Discussions

I completely relate to your mourning of where did your old self go – it’s very frustrating and impairing to have to restrict enjoying things because you don’t know if an episode or a run of misfires will happen. I’ve used Magnesium with some good effect for the past couple of years but as I’m just a little older than you (47) I think hormonal changes are starting to kick in. There’s a great website called ?A-fibbers which talks about supporting arrythmias with natural means…I suppose it’s finding the right combination.

I do get SVT from time to time. Heart rate +200 bpm. It is very very scary even though doctors says it’s not life threatening in healthy hearts. I believe that anxiety and panic is a big factor in STVs.
When we got our first SVT, we became sensitized from all the fear and drama. We are watching our bodies. Every beat and every breath. We ask ourselves whether our lunch or dinner will cause us SVTs.
There are a lot of triggers for SVT. our fear of them made our heart on stand-by for adrenalin. Adrenalin became our enemy.
The truth is, as long you have a structurally healthy heart, SVT is harmless. Fast heart is a healthy heart. Think of kids, they have a very fast heart rate, but they don’t think about it like we do.
If you take a heart out of a body, it will still keep beating for along time on its own.
you need to utterly accept the fact that you have a healthy heart and accept that SVT is harmless and let them pass without panicking or worrying about dying.

I have had SVT since I was little, I am now 45 years old. Traveling by plane never bothered me in the past, in fact I thought it was the best way to travel. However, when I got into my 40’s my fears of going into tach. on the plane really got into my head. I really like a lot of the tips from this site. I think the best approach is talking to your cardiologist (if you have one) and go over all the “what if’s”. Then to do everything you can prior to the flight to relax and stay away from any trigger foods/drinks. (Also ,I like the tip of taking a type of beta-blocker along with me) I have noticed over the years that I do have trigger’s…eating too much food at one time, anxiety, hiccups and bending over along with a few more. I have also talked to people that have SVT that have had them for hours. (Mine tend to be shorter…a few minutes). I think the fears we have are being confined and not having access to a hospital – “just in case”. I realize that I have to get past this because I do want to do a lot more traveling. Good luck to everyone – I know what you are going through!

Great website and blog Laura. I’ve read it from top to bottom. I’m very grateful for the sharing and hearing of people experiences and your encouraging comments. It helps to know others successes. I thought I might add an additional element to look into as it is potentially connected to symptoms posters have shared. Please look up Roemheld Syndrome.

PS: I also have to say, that I was borderline to be classified ‘overweight’ (68kg), but since I have lost 4kg (64kg now, 163cm tall), episodes did get less. I did not want to loose weight, but changing the diet made it happen automatically. As if ‘fat’ pushed/squeezed my heart. I also thought of ‘heart scoliosis’ where a benign tumor can press against the muscle…?? Maybe our tachycardia episodes (if it is not the extra WPW svt or other physical reason like a valve, heart muscle disease, embolism, heart attack ) are a combination of stress, food, weight and infection? So there is hope, they will go away, PLEASE.

Hello, as far a I understand the initial blog (since I am browsing the internet for answers and suggestions), SVT was NOT DIAGNOSED. Since you were in hospital (where you got the adenosine shot), they surely did an ECG while being high in pulse/beat and most likely was ‘just’ SINUS tachycardia….like mine. Not all high tachycardias are SVTs. I have sinus tachycardias out of the blue with 220 pulse rate. It’s like a button that is pressed. Mostly during the night. Sometimes it is low rate first, I walk around with iced water and ‘whatever’ attitude and then it rushes up, which is frightening. Up to 150 pulse I consider it ‘normal’ and fully ok, I just don’t like the above 200 pulse episodes, that are hearable and noticable under my skull. You need to relax. What I learned is, that I still CAN fly (I fly Europe-Australia), the episodes never made me pass out so far. I am allergic to beta blockers….so I cannot take those with me, and still I go camping, because cool air, cool water and slowly walking around and distracting with my daughter’s ipod touch always helped…I cannot stand it, to stay in bed lying, so my only worry is, in case I ever got really sick (stomach or operation like I had in my life) and am stuck to the bed. My thyroid was slightly so called subclinical hyperthyroidism, hormones even in normal upper range, which was too high for me, once treated, the episodes still did NOT disappear as anticipated. I feel with you, because many people say ‘oh, I have the same, it is just panic attacks’ and those people ever experienced maximum of 130 out of the blue, which is for my liking: nothing to worry about. The above 200 are the awkward ones. No cardiologist could help (except costing me a lot of money which I could have spent enjoying life) and they also refused further tests like an MRI or CT while ‘will come back normal anyway’. I did not see recent posts (or am I blind) WHAT improved your situation. For me it was including loads of green vegetables into my otherwise quite sweet diet, every evening , sometimes also at lunch, a whole bowl full of steamed kale/broccoli/spinach on its own or with the regular dish, which is then a much smaller portion. I love beetroot juice daily, drink much water, I still have my little piece of chocolate or cake, but not loads of it, I must not overeat in the evening (dinner invitations), I have an apple a day, I take intestine bacteria (good) powder daily, have a banana or sweet potato, the episodes seem to get lighter or disappear, when I am more strict with food intake over weeks. And if I ever fall back to ‘old habits (like eating loads of chocolate), the episodes do not come on the same day, it takes days, it seems there is a delay. If I have episodes and change back to a very even vegan like diet, it takes a week to kick in. There is also the suggestion that histamine intake or histamine enzyme blocking foods can cause tachycardia….high in the meaning of histamine (however the chemistry is behind it, it is not that simple): are red wine, oranges, rye, sourdough, cheese, sauerkraut, most fish, salami, ham, walnuts and red/white/balsamico vinegar. Worth trying also these food hints. I am NOT GLUTEN intolerant/allergic and I have no episodes when normal flour or pasta is included. It’s not all gluten to be blamed, it’s a pretty good protein.

I had SVT real bad up until last summer. A friend of mine told me to try oxygen. I bought a used oxygen concentrator, and was amazed, as soon as my heart would start SVT, I put on the oxygen, laid on the bed face down, (seem to work the best) and take deep breaths of oxygen. My heart soon would go back to normal rhythm. It seemed that the sooner I could use the oxygen, the shorter time it took to get to normal. I had 6 ablations last summer, and stopped both AFIB and SVT which I had suffered like you for 9 years. My heart would feel “raw” from beating so fast and hard, and was a horrible condition. I never knew when it would happen.

Wow! I’m so glad I found this site. After having been through 3 episodes of SVT that last about 30 minutes each, as my 4th one was happening (at 2:30am) I decided to get myself to the ER and I was glad I did. They finally diagnosed this very scary condition and gave me adenosine. My previous 3 episodes happened at the onset of my menstruation, so I thought it HAD to be something related to the change of hormones immediately before my period. The most recent time occurred during the middle of my cycle so kind of blows that out of the water- but I was stressed that day, had little sleep, little nutritious food, and had caffine. Now I am staying away from stimulants, monitoring myself and trying the techniques- bearing down, rubbing artery on right side of neck, ice water in face, and making sure to get enough magnesium. I heard that SVT and the Vargas nerve are somehow related- also levels of magnesium, potassium, and electrolytes. Good luck everyone and good health. 🙂

I am so sorry Joanne. I can relate to everything you said and it is just horrible. Are you taking Beta blockers by any chance ? I am taking something called Metaprolol which is definitely calming those attacks,by slowing down the heart and i finally have started to break through the fear and exercise. also, watching what food or alcohol might trigger an attack, as I notice my stomach usually blows up during an SVT attack. You are not alone….and there is brighter days. Try to believe that.

Eve

I have been taking 25 MSG. Of Toprol every night before I go to bed and it has really helped me…also being careful to stay hydrated and limit alcohol…hydration is really important and worth having to pee early in morning! (:

I’ve been having them for years but the past two have bee terrible. They last three to six hours. Totally exhausted afterward. Had one yesterday and having another one now. Can’t think straight during and after. I get dizzy, weak legs and just feel terrible. Dr. Had me tested for sleep apnea. Had me on pressure 5 Cpap. Pressure five is debateable as being apnea. I’m not going down that road anymore. I am always hot. Always. Sometimes get terrible weakness and shakes and will eat and feel better in a half hour. I feel so miserable with this svt right now I just want to cry.

Hi! I’m glad to find someone on the same page as me when it comes to SVTs. As you mentioned, doctors don’t really care what you have to say about what led up to your episode. I told several cardideologists that my SVT’s more related to high fructose corn syrup and especially aspartame. I was told every time that there was no connection. Like you, I started making a journal of what I just ate or drank or what I was doing when I had the episode. I noticed a trend of crunching down or leaning to my left to far that would cause me to immediately go into an SVT. I was on Metoprolol for one year following a three hour SVT and a trip to the emergency room including an injection of Adenosine. I have become debilitated from these SVT’s to where I’m afraid to leave the house by myself. When I go anywhere, I have to park near an exit this way I can
Run to my car should I go into an SVT as they were coming more frequently. I promised myself a year ago if I had a bad episode and ended up in the ER one more time that I would finally go ahead and have the ablation. Well on June 1, 2014 I ended up in a three hour SVT, two injections of Adenosine and once again a trip to the ER. While I was in the hospital I agreed to the ablation which was done on June 2, 2014. It was the most insane thing I have ever experienced for myself. It was three straight hours of pure insanity, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought. I stayed awake through the entire process. It’s now been 2 1/2 weeks with no medication and no more SVTs, so far! That EP cardiologist said if nothing happens in four weeks then I should be good to go forever. So far so good, knock on wood! I do regret not getting the ablation done sooner. But hopefully the ablation was a success and I can start living my life again as I’m not getting any younger LOL!! (46). Good luck to everyone and keep up your SVTs! 🙂

Hi! I’m glad to find someone on the same page as me when it comes to SVTs. As you mentioned, doctors don’t really care what you have to say about what led up to your episode. I told several cardideologists that my SVT’s more related to high fructose corn syrup and especially aspartame. I was told every time that there was no connection. Like you, I started making a journal of what I just ate or drank or what I was doing when I had the episode. I noticed a trend of crunching down or leaning to my left to far that would cause me to immediately go into an SVT. I was on Metoprolol for one year following a three hour SVT and a trip to the emergency room including an injection of Adenosine. I have become debilitated from these SVT’s to where I’m afraid to leave the house by myself. When I go anywhere, I have to park near an exit this way I can
Run to my car should I go into an SVT as they were coming more frequently. I promised myself a year ago if I had a bad episode and ended up in the ER one more time that I would finally go ahead and have the ablation. Well on June 1, 2014 I ended up in a three hour SVT, two injections of Adenosine and once again a trip to the ER. While I was in the hospital I agreed to the ablation which was done on June 2, 2014. It was the most insane thing I have ever experienced for myself. It was three straight hours of pure insanity, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought. I stayed awake through the entire process. It’s now been 2 1/2 weeks with no medication and no more SVTs, so far! That EP cardiologist said if nothing happens in four weeks then I should be good to go forever. So far so good, knock on wood! I do regret not getting the ablation done sooner. But hopefully the ablation was a success and I can start living my life again as I’m not getting any younger LOL!! (46). Good luck to everyone and keep up your SVTs! 🙂

I meant to say; the Dr’s office said I was in the 3% who had to go back for a 2nd round of ablation. That must be from their practice only; as we all know how many of us have return to hospital again!! The nurse said she only knew of 1 woman; similar age to me who had to go back for a touch up! Ha don’t you like how they put it. (The nurse has been working there for 3 years.) I will say, I had some organic baked beans this morning. I was nervous (as previously I reacted to tomato paste) and I had that sensation the SVT was going to come on 1/2 hr later; however it didn’t. So I will say the ablation has helped. However the Dr recommended to go back in for a touch up. They mustn’t have ablated all the cells – where there is still a pathway. Laura have you seen many people where it has not worked the 2nd time? Thanks

Oh, Laura, know you are not alone. Interesting as approx. 6 months ago, my potassium reading was down too. Just look up high potassium foods. White beans, salmon, apricots etc. Cigs are bad. Re food; trying eating nothing that is processed from a plastic packet or container. As Laura said – natural REAL food. Re milk substitute I like coconut cream ie in cereal; however following gaps for gut healing; shouldn’t eat grains for a little while. Suggest making lots of soups and stock – majority veggies and meat is best. If you have gut issues; you could also look up Gaps Diet which we did for a time.

