r/SVTHeart

I’ve been struggling a lot with rumaiting when it comes to these svt sysmtoms and not knowing if I have it.

Years ago I worked out and went bike riding and nothing happened. Last year I drank Diet Coke and sometimes coffee. I also took only 25 mg of atenolol. I’m really upset because i felt a lot more free last year even after my pots dx and I think an svt episode? But for ten months I did those things and had zero issues. I was also going out to drink with friends. I wasn’t having frequent symptoms or these episodes. I used to bike a lot. And go for long walks and last year after I had something happen in Sept 2024 where my HR was 160-170 for 10 mins I was sitting I thought it was my pots but it didn’t happen for ten months so at least last year I wasn’t scared to go walking or get my HR up. It can’t be good that I don’t move much. Because I already have constant palpitations.

Since August 2025 I have had random high HR normally 170 sometimes seconds mins or 45 mins. Since upping to atenolol 100 mg i hit maybe 150 max so far but it’s confusing last year i took such a small dose and was fine. I also deal with my resting Hr hardy going lower than 70. And sleeping is 70-115. Rolling over, stretching (laying) average 24 hours is probably 84 bpm. So can’t be ist?

My recent monitor showed AT two seconds I was on 50 mg of atenolol they said I was fine. And it’s normal but doesn’t this mean I have AT SVT even if it wasn’t sustained? Because in March the other high HR i had was for much longer.

I’m upset what could I do? If anyone can offer some advice or relate at all. How can I balance my life how could I do it last year. I am so depressed because I know it’s not anxiety. I am afraid to simply go for a walk in the mall or even see a movie. Because my symptoms are frequently happening my HR can be 150 even after sitting at home or in the car it doesn’t matter where I am. And when my symptoms aren’t bad I am more anxious because it doesn’t make sense. It’s like I’m dealing with the fact I’m scared to do things.. I want to go out with friends, go for walks, do things and then not have to worry about this anymore. Fyi dr won’t give me an ep study. Which is ridiculous to me. And like I’m not sure how Svt goes dormat? If that’s possible? And if I do have Svt why last year I didn’t have issues.

I am so anxious because I’m tired of how confusing my symptoms are. And I wanna feel like how I used to. And be able to go out and live my life to have coffee to drink sometimes because I used to.

Some days my HR can be not flaring other days it does and I do the same thing. But my main worry is that my episodes are atrial tachycardia because my monitor showed it for two seconds while on a 30 day monitor but it was 2 seconds. Does that mean I likley have it?

vent and just very frustrated. Vulnerable post.

over the last few months. I’ve developed severe agoraphobia and then also this feeling of feeling free when my symptoms aren’t bad but then also I’m still anxious when they aren’t bad because of my whole situation.

I feel like with what I’ve been going through. It’s completely ruined my life. I also did get broken up with the other day which honestly I completely understand why I got broken up with and that’s just because this has made me so incapable.

I’m afraid to drive (had 170 hr driving once) and so other times I’ve been fine that makes me more anxious i have “svt” or I’m afraid to take showers. I’m even afraid to sleep constantly obsessing on my symptoms because of how much it’s taken for me and of course I’m afraid to do things because just doing simple and basic things even just sitting on the couch, I’m having symptoms so of course I’m afraid to go out with friends and then when I don’t have symptoms, I’m anxious because it’s just like confusing overall for me. This has taken so much for me. I don’t know how I’m supposed to have a good summer or go out with friends and socially drink and even go to the beach, which is what I also wanted to do this summer, but I feel like that’s not entirely possible because of my symptoms so I’m just very sad. I’m someone that loves going for walks and I love working out but because of my symptoms again it’s been very hard for me to do. I am curious anyone that deals with the symptoms that I have how are you able to drink and just live your life and have fun because I’m sick of this. I’m 26 and a female so I’m someone that already gets dismissed by doctors.

But the last few months, my sleeping heart rate has been 70 to 115 bpm and I take a max dose of a beta blocker and some days I take an extra beta blocker because my symptoms are so bad when I’m laying flat and I stretch my legs. My heart rate goes up 20 to 30 beats when I drink water or when I laugh or even move slightly my heart rate goes up 20 beats. My doctor told me that I don’t have inappropriate sinus tachycardia because my resting heart rate is 90 or 100 on average but it’s just so confusing cause I could be doing laundry or going for a walk and then randomly my heart rate spikes till like 120 or 130 so I am kind of wondering if it is an appropriate sinus tachycardia and my doctor just doesn’t know?

I do have a POTS diagnosis and I am grateful for that, but I just don’t think that the symptoms I’m having are all related to my POTS like for example when I have a POTS flare if it’s really hot out and I haven’t had much water or I go from sitting to stand in my heart rate goes above 30 beats, and then when I sit, it comes back down automatically that I know is my POTS, but sometimes when my heart rate stays high at rest, even after sitting or my standing heart rate is the same as when I’ve been sitting, it just makes me more confused

No doctor has been able to really give me any explanation for my symptoms even if they can’t diagnose me it’s more of like validating what I’m going through and giving me an understanding of what’s going on and also telling me OK you can drink and you can work, but these are the ways to do it and I feel like my doctor hasn’t done that and I just don’t know if anyone else has experienced that cause again it’s taken so fucking much for me and I’m so frustrated because my personality feels like it was ripped away from me and I’m tired of being this nervous shell of myself

On top of it, I’m still dealing from the trauma and PTSD, which is kind of an extreme word from my episodes in March. When my heart rate hit 170 while I was driving for five minutes and my heart was just racing like so fast and I didn’t even feel anxious before like it happened out of nowhere and then when I got my monitor, which was a few few days later I got my medication because I was nervous and then I only had two seconds of SVT on there with three beats of atrial tachycardia and then they told me well. It wasn’t sustained so we can’t say the other episode you had was sustained or not but I’m like I remember that episode in my heart rate was higher for a longer period so I feel like this means I have SVT and they told me no and they didn’t wanna give me an EP study even though I pushed for it. So they won’t diagnose me with SVT.

