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.

[crazycam]

Maybe they are just panic attacks. I have spoken to others with panic disorder and they stated their pulses can go above 200 during a bad one.

[MichelleP_3811]

WPW is a type of SVT but it is one you are born with so you likely would have experienced symptoms prior.  It also has a pretty distinct look on the ekg so I think one of the cardiologists would have spotted it during your treadmill test since you stated you had it then.  SVT generally presents as a normal rhythm but just really fast.  That said, it usually doesn't ramp up or down so I am not sure what your issue is.  There may be some other issue with the heart that is causing it to speed up that I am not familiar with.  Well keep an eye on it and take Toms advice and keep a diary and then go back to the doctor again to see if you can catch it at a future date.  But in the absence of shortness or breath or passing out whatever is going on is likely nothing to be too concerned about.  Our hearts are pretty resilient.  Take care.

[crazycam]

Ya, it wouldn't stop instantly. It took a few mins to slow it back down, also my rhythm was normal. Is SVT and Wolff-Parkinson White syndrome the same?? I never had any of these isses 6 months ago. It wasn't until I had this happen after trying weed for the first time. Ever since I get repeat ones every month or so. I am anxious daily though.

[tom_h]

SVT will start instantly from within one beat.  Sotimes it will begin as a fluttery feeling.  Once it starts it goes as the same speed.  It doesn't gradually get faster or slower.  When one begins, stop for a moment and take note of what it's doing, how it starts up.  Try not to panic.

[MichelleP_3811]

It will start and stop suddenly though during an episode it can change rates but by a smaller percent.  Basically I would go from 90bpm to 220 and fluctuate between 210 and 230 and then it would stop suddenly and go back down to 100ish and fluctuate there by 10 to 20 beats all fluctuations based on whether I was sitting or standing and walking.  But yes, it takes off like a race horse out of the gate in an instant and stops the rapid beat just as suddenly.  So figure a 100bpm difference either way all at once.  If you slowly go up from 90 to 190 then it is more likely anxiety.  But the switch is obvious.

[crazycam]

So you are saying SVT happens within one beat instantly? Cause mine did gradually increase, I think... It went from normal to really fast within like 5 seconds. I was standing in my bathroom, I heard that knocking sound in my chest, I checked my pulse and it started getting faster. I knew immediately I was having an episode (Panic attack/SVT?). I sat down in my room, and my pulse just began to get faster and pound really hard. I tried to check how fast, but it was to fast for me to count since I was already panicing. I just dont know. I'll talk to my cardio next wednesday and update you all.