I am not looking forward to going to see him. Just thinking about talking about my problems is giving me major anxiety. I told him I would be the one drugged out on Xanax, he laughed and said whatever gets you here for help. Seriously, since I learned that I have supraventricular tachycardia two weeks ago and my Dr. put me on beta blockers, I've been a mess. I know I can't go on living like this, I can't. I sit home all day checking my pulse, scared to do anything so it won't make my heart race, then worried that I took too much beta blocker, and then I sit and think about someday having to have to go get my heart ablated! I don't want to be me anymore. But I'm afraid to live too, weird huh? So, made the phone call. Here's something funny, (not really), I got up my nerve after two weeks and called this psychologist I heard great things about. His wife calls me back and said the Dr. died last week of a sudden heart attack, would I like to see her for counseling tho? I'm like "NO way, not when I want to get counseling over my heart condition!" Got off the phone and took a Xanax, and then finally got ahold of the one I'm seeing. Talk about weird. Anyways, I just wanted to get on and tell anyone that I'm going to go see someone finally. I told him what is strange is that I've been treated before for anxiety, and for what the Dr.'s always said were panic attacks, and after 6 years they tell me I was actually have svt attacks!! Now I have panic over the svt which creates a viscious circle. Ok, done talking, thanks for listening anyone. By the way, I ordered the Linden Method, was not impressed and am going to be asking for my $189.00 back. But, I think for someone who doesn't have real health problems but only anxiety would very much benefit from it, my opinion only though. :) Michelle

I have had severe anxiety and attacks for a year. I have ran the gamut of heart and blood tests, all o.k. I am going to my first psychiatrist meeting next week. Here is what I wanted to tell you: Go to the library or a bookstore and get a copy of The Feeling Good Handbook by David D. Burns, M.D. I know the title sounds a little silly, but it is an awesome book that not only reads like you are talking to someone, but it is also a workbook. Do yourself a favor and give it a try. It didn't cure my anxiety (yet) but it sure helped a lot with understanding myself and how to avoid anxiety feelings. Hopefully, with the pyschiatrist and the book (and xanax which I am taking), I will get through this. I am someone who understands your pain (I also have a high heart rate issue) and I truly wish you the best of luck. Also, if you do not already talk to God, give it a try. I am not a religous nut, but I have found a lot of strength through talking to God.

Michelle,

Your situation sounds so much like mine. Some docs out there actually think that anxiety causes SVTs and since July I haven't had a one. Before I had 3 in 5 months. The difference in July is that I have been seeing a therapist and have been on xanax.
My first visit to the therapist, I had to take some xanax, and I cried while I drove there, during the visit, and even on the ride home.
While in therapy, you will learn deep breathing and other techniques to help you with the anxiety.
Just be warned that feeling better will not happen overnight. I saw mine every other week and some weeks didn't know if I would last before seeing her again.
Now I am down to .25mg of xanax in the morning for the drive into work, and I see the therapist once a month and no SVTs. Now the month of July when I didn't want to even leave the house in fear of having an SVT seems like a faint memory.

You are defaintely taking the right steps to get better and also not to rely on meds. Some people I think are too proud to seek help and just stay on meds for ever.

good luck!
lynn

Hey thanks guys for the encouragement. I had to take my beta blocker and my Xanax an hour before my appointment because I was positive I would have an anxiety attack and provoke and svt attack.
Lynn, I find it interesting that you said some Dr.'s believe anxiety can cause SVT's, because here where I am they think that it is the opposite, my svt is causing anxiety, but I don't believe that. I've had anxiety my whole life, and just started getting the svt in the last year. I like to hear success stories like yours, helps me feel better. Right now I'm not doing good. Like you, I cried the whole way there, the whole hour, and on the way home. And he wants me back tomorrow. I know I'm on a long road of therapy and probably also with the meds, but hoping it won't be long term. If I had to stay on beta blockers my whole life I would opt for the ablation. I'm not a med person. I don't like the Xanax, but right now I absolutely can't do without it. It has definetely helped the anxiety. They might want me on another med too, but I don't know. I guess I scored high in the depression test too, DUH! Who wouldn't be depressed living like this, haha. (actually I'm more depressed on how much he cost $140/hr!!! and I have no insurance) I think my Dr.'s here scared me so much in the beginning talking about the ablation, and then switched to trying the emds. That didn't help. The only electrophysiologist here had his secretary talk to me and she told me that SVT doesn't go away, only gets worse with time, and eventually all medicines quit working. That was reassurance!!!
willc, I'm glad that all your tests came back ok. I wish mine would have. It was better when my heart anxieties were told all in my head, then they had to go and finally catch it! It made me not trust the Dr.'s worse now. Who knows what else they miss. Good thing I'm going to therapy. Good luck next week with your first meeting. I hope it goes well. I will also look for the book you mentioned. I do pray to God. I am working hard on my faith issues. I believe in him, yet have no faith in him getting me through this? Eye opener for me, but maybe his way of making me learn to start having more faith. Take Care, Michelle

