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SVT/PACs/PVCs
Hey there!
I'd like to share a little background to try to help whoever may take the time to read this to understand what is happening with my situation.
I am 24 years old, I am a female. Back in 2020, I got Covid-19 for the first time. I wasn't extremely ill (thankfully) but I was tired, I ran fevers, and I lost my taste and smell. I never had any issues with my lungs or my oxygen intake, I recovered quickly.. probably within a week and I was back to doing my normal activities. About a month later, I was at my father-in-law's house and I was helping him with some housework because he is not in good health. I bent over to pick up the dog's food bowl off of the ground and I felt my heart skip. When I stood back up, it felt like my heart rate skyrocketed to 300bpm. At the time, I had no idea what was going on. I laid down in my father-in-law's room, and tried not to panic (although I felt like I was dying) and we discussed whether or not we needed to call emergency services. Eventually my heart calmed down and went back into rhythm on its own.
The next day, I was cleaning the kitchen at home and it happened again. I immediately felt faint and sat down to avoid hitting the ground if I passed out. This episode only lasted for about a minute or so and wasn't as severe as the one prior, but it was still scary. After this, I made an appointment to see a cardiologist because I realized that something wasn't right.
They performed a series of tests on me. I wore a Holter monitor, and I completed a stress test. I was cleared of any issues, so I went on my way. A couple of years passed, and throughout this time I suffered through minor palpitations but I had no pain in my chest, no shortness of breath, and no accompanying symptoms. I still decided to get a second opinion. I visited with a different cardiologist, and performed all of the same tests. This cardiologist even performed an echocardiogram. All came back normal except for a few PVCs and PACs from my Holter monitor report.. my cardiologist reassured me that there was nothing to worry about, so I carried on.
Fast forward to a month ago when I had another round of SVT. My heart rate spiked to 226bpm and it lasted for several minutes. I tried everything that I could think of to break it. Vagal maneuvers.. coughing, bearing down. Nothing would make my heart rate lower.. so I called 911. Emergency services arrived and took me to the emergency room but by the time I got there, my heart rate was normal. They took bloodwork, and couldn't find a thing wrong with me. They checked all of my cardiac markers and electrolytes.. but nothing was wrong. They told me that I probably had a run of SVT but there was no way for them to be able to tell without seeing it happen in action. I understand that they can't just diagnose or treat me for something I may or may not have.. but this is just so aggravating.
Before Covid, I could do anything I wanted. I could drink alcohol, I could smoke, I could have a cup of coffee or a piece of chocolate without my heart rate jumping all over the place.. but after Covid, it's just been completely different. I can't walk up a hill without feeling like my heart is going to either explode or just give out on me. I've read some articles online about a link between Covid and ventricular arrhythmias.. but who's to say that it's true.
I was just reaching out to see if anyone may be suffering from something similar, or if anyone has any advice on what to do. I've tried everything that I can think of to help myself. Staying hydrated.. taking magnesium to help with the palpitations.. but to no avail. I am desperate for answers. I just want my life back.
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@bsheahan
We on MCC can give you our experiences and provide inspirations. I hope what I post stays with that as sometimes hard to know what to post.
My wife was diagnosed with anxiety/panic disorder many years ago. When stess builds up or there is a serious issues with family or life she can have a anxiety/panic disorder. Her symptoms mirror yours. She takes medication for it but for her her anxiety/panic disorders still happen with stress and anxiety.
I mentioned this because I too several years back was diagnosed with PTSD with anxiety/panic disorder. It came after tremendous stress of dealing with past issue (like Vietnam, police career, and being shocked 5 times in 24 hours by my ICD/Pacemaker). I too had symptoms like yours. When I was diagnosed thought I was having heart attack, shaking, high pulse, etc.
I mentioned this not as a medical diagnosis but thinking back after COVID and then taking care of father-in-law were you under a lot of stress and continue to be under a lot of stress and anxiety? Stress causes (per my Mayo psychiatrist) adrenaline to come into body to do "Flight or Fight." That adrenaline builds up over time and you can get a anxiety/panic attack with symptoms much like mine, my wifes, and yours.
Consider talking to your medical providers if this could be a cause. It can't help explore it as a possibility. At least can mark it off as a possible cause and continue to seek other causes.
My wife and I both had Covid. I had it only one time in 2024 after taking all 8 immunizations and boosters. Mine was terrible and then went into sinus infection then to bronchial infection. I was diagnosed with PTSD anxiety/panic disorder years before I got COVID. I take medications that helps me deal with anxiety, depression. I am sure it help me deal with the disease and infections that kept me down for 3 months.
The signs you mentioned are same physical and psychological smyptoms both my wife and I have felt and it is very scary.
COVID I am reading can affect many people differently. As time goes on and more studies are done I am sure long term affects of COVID are really going to show it's impact on many causes of physical and psychological conditions.
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1 ReactionHello, I had the same type of SVT experiences. If possible, can you buy an Apple Watch with an ECG (Electrocardiogram) feature that can record heart rhythm data and allow you to share it with your doctor? The ECG app on the watch can detect signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib), and the recordings can be saved as a PDF and shared via the Health app on your iPhone.