Hi, my name is laura and I’m 23 years old. Sat I was rushed to the er around midnight, with my heart rate at 190 and both medicines the paramedics gave me didn’t work to bring it down. I had never had issues with heart or anything. I was sitting on the couch and I felt weird, dizzy, pain in heart and left arm, numb in right arm, racing heart. I instantly got into a cool bath and that calmed it down. But when I got out, it immediately started again, worse than before. That’s when I had to call the ambulance. Like i said both medicines wouldnt work or vagal manuvers, when I got to the hospital they made me hug an ice pack and one on the back of my neck. It took hours for it to go down, and it was finally resting at 90-100. Was diagnosed with svt. I do smoke cigarettes and marijuana daily(have since I was 15) well I was having little episodes the whole time after I was release, but I was getting them under control by vagal maneuvers that I learned in the ambulance. I was scared to death, felt weak and nausous. Well Tues I was feeling the palpilations all day,but no episodes until that night. ( both attacks happened at around midnight) well I was laying down and I felt like my heart was stopping, and i had read that if u are having a heart attack to cough so I did. But then it was racing and I couldn’t breathe or stop coughing this weird long couch or hack. Both times I felt like u do when u ride a roller coaster and go down a hill, like something was really wrong. The second time when I couldn’t breathe only cough, I was panicing thought I was having a heart attack or dying.my right arm went numb, then my left, then whole body. I couldn’t even clinch my fingers into fists or move them. Well by the time I got to the er it was resting at 130 and going down slowly. They said I only had anxiety and a drug problem (the marijuana) but I hadn’t smoked it since the first time because i was so freaked out.) When I got out the next morning I had extreme diarerra and still have, today is Thursday. I saw a cardiologist wed. and he put me on potassium pills ( mine was really low) and metoprol 25 mg(half twice a day) it seems to be helping but I can tell when it stops working during the day before I take the second, also it acts funny before it kicks in like my heart doesn’t know if its going to go fast or slow and skips beats. I have stopped smoking marijuana all together but have had a couple puffs of a cigg.. I don’t know anything about svt and diets. I don’t even know what gluten is. I usually drank a lot of milk, and sugar is my weakness. I am crying writing this and reading everyone else’s posts. I need help I don’t even know where o begin with the whole diet thing. I have no insurance or money. I haven’t felt normal since sat at all. Can’t eat much BC stomach hurts, the diarerra, worrying. Please if anyone can help with the whole diet thing and gluten I would like to try that. My next apt for the echo thing isn’t for another week then check up with card. in two. Thank you all for your stories, makes me think I’m really going to be ok. Any help or advice would be welcome! Thanks, laura.

Oh Laura, thank you so much for creating this website. I am guilty of a lot of the above

Hi Thank you for your posts! I am now 45 and have been having svt for approx. 7 years, becoming more sensitive over time. I thought it could be beneficial to let you know that my trigger was MSG 621 glutamic acid; which is hidden in most foods (and no doubt stress after my 2nd child and running our own print/design business.) I was so sensitive that I could not even eat shop bought tomato paste – oddly enough I could eat some home made tomato paste. (Goodness knows what they do to it.) The reason being tomatoes have the highest glutamic acid of all. My attacks would only occur about an hour after consuming msg or gluatamic acid. They would mostly last for 1 1/2 hrs; or until I had a shot of adenosine in ER. I was over being so sensitive, so after 1 yr of private medical insurance to be covered for the op.; I had the eps study (now isn’t that an experience being awake for! Fascinating however) and I had svt reentrant ablation 3 weeks ago. The Dr said it’s a binary thing and yes I could now eat msg; so I went out and ate Chinese 2 days later and was elated I was ok. Then pasta, indian etc. PS I have mostly been eating gluten free and healthy prior. (Except for the past week)
However, I am so disappointed to say; Yesterday morning I had my heart racing approx. 200bpm for 1 hr. We finally called the ambulance; as I thought it would be beneficial to get a cardiograph to show the Cardiologist! Of course as soon as I got close to the ambulance my hear rate slowed :-(; back to 125; so I did not bother going to hospital. Now I will say I had been abusing myself with garbage the day/night before; not much sleep and I am embarrassed to say I even had cigaretttes. The difference is; it happened 7 hrs after consuming anything (which was not the case before). However if it’s a binary thing; why did it happen at all!!??? I mean if they severed the 2nd electrical vein that was supposedly causing the short circuit!!? I will make the appointment with the cardiologist; may take 8 weeks to see him. The other thing is I had a very stressful week at work; and I was approx. 1 week before my period. So I am even more teary about the circumstance. It is good to know we are not alone; thank you again.

