to the mind.  Take care and keep us posted on how you are.