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Arrhythmias In Addition To Pots


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I haven't been here in a really long time as I've been doing great with POTS:) !!!

I also deal with SVT, PACs and PVCs a lot of the time. Most of the time, they are just annoying and I don't think much of them. Recently, I've been having little episodes where I feel a little faint (not a typical Pots symptom for me). My EP Dr. put me on a holter monitor and a 3 beat run of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia showed up. I did not report any symptoms during the nonsustained vtach so I didn't even notice it. He also said that 3 years ago, my holter monitor showed a nonsustained vtach run.

He is concerned; therefore, I am concerned. He asked me if anyone suddenly died while young in my family. Of course, this really scared me.:o I've had stress tests, and echos over the years and dr. has assured me that my heart is structurally fine.

Does anyone else here have nonsustained vtach? How would you describe the feeling? Now, everytime I have a palpitation, I wonder if it is my good 'ole standbys of svt, pac, or pvc or the scary vtach..!!!

I just had a quick succession of 3 little beats (didn't seem to feel these fast beats as I was searching for pulse) and then a big thump. Is that vtach?

Also, my dr. put me on the beta blocker nadolol. Will that help with vtach?

Thanks so much for any input!

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I know about feeling scared, I had this show up recently at the ER and no one said a peep. I have episodes of 4-6 quick beats and I was told they thought it was mini SVT's.

BUT they scare the heck out of me. I wonder if it's the V-tach.

I have been really bad the last 2 weeks, wish I had a monitor

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I have sustained v-tach off of medication and nonsustained v-tach on meds. I'm on verapamil, a calcium-channel blocker, not a beta blocker.

It can't hurt to have another echo or even a cardiac MRI to ensure your heart is structurally sound. (All my cardiac workups have come back normal, and multiple cardiologists/EPs have assured me that the v-tach is NOT a concern because my heart is physically OK. My exact dx is idiopathic monomorphic v-tach.)

Honestly, just by the beats, I can't always tell the difference between SVT, PVCs with sinus tach, and the v-tach -- especially when it's nonsustained. (Sometimes I get episodes where all three are involved, I think.) For me, the biggest tell that it's straight v-tach is a change in my vision; I usually lose it during sustained episodes, and it grays out a bit, sometimes even just for a second, during nonsustained runs.

If the v-tach is mostly new for you, they could give you another stress test or do an EP study to see whether they can induce it. If they can, they might be able to do an ablation. They haven't been able to induce mine, so that's not an option for me yet.

Have they put you on a monthlong event monitor? That seems like a logical next step to see how often this is happening and to try to determine what part of your heart it's coming from. That kind of information could also help them decide whether you're a candidate for an ablation.

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I have sustained v-tach off of medication and nonsustained v-tach on meds. I'm on verapamil, a calcium-channel blocker, not a beta blocker.

It can't hurt to have another echo or even a cardiac MRI to ensure your heart is structurally sound. (All my cardiac workups have come back normal, and multiple cardiologists/EPs have assured me that the v-tach is NOT a concern because my heart is physically OK. My exact dx is idiopathic monomorphic v-tach.)

Honestly, just by the beats, I can't always tell the difference between SVT, PVCs with sinus tach, and the v-tach -- especially when it's nonsustained. (Sometimes I get episodes where all three are involved, I think.) For me, the biggest tell that it's straight v-tach is a change in my vision; I usually lose it during sustained episodes, and it grays out a bit, sometimes even just for a second, during nonsustained runs.

If the v-tach is mostly new for you, they could give you another stress test or do an EP study to see whether they can induce it. If they can, they might be able to do an ablation. They haven't been able to induce mine, so that's not an option for me yet.

Have they put you on a monthlong event monitor? That seems like a logical next step to see how often this is happening and to try to determine what part of your heart it's coming from. That kind of information could also help them decide whether you're a candidate for an ablation.

Thank you for the advice. I'll ask my doctor for another stress test - I just had one a couple of months ago. I'm also going to suggest a longer holter monitor. I only had a 48 hour holter done (since I don't have a home phone line) and it caught the one instance of NSVT. I had a stress echo last year.

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  • 1 year later...

Im so glad to read this thread :). I have had PVC's for about 5 years now and just recently started having runs of VT. Quite a different feeling for me than the SVT, though they are both scary. I am very frustrated by my lack of treatment options (beta blockers and calcium channel blockers are out--and antiarrhythmics are not a good option d/t past medications that have evoked arrhythmias). I had an EP study which was not able to produce the arrhythmia. Really the only sure thing that produces it is a change in my hormones (happens every month around the same time!). I wish I could figure it out :(. I went on birth control pills a while back, but they actually made me have MORE PVCs. I dont know what the answer is, but I am frustrated....and scared :(.

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You are singing my song! I have frequent premature ventricular complex, episodes of ventricular tachy (induced coming off stress test), Inappropriate sinus tachy, bradycardia, long qt syndrome and orthrostatic hypotension

For me Vtach felt like literal flopping inside my chest, think of fish out of water and thats what my heart felt like. It also feels like my heart is in my throat. My vtachs have all been cardio induced.

I am on beta blockers and have been for a year with little impact on my over all crazy heart

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I had several runs of 6 or so beat vtachs on the plethora of ecgs, holters and long-term event monitors I've been on. It feels like a bird is fluttering in my chest when I have any odd heartbeats, but I reported dizziness with the vtach and not with the other ones (svts). I also felt the need to cough, according to my diary (I didn't know what was going on). My heart is fine, structurally, and none of the doctors seem to be worried about them because everything else is strong from a cardio standpoint. They called it idiopathic and said not to worry (like the previous poster). I also have svt and multiple episodes of sustained brady and tachy, even when upright, so my doctors assume it's an autonomic issue.

I only had these while driving/riding in the car, oddly enough, and I have been on enough LT event monitors to be pretty clear that they are just sporadic. If it were me, I would get at least one long-term monitor to be sure.

The propranolol has helped smooth all of my rhythms out, but I still have them, and the brady has increased.

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