Should I call an ambulance for this?

[MisunderstoodNettles]

i unfortunately take SVT attacks which can be very nasty and stubborn to convert out of. I’m very familiar with the symptoms when it starts and know exactly when I’m in SVT.

usually I just make my own way to a&e- I’ve previously walked over, called a taxi, got a bus etc. it feels awful, absolutely awful, but my logic has always been that SVT isn’t life threatening so it’s never occurred to me to call an ambulance no matter how bad it feels

Unfortunately I had an episode recently whilst in a different unrelated medical setting and they insisted on calling an ambulance, despite me saying I was more than happy to make my own way to a&e. I understand thought they were helping and im NOT complaining about that. The ambulance came, took me to hospital- the paramedics were lovely but I deep down was mortified that they had been called out to help me for something that isn’t life threatening

Usually I just make my own way to hospital, but after a recent attack a few months ago a nurse told me I categorically must call an ambulance next time and if I’m in SVT then I should never risk going on a bus or taxi to hospital myself etc. But I’ve got this inbuilt fear of being a time waster and wasting resources especially when people wait 10+ hours for ambulances already. And I’ve also been told by other staff before that it’s fine to make my own way to hospital so it’s a bit confusing

just wondered if any paramedics etc on here could advise- is this something that would warrant an ambulance call in future? Or is it something I should make my own way to a&e with if I can and deep down you’d be thinking I’m a bit of a timewaster if you got called out to it since it’s not immediately life threatening? I don’t want to waste anyone’s time but equally if it’s unwise to make my own way to hospital then I don’t want to do that either! And I’ve always felt so, so guilty about that ambulance which was called out to me and potentially someone else had to wait longer because of it x

How often do you end up needing cardioversion…thats a pretty hard core solution, all be it that it sounds necessary…i would be pushing hard for that ablation asap and trying some new medications in the meantime

If you were already in a medical setting eheh you had an episode. They were absolutely right in calling 999. It could cost them their career if they didn't and you arrested,along your own way there..

Just try not to panic, think calming thoughts as anxiety makes it worse.

By the time you get to A&E it will have stopped.

I wish mine passed quickly! Unfortunately once im
in SVT then im stuck in it until I get cardioverted out of it. I know its not serious though which is what makes me feel like a timewaster because it’s not life threatening it’s just pesky

I'm sorry to say that if myself or my children had a life threatening illness or injury, absolutely no way would I be calling an ambulance. They'd be long dead before it got to them. I'd drive them to hospital myself or get somebody to drive me. If it's not life threatening and you can you can afford to wait, or you've broken a leg or something and can't move, I guess it's then safe to rely on an ambulance.

That’s annoying. That’s what happened to me first time but it’s never happened since.

Sorry but I understand you’re trying to help but that’s quite patronising

it doesn’t stop by the time I go to a&e- I’ve been in SVT for 12 hours before with my heart going at 200. Only after 3 cardioversion shocks did I come out of it

it’s nothing to do with anxiety (which I dont even have!)

Google is free. Not sure why you are choosing to announce ignorance of a common health condition.

Yeah, I was thinking of actually going private for the next ablation to speed up the wait (although I’ve not really looked into it properly yet)

im on a new med regime which I’m hoping will help more 🤞🏾

I’ve probably been DC cardioverted 4 or 5 times in 2024, I actually can’t remember and have lost count but something along those lines

Alright - I hadn’t read your post at that point that said yours only stop with cardioversion, that’s not that common. I was just responding to your comment that you felt like you were going to die.

I just find keeping calm helps them pass off more quickly. I’m sorry if that’s not relevant to you but I didn’t know that.

Yeah I appreciate that, and I wasn’t having a go at you so im sorry if it came across like that, but it’s just blanket statements like ‘By the time you get to A&E it will have stopped’ are not true for a lot of people x

I also have SVT but not as severe as you, I can always convert myself alongside a beta blocker. I was told if it lasts longer than 30 minutes I’ve to call an ambulance, I haven’t needed to yet, thankfully

I didn't know either. Took me 2 seconds to Google it. Probably less time than it took you to write your snide post

I have no idea who told you SVT isn’t life-threatening but be assured it can be.

I had SVT. Infrequent but stubborn attacks. I always felt well during mine. Despite feeling fine I was told not to drive. 111 told me to go to A&E. Dr advised to call an ambulance. In fact the drs called me an ambulance once when i was at the surgery and had been in SVT for 45 mins. Thankfully i converted back before it arrived. I've only called an ambulance once when it was 4am and my husband couldn't drive me to hospital as had to atay with the kids. It felt like complete overkill. I feel as though it actually slowed things down, imcreased mu anxiety and kept the attack going. By the time i arrived in Resus I had been in SVT at 200bmp for 2 hours and had to have a low dose of adenosine which thankfully worked first time and was fine. But then i was stuck there for another 5 hours. I was advised to go to A&E if i had an attack that lasted more than half an hour. I used to give it about 45 minutes because most self resolved within an hour and would have stopped by the time that I got there. We only live a 10-15 minute drive from hospital, which is pretty handy so if I could get someone to drove me, I would get there before an ambulance reached me anyway. The disadvantage of calling an ambulance is that the paramedics spend ages rigging you up to equipment, try to get you to convert back with various valsalva techniques and then you have to lie flat on a trolley that rocks you around a lot in the back. Then you are stuck in Resus surrounded by people being resuscitated too. Whereas if you go to A&E they should see you straight away and treat you in a curtained booth or room (mine have always resolved before i've got to that point though, so i've then had to wait 3 hours to be seen. The advantage is that you have people on hand in case anything goes wrong.
In essence I think that it depends upon whether you feel ill during your attacks, how high your heart rate goes and how long they typically last. Also how long it takes to get to hospital by car. I used to wait an hour and then get my husband to drive me straight to A&E. Then after the dr advised me, I would wait 30 mins and get someone to drive me straight in.
I know that an ambulance feels like overkill. It's a weird one because it's not usually life threatening and also, even after my attack that lasted 2 hours and required adenosine, the cardiac nurse advised that I would be fine to get a long haul flight and that i should continue to live my life. Anyway, I started to feel anxious about flying, so in the end jad an ablation in June. I have been told that they think it has worked. I've not had another attack since although, it has only been 7 months and I could go up to 2 years without an attack. If you want to PM me, i am more than happy to chat more about my ablation.

An SVT at that rate can definitely be life threatening - doctor here who had a successful ablation a few years ago! @MisunderstoodNettles if there is no one to take you straight away I would definitely call 999 with your history. You know your body and symptoms and the fact that you need to be cardioverted! My sympathy, I only ever needed adenosine and that was awful enough!!

What does your care plan say? Is it in date or are you due a review

I've also been advised to call an ambulance for prolonged episodes, and I have done a few times. One occasion I was told it was a long wait, so ended up getting a taxi, but it's definitely not unreasonable to call an ambulance if you've been advised to.

I had SVT for years, call a ambulance, I did not, but one time they were so bad, my partner and I went to hospital by cab. I was administered adenosine and they did stop. I later on had an ablation, it worked, but I now finding it coming back, but not as bad.

Please do as the medical staff say and call a ambulance, the palpitations are unpleasant, frightening, and need medical attention as soon as possible. Best of luck OP I know whst they can be like.

This is fascinating! I had SVT from 14 to about 29, when I had radio wave ablation which resolved it completely.

My heart would go to about 200 beats per minute and could stay there for several hours before self-resolving. I was never told to go to A&E, but this was 26 or so years ago.

I used to feel dreadful during the attacks.

I had no idea there was a chance it come back again.

Dorry, just read your updates about how stubborn your attacks are, that they make you feel unwell and that you've already had an ablation. In your situation, if they don't usually resolve and not linked to anxiety, then I think that you're better setting off to A&E as soon as they happen. If you feel short of breath or unwell, then i wouldn't walk or get public transport. I would get a neighbour or partner to rush you straight in or call a taxi. If one doesn't show up right away, then i would call an ambulance and get in which ever arrived first. If you tend to need treatment to convert then there is little point in hanging around at home trying to relax and convert back. The only thing that ever worked for me was bearing down as hard as I could the moment that i felt it start, as in less than a second. That worked, but if i waited and missed the chance, it was much harder to resolve.

I would just call a taxi but appreciate that doesn't look like it's the correct thing to do! I've always held the believe that an ambulance should only be called if someone is dying or cannot be moved by a different method of transport (like they need to be lying down , serious RTA etc)

I had SVT, had a successful ablation 4 years ago. Like yourself my episodes were stubborn and towards the end I always needed converted, one of my worst episodes my hr was up at 280, I was bluighted from the horse show I was at and crashed in the ambulance resulting in needing defibrillated. Your episodes sound similar so if you have no one with you to take you to hospital I would phone an ambulance

I don't mean to alarm you but a friend suffered from SVT from childhood then suddenly went into cardiac arrest during an episode when she was 24. She needed a defib to bring her back. Then eventually an implant. But if they hadn't had called an ambulance she most likely would have passed away as her heart needed shocked back into normal rhythm and there was no defibrillator locally.

As it was she was out for nearly 20 minutes and was in a coma for 3 days afterwards, not expected to make it. She'd known she was having an episode SVT and just ignored it as she was so used to it and had got a bit blasè, then she just flopped over as she was trying to get on with her laundry! Luckily one of our other friends had nipped over to her house with a birthday gift 5 minutes before, so she wasn't alone and had someone there to call an ambulance.

Can report she's happily middle aged with a great life now!

Don't feel bad about the ambulance. You might just need it one day and it's not worth risking the alternative.

The state of ambulances right now is that it is quicker to get a cab.

I have 2 elderly parents who have had falls with broken bones and other issues requiring emergency attention or admission etc in the past couple of years and I don’t even bother calling an ambulance now I just get an Uber.