svt and ectopics - terrified it's something more serious

[scared1998]

hey, i'm an 18 y/o female and have suffered from the odd ectopic for as long as I can remember. However, a few weeks ago I had a new sensation - I felt an ectopic followed by a rapid heart rate but also with the ectopics continuing at the same time, it felt like every other beat was ectopic!!!!! this lasted for around 5 minutes but occurred around 5 times in that day. I was terrified so went to a&e...they managed to capture the end of an episode when my heart rate was 125 on the ecg so they kept me over night for observations; the cardiologist discharged me the next day and said he wasn't worried, he thought it may have been PSVT.

I tried to stay positive but I was terrified he was wrong, and when i had a similar episode the following week, I went straight back to a&e, but at a different hospital, once again they caught the end of an episode and said they could see ectopics. Once again kept me in overnight, but discharged the next day. the cardiologist said it was uncommon to experience ectopics and SVT at the same time but said she was sure it wasn't anything life-threatening.

However, I've heard about something called VT and how it can easily be confused with PSVT, and now I'm very scared that is what I have actually got and the doctors haven't realised!!

Should I be scared and take myself back to a&e????


Any advice would be much appreciated

[Aaahhfreakout]

You can relax.

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia are very different things.

Supraventricular means "above the ventricles" and so it's saying it's definitely not ventricular tachycardia. PSVT is at the top of the heart and VT is at the bottom of it.

On an ECG, PSVT looks fast but almost normal while VT looks completely unlike a normal heartbeat. There's no way any doctor can mistake them for each other. If you Google "Normal ECG" then "PSVT ECG" and then "VT ECG" you'll see PSVT and VT look totally different.

Also, ectopics and tachycardias can feel the same. I've had both recorded on ECG and a tachycardia can feel like a long series of ectopics, because that's basically what many of them are.

PSVT is usually harmless. Why you are having PSVT is now the question for your doctors. It may just be an annoyance, ultimately.

By the way, there are tricks for stopping PSVT such as splashing cold water in the face, rubbing the neck, and others.

Anyhow, the short version is you don't have VT.

[scared1998]

Hi Aaahhfreakout,

Thank you so much for your message... I can't tell you how grateful I am that I have been given some reassurance, I have been living in fear that I am about to drop dead from VT for weeks...

Feeling a lot calmer

[Ethansmom]

I get runs of these all the time and they freak me out. In fact, I just had a run of ectopic beats after dinner last night, and then I felt a wave of heat go to my face. They made me panic.

[scared1998]

Hi Ethansmom.. When this happens does your heart rate go fast as well as a run of ectopics??

[Ethansmom]

Yes sometimes it does
That's what made me dial 911 the first time :-(

[scared1998]

when the cardiologist sent me home she arranged for me to wear a 30-day event monitor so she could diagnose whatever the episodes were for sure..

I was able to capture the episodes twice and took the monitor back to the hospital, I then felt reassured that if there was anything seriously wrong they would phone me. However, I got a phone call saying the monitor hadn't been working properly and so hasn't recorded anything.. I went back and got a new one fitted, BUT I wasn't able to capture any episodes so now I'm terrified it is something serious and they won't ever know for sure.

Do you think if it was something v serious they would be able to tell even without a full episode being captured?? :(

[Ethansmom]

I had the exact same problem! I had an episode that wasn't recorded due to a faulty monitor!! They have to give me a replacement one. Luckily, was able to catch one more episode on the new one. Do you get runs of PVC's?? That last for a few minutes?

---------- Post added at 14:33 ---------- Previous post was at 14:32 ----------

It seems like they caught your first episode in the hospital and let you go, right? I'm assuming it was nothing to worry about?

[scared1998]

yes, I feel one ectopic and then my heart beats really really fast but with ectopics all throughout, lasts a couple of minutes..

At the hospital they managed to catch the end of the episode and doctor said it may have been SVT with ectopics (which is uncommon apparently).. I'm just worried they didn't see enough of the episode to see what it was/it's something more serious like V Tach..

[Ethansmom]

I don't think V Tach is very common though is it. My doctor mentioned something about SVT as a possibility, but that it's not dangerous and needs to be captured on a monitor to see what it really is. I wonder if you could get another 2 week monitor. I know it's a pain wearing it though. I'll keep you posted on my results. It's hard to believe that those ectopic beats are harmless when they feel like it is dangerous! I hope they can figure yours out.