Yum! These look so fluffy and delicious! Great idea to use cashew butter 🙂

I am considering ablation for my svt. I have had this condition since I was a child and I am now 55 yrs old. What are your thoughts on ablation. Thank you.

What a helpful blog. Thank you so much. Just woke up completely dehydrated and drank 1l of water after reading your first few sentences. My biggest SVTs happen at 5 -6 am when my body gets most dehydrated probably. I will go oit and buy some veggies now and try and stay off bread all day. But we are in Paris and water and veggies and sleep seem to be the easiest things to do immediately. Thanks again!

Hello,
I was diagnosed with SVT in the early 1990’s. The doctor told me that there were four things that he felt contrubuted to my episodes nictine, caffeine, an unhelthy diet, and stress. For a long time I could not find anyone thant suffered from SVT. It seemed a taboo topic. But, now it does not seem to be such a hush topic. I was so excited when I came across your blog that I decided to start one on SVT under the topic of recieving stress through prayer. Thank you so much for your blog and please feel free to viev mine at clevrachelsbluemonkey@wordpress.com.

I am 42 and suffer from SVT for a few years now. I just had an ablation but they couldn’t stimulate my heart to show where the problem is coming from. The Dr. told me he wouldn’t try again and all he can do is put me on different kind of pills if the episodes continue. I am just taking Magnesium Taurate and Omega 3 every day.. People think that I am crazy and since the Dr. couldn’t find the problem I don’t have SVT. They think is myself, my mental stage that is doing my heart to have SVT. I feel hopeless!.. Out of the blue I start feeling the palpitations, not because I’m stressed or I’m sad, etc. Is my Heart doing it alone!.. I can’t take medication because the side effects makes me feel horrible, I guess I will have to live my misery the best I can and diffusing the problem.. Does anyone has gone through this?

Re-visitng your site and I am comforted by all of this so much.
For me it is the mental damage and weight that has shook me to my core. I have 3 young kids and suddenly I felt too afraid to drive them because I was afraid if my heart went I would pass out(a real threat.)

I also had just moved and didn’t know my neighbors so when I had my big episode I drove myself to the hospital before we knew what was going on.

It was almost comical, I didn’t want to wake the kids and suddenly I’m at the ER and they are giving me medicine to my heart. I was so scared. I thought I was dying.

I have AVNRT and take daily medication but I feel guilty and hate being dependent. I also take xanax to combat anxiety which has come with this diagnosis and my hospital experience.

I too find drinking a lot of water helps and I do run hot.

I look forward to reading more.

Hi, I’m 18 years old, female and at university. Over the past 4 months I’ve been having episodes where it feels like my heart is beating very fast (although less than 130 I think, maybe when I haven’t been measuring my pulse it’s been more) and I feel a fluttering feeling and, although it’s not a very good description, a sort of ‘ill’ feeling in my chest. Like small aches and catches of breath like I can’t get enough air. I’ve had trouble sleeping a lot, being jerked awake feeling like my heart has just missed a beat and I’ve stopped breathng for a second. As well as a bit of nausea, fullness in my chest and almost like there’s air bubbles in there . I’ve had an ECG but my heartbeat was just a bit fast.. I was wondering if these might be symptoms of SVT? One doctor did reccomend beta blockers. I don’t drink alcohol, coffee or much sugar (although I have eaten and drunk a lot of these in the past and although have sometimes felt ill, not in the same way) (but generally my mum was always careful with my diet as a child and I’ve been vegetarian my whole life). I don’t eat an awful lot of dairy (we mainly drink soya milk), although yogurt more than anything. And I eat dark chocolate sometimes and lots of fruits/vegetables etc. Bread and pasta etc a fair amount, but I’ve gone through periods not eating bread and havne’t felt that great and lost a bit too much weight due to lack of enough calories in a day. I’ve considered anxiety but I’ve suddenly started feeling off when I’m perfectly happy, and it’s a fight to try and ignore the symptoms and carry on with what I’m doing. I’m a bit of a loss at what to do.Thank you.

