How do you live with SVT

Make sure you have the best EP that is available in your area. They are not all the same--my cardiologist sent me to the top one he knew and admitted there were several in his practice he would not use. So ask your cardiologist who he would use if it were him/her. Then have a good discussion with the EP and also look online (like YouTube) to see exactly how ablations are done. Then ask yourself if you want to live with that arrhythymia and take meds to control it, of if you are willing to take a small risk for actual treatment that will stop it. I asked for an ablation after a very short trial of an arrhythmia med. I did not like the side effects or the black box warnings, BUT that is just me. I understand that everyone is different but I am not sorry I chose ablation. I have had no A-fib since it was done and I feel great. Also off most of the heart meds--only Eliqus for now.

I feel for you in your recent diagnosis. It can be so scary to feel it and have to go to the hospital if medication and maneuvers at home don’t work.

I’d love to encourage you though, if that would be helpful. Im 46 and have or had both AFIB and SVT. My first afib episode that required my going to the hospital was in 2023 (before then my experience were so short I never thought much of them). In 2025 I had my first SVT and had no idea what it was. I thought it was afib until it wouldn’t go away and I have to go to the ER. My journey has been up and down and I’ve worked thru a lot of overwhelming fear. God has been so kind in sending compassionate friends and people out of nowhere sharing their experiences with me. (Even if you don’t have a faith background, I’d encourage you to ask for God to send you people). I’ve been so encouraged to hear about folks living full lives and well beyond my years with SVT

I had an ablation for both arrethemias 4 months ago and have since had no afib but 3svts. I’m accepting this might just be my life but it’s manageable. My mantra has been that “this is not life threatening (for the most part), my heart is healthy, it just has extra connections that are getting agitated.” Having my cardiologist explain what is actually happening to my heart during an episode has been so helpful. Also having an echocardiogram confirm the state of my heart with proof is also such a help.

Vasavagal (sp?) maneuvers have worked to stop my last 2 svts which is incredible (after 6 ER visits last year). I’m on medication right now that helps and I also have an anxiety med I take when I need to keep my mind from spinning out of control (which is honestly worse that the thing itself).

This has maybe been more story than encouragement but this doesn’t have to consume your life. Process the fear (with a counselor if you can), find a mantra that you believe, try the vasalva vagal maneuvers (YouTube has demonstrations), if you can, see if you can have an anxiety med for when the fear just can’t be reasoned down.

I’ve also discovered a lot of women develop this issue bc of hormones. Getting on progesterone has changed my life as well. There’s also EFT tapping videos on YouTube that have really helped with the trauma of it all and helping me get to sleep.

Sorry if this is too much advice but I hate how gripping this can be. I’m doing so much better than I used to bc I’ve walked thru the fear with good friends and God’s help. These other technical things have also helped me so much! God bless you on your journey. I pray you see your fears squashed and you find steady ground to keep going. One little step at a time.

To anyone taking metoprolol is it causing you anxiety. I’m an anxious person but since I’m on this medication, the anxiety level is uncontrollable.

Also experience low heart rate at rest and at night.

@chezpl69 I have yet to see a post by anyone saying they have anxiety due to their intake of metoprolol. Bradycardia, yes....quite often, but never anxiety.

@chezpl69 And low rate for me causes breakthrough ectopic beats. It's hard to calibrate exactly the amount of metoprolol that keeps the rate low enough to protect against initiation of SVT but high enough to prevent unwanted beats.

@gloaming Thank you for your response. If you read the side effects anxiety is one of them. I’m having the worst anxiety since on this medication. I have had agitated dreams, usually I don’t dream much. My husband tells me that I moan in my sleep. We are not all the same. Maybe this is just not the right medicine for me.

@jenr

@jenrev With the full dose of 25 mg my heart beat was dropping to even to 40 - 41 beats per minute during the night. I’m trying 1/2 a dose and my heart rate is better but I’m getting the extra beats more often. I have low energy and I lot of anxiety. Seeing the doctor on Tuesday. Hope to find a way out of this mess. Thank you for your response.

@chezpl69 I don't doubt for a second that you have anxiety, and that it may be related to your intake of metoprolol. Could it be that the anxiety is a secondary effect because it IS causing your heart to enter bradycardia territory, and it is the sensations that accompany those periods of low HR that cause you to feel anxious? Just throwing that out. I hope you don't feel I'm dismissive....not intending that or for you to think that. I just haven't seen anyone say that the drug causes anxiety in them, only that they feel anxious due to how it makes them feel.

Which is 100% legitimate. I would run this past your cardiologist.