SVT can you feel or know when an episode is coming or is it very sudden

[guinea54]

I been suffering most of my life with extreme anxiety and fear over abnormal heart sensations.  I have no idea if I just have anxiety or a combination of panic/anxiety and a legit arrhythmia.  Ive been to a cardio, have gotten tests done, and captured one of the episodes on a monitor where i was told it was a panic attack and not SVT, but some attacks I have make me really question that some really aren't panic attacks.

  My question to you guys who suffer from any kind of SVT... Does it hit immediately and suddenly without any warning.. or can you feel or sense it coming..  Is it always followed by a sudden skipped beat when it happens?   Usually it happens to me as im falling to sleep.. This all varies, but usually i get a sense of fear or a feeling that I am hot or something is going to come..  Sometimes there is a build up of anxiety and I get over it.. sometimes the heart rate increases a little, sometimes a lot.. And sometimes it just really takes off like a machine..  WHen it does this I almost get convinced I have a form of SVT... Usually when it happens at night, I sort of get a feeling that its coming,  i will take the blankets off of me and try to cool myself down and ride it out..  Sometimes i win, and it settles down before it even hits.. sometimes it hits but it feels more controllable.. and sometime it just feels like a heart problem where the rate is thru the roof and takes off so fast and quickly...  I dunno if these are a combo of anxiety attacks and some form of SVT... But the commonality for me is as im going to sleep or trying to sleep.. and a feeling that its coming.. There is always a premonition or sense that its about to come over me..  I do not notice any skipped heart beats or bangs in my chest before the heart takes off racing..  It usually either just takes off like SVT... increases a lot but not SUPER SUPER fast, and sometimes it increases a little bit and goes away..  Most episodes stop within minutes or less most of the time as i just try to cool down and center my mind..

[lotus8]

Tom's answer is correct so I won't repeat it but I do suggest you ask your cardio for a 14 day monitor to wear. That should tell you definitely what it is. Doctors tend to say these things are anxiety and often they are. Could be sinus tachycardia. But it sounds like you have heart health anxiety. I have it too. And that will bring on these episodes at times.

[guinea54]

I went to a cardio a few years back over it, he gave me ekg, echo and a holter monitor.. that night i had one of those attacks on it,, He said it was sinus tachy.. he wasn't concerned.. Maybe that time was a panic attack or it was misdiagnosed, who knows.. sometimes i feel uncertain... Sometimes you just have to try and figure things out yourself.

[guinea54]

Thanks tom for the reply.. is that true for all forms of SVT like atrial flutter?

[tom_h]

I'm sorry, but I don't know the answer for that.  But I dealt with SVT for 54 years, so have some first hand knowledge on it.

[tom_h]

SVT starts abruptly and ends abruptly.  It does not slowly start up (ramp up) or slowly slow down.  Its instantaneous and often begins with a PVC.