I also haven’t even really felt anxious today, but it is 4 July and I’m kind of wanting to go out with friends to a bar but then it’s just like again I’m afraid to drink but last year I drank and I didn’t really have any issues and it was after my pot symptom started and after I think I had like weird tachycardia episode so it’s confusing and I was also on a lower dose beta blocker then as well I just feel so so so left out. And it’s like a daily thought I go to bed and I’m anxious because it’s like I wanna wake up and I wanna like not be afraid to do things. I wanna just go and do them myself or go and work but then I’m just like thinking about my symptoms all the time because some days they might be fine and then other days they’re not like I could have three full days of doing the exact same thing where my resting heart rate could be like 73 and then randomly the day after my resting heart rate is like 95 and I’m getting palpitations and like weird symptoms, but I could literally have the same amount of water and then I try not to overdo electrolytes because I don’t have low blood pressure when I stand. And it’s like I was given a great life like I’m thankful for the things I was given, but I’m anxious because I feel like I’m not living that life to fulfillment like I want to and there’s so many things I wanna do but right now I just feel so incapable on top of the fact that I’ve told this to my doctor told them my worries told them how depressed I am because I’m a 20 six-year-old who wants to go live their life and go have a few drinks at the bar or go for a run and they’re not like really telling me I can or can’t do it but then also like not helping me create some sort of action plan and giving me an explanation.

Ep said no ep study so they said go to another office but the office they recommended requires a referral and they literally haven't given me one and it's been like four weeks
I'm just sick of this because I am someone that struggles with OCD so then when my symptoms aren't bad I'm anxious because I'm just like waiting for them to happen and I haven't even really been anxious today at all, and of course, my resting heart rate is on the higher end today and it's just so frustrating because I feel like I can't ever fully relax. I have days where I'm stressed out and my heart rate is actually pretty low so again this whole thing is just so confusing on top of it and knowing my body, ! know that what I'm going through isn't anxiety.
I also got broken up with recently, which sucks, but I completely understand because this entire thing has made me incapable. I'm 26. I wanna work and live my life.
This is the most depressive ever felt. I'm so frustrated and I'm so angry because it's just like when is it gonna end? | wake up in agony every single fucking day...

I’m also just very frustrated because I think I feel like left out in friendships and relationships just because of what I’m going through and I also understand like people who are chronically oh wanna label themselves as that but I just don’t wanna do that personally because I don’t wanna live in like a victim mentality. This is something I’m really struggling with and it’s like I feel like if I do that I’ll never get better and I would probably hyper fixate on that for example like with my OCD I’m like oh imagine how I would be without my symptoms so it would just add to the victim mentality I’ve thought about going on medication, but I don’t know which one’s best for me. I also do go to therapy as well..

So if anyone relates or has advice on how to live your life how to balance your social life how to have good relationships, how to not label yourself as chronically ill because you don’t want to feel like you are and how are you able to go out and have a good time and drink, socially and also explain how last year I was able to do it. I think I’m so afraid that if I do it, I’ll go into like SVT or something. Or some kind of pot flair.

(The tachycardia is probably my biggest struggle, but I also deal with for about two years now my shoulders and chest, especially if I flex my shoulders down it’s like extremely tight and then I’ve dealt with some like chronic Venus and insufficiency so like I have varicose veins apparently but my legs are like purple a lot, especially if I’m like sitting anytime my legs aren’t elevated. They’re always purple and my doctor still haven’t done anything about it and I’ve tried socks and it doesn’t do anything for me)

I’m also feeling frustrated because I don’t really feel confident with my medication regimen
Like I never know if it’s gonna work or not. Overall, I’m just trying to get to the point that I wanna be someone in their 20s that goes out and enjoys their life, but I feel like I can’t do that but then I also at the same time but it also was like my symptoms and I’m dealing with and being scared. I don’t know what to do.. I want to workout I imagine
That/ how I would feel and being able to go out with friends drinking. And how I would be without my symptoms it’s probably the main reason for my depression and just being upset right now.

I also get nervous. To get my HR up and that upsets me because it’s good for your body. And I am also upset because why would I get my HR up if when I’m sitting im having issues. So walking and working out would be too hard?

Hi! I am 23F and have been dealing with SVT episodes for the last couple years. Initially it only happened once every few months and I never thought much of it, however, over the last year these are happening more frequently sometimes multiple times a month. I’ve had to attend the emergency department 3 times for this but haven’t needed adenosine yet. I am writing this post for some help, I was referred and seen by cardiology and I had a 24 hour tape, an echo and an exercise intolerance test, but all were ok. I managed to catch an episode on a 3 lead ECG on an admission in ED but the episode stopped itself before they could get the proper 12 lead. I am stuck with this as I don’t feel like cardiology has taken me seriously and they have discharged me, but my GP was referred me back. I don’t know where to go from here. I have also been taken off nightshift at my work which has definitely helped reduce episodes.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Is anyone successfully navigating SVT without meds? Please share your experience. Thank you!

Hi there! I have an SVT ablation coming up this Tuesday (7/7), and am nervous and have a question. My EP stated that he doesn’t typically use sedation, as that can hinder their ability to get you into SVT. Has anyone had an ablation without sedation that they can tell me about? I have anxiety, and SVT has triggered a panic attack every time, so I’m worried that being 100% aware when they put me into SVT will trigger a panic attack on top of the SVT. He said they’d sedate me if that happens, but I’m just curious what people’s experiences with an ablation without sedation are. I’m in the US.

So for context, I randomly started having SVT episodes back in March that landed me in the ER 4x in 6 weeks. Had to receive adenosine each time to correct. Because of how frequent the episodes were, and the fact I could never self-avert, I was able to get an ablation quickly. I’m also on propranolol for anxiety/a super reactive HR.

Fast forward 8 weeks post-ablation, and I’m having some weird/scary overnight occurrences. First, I’m definitely having the vivid nightmares warmed about on propranolol. But now I’m also having instances of waking up feeling “off” (that pre-SVT feeling) with my heart starting to pick up pace or pound, which then sends me into a panic attack. We’ve basically chocked it up to ✨anxiety✨

Well, as I write this, I just had another episode but noticed there might be a legit physical component/trend. I realized that most times when this happens, it occurs shortly after I wake up randomly drenched in sweat. Like, crazy sweat.

I’m thinking that I’m having random adrenaline dumps overnight, which ofc feel similar to pre-SVT episodes and freak me TF out. The question is…what is causing those? Could it be the propranolol? Is there a different heart or health issue going on?

Newly diagnosed, only had a few episodes. This is probably asked often here but I couldn’t find any other threads. I just wanted to ask longtime sufferers: What do you do in situations where you have an SVT attack but you’re trapped and can’t get away.

Like, today, I was on a boat trip and about halfway through I thought “Wouldn’t it be bad to get an SVT episode here? There’d be nothing anyone could do and I’d just have to sit with it for the next two hours until the boat tour’s over.” I couldn’t even imagine doing something like that. The last two attacks I’ve had I’ve taken myself to hospital immediately. Just sitting around for two hours with a heart rate of 250 is just unthinkable for me.

Another example is, what if you have an episode on a nine hour flight and the valsalva manoeuvres don’t work? What the hell do you do then? Has anyone ever been in that situation? If so, how did you handle it?

Thanks so much in advance!

I’ve had SVT for 5+ years, no ablation but take beta blockers and I’ve been very stable (no episodes or anything) until yesterday morning where I fainted out of the blue, didn’t feel any SVT when it happened. Went to the doctors and my ECG and BP was fine and my bloods were all normal

However ever since yesterday morning when I fainted I have been getting extremely dizzy everytime I stand up and am struggling to stand up without feeling faint and dizzy

And this morning since I’ve woken up I’ve noticed that my heart rate is much faster and more noticeable, I wouldn’t say it’s an SVT episode but everytime I stand up my heart rate goes from 100bpm to 160bpm

I feel awful and not myself at all, the gp said I’m fine so no point going back there but I’m not sure if it’s worth a trip to A&E. I’m not sure that they will be able to do anything because I’m not stuck in an active SVT episode but my heart doesn’t feel normal and I can’t stop feeling dizzy

Any advice appreciated!

I am a 20 year old male, I got my act problems when I was maybe around 17 and it’s been on and off up until I turned 19-20 ish. I have gotten annotation ablation and feel good, haven’t had a single episode where I have gotten a high heart rate up in the 200s that I’ve used to, still get some palpitations here and there but nothing crazy
So to my point is that I wonder if anyone here have any experience with smoking cannabis or hash after the operation, got mine at the end of march and want to use cannabis for recreational use for example a switch out for alcohol.
Alcohol has also not really been a problem for me when is comes to my heart, only some instances where the day after drinking a lot, not being hydrated, poor sleep etc I can get some palpitations here and there.

Asking specifically for people who smoke weed before and after about their experiences and of course open to hear opinions on this topic from people who want to share their mind .

Sooo.. a year or two ago I made a post about how I was pretty sure I have POTS but a doctor (male ofc..)I went to said that I'm "just a skinny teenage girl" and I just need to "stand up slower" and to come back in my late 20's if I haven't grown out of it (I'm 17 btw)

Well I went in for a second opinion and I'm so glad I did.

I saw a new doctor for a second opinion and she couldn't have been kinder or more open minded. As SOON as I stepped into the office they did a poor man's tilt table test and I ended up breaking down afterwards because I felt so nervous about being dismissed again. She comforted me and said she was willing to bet I have POTS but wanted to check my heartrate and said "we will figure this out together, I promise".

They did an EKG on my which lasted an hour and a half before they thought the machine was malfunctioning because the results were weird. After like five attempts, they realized it was my heart which is malfunctioning and diagnosed me with a type of SVT (Supraventricular tachycardia).

The way my doctor described it was that my heart is sending weird signals so I experience high heartrate and frequent palpations which cause a lot of funky symptoms. (And it CAN also cause heart failure, stroke and cardiac arrest)

Anyways so I hate that first doctor even more because he made me feel like shit and dismissed me without doing ANY tests but I feel so validated now

I have an appointment with a cardiologist in two weeks so we'll find a treatment plan for my SVT (I might need heart surgery) and I'm also going to be doing a tilt table test!

Don't give up y'all, good doctors exist and your experiences are valid!! Keep advocating for yourself! If I didn't tell my mom I wanted to get a second opinion and didn't trust my gut, I would've lived with an undiagnosed heart condition and no future POTS evaluation!

I’ve had two svt episodes in the last 6 months, the first lasted 40 minutes, hr was 270, bp 190/120, pain down my arm and in jaw and was clammy/dizzy/couldn’t walk and almost passing out when paramedics arrived it had been going for 25-30 mins and hr was 280 and bp dropped super low - heart reverted after another 10 mins after attempting to put the cannula in.
I didn’t stay in hospital apart from for one blood test and result because I was heading on holiday and super naive even though drs were advising against leaving.

Second hr was 200 lasted 20 mins and self reverted when paramedics got there (I freaked out because of first episode severity) hospital put me in the waiting room and let me leave after an ekg.
I haven’t had an episode since and never followed up properly because I know it’s hard to catch on the holter monitor but have had mini 30 second - 1 min episodes lately where it starts but doesn’t ’click over’ and dont know whether it’s worth going back…I feel like I’ve gaslit myself into thinking i made it up

I had an SVT episode last week (160-185 bpm as usual) and I couldn’t get it settled in an hour so I went to the hospital. As soon as I checked in, my heart rate dropped to 120 and kept coming down roughly 10 bpm per hour. They took me in anyway even though I had a normal sinus rhythm although elevated. I didn’t ever see the doctor because I left before they came to see me. I wasn’t a high priority and my heart rate had dropped to high 80s already. Electrolytes normal, oxygen levels at 100%. I never saw the ECG but probably nothing alarming there, otherwise the doctor would have come to see me.

