SVT and Bulimia

[Michaella1980]

I have been bulimic for 1.5 years, purging 3-4 times per week.  Recently I learned that bulimia can trigger SVT's.  I went to the ER twice in 2 months.  Once it stopped on it's own and the second needed meds.  I was referred to a cardiologist who wants to do an ablation (I haven't told her I'm bulimic).  My question is will the SVT go away if I stop purging, if so how long would it take?  Also, I had an SVT about 15 yrs ago (not bulimic).  I'm scared, I'm asthmatic and cannot take the meds.  Anyone have insight?


This discussion is related to pvcs are killin me!!!!.

[belleeec]

For my personal experience (Now,recover from bulimia), before I had been focusing only my weight or my weight-line ,my leg ,my thigh so on...
I had been watched my calories intake everyday and maybe every meals for almost 10 years. I had been drawing this stuffs for more than 10 years. I felt shame every time I done purging

Until one day,I realized that I should stop "on diet" before something which may be worse than "being bulimic" could happen.
So I stopped right away and my life begin back to normal eating as other again.

FOR MY CASE, THE KEY IS TO STOP THINKING ABOUT "ON A DIET" "PERFECT FIGURE" OR "SOMEONE ELSE'S" RIGHT AWAY !!! .....

JUST STOP IT ... STOP IT AND STOP IT !!!!

[tom_h]

I'm relieved that you informed your cardiologist.  So now about the recommended electrophysiology study with ablation.  If I were experiencing these events at least monthly, I might consider it...... maybe.   If it doesn't convert on its own, have you attempted any of the known methods to convert it yourself?  Holding your breath and bearing down aka. Valsalva is perhaps the most popular method.  There are others as well.

With the number of SVT events that you've experienced, I wouldn't be too quick to submit to the procedure.  I've often wondered if there's a correlation between the frequency of events, and the ease of being able to find the source?  You see, to find the source it must be stimulated into SVT.  There have been a number of forum members here who have undergone the procedure but could not be  stimulated into SVT.  Unfortunately, the hospital fees are nonetheless applied.  It's not their money. but yours.  So I think I'd think about it before accepting your physician's advice.  As you age, you may find that your SVT will increase in frequency.  Perhaps then might be a good time to try.

[Michaella1980]

I told both my cardiologist and husband yesterday.  My cardio assured me that purging did not cause my SVT (I also had an episode years ago, while not purging).  I KNOW I will stop, this has scared the daylights out of me and I do not want to die.  Thank you

[achillea]

Bulimia, whether you're throwing up or using laxatives, depletes potassium and other 'electrolytes' (google it) from your body.  Your heart needs these substances to beat regularly, and lacking them can cause long term damage to the heart, as well as a quick death.

Obviously, your heart is already prone to irregular beats, so it's a good bet that you are at risk for more heart problems.  Bearing this in mind, bulimia is probably not your best weight loss strategy.

Going to a cardiologist and not telling the doc that you're bulimic is like blindfolding her.  How could she possibly give you the right treatment if she doesn't know that you're tossing your electrolytes every day or two?  Then there's the ablation thing:  As tom says, you might want to consider that you might not even need it at all if you're not purging, or that having the ablation for this particular set of SVT episodes might only be the beginning of the need for more if you continue purging.

I think you have to come clean with your doc if you (a) want a healthy heart and a long life, and (b) hope for medically correct treatment.

As I'm sure you really know, it is both unfair and dangerous to conceal important information from a doctor whose advice you are asking.

[tom_h]

Apparently, there is something in your heart that supports errant conduction that is your SVT.  It is possible that your bulimia throws your electrolytes off which makes SVT possible.

With procedure prices approaching and exceeding $100,000 (US), you want to make sure that they get it right the first time, and that you even need it at all.  I had an ablation for my SVT. I promote and support the procedure.  But I would not put myself on the catheter lab table without first telling my cardiologist and electrophysiologist of ALL of my medical conditions.  To withhold information is extremely dangerous and foolish.