Is There Anyone Else On Here With SVT?

Hello I have been living with SVT all my life, and the times it has gotten really bad is when I was pregnant with both children. I am trying very hard to lose weight in hopes that it will improve my heart rate.

I used to smoke, but I quit cold turkey, and haven't looked back. I have noticed some improvement in heart rate, but when I exercise it does still get out of control.

My sister has been DX with this. I also wonder if I have it as well. She is under Cardio. care and my PCP is following me.

Mine are few, very very few and normally ONLY happen when I have LOTS of caffeine, like those wonderful iced coffees at 7-11. I normally don't drink any caffeine at all, so when I drink one of those, bad news.

I Have SVT as well and it makes exercise very difficult. I started the Couch to 5K program today and I had to walk a lot more than I wanted to. My husband was there cheering me on though, I'm hoping that when I get into shape, it won't be as bad! It's so annoying to have to deal with it every time I try to exercise.

Hello all. I have SVT too (atrial tach but not A-fib or flutter) and it really interferes with my exercise. I am a
primarily a distance runner, and I notice difficulties especially if I have decreased mileage and then start ramping back up again to train for a 1/2 marathon or full. I get SOB, chest pain, and tremendous anxiety (I do not start out anxious, it only comes with the other symptoms). I have had full work-ups including stress test, nuclear stress test, echo etc; no other issues noted (ie- indications of ischemia). I am currently taking BB's which decrease symptoms, but of course doesn't stop episodes. Considering ablation, but am terrified of complications ( though risk is very low I know) being in the medical field. It can be very scary and discouraging. People out there with anxiety about this I feel your pain! Try to stay positive!

Hi there,

Not SVT, but, I do have a-fib. I had lost 25 lbs and was going strong, when I had my first afib episode, couple of months ago. I have since that time, gained back 9 lbs. I believe I'm fearful of "something going wrong". Doesn't help that the beta blocker makes me tired and I can't really depend on my heart monitor anymore, because, the beta blocker won't allow my heart to get pushed like I used to. Thus, I no longer have a true feel of how much Im burning when Im exercising. Then I feel sorry for myself and eat 2 chocolate bars or 4 pieces of cheese. To make matters worse, doctor has diagnosed me with high cholesterol...1st time in 58 years. Which, by the way, is not a great way to lower ones cholesterol. "sigh"

I am in the early stages of turning it all around.....tired of hearing myself whine.

Hang in there.

If you are doing the same exercise workload, you will burn roughly the same number of calories as before the beta blocker. The beta blocker slows down the heart rate, but it's oxygen uptake that determines calorie burn, not heart rate. Your heart rate/oxygen uptake relationship just has a different "scale" now. If a certain exercise workloade brought you to a 70% effort and a 150 heart rate and burned 500 calories an hour, that same exercise workload will be (roughly) the same workload and calorie burn, even though now heart rate may only go to 110-115.

Research suggest that beta blockers can initially lower VO2max (aerobic fitness capacity) by 5%-8%. So the old workloads may feel harder at first and you will burn slightly fewer calories because your exercise workloads might be a little lower, but it is not a drastic change.

Good information. I've read different things, on different websites, insofar as gaining weight on beta blockers. My blood pressure has always been low, to begin with. So, my normal BP now, is 90-100/60 instead of 120/70. Again,,,I think, for me, its just fear and Im allowing my mind to play tricks on me.

Appreciate the feedback.