I’ve been taking easy since then, especially because my usual IBS symptoms really flared up and I’ve been having lots of dull aches here and there and a few tender spots in my torso. I’ve been having these symptoms for the last 15 years, as long as I’ve had SVT, and no doctor has ever been able to diagnose anything. The pain spots tend to move around. Fibromyalgia was suspected but it’s not as severe as it usually tends to be. Paracetamol definitely helps.

Anyway, today I went to the gym. As soon as I started cross trainer, my heart rate went up to 140 and I felt a little bit short of breath. I took it carefully and didn’t go any faster. No pain or discomfort though, so I kept going and my heart rate settled around 130-135 which is slightly higher than usual when doing lightweight exercise. Breathing also got easier after a couple of minutes.

After 30 minutes, I stopped and my heart rate went down pretty quickly below 100.

I remember others have reported similar elevated heart rate after SVT so does this sound like normal? I am not on beta blockers at the moment because they made me paranoid and I didn’t like the side effects.

I am 38 year old man and I was diagnosed with AVNRT (a common type of SVT) after two episodes that were terminated with adenosine in the emergency room. I had this issue for long time, but used to get reverted automatically hence not diagnosed. I underwent an EP study and catheter ablation at the Prestigious COSTLY Private Hospital in Trivandrum(If you Know you Know),Kerala,India performed by an experienced electrophysiologist.

I am sharing this not to scare anyone, but because I wish someone had told me these things before I made my decision.

## What happened

The ablation procedure itself went smoothly in the operation theatre and I was shifted to room in 4 hours. However, 12 hours after the procedure I developed a post-ablation AV

conduction disturbance — meaning the electrical pathway between my upper and lower heart chambers was damaged during the ablation. My Holter monitor showed intermittent third degree (complete) heart block episodes, Wenckebach patterns, and a ventricular rate that needed medication support (Deriphyllin/theophylline) to stay adequate. After seeing the holter report doctor was suggesting possibilities of pacemaker implant.!

I am now two weeks post-procedure. I have stopped the medication two days ago and my heart rate is holding at 70-80 bpm on its own — which is encouraging. But the situation is still uncertain and I am under monitoring. I have not been cleared to return to normal.

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## What I wish I had known

**1. Medicine first. Ablation only if medicine fails.**

AVNRT can often be controlled with beta blockers . I was steered toward ablation relatively quickly. In hindsight, I should have tried medication more seriously and for longer before agreeing to a procedure. If you are tolerating your episodes and medication is controlling them reasonably — take your time before choosing ablation.

**2. Large private hospitals have financial incentives to perform procedures.**

I say this directly: Private hospitals are revenue-driven institution. Ablation is an expensive procedure. I felt the recommendation to proceed came faster than it should have. Please get at least 2–3 independent opinions — ideally from doctors who have no financial stake in whether you undergo the procedure or not. A government institution or an independent senior cardiologist will give you a more unbiased assessment.

**3. "Low risk" does not mean "your risk is low."**

Every consent form and every doctor will tell you the complication rate is 1–2%. That sounds small. But if you are the one in fifty or one in hundred — that risk is 100% for you. I am that person. Please understand this concretely before signing consent.

**4. The ablation is done without a camera inside your heart.**

This is something most patients do not realise. The procedure is guided by electrical mapping and assumed anatomical landmarks — not direct visualisation. Every human heart has slight anatomical variations. When the ablation catheter is working millimetres away from your AV node — the critical pathway that connects your upper and lower heart — a small miscalculation or anatomical variation can cause permanent conduction damage.

**5. Get your second opinion from SCTIMST(If you are in Kerala or Tamilnadu)or a similar institution, not another private hospital.**

If you are in Kerala, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) in Trivandrum is a premier government cardiac centre with no profit motive. Their opinion will be based purely on your clinical situation.

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## My three key messages

- **Wait. Think carefully. Get multiple opinions.**

- **Try medication seriously before agreeing to ablation.**

- **Understand that rare complications, when they happen to you, are not rare at all.**

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I am happy to answer questions from anyone facing a similar decision. I have gone through this experience in detail — the EP study, the procedure, the post-ablation monitoring, the ECG interpretation, the Holter analysis — and I can share what I have learned.

Wishing everyone here a smooth recovery and good health.

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*This post represents my personal experience and opinion. It is not medical advice. Please consult qualified cardiologists before making any treatment decisions.*

Severe tachycardia episodes / possible SVT vs IST vs POTS vs anxiety — I feel like I’m losing my life

(Sorry this post is like all over the place and I’m also really struggling mentally so sorry if some things are confusing)

I’m a 26F and I’m really struggling and I feel like my life has completely fallen apart. Also I’m alone for like the next week so I’m really struggling to be alone. I haven’t driven for months also so that’s been embarrassing and hard. I’ve never felt this insecure in my life because I am like not doing anything but want to so badly. I could easily solve it if I come off the blockers get another heart monitor and catch svt. But it’s easier said then done.

I’m really hoping that people with inappropriate sinus tachycardia can answer like if you’re going down the stairs or doing laundry and your heart rate is 150 for example does that mean you have it even if you’re resting heart rate isn’t 90 or 100 cause that’s what I’m wondering if I’m also dealing with as well and it’s just so odd to me because my doctor literally mentioned an ablation for inappropriate sinus tachycardia, but I literally don’t have a diagnosis and that’s also pretty risky because sometimes you need a pacemaker.