There is also a device called Kardia that has a card on which you place your fingers when having an episode and it records the event on your IPhone to send to your doctor. It cost $100 a few years ago. But, by the time you open the app and find the card, the event may have passed! The watch is always ready to record and on your wrist.
I hope this may help you.
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2 ReactionsI agree with the Apple Watch. I too think my issues are covid related. I recently saw my third electrophysiologist who is willing to try ablation for my Nsvt . I have HCM so it will be difficult. I had printed my runs of Vtach which I had caught with Apple Watch.
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1 ReactionThere are many devices that can take an ECG on demand....this is key...on demand. This means you must scroll to the tile or app icon, tap it, wait for it to open, and then direct the watch to take the ECG, a single lead ECG. The assessment runs for between 40 and 60 seconds typically. These include the various watches and the Cardia. I don't know about the WellU ring or the Oura ring, but their batteries are tiny, and I can't imagine them being able to run an ECG continuously for very long. Same problem as the watches, really.
WellU does have a continuous chest strap monitor that would be better. Not hugely better because it's still a single lead measurement, but at least you'll get a recording lasting hours that might/should pick up all the events.
I just did a quick search (I'm Canadian), and got this. Haven't looked at price or anything, but it's 3 lead and continuous: https://www.canadiancardiac.com/products/miniholterplus/ This will be available in the USA as well.
Also, and I know nothing about any of these: https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/g43841431/best-heart-rate-monitors/
Or: https://bioheart.com/
I'm just providing evidence of what a typical search should reveal for anyone looking for 'continuous heart monitor'. I know nothing about any of them, have not purchased or worn any of them, and cannot vouch for any of them. I'm sure they're all warranted and have fora discussing their limitations and successes.
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1 ReactionHave you ever been checked for POTS?
Hello, I am so sorry you are going through this after Covid, and it does sound like runs of SVT. I also had Covid (in 2023) and like you it was a mild case, but I had severe fatigue for a few months. And then, out of the blue, I developed atrial fibrillation with occasional SVT.
At first episodes were months apart, but then they started increasing with symptoms like flushing and dizziness. Eventually I decided to get an ablation, and just had my second one (with a Watchman device to prevent clots) on May 1. BTW, my doctors all agree that the onset and progression of what happened to me was related to getting Covid.
So I recommend you see not just a cardiologist, but an electrophysiologist who can check the electrical impulses in your heart and make recommendations.
PS: after my second May 1 ablation I had a complication: pericardial effusion which means the sac around my heart developed fluid. It's mild and hopefully going away, but tired all the time. I have not had a recurrence of AFib but I do have frequent premature beats (PVCs primarily) and occasional SVT but at much lower rates (125 bpm while sleeping, for ex.). After an ablation you have a three month period of healing and heart irritability. I am hoping for a good outcome. Wishing you all the best.
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1 ReactionHi hope you are well
I’ve just read your story and wow it’s so scary.. I was diagnosed with PSVT 10 weeks ago after suffering on and off for 4 years.. I went for a routine check up for cardiology and while I was there after tests they told me without having an actual psvt attack sadly they can’t treat me and within 30 seconds of her saying that my heart rate went up to 204 and they actually saw for themselves what I go through… after they helped me and preformed the vagal manover it happened again and they decided to keep me in for 3 days and finally gave me medication bispronolol to help me while I wait for more tests before I can have the ablation… I was happy it happened in hospital as you feel like nobody believes you.. I was told for years it could be from the covid vaccines or hormones or anxiety and I knew all along I wasn’t faking this.. it’s so hard to get your head around it.. x
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3 ReactionsTo bsheahan…
It certainly sounds like paroxysmal SVT which comes on when one has an “extra” electrical circuit/pathway (often born with) and either a PAC or PVC happens at the “right”moment of your heart's electrical cycle which causes a sort of short circuit, and thus the sudden increased heart rate. Mine manifested when I was 34 and I’m now 66.
Positional changes such as bending over to pick something up, commonly will trigger a PAC/PVC in me, and thus an episode of PSVT. Other triggers can be eating/swallowing etc. Stress can increase the number of PACs and PVCs, and thus increase the episodes of PSVT, but if you didn’t have the abnormal circuit in your heart, you wouldn’t have the episodes. The hallmark of PSVT is sudden onset, and just as quick, termination. Panic attacks are more gradual in onset and termination back to a normal heart rate.
You may need to be on a Holter monitor for weeks to months to capture an episode and get an accurate diagnosis.
I’ll offer another trick that has worked wonders for me over the past 3 months whenever I have an episode. I used to use Val Salva techniques which worked for the most part, but now all I do is sit with legs apart, and drop my head between my legs for 5-10 seconds and breathe slowly. It gets my heart rate back to normal every time. (Fingers crossed). I hope this helps.
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1 ReactionI haven’t been.. but I’ve heard that it’s difficult to diagnose. I’ve read into it and I don’t seem to have most of the symptoms that others do so I kind of ruled it out a while ago. It’s worth looking into though!
This is very helpful. I will try it next time. It’s such a terrifying feeling.