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SVT getting worse, beta blockers?

I'm a 21 year old woman, and I was diagnosed with SVT in May (after experiencing it for the past 8 years) after an episode that was finally caught on an ECG (the paramedics told me it was SVT, but didn't give the ECG print out to the doctor in the emergency room, so I don't know what type of SVT it is, and sometimes I worry that it's not SVT and they just misdiagnosed me). Since I started getting SVT, it's almost always been from exercise, and it's always stopped by itself after a couple seconds or minutes. Ever since I was diagnosed with SVT I've had a lot of anxiety about it (specifically, I worry that it won't stop and I'll have to get the shot of adenosine in the hospital etc). The past 2 weeks I've been getting a few rapid heart beats that suddenly start/stop every time I walk for longer than 5 minutes. I went to the doctor yesterday and told him about this, and he prescribed me propranolol and told me to take 10mg twice a day. I really want to have the security of taking something to help with the anxiety and SVT, but I'm now worried about taking the propranolol because I'm scared of side effects. My heart rate ranges from 65-75 usually, so I'm worried that my it'll get too low and I'll like die in my sleep or something haha. So I guess what I'm asking is how likely is it that I'm going to get side effects, and will it actually help with the SVT? And what can I do to stop letting SVT ruin my life? Now I'm scared to even go outside and walk around in case it happens.
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Avatar universal
Thank you. That made me feel a lot better. I'll try to get a 30 day monitor.
Helpful - 0
1423357 tn?1511085442
Yup.  I had 54 years of SVT, 3 to 5 times per month in the last 10 years or so.  My kind was the self sustaining variety, not just a couple of minutes.  I learned at 6 years old, when it first occurred how to convert an episode and used that technique my entire life never one having to be hospitalized.

I basically went unmedicated into my early 50's when I got a the beta block Metoprolol.  It did literally nothing to prevent episodes, but I felt made them easier to convert.

I think we all felt a rush of anxiousness when one occurred.  I'd pace, go to the bathroom, sit uncomfortably looking about for an answer.  My wife, if she were present would "bring me down" with a soothing back rub and literally coach me through the conversion process.  perhaps over a thousand episodes, and I still wanted to be coached.... So while I was anxious, I didn't want to take anything for it.  Drugs like SSRI's and SNRI's are drugs you don't want to get into.  My wife had serious anxiety neurosis years ago and takes the SNRI drug Venlafaxine.  I hate to say this, but she is dependent on that drug.  She was very ill last year with the flu and didn't take her medicine for two days.  By day two, she began asking me to take her to the hospital she was so ill.  I discovered that she had not taken the drug for two days, and began to give her her daily dose in small pieces.  Within two hours she was sitting up and asking for soup and crackers.  I'd advise against take anything like Zoloft, Paxil, etc. ulness you have legitimate anxiety neurosis.  But I digress...... Most of us noticed an increase in episodes as we aged.  Mine increased dramatically when I hit my 40's.

Knowing that an episode wasn't going to kill me, at an early age I began to challenge SVT by getting involved in sport which required periods extreme physical output.  I refuse to let SVT control my life, almost daring it to happen.  I think this attitude helped me live with it for as long as I did, even knowing that a cure had become available.  I just lived with it.

I think a cardiologist should see your EKG trace if you can still access it.  If not, I'd recommend that you request a 30 day monitor so a physician can confirm the SVT.  See it by a professional is key to getting on the road to a cure. So much time had past between my initial diagnosis and when I decided to something about it, that it was like starting all over for me.  nearly 40 years had past since I was in Deborah Heart Hospital  searching for a cure to my condition which wasn't available back then.  I was told to alter my lifestyle.  No way!  So I had to go through the entire battery of tests.  The physicians were doubtful that I had SVT at all,  Nothing showed my SVT.  Nothing until I put the 30 day monitor on.  I caught 3 episodes in one month of wearing it.  That was like opening the door to a cure.  It was literally, "Come on in!  We can help you now!"  I was strongly encouraged to get an electrophysiology procedure done.  I submitted to that and within 12 hours, walked out free of SVT.  That was 4 years ago.

So I strongly encourage you to employ a long term monitor to capture an SVT event.  I can safely say that it is key to many of us who were looking for  cure.  Good luck!  Michelle, myself and others are here to answer your questions.  Believe me, you are not alone!

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for responding. My doctor hasn't offered me an ablation. I feel like it doesn't happen often enough for an ablation, because there are sometimes years in between episodes. It's just the past couple months that it's gotten worse.
Helpful - 0
1807132 tn?1318743597
Odds are any issues with the atria are not life threatening as well a doctor isn't going to prescribe Meds that can possibly kill you unless you are already knocking on deaths door.  You are not there and beta blockers won't take you there.  They also won't stop your svt.  The only sure fire cure is an ablation if you have a correctable kind.  Have you been offered one?  I and many others have had svt our whole lives.  I did not get mine corrected until my 40s and I am still fine.  Your heart is very resilient.  Don't fear your svt just be responsible about how you manage it learning vagal maneuvers to get it to stop as soon as possible and you will be fine.   Take care.
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1807132 tn?1318743597
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1423357 tn?1511085442
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