Thank you for your write up. It really inspires me to continue and love my life even more. I have been diagnosed with svt since nine years old and now that I am twenty six I am starting to give up. Thanks to you and your article I am motivated to live.

Thank you for your write up. It really inspires me to continue and love my life even more. I have been diagnosed with svt since nine years old and now that I am twenty six I am starting to give up. Thanks to you and your article I am motivated to live.

I do get hot spells that can be very severe. I am 29. I don’t know what causes them but my doctors are looking at hormone fluctuations right now. My SVT seems to get worse before my period and it also seems to come in spurts. I might be good for a few months and then will have some random episode. It often wakes me from my sleep when I do have one. I get an automatic surge feeling as the heart beat starts. It feels like it is in my tummy. It is almost always associated with a cold sweat, pounding racing heart, and just fear because it’s hard for me to not let my mind think that maybe this time it’s something else or maybe this time I’ll pass out. It’s caused me to fear driving especially alone or alone with my child. It’s caused me to fear being alone. I feel like this has taken my independence away.

I want to add that I had extremely severe pectus excavatum that we discovered after mg daughter was born because my heart went bonkers. I found out I had 3.5 cm between my spine and sternum. I had a Nuss procedure so I now have 3 titanium rods between my spine and sternum that are pushing my sternum out to give it more room. I was fixed by Dr. Jaroszewski at Mayo clinic in Az.

I take metoprolol ER nightly 50mg as it is the only thing that keeps it under control. The hope was the surgery would fix it. We tried reducing the BB by half however and about two months later it came back which makes me very sad. I was so hopeful. I can’t really exert myself. I have to try and avoid stress which can be hard today. I can’t even drink decaf coffee bc it’s enough to set me up. I do not drink any alcohol anymore or eat hardly any chocolate. It’s a very rare occasion that I do. I seem to be very sensitive to heat and really everything.

I am thankful to read of other people going through similar things however I empathize with each of you because I know how scary this is.

Thanks for this blog!

I love this page! Here’s my story to add:
I currently take a beta blocker-atenolol, and after recently having an AFib attack, I also take Multaq. I had never had issues with a racing heart until this past Aug, when I received a defibrillator. Even then, it went off in Dec. because I had not taken my meds in the morning- my bad!
Since all this, I now get SVT’s, once scary enough to go to the ER. I had just finished an exhausting day at work, doing more walking than I had ever did in my entire life I think. As I thought I was winding down on the drive home (40 min. drive), I got the thump, and then wham, rapid fire. Lasted for about an hour or so, after which I told my hubby, it’s time to go to the hospital. I was at 155 when I arrived, and it slowly dropped to below 100 in about a 1/2 hour with meds.
Now, I notice my heart will skip beats and eventually go back to normal rhythm, but it is un-nerving. I’ll count, and a couple times, it will go every 8 beats, skip, then go back, or sometimes it might be every 4 beats.
I’m not sure what sets them off at night- someone else mentioned having vivid dreams- is that a symptom that anyone else out there suffers?
I do have an original heart related issue of hypertrophic cardiomypathy 15 years ago, at which time they removed part of my septum. Was fine with meds. Even after the recent surgery, I felt great. Now, I feel like I”m scared to do anything since Dec.
I’m not gluten free, but I don’t do caffeine, very little sugar or salt, and have noticed the increase in symptoms around period time (why is that?).
I like the idea of a green smoothie and will give it a try. I will also look into getting the supplement for the morning. Thanks for all your replies to previous posts! They are really helpful

I always carry a beta-blocker just incase. If I have SVT, I take a metoprolol tablet and it goes away in about 15-20 minutes. Guaranteed. If I get really anxious about a flight or stressful situation in general, in the past I’ve just decided to take the medication beforehand to actually prevent an anxiety-induced surge in heart rate which skips into SVT.