SVT and pregnancy

[paz1]

Hello all
I've recently been diagnosed with svt (superventricular tachycardia) - at around 22 weeks pregnant. I think I've probably had a few episodes over the past 10 years but it was never diagnosed and quite mild in comparison. I've always thought they were panic attacks...
Since becoming pregnant it has got so much worse - with four episodes landing me in a&e since October. It seems often to be triggered by bending down, followed by a bit of a head rush and then my heart races. I wondered if anyone else out there has got or has had quite bad svt in pregnancy and if so how you coped with it (did they put you on drugs?/was the baby fine in the end? did it get worse the further along you got?) and also did it settle down again post baby or did it carry on being as frequent/severe? Any experiences would be so helpful in making me feel a) less anxious about it all and b) less alone... Thanks in advance x

I had an episode of SVT in August 2012. I'd been having palpitations for about a week prior to it and then BANG it just hit me. I went to A&E and was carted through to Resus. My heart was going at 180 for 2.5 hours before they managed to normalise it. They nearly had to shock me with the De-Fib

A week later it happened again, though nowhere near as bad, and I was started on Beta Blockers which helped massively. My heart rate normalised and all palpitations stopped. I then had an awful procedure done where they examined my conduction system under sedation but no cause has been found. Me and DH decided to TTC in May and after speaking to my Cardiology Team I decided to come off my beta blockers as they weren't sure if the drugs could affect the development of the baby. I was warned that as pregnancy progresses symptoms can come back and if they did I'd be started on beta blockers again.

We fell pregnant on our first cycle and I was monitoring my pulse and BP daily. I was fine until I hit 19/20 weeks when I started getting breathless all the time, having dizzy episodes and my heart rate was consistently high. I'm under Consultant Care for my pregnancy (because of my SVT and another condition I have) and she checked me over and I was having erratic heart rhythms and missed beats etc. She restarted me on my beta blockers straight away and referred me to a Cardiologist who specialises in Pregnancy, who I now see instead of my usual Cardiologist.

I was signed off sick from work on a permanent basis as they don't want me to put any extra pressure or workload on my heart and I will also be having a caesarean due to their concerns about how my heart will cope in labour.

Once I started back on my beta blockers my symptoms improved almost instantly and I feel so much better. In some cases beta blockers can affect the growth of the baby so I have growth scabs every 4 weeks. I'm now 30 weeks pregnant and baby is absolutely fine and growing normally. I'm on the smallest dose possible and have been told that if my symptoms restart again they will just increase the dose.

Hopefully it won't come to that though

Hi paz,
I'm afraid I've not been affected as badly as you, but I have had two episodes of svt in my life, the second being when i was 19 weeks pregnant. This one was due to an increase in thyroxine medication, but was triggered by bending down too quickly. I get palpitations quite a lot and an waiting for a 24hr ecg, I avoid caffiene like the plague as this can contribute to arrythmias. No one seems particularly concerned really and baby is fine (now 25 weeks). I'm sorry I'm not much help, but just wanted you to know you are not alone xxx

Have you seen the consultant?
I have SVT with DS1 it seemed to vanish in pregnancy but I'm now 13 weeks pregnant & get a mild ish attack most days. I'm seeing the consultant in 2 weeks. It shouldn't effect your bubba at all, but you may be monitored in labour to make sure your heart rate remains stable.

Thanks for all the replies. My consultant thinks a low dose beta blocker possibly combined with v low dose flecainide would be best approach. Plus being signed off work. She is very confident both are ok and says she's used them many times before in this situation with no adverse effects for mum or baby. I think I probably need to go with the advice as its happening so often and in itself is pretty bad for the baby and also really traumatic for me (and my kids and dh). They will monitor me closely and do two weekly scans. Fingers crossed it will be ok and then hopefully it will settle down post baby. Thanks again for your messages. Really reassuring. Do let me know how things go with you? Good luck! Take it easy.

Which beta blocker are they starting you on? I'm glad you have a plan in place