SVT or just a Panic Attack?

[crazycam]

Hello,

I am needing some help. I recently have been having these episodes where my heart will will sky rocket, it feels like its up to 200, chest feels like it will explode. These episodes last between 10-15 mintures. Now I can tell you when I feel my pulse shoot up, yes I am panicing, who wouldn't?? But I have been seen by 2 Cardiologists, one of them during my stress test, I had this happen and my pulse was 180 before I got on the treadmill. This led him to think I might have SVT. So he sent me to an electrophysiologists, he ran tests, monitored me for 30 days. However I never had one of these episodes during the monitoring period. I just had this last night. I was standing in my bathroom about to do my business, when I heard a knocking sound in my chest, from heart was tapping on my chest wall which I have not heard before, then I felt this sensitivity in my chest area and my heat began to sky rocket. It felt much like it did that time it was registered at 180, almost faster, and I was sitting down! My question, sorry for the rant. Could I have PSVT, or this is this common for panic attacks? Should my pulse go to nearly 200 during a panic attack? I find that hard to believe. Is it safe for my rate to be this high? Again it stays that high for about 10-15 minutes until my breathing finally calms it down. Thanks.

[guinea54]

  i hope someone reads this. I am in a similar boat, and not sure what to think or do.  Here are my symptoms. its been happening only to me right when im trying to sleep.. all of the sudden i will feel like gas or something.. i can't explain it.. ill feel a little bloated .. and than ill start feeling a nervous feeling i can't control... ill start sweating. my heart speeds up, than it goes into like a drum beat really fast mode.. soon as that happens lately for some reason i calm myself down pretty fast.. and than the really fast heart rate stops.. im not sure if it it stops suddenly or not..  i guess my main question is.. can you feel SVT coming on before it goes into the super race mode? i don't think it happens with me where im laying there fine. and than my heart starts pounding away immediately.. i feel something coming on, start sweating.. and it is like an escalating feeling.. and If i can't fight it.. it jumps into a super fast heart rate that seems abnormal..  sometimes I feel like I have the ability to control whether or not it turns into the fast heart rate.. but once it kicks into gear its like a machine ... doesn't last very long.. maybe 10 seconds, to 1 minute

[atljunie]

I agree with this comment.  All I have to do is see an ECG machine and I'm off to the races.  I went to the ER once just to be safe with random ectopic beats.  They hooked me up to ECG and - bam - 160.  I had been in the low 90s for the previous two days (even that was high).  That led to Adenosine, which my heart blew through like was nothing.  Lorazepam got me down to 120.  Lopressor got me down to 90.  Getting me the hell out of the hospital got me down to 72.  When these ER docs say they "don't see" 160 with panic attacks, I wonder what the hell they're talking about. I think the ER docs, cardios, and pychs need to get together on this one.  Glad you've got a cardio who seems to get it.

[crazycam]

Just giving an update. It's been two years, and I am still having these episodes. I have seen my fair share of cardiologists over this time. I finally got one of these events recorded on a holter. They said it did get up to 180, however it was purely sinus tachycardia. The electrophysiologist did not seemed concerned at all and has referred me to a pyschiatrists to control these panic attacks. So I am here to say that yes, in some people like me who are young (24), if your heart is healthy enough, a panic attack can and will send your bpm to 180+. Thanks for everyones input!

[tom_h]

Have you considered a 30 day monitor, or perhaps an implanted monitor for long term monitoring?

[Volynicks117]

I have these same episodes, and get really scared as well.  I don't want to turn this into a therapy outlet for me, but I can completely relate to what you're going through.  It's so unpredictable, and scary.  In the past it's been confused with anxiety and stress related, and it just makes me feel crazy.  Looking back it's been going on for 15 years, on and off.  My electrophysiologist told me there are two treatment paths, ablation or medicine forever.  Being a young female, who has played volleyball year round since I was 9, with a young daughter and wanting to have more children, masking the symptoms with a pill from here on out isn't appealing.  I am concerned though that maybe this isn't SVT.  I have chest pains, racing heart, skipped beats, shortness of breath and occassional minor stomach pains.  I feel as if my heart is going to pop out of my chest. I had a stress test which triggered an episode.  I've worn a halter monitor twice in the past 10 years, 48 hour ones, which did not catch anything.  I'm not sure what else it could be though.  Any suggestions/ideas?

[MichelleP_3811]

If you did not have an episode when you were wearing the monitor then no the issue has not been documented.  Hopefully a new 30 day monitor will garner better results for you.  As much as you want to avoid the episodes you will want to have one while wearing it so you can get a diagnosis.  Good luck.