I remember like a few years ago when I would be home alone and I would clean and I would get stuff done and then I would like lay on my bed after and like relax like that felt so freeing now like I do not have the ability to do that and that is really hard like if I go in like lay down on my bed or like, try to relax like my brain is just like oh you’re taking this max dose of a beta blocker like this is your situation like you need to come off the meds but you’re too afraid and then you’re having XYZ symptoms like so I feel like I’m never gonna catch the SVT but then it’s like I don’t know why I’m having these symptoms and I’m still taking this amount of the speed blocker so it’s just so confusing. Also on my like patient portal it says a diagnosis of PSVT and then like VT which I don’t remember having and I don’t know why none of the doctor said anything to me so it just feels like I’m physically and mentally pacing because my situation is so confusing and no one is really helping me

And the issue is is when I’m not having symptoms like I just feel like I’m super vigilant. I know that you guys can’t diagnose me with SVT but I feel like if I wore it to sue it maybe I could prepare better. It’s just also hard to understand why my heart rate goes up when I’m laying, and I stretch and drink cold water. I just feel so incapable and handicap and that’s why I think I’m super irritable because I really wanna go out with friends and drink and dance and ask someone with OCD. I’m just ruminate how I did that in the past with ZERO symptoms that im having now. So ofc in my head oh this means svt. It sucks because I wanna be alone in my house but I’m scared I’m ruminating on symptoms if I am fine and just obsessing on the situation every two seconds and then thinking about how in the past, I wasn’t having symptoms. I also have like palpitations a lot and it’s just draining. And I really wanna work out so that’s why I’m upset. I’m not functional and that’s why I am upset because if I sleep if I drive if I’m alone and have symptoms or not. I’m in shock in the past I wasn’t. And now being alone I have heart symptoms but it’s not because I’m alone why I am upset. And that’s the thing that I just popped into my head as an intrusive. Thought what’s going on with my body imagine how I’d be without my symptoms when I’m having them or when I’m not having them cause I’m upset and just irritable about the whole situation like yes, I can physically work and yes, I can physically go for a walk and go to a bar and drink if I want, but it’s more of the fact that I don’t do anything to necessarily trigger this. I’m taking a Max dose and I’m still having weird symptoms so it’s like I’m not able to do those things if that makes sense and so I’m getting anxiety and I’m getting very very irritable. I would say the symptoms that impact me every second or maybe more like drinking cold water and stretching in my heart rate goes up and then standing my heart rate will go up 20 to 30 beats even with my medication, but once I said, like my heart rate does come down.

Is it normal to have this many palpitations while you’re not doing anything at home?

When I am around people it’s hard because I just think about what’s wrong with me and how I never know when this is gonna end. I feel so stuck. I’ve also had episodes with people and without so I’m nervous alone and with people. Maybe worse alone but.

On top of it the beta blocker makes me feel crappy it just lowers my HR.

I wonder if I had AT on my monitor but it wasn’t flagged because the rate was slow and it looked like sinus tachycardia. But there were two times on my monitor when my HR went up high randomly just not to 170 plus. I think it I knew what was going on my anxiety wouldn’t be as bad.

This is one of the most undescribable feelings ever it’s like, thinking about the past gives me such bad anxiety this pain feeling knowing I wasn’t going through this. And what I am going through now it’s sorta like rumination, but specific. Like five years ago was alone on the fourth was excited to drink with friends now thinking about it now gives me pain and anxiety I just want this to end feeling.

It doesn’t make sense how SVT goes dormat how last year I took a low dose and like drank and even had coffee sometimes and didn’t experience anything after Sept 2024 when I had smoked weed. Which I never really did. Just slightly in the past. And it never happened then.

I don’t think you can expect someone to not be super anxious and upset to do things when they go through this.

Again I feel so unfunctional I’m not doing what I want cleaning when I’m alone going for drives it’s terrible. This is ruining my life. It’s almost like to as well I don’t wanna do anything or wear clothes that make me feel good because of the depression of what is going on. I sort of like feel this year where it’s like oh I don’t wanna go to sleep or do things because I have these symptoms as well and it’s just like the depression is so severe because if I go to do anything, it’s like I’m not doing the things I want. I’m not going out. I’m not going for walks and then I think how I did those things like years ago and didn’t struggle, even though I had the same amount of anxiety and OCD then I get more anxious.

And I’m sorry if I forgot to include this, but when I did my tilt table test in December 2024 and my stress test a week later I had to get off my medication and when I did it, I didn’t have any SVT now in September of that year 2024 I had a heart of like 165 to 175 for like 10 or so minutes so it’s just like I don’t know if that is common for a certain type of SVT to do that like even for 10 months after that or up until August 2025 I didn’t have issues so it’s just very confusing

And that’s what I mean to like if I’m alone, I’m not having symptoms right now. It’s just like very triggering and upsetting for my OCD like it just loops in your head and then I’m like what if there’s something wrong and what if there’s not something wrong.

Can someone tell me if someone with pots tapers off a med there resting HR can randomly shoot to 170?

Since around August 2025, my whole life has been turned around. I live in fight-or-flight 24/7. I’m afraid to drive, I’ve had to stop working, and I barely leave the house. It’s also affecting my relationship and every part of my daily life. I don’t feel like myself anymore. It’s ripped everything out of me. My relationship is crushed and possibly ending because of this. I’m not working (no income). I don’t go out, I’m literally afraid to sleep. And this isn’t me of course I’m ruminating on the past I would go out in similar situations and this stuff never ever happened. I mean sure if I was panicking but it’s the loop of (something is wrong)

I’ve been diagnosed with anxiety and OCD, but I don’t really want to lean on that too much with doctors because I’m scared everything will just get blamed on that and something physical will be missed.

My main issue is my heart rate and how unpredictable it is. I’m currently taking about 100mg of atenolol daily. I still get these random episodes where my heart feels like it suddenly flips into fight-or-flight. Small things like rolling over, stretching, laughing, or even just sitting can raise my heart rate by 30+ beats. Sometimes I can be sitting and it will suddenly jump up into the 140s, and I don’t understand why.

