Symptoms of SVT

[HowMyHeartSings]

Hi still early days for me with a diagnosis of Atrial Tachycardia three months ago. Last night I had another episode after two previous nights of insomnia with no sleep at all - which I guess set me up for this latest experience. I was woken up from sleep last night with a fast heart rate. I’m on Bisoprolol 2.5 mg twice a day. I measured my rate on my Kardia & it was around 150 and detected ‘possible atrial fibrillation’. The episode passed after 40 mins after doing couple of vagal manoeuvres. My questions are around my symptoms. I felt quite cold during this episode about 4AM. After it passed I tried to get back to sleep but kept feeling a fluttering/palpitation in my right side of the chest that the Kardia wasn’t picking up when I once tried. When this occurs I get quite physically hot and need to urinate frequently and have a stinging pain in my upper chest area that largely subsides when I get up. All this is adding to my exhaustion - not sure how to break this cycle - or what is ‘normal’ to experience.

[Jalia]

Your experience echoes the kind I have when woken with fast AF , although thankfully not for many months.

Firstly the lack of sleep would predispose you to an AF episode.

You are lucky thst the vagal manoeuvre helped to terminate your attack. This didn't work for me. However I certainly felt cold and shiver with frequent trips to the loo, the latter being par for the course as the body tries to eliminate excess fluid to lessen the load on the heart.

When I was woken with AF I would prop myself up with plenty of pillows and lie on my back practising slow deep breathing in an attempt to calm things down before dawn.

Best advice is to try not to get over tired and stressed. Easily said ! Also avoid heavy meals late in the day.

I would think that the chest sensations are anxiety related but if still concerned do have a word with your GP. ( I'm not medically qualified just with a very extensive experience of AF/flutter/tachycardia ....)

Uncomfortable feelings in the chest area are often magnified into impending heart attack in the wee small hours....I'm the worst offender!!

Regards

J

[HowMyHeartSings in reply to Jalia]

That's really useful to hear, thanks!

[jeanjeannie50]

My GP prescribes me some very mild sleeping tablets Zopiclone 3.75mg. If you hadn't had the two nights without any sleep, this event of yours may not have happened. Sometimes I go to bed and fall asleep right away, others I don't and become very agitated about it as time ticks by and that's when I take one of these pills.

If you feel very cold when having your episodes just pop your dressing gown over the top of your bed, or put it on. Again, after having one of these typical events that you've described, I would take a sleeping tablet, rather than have my usual lying there worrying and constantly checking what my heart is doing. We can't be expected to sleep at those times, far too worrying - as most things are in the middle of the night!

Wishing you well.

Jean

[HowMyHeartSings in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks Jean - Do the pills always send you off? - always been a bit worried about getting hooked on pills - but the reality at the moment is counterproductive exhaustion...and nocturnal frustration/worry.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to HowMyHeartSings]

They send me to sleep without fail. You have to be strong and know that they are just for when you really can't get to sleep and no other time. I don't think my doc would prescribe if I kept taking them all the time.

[Janith]

I take a tablet called “Midnite” ... all natural... over the counter ... l purchase it off of Amazon... it contains melatonin among other natural things ... they are suckable and berry flavored ... l take one each evening at 9 pm ... fabulous product ... you will fall asleep very quickly and if you awaken, you may take another one half if you like. Zero hangover the next day. I’m in US tho.

[allserene]

I have only had one incidence of flutter after the initial one, and that's when I tried to stop the beta blocker in 3 days (should have taken 3 months)... I just doubled the dose at 2pm from 25mg to 50mg with a 6 hour gap, and I converted to 63 pulse before midnight... My Specialist says do the same if it ever re-occurs..