Michelle,

When I was in my 20s I would use the Betablockers when I needed them for SVTs, but now that I have high bp I have to take them all the time. I don't think my SVTs have really increased since I was younger.
And my sister has a friend that would passout and faint when she had an SVT episode, she had an ablation done but a few months later, the SVTs came back.
If you don't passout when you have SVTs then they are not as bad as some people out there.
I still believe that they are anxiety induced, because I can't find any other reason for being SVT free since July other than the therapy visits and the xanax usage.

good luck girlie!
Lynn

So how old are you now, if you don't mind me asking. I was just curious how long you've lived with them. How frequent did they come and how long did they last? What would bring them on besides anxiety? I'm just really curious why I've seen some people get them infrequently and their harmless svt, and yet the Dr.'s jump right in and get them ablated.
I am having a hard time still with the beta blocker and sluggishness. The mornings are the absolute worst for me. I still wake up hot and my heart up about 110. I wake up at 6am, reach over and take my Inderal with a glass of milk and lay back down for another hour for it to kick in, but it's still always high in the morning, until about 11am, and then I can keep it under control the rest of the day. The Xanax also contributes to the sluggish in the morning, but if I don't take it at this point, I'm a nervous wreck. I really hope the therapy will help me with my anxiety over my heart. I still keep thinking she needs to do some more testing to rule out it isn't something causing it. The only test she did was a TSH test, which was normal, but no microelement test nor adrenal gladn test nor echo or chest x-ray. I'm going to talk to her tomorrow. Plus, I really want to hear from the cardiologist himself instead of my GP that this is ok, and I'm ok, EVEN though I believe she is doing what they would first try to do.
It's hard for me to tell when and how long my svt occurs, because the majority come during a panic attack, somewhere in there my heart starts to skip and race, but I've heard other people who say when they have a panic attack their heart skips and races too. Then the other times is when I exercise too hard (I am out of shape, normal weight, but out of shape bad) and when I get hot. And why am I getting hot so much this year? I am only 36, tomorrow, so could it be perimenopause? Dr.'s say no. Also, every morning my temperature is 95.9, every morning, yet I'm hot. This is weird. That is why I wonder if something else is contributing to the svt, including the anxiety. Dont know, wish I did though.
Do you see a Cardiologist or electrophysiologist? Thanks for all my questions!! Take Care, Michelle

Michelle,

I will be 36 in February, and remember even back to high school when I would have SVTs. I was also physically active back then and was a majorette in college even. Had to quit though since the SVTs scared me and I also had ankle issues. I was on Verapamil back then and only took it when needed.
They would come and go, but the meds would usually go out of date before I would use them all. Good thing I had a good GP who would call them in whenever I needed them.
Needless to say I have gained about 80 lbs since then and was on Verapmil until New Years last year when I had an SVT episode and it had been at least five years. The episode had lasted well over an hour. After an ER visit, I saw a new cardiologist since the one I saw when I was 19 was retired. He switched my meds to Cartia in the AM and Atenolol in the PM. I can definatley tell a difference at nite when my bpm go down to the 40s. It makes me pretty sleepy and I couldn't tell you the last time I could not get to sleep at night. Between Jan and May I had 3 more episodes, but could get them to stop on my own.
There is a name for the method to stop them when they happen out there, but I call it the "bear down" method. Its where you hold your breath and push like you are having a major bowel movement. I stopped them all on my own. They usually don't last longer than 20 minutes. But one lasted long enough for me to go to the ER and by the time I saw a nurse they had stopped.
Looking back at all the times when I had the most trouble were when I was stressed out. I was also a social smoker during those 5 years, and quit a year before they started up again so that could be something.
The SVT issues also seemed to happen a lot around the PMS time. At one time I stopped taking the pill and that was when the anxiety was at its worst. I think that hormonal changes definately contribute to the anxiety.
I have also lost 15 lbs since August and it has already effected my bp and anxiety.

You may want to see if they will do an echo, because it will rule out valve issues or myopathy which is a swollen heart. It is an expensive test, but my cardio was able to do it in the office and it saved me money. The nuclear stress test was a lot more money, but less evasive than a cardiac cath. You can look them both up on webmd and both tests tell a lot more about the heart.

I also feel a little jumpy in the morning until I take my meds, but it is short lived. I also jump when the alarm goes off and my boyfriend still makes fun of me. I am not known for being a heavy sleeper.

Looking at all my experiences, I definately think its anxiety related. Even saw my therapist last night and she noticed that I didn't check my pulse once when I was there. Before I had my finger on my neck all the time checking that artery.

Sorry, my post is so long, but I hope it helps you out.

good luck,
Lynn