I’ve had episodes where my heart rate has gone up into the 160–170s while sitting or driving, and it feels very sudden and intense. It feels like a pounding, loud heartbeat that I can’t ignore. I also get left-sided chest pain over my heart during these episodes.

What makes this so confusing and scary for me is how unpredictable it is. It’s not like my heart rate is just 90–100 all day. Some days my resting heart rate is 70s–80s, other days it’s higher, and then randomly it spikes very high out of nowhere. That unpredictability is part of why I keep thinking about SVT or IST, because it doesn’t feel consistent like I was told POTS should be. Like someone with pots can taper off without having a crazy high fearing that I had that’s why I am really worried. And ist is an average of 90/100 for 24 hours so idk how they are saying it’s that.

With cardiology/ep dr, I’ve had monitors done. One showed three beats of atrial tachycardia while I was on a lower dose beta blocker. They did not capture sustained SVT or anything long enough to definitively diagnose SVT. My EP has mentioned repeating monitoring and possibly switching medications like ivabradine, but they haven’t recommended an EP study or loop recorder yet.

What really scares me is that I have had episodes that felt like true sudden rhythm changes, especially around March 12 and 14. On March 12, while I was driving, my heart rate suddenly jumped into the 160–170 range and stayed there for about 4–5 minutes between 166–173, then slowly came down. I had to try to calm myself and it eventually resolved. It felt extremely intense and different from normal anxiety. That’s one of the main things that makes me question SVT.

I also had what was labeled as non sustained SVT on a monitor, but I was on a beta blocker at the time, which makes everything more confusing for me.

Now I’m stuck constantly wondering if this is SVT, IST, POTS, or anxiety. I can’t tell anymore. I feel like I’m losing my sense of safety in my own body. I also check my Apple Watch a lot, which I know probably feeds into the anxiety loop, but it feels hard to stop.

I used to be completely normal last year. I was working, going out, drinking coffee, walking a lot, and living my life. I could feel nervous sometimes but I still went out and felt fine coming home. Now I don’t have that feeling of freedom at all. Being scared to go to bed is the worst feeling because there’s no peace. I’m just waiting for something to happen. Because I’m preparing myself. But then I’m depressed because I think about how in the past I wasn’t having issues. Like this symptoms like this.

The unpredictability is really what’s breaking me mentally. It’s not just “high heart rate all the time,” it’s random spikes at rest and inconsistency day to day, which is why I keep going back to SVT or IST in my head.

I’m not trying to self-diagnose, I just feel scared, stuck, and like I’ve lost my life to this. If anyone has experienced something similar or has insight into SVT vs IST vs POTS and how they can overlap with anxiety, I would really appreciate it.

Back story:

Pots symptoms started in March 2024

Then Sept 2024 I smoked weed and had svt symptoms

Then for 10 months was fine even did a tilt and stress off meds and nothing happened.

And now some days I can do the same thing and have issues or not have them. That’s very upsetting and triggering for me because it shows me it isn’t anxiety and something is wrong. If one day I was anxious and hit 115 bpm but once I relaxed it came down. But one time felt the same or was calm and it was much higher and not coming down when I sit. So definitely not pots and didn’t feel like anxiety. I could go blue in the face because I know when it’s my pots it’s 30 bpm when I stand and I’ve gone without my beta blocker and it would go higher but it was only when I stood.

I’ve had ocd since I was 19 but it’s just gotten worse and my mental health is so bad. I’ve never had it so bad I haven’t been able to shower to go out it’s the depression but also the anxiety of the symptoms and just not enjoying anything. At 26 you wanna travel and go out and bar hop. I literally am scared to move. The depression also impacted my eating habits I don’t really get hungry. If you have ocd as well and deal with this please help me out if you can. The ruminating is the worst thing.

I don’t know what to do. Because it’s impacting every part of my life. I wanna not panic when I’m alone. And to be able to go out to dance and be young. There is a part in my heart that is like what if this is all in my head.

To make matters worse when I get overwhelmed and stressed I like to go out or go see a friend but I’m nervous to drive because of all the heart stuff. And I’ve had situations where I was going through a lot and was still able to do that. And so then it just makes me feel worse and more anxious about what’s going on with my situation. Like getting out of the house to go for a drive is freeing but a lot of the times I feel too anxious to even be in my house. Because of all this.

I just like literally don’t know what to do in this situation because it’s impacted my relationship because we don’t do anything like we don’t go out. I don’t have money like I’m afraid to go for walks and that’s what’s hard because last year and years prior like I just think about how like I was doing things and not having issues like when I’m not having symptoms I’m really anxious cause I’m like thinking about them and like how painful it would be to have them but then just like how my relationship could be if I wasn’t dealing with this like how can I do all these things? I wanna do now if I’m having these symptoms like I don’t even have caffeine or a drink and I still have symptoms.

Like how do you get out of this. And to not be scared but also feel like shit on top of so much trauma.

And I do see a therapist and I know I’m not all trying to make this about Mental Health but it’s just giving me such bad anxiety and I think about the past and I haven’t been able to stop just because like I never know how this is gonna end or when it’s gonna end and I wanna be able to like do things and not have like that’s my main thing like even just watching a video of like people on a roller coaster that’s something that I love but then of course I get the intrusive thought of like being on it now and having issues with my heart and then thinking about the past, I wasn’t and then just like anxiety like why is it like this? I’ve also lost a ton of muscle because I hardly walk and that’s really impacted me too, so it’s just embarrassing. And it’s hard to because I am home alone all week and a few years ago. I was home alone on the fourth all week and I was able to go out and have a good time at friends house and go out drinking and wasn’t having symptoms and now I’m here irritable and like really upset that I wanna do those things and I’m really anxious to like go to a party or have people over and have something as simple as coffee or a beer without having severe anxiety, and then I ruminate on the past, I was doing that and now I’m like home alone having these symptoms and not even doing anything to trigger it. It genuinely seems like the only option I have is to come off the beta locker and get on a heart monitor again, but I’m just in such denial about all this and it’s like I’m so upset. I don’t even know how I’m gonna go to the beach this summer I hardly really have much muscle because I’ve lost a lot. Walking is already hard and it’s like more proof that there’s something wrong when I’m taking a Max dose and not having symptoms. I just feel so like frozen irritable and trapped because I just want this to like and I wanna like think of driving and going to bed and not being scared like I wanna be able to like be alone without having to have someone here cause I don’t mind being alone that’s what makes me so upset. It’s just like when am I gonna have symptoms and then even when I take my beta blocker it’s like I just wait for it to like not work but it’s scary when you take something and then it’s like any second. It could just stop working or if like I used to do something all the time and now I can’t do it at all because of this, it clearly makes me really depressed.

And I guess I’m only giving this backstory of my mental health so people can understand how much this is impacting my mental health and how much I feel like I’m being dismissed and like I mentioned to like this is another specific thing with my OCD but if I’m on the phone with someone and they’re talking to me and I’m not having symptoms I’m like obsessing on the fact that I’m not and then thinking about the times I have had them and then just like ruminating. My OCD feels visual. It’s like very painful for me. If I’m seeing a POV of someone on a roller coaster I’m imagining myself on that right now and in the past or if I see a memory on my phone from like my photos from five years ago, going for a walk or at a bar or a party, I’m getting anxious because I’m thinking about now. I’m like at home alone like I was then and now I’m having these issues.

I really really hate that I'm struggling to be alone. It makes me anxious. I used to take 25 mg of.a baby. blocker and I was fine for literally 20 hours for quite a while actually and my doctor can't give me an explanation on why it doesn't really work. I hate thinking about how.!. would be without these symptoms like that's really hard for me as well so and then just like when they're not bad I'm anxious too because I'm irritable that ].can't always be like this and then I'm thinking of like the things I wanna do. I don't think • I would ruminate this bad if I was not going through these symptoms for these episodes that I'm having. Especially cause I can be fine for a little bit and then it strikes out of nowhere and then I'm in a worse place mentally. I’m just like in shock too because the symptoms are so up and down and so I know I’m just like using this to vent, but I’m just feeling like super trapped because I’m scared to do anything I used to just hop on a bike by myself for like hours, and it’s just the fact that I’m literally scared to do anything even clean like that’s not normal and I’ve brought this example up but my family is staying somewhere else for a week and they do it occasionally every other few summers. And basically a few summers ago I was going through something completely unrelated to anything having to do with this and I had to be like alone for the week and now I’m alone for the week and I think about how excited I am for it, but then it becomes painful because I’m thinking about how I’m going through all this and how I would be if I wasn’t and that’s why when my symptoms aren’t bad I’m really upset.

And it’s kind of like I’m imagining scenarios in my head of my friends now or my partner coming over and hanging out and maybe not spending the night and then we go out to a bar or go to a workout class and I don’t have symptoms, but I might be a little bit anxious. And it’s very visual for me how this impacts me like I think about a situation that could be going on now that’s stressful and then I think about how other people would be me if I wasn’t going through this or how I would be in this situation if I wasn’t going through the symptoms and then I get really anxious on top of how the Fourth of July is coming up and I wanna go out and I think about how I went out and did that and was home alone so then I’m getting anxious about everything now. And if I’m having a bit of conflict with my partner it’s harder now because I think about how it would be in the past and I get really upset on top of everything else and almost embarrassed because it’s like I feel really insecure about this

I also thought that beta blockers worked for 24 hours so I’m confused but like I said, yeah I’m feeling like slight incapable things just because like it’s hard to do certain things because of my symptoms like for example like if I wanted to go to the mall or something and walk around like that’s where it becomes like really upsetting because in the past, I used to do it but now I’m having a symptoms and it’s much harder and it’s hard cause I cannot stop thinking about. Imagine how I’d be if I wasn’t having these symptoms like obviously it’s summertime. The fourth is coming up like I wanna go out with friends and potentially drink but then it’s like if I do that will I go and ask so does that mean I have to get another monitor on like I’m just so stressed out

I’m upset that I lost a lot of muscle and that I’m going through this mentally and thinking about how I be without my symptoms going through hard times is really hard cause I knew that I could get through it but then it just gives me more anxiety that there’s something wrong with my heart.

If you read this far, I really appreciate it

On Monday I (27F) had a catheter ablation for SVT. I was scared shitless and was on Reddit for months and months beforehand trying to know what to expect. It went very well, so I wanted to share my story and answer some questions that I had going into it. My care team has been wonderful and answered all my questions, so I hope this is of use to someone. Sorry for the long read:

I had one major episode of SVT, aggravated by caffeine and bending over — I was at LA Fitness and went to put a 45 plate back on a floor rack and went into endless palpitations. I sat in the locker room feeling ‘off’ but couldn’t tell exactly what. I walked out to my car to lay down in the AC while my girlfriend came to get me. She brought my pulse ox, and it showed my HR at 214. Off to the hospital.

They gave me adenosine and I know some people say this is a traumatizing drug to receive, but I don’t remember having any negative reaction. I was just happy to have my heart slow down. After wards, I saw my GP and an electro cardiologist to get some answers since the hospital said ‘it’s just SVT, stop drinking caffeine’. I was immediately told to get an ablation, because one episode of SVT or any arrhythmia indicates there is electrical scar tissue and always has the ability to recur. I was 25 and scared out of my mind, so I opted to just monitor it and use propranolol to manage as I was already prescribed it for anxiety.

Over the next year and a half or so, I was alright. No major episodes, some funny heart feelings here and there, but that’s all. In October 2025 I got an AFib notification on my watch and went down a rabbit hole thinking I had a second arrhythmia. I went to a general cardiologist and was placed on a 30-day monitor. That (thankfully and frustratingly) showed nothing irregular. Doc said to take an ECG on my Apple Watch if my heart felt funny and send it to him. He referred me to a new electro cardiologist who did another 7-day monitor but advised no propranolol — on 2 days I had 1% or less PVC burden, and some symptoms associated with sinus tachycardia. My doctor could tell how distressed I was about SVT and my heart and said I’d be the perfect candidate for an ablation.

The doctor said something to me that I want everyone with SVT to hear: unless there was specific heart damage (from a heart attack, heart failure, congenital conditions, etc.) she would not recommend an ablation UNLESS you could feel it when it happens. My dad has SVT and goes into it every day, but he doesn’t feel it and has no idea when it’s happening (his HR will be 216 and he’s in his 60’s). I, on the other hand, could feel it in every part of my body and was in fear of ever feeling like that again. It made me anxious of everything — my favorite thing is to be in nature, hiking, off-roading, paddle boarding, you name it. I couldn’t do any of those things anymore out of fear of my heart, so I decided to get my life back and do the ablation. My doctor also shared that typically, SVT presents in someone’s 20’s or 30’s, goes dormant around 40’s-60’s and can be decades with no problems, but then come back ‘with a vengeance’ in your later years. I was motivated to get it done now rather than later when my age and body are not on my side. Young people for the vast majority recover easier from these minimally invasive procedures.

I want to preface and say I got my procedure done by Dr. Doshi through Honor Health in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is one of the best in the business and I highly recommend. I know others don’t have this same experience so I wanted to share if anyone is in the Phoenix area.

The prep was easy, nothing to eat or drink after midnight and check-in at 8 am. They got me hooked up to the IV and ready to go. The wheeled me back to a cath lab which was freezing and had tons of crazy-looking equipment. During this time I asked about recovery, palpitations, length of procedure, etc. The nurses there explained: AFib ablations are harder than SVT due to location, consistency, and amount of tissue they need to ablate. If they have to burn multiple spots of tissue, or if you are someone having chronic or daily AFib/SVT, there is a higher likelihood of you having these symptoms in your healing. But, none of it is anywhere near the feeling of a sustained SVT episode, so to me it’s worth it. They also said the procedure can be anywhere from 2-4 hours. All said and done, I had one spot of tissue they burned, they were in with a catheter for 32 minutes and I received 198 seconds of radio waves to burn the tissue.

As for the actual procedure, they put a million pads on me, including a few to cardiovert me if they needed to (which is rare). The gave me medicine to put me in a twilight and make me feel good. I only remember 3 points of the procedure - when they either put in or changed one of the catheters (hurt but dull — it felt like an immediate bruise), when my SVT was triggered (felt just the rapid pounding in my chest), and during the burning (which radiated to my back). Overall, the pain/discomfort was brief, I’d say 4/10. The doctor checked in on me halfway through and gave more medicine. I was in a light sleep for most of it.

Prior to the procedure I was really freaked out about being awake — but while may be awake, you are not alert. The drugs they give to trigger your arrhythmia are uncomfortable but brief, and they have complete control over the situation. It felt like a dream state. The whole team was so nice and played Noah Kahan’s new album during which I loved. They put a collagen plug in my vein and I was off to recovery to lay down for two hours. Since I had in total been in that bed for a few hours (the wheeled me back at 9:30 am, procedure at 10 but was delayed, back in recovery at 12, laying until 2:30) my leg started to cramp which freaked me out, but is totally normal. I went home the same day.

I am on day 5 now. I have had a few minor PVC’s and weird runs, maybe a bit short of breath but all is to be expected and nothing scary so far. The site pain is similar to pulling a groin muscle doing hip abductions in the gym, nothing to write home about.

I feel so good and normal that I’ve been doing my regular things (besides working out and swimming!) and now today have aggravated my site, so taking it easy is a must. Not being able to swim or workout or lift things is annoying and making me rambunctious, but it will pass.

Overall? Earlier this year I got an IUD inserted (and a hysteroscopy at the same time). I would say that all around with prep, surgery, and recovery, this is much easier and less painful. I feel like I got my life back and am now looking forward to things rather than fearing them. If it’s within your means, I highly recommend doing it once you have researched which doctor you’d like to go through. Happy to answer any questions!

i'm 30yo, been having SVT (suspected/ unconfirmed bc unable to capture on monitor) since i was 11yo. typically happen 2-3x a year, or less.

a week ago i went for a hike and 15 minutes in, bent over to look at something on the trail and stood back up to heart palpitations, had to sit down do breathing try to get them to stop, ultimately decided to walk back down the trail during the palpitations and those lasted 10 minutes (probably 180-200bpm).

usually i bounce right back from these, but it's 8 days after and i'm still having fatigue and feeling weak and like my heart could start palpitations from the wrong movement.

this week i went to the hospital twice because i felt weirdly drained (headaches, chest tightness, extreme fatigue, brain fog) both times EKG and bloodwork came back normal, chest xray was fine, hospital doc said he's confident it is SVT, i have an appt with a cardiologist this week for an echo.

tldr: is this level of fatigue normal? i'm a very active person (jump rope + strength training 3x a week, boxing bag work, sports, hiking, etc) never experienced being this wiped out from an event.

Ok, not in the field but shortly after. I was picking strawberries with my family. It’s hot out but I really don’t think I was dehydrated. I ran up a hill with my toddler to catch the tractor ride back to the main area, sat on it for a good 10 min, then I had an episode of SVT about 10 minutes after that. I’m wondering if the histamine from touching so many strawberries and being in the field could have caused it? I hadn’t had an episode in over 3 years.

Has anything similar happened to you? I’m so sad that this has come back after many years without a scary heart episode. Nothing has been found wrong with my heart, though this all started after the cov V which put me into SVT and A fib, leading to many heart tests and a diagnosis of IST, POTS, and SFN. But like I said, my heart has been fine the past few years now other than some palpitations here and there. Bums me out so much and makes me feel scared.