Possible SVT but no fast heartbeat

[fearfactor]

Hi, Doctor - I have been having heart palpitations pretty much ever since I can remember.  I also have a pretty severe anxiety problem.  I have worn holters and 30 day event monitors and all they ever find is PACs (occasional PVCs).  About once or twice a year, usually while I am menstruating, I will get what feels like a number of PACs or PVCs in a row.  It usually starts out with an ectopic beat, then a normal one, and then what feels like a "bubbling" feeling in my chest, which I am assuming is a few palps in a row.  It does feel like that "roller-coaster" up and down feeling you get from ectopics but just all in a row.  This has never been captured on a monitor at all.  My doctor says it is likely SVT and not V-tach since I have more PACs than PVCs.  However, I thought SVT was a fast heartbeat and would feel like tachycardia (I have sinus tach from time to time, caught on monitors).  If this is SVT, then why doesn't it feel fast to me?  I never manage to touch my pulse while it's going on because it scares the heck out of me, and I jump up off the chair and it stops.  Could this be SVT even though it doesn't feel fast?  Could it be atrial fibrillation, which I am terrified of?  If so, could I really stop it by jumping up?  Do I need more testing?  My heart has redundant mitral valve tissue but no "frank prolapse" accd. to my echo results.  This worries me a lot because it usually happens when I'm lying down or relaxing, not anxious at all and I'm scared I'm going to die.  Thank you.

[hollyloxx]

yeah i had svt too and that woeuld lst for hrs!! my high was 265 and that was too mcuh for me.
i had an ablation.
that was 5 yeas ago too. now i have those short beats of them and i think its pvc's or pac's.
pursue it w/ a cardiologist anyways to make sure where a montior,

[fearfactor]

I guess I fear A-fib so much because it seems like it is "uncontrollable" and lasts for days and days. When I have my heart symptoms it terrifies me to death and I guess the thought of having something that lasts a long time and can't be controlled too well with medication (I've heard stories about it not being able to be controlled with meds) scares me a lot!

[mmfd]

I would venture a guess that you may be having a very very brief *run* of Pac's, but it doesn't feel fast to you because it lasts just a very short time.  I have had SVT many times: atrial flutter/fib, av nodal reentry, ectopic atrial tach, etc, but mine has lasted up to 5 hours.  (that's not counting the FIVE day time that was due to hyperthyroid!)  My rate during the SVT has ranged from about 140 (while on beta blockers) to 238, which is my life time best!  From my experience, I only have symptoms when the sustained rate is over about 190.  Then my bp falls way too low, and I get very lightheaded.  If the rate is less, then all I feel is a very rapid rate.  If it persists longer than a few minutes, I try coughing which sometimes resets it, or do the valsalva.  Drinking a glass of carbonated soda has worked for some people.  After about 30 min. or so, then I MAY consider calling the paramedics.  But if I had only a 3 beat run, I would just ignore it and continue whatever I was doing.    Oh, and I DO have heart disease, and still ignore it all.  Btw, why are you terrified of afib?  It is not life threatening.  They can control the rate and put you on Coumadin and that is that.  Or may try some drug to terminate it.  Remember, you are not gonna die one minute before God wants you.........

[sherma]

I now what your going through, just like you posted to me.  I cannot understand why nearly all the cardios say that they are anxiety related when your asleep but why when you get up from or a lying or sitting position they seem to stop.  ONE DAY a cardio will have the same symtoms - and I would love to know what they feel.  I realise that your mind can play clever tricks on you, but this does seem to be absurd.  I always thought that pvc's were a direct correlation from anxiety - but when your relaxing??  Like I said in my previous post I WILL NOT quit until I find an answer.  I live in France which has one of the best health care systems in the world - I am  on the case and will let you know.  Perhaps some of the other more informative posters will let us know - some of the posters on here seem to be more helpful than the cardios.  Sleep well, you are not alone.  Sherma XX

[emilycaitlin]

Hi,
My svt can happen at any time, I don't have to be anxious about anything at all. I've never woken up from sleep having one but any other time is fair game!. I don't notice my hr until it gets past 140. Most commonly when I have an attack, I will notice a short run, about 5sec, of pacs and then my hr will suddenly be 180-190, can last anywhere from a few hrs up to 12hrs. I've never had a chest pain or fainted from this, but my dr says fainting can happen. The bubbling you described does sound like several palps in a row, I've had that feeling before too. Good luck to you, em

[fearfactor]

OOOPS...obviously I thought I was in the other forum.  No, I'm not brain dead today!