SVT - Atrial tachycardia

[Tushkacat]

Hello fellow MNers,

After a year or two of horrid runs of palpitations and near passing out I've been diagnosed with narrow complex tachycardia - focal atrial tachycardia.

I've been told this is very rare in someone my age (31). Just wondered if anyone has any experience with it?

They've mentioned an ablation or drugs, neither of which sound very exciting at the moment (totally scared of an ablation as the cardiologist said the arrhythmia is in the left side of my heart which is riskier to ablate).

Thank you xx

Hi there. Hope you are doing ok following your news. I have recently had some heart issues and found a forum called health unlocked which has a lot of inteligent supportive people. Also the Arrithmia Aliance might also be a good place to find more info. I found both good. Hope this helps. Sending hugs

Hello S0dabread,

Thanks so much for your advice, I'll be sure to check it out. I hope you're okay and getting some support too! Scary things these hearts! x

After years and years of palpitations I unexpectedly went into SVT one night at the age of 29. My heart rate was between 180-190 for about three hours before they got on top of it with adenosine and they referred me to the hospital’s Arrthymia team. The next weekend it happened again and I was prescribed beta blockers and referred to a Cardilogist who went on to put me on the list for an ablation.

The ablation was not a nice experience but that was due to the nature of my abnormality (something very rare) whereas if it had been quite straight forward it would have been perfectly tolerable.

With me they didn’t ablate anything and I just continued taking my beta blockers for about 9 months before coming off them to try and get pregnant. When I was pregnant I had to go back on them at about 20 weeks pregnant but stopped once the baby was born.

It’s been 6 years since the SVT episode and thankfully I’ve never had another and it’s been 4.5 years since I stopped the beta blockers.

I still get the odd palpitation every now and then but thankfully they havent progressed.

I was diagnosed with SVT a couple of years ago and more recently with Atrial Tachycardia.
I take calcium channel blockers which have helped a lot in reducing the palpitations but I am also waiting for electrophysiology study and possible ablation.
People seem to have different triggers for attacks of arrhythmia. Mine are infections and stress.

@Tushkacat I also had focal atrial tachycardia, which started age 26. I had issues getting it diagnosed, and was often fobbed off by doctors saying it was anxiety! Thankfully I was referred to an electrophysiologist who took me seriously. I had an ablation 4 and a half years ago. I'm now 33 and now only get tachycardia if I'm ill, which is completely normal, especially with a fever. I have a 5 month old DD too and had no tachycardia in pregnancy. I'm so glad I had the ablation!

Hi everyone

Thanks so much for your replies. I had to switch off from all things palpitations for a bit as they got bad for a period and made my anxiety really bad too.

I really appreciate you talking about your experiences and hope you all remain as palpitation free as possible!

Tushkacat xx