Non-Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia

[Victoria798]

I am a 30 years old female. I have been wearing a holter monitor for about a month. I started wearing it because I had another event where my heart fluttered really hard in my chest and then it beat so fast and out of control for about 15 mins. I was sweating, I couldn't breath, I was dizzy, and I could hardly walk. I had gotten it about 9 months ago too. When I was in my younger twenties I had these same things but every 6 months for about 3-4 years and no cardiologist could catch it and did not do any other tests. The one I just had in Novemeber was THE worse I ever had. I did not think it was going to end this time. It did end though, abruptly, right before I reached the hospital in my husbands car. In between these two major events I have been getting very bad short runs of the fluttering/palpitation part. I pushed my doctor for two years and after this event happening again and being so bad he said he would have me see a cardiologist to give me more peace of mind. I have gotten a nuclear stress test, echocardiogram, numerous blood tests, and have been wearing a monitor. The monitor caught a non-sistained ventricular tachycardia for 8 beats. I felt it and recorded it and called the cardiologist. They switched me off of beta blockers and put me on Cardizem LA and sent me to the arrythmia specialist. Anyway, the specialist told me he did not want to risk a EP study because my heart looked like it was healthy. I am still on a holter and still get palpitations. He sent me for a cardiac MRI but he said he doesn't think they will find anything. He also said he didn't think he could recreate what I had in an EP study. I told him I want to have babies. He said we can talk about that when the time comes because we will have to stop the medicine. I do not feel comfortable living in fear of this thing happening again. I have been suffering for over ten years. Doctors have been telling me it is nothing in the last 3 and I have been fighting for help. I thought that they could do ablation. Is what the doctor told me right? Is a life of medicine what they usually suggest? He also said that if he catches the big episode then he will do an EP study. Why is he waiting? I went to him so I wouldn't have to be in danger and go through that again. I am waiting for the MRI results and I am also getting a second opinion. He also said that the NSVT could have been artrial and there is no way to know for sure. Why is the cardiologist and him calling it a NSVT then? Also, why even where a monitor if you can't tell? I am just really confused and trying to make sense of this so I can move on with my life.

[Victoria798]

Hello. I know it has been years but I just wanted to update you. Thank you for your response as well. I had an SVT while I was wearing a monitor recently. They finally caught it. They did an EP study and an ablation to correct it. I was also diagnosised with Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia. Right now I am trying to condition my heart so I don't have to get a more risky ablation on my sinus node. I am feeling pretty good though and hardly have palpitations. I am also training for a 5k. I am hoping things will get better but we'll see. I am so happy to finally have answers and so much more at peace.

[Jerry_NJ]

I have never had an EP study, but I understand for it to be successful your heart has to be stimulated into the rhythm problem while the study is taking place.  I understand there are ways (but not guaranteed to work) to trigger the rhythm problem.  So, the reluctance to do an EP study is that your heart is not likely to "cooperate".  Thus nothing will be learned.....thus the ongoing monitor to get more data.  

At your young age a "fix" is better than long term medications.  I hope a ablation can be performed, guess you have to allow more time.  Your medical records are yours, so you can transfer all your test results to another specialist if you want.  If you consider doing that work to find a doctor who does a high volume of ablation work.

Good luck, its time I think