Confused after appointment with EP

[Careful1]

I had an episode on April 15th where my heart went into a fluttering type feeling that took my breath away and lasted for 10 seconds. It felt exactly the way my PVCS feel but instead of a quick flutter and done, it just kept going and scared the crap out of me. I do have a loop recorder and so I pushed the button on the patient assistant to mark the ECG and got an appointment with EP to go over it which was today.

I went in today and explained to him that in the last three months I have had a huge increase in ectopics and other weird episodes. He said he reviewed the strip from 4/15 and it was a very fast rhythm. I asked how fast and he said over 200 beats per minute lasting 8 seconds. I asked him what the rhythm was and he said it was difficult to interpret but that it was for sure either SVT or ventricular tachycardia but it didn’t matter which cause it wasn’t life threatening since it only lasted for 8 seconds. He said that in a young person with a healthy heart it’s okay. This response doesn’t sit right with me 🙄 how do I know my heart isn’t having a problem? I haven’t had an echo or stress test since 2017. I have been dealing with serious shortness of breath for months now, on and off chest pain and the increase in ectopics has me worried that there could be a possibility something is going on that’s causing all this to happen. I have never had PVCS the way I have been having them these last three months.

It’s bothering me that he doesn’t seem to know which of the two arrhythmia’s it is. Isn’t that the entire point of the loop recorder? To know what type of arrhythmia your having? And I was told it would automatically record abnormalities but apparently it isn’t. If I didn’t push the button they would have never known it happened. Now I wonder if there have been other things that went unnoticed and I’m frustrated not to mention seriously scared. I do have an echo set up for this coming Monday, a stress test for the first week of June and a CT coronary was ordered but not scheduled yet but I’m gonna be on edge until I know my heart is sound and that there isn’t something that is causing the increase in ectopics and the other episodes. I think even if I do get the green light I will still be concerned that I could be having runs of NSVT. I feel like will be less scared having SVT then NSVT. I don’t know I’m just really afraid. The only other thing he said was that it would be good for me to start taking my beta blocker daily verses as needed.

[lettingoffsteam]

I have funny events like you describe and it is always very disturbing but if the EP is reassured try to see it the same way.It's good you're having all these tests as hopefully they will reassure you. I take propranolol for my palpitations and it helps quite a bit.Originally I had it as a pill in the pocket but the EP said it was best taken regularly.Try to find ways to relax as stress is a real trigger for arrhythmias.I hope you get answers soon.

[Hidden]

I need to ask, what is an EP?

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Hidden]

EP Electrophysiologist

A specialist in heart rhythm problems

[Hidden in reply to Milkfairy]

Thank you.

The only EP I had heard of was Ectopic Pregnancy, which didn’t seem fitting!