Hey Twinkle!! Haven't seen you 'round these parts for ages! Thanks for your reply. I ended up at the ER again last night...they did an ECG again and found this erratic heart rhythm again (it's always great when they nurse says "oh it is erratic isn't it?" NO KIDDING!!!!!). They are still telling me it's all okay (doesn't feel okay!!!). They say it's not uncommon in pregnancy, but I have never heard of it, and it doesn't seem that anyone on BB has experienced it either! Total wierdness...
Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone