SVT

[Shortstuff777]

Hi just hoping for some advice. I have SVT and its ruining my life! I get it from bending down, changing position, stress and illness. I have even woken from sleep in SVT Medication has been suggested by gp and paramedics. I suffer terrible with panic attacks and anxiety and was housebound for 2 years because of panic attacks I'm slowly going out more but as soon as I get panicky I worry it will trigger SVT. Please can anyone tell me if they have taken medication and whether you had side effects and has it been successful in controlling SVT. Or has anyone had an ablation? Any advice would be great 🤗.

Hi @Shortstuff777, I had an ablation 8 years ago. It made such a difference! I now only get a fast heart rate (sinus tachycardia though, rather than SVT) when I'm poorly, which is a pretty normal physiological response anyway. Let me know if you have any questions!

I had SVT and tachycardia for years. Started when I was a student in about 1995ish. Was admitted to hospital in 1997ish for a few days in CCU. Was given beta blockers for a while. Settled a bit after cutting out caffeine, etc. Was only happening every so often (once or twice a year at most and I could control/stop them using 'valsalva maneuvers' for a long while. Then got more frequent and much more prolonged episodes from about 2010, increasing as the years went on. The vagal/valsalva breathing techniques I was using (and also making myself vomit) also stopped working.

I can commiserate with how hard it can become. The trips to A&E, the immense tiredness afterwards and the medication they did to stop it in hospital - urgh!

I had ablation surgery in September 2019 and its been a revelation. Not has any proper SVT episodes since. I do have a fast heart rate still, though nothing like it was. A fast heart rate now is 140-160bpm ish whereas it used to hit 250bpm and higher. Its also fairly short lived, settling around 90-100bpm generally. It took a couple of months or so to settle after the ablation but it is now much much netter and I don't have proper SVT episodes at all.

Sadly, 20y DD seems to be suffering from them on and off now. Fingers crossed.

I hope you get something sorted.

I had an ablation 12 years ago after the episodes got too unmanageable ( a couple of adenosine reversions in A & E that were very unpleasant) The ablation made such a difference to my life. I occasionally get what feels like a start up to an episode but then it goes nowhere and calms right down.

If you are considered a suitable candidate I would urge you to go for it.

i had an unsuccessful ablation and take propanalol 3x a day for it now. Only side effect is improved anxiety.

Sorry to hear that. Did it work but then recur or did it never work at all ? I had a neighbour who had to have it done twice, before I had mine done, which gave me pause for thought but his 2nd attempt has held well.

I forgot that I was prescribed Propanalol in the early days but I never found it helpful and just made me feel without any energy.

I have had SVT for 7 years.
I had an elecrophysiology study but they couldn't do ablation.
The process is similar and not painful.
It's very well controlled with calcium channel blockers (diltiazem in my case).
I still get bursts of tachycardia and certain things set it off but it self limits and I haven't been hospitalised since 2018.
What sets it off?
Viruses and illness.
Stress.
Over heating in the night.
Anti-histamines

I have some Flecanide to take in case of an event.

Yea I get episodes of SVT (quite short ones) and have since I was 18. I'm now 40.
I take bisoprolol x 3 per day which does help a little but I know my triggers now and expect to get SVT when tired, hormonal, stressed!

They are horrible and also trigger anxiety so feel for you op x

Hi I’m just recovering from an SVT ablation (had it 2 days ago)

it was successful and I was given a 95% assurance that it won’t come back.

i put off the ablation for years because I was terrified but it really wasn’t as bad as I’d imagined.

I’ve suffered with SVT for 23 years and it started to get worse. It’s no way to live. I never tried meds as my episodes were pretty unfrequent but the anxiety it cause severely impacted my quality of life.

I would do the ablation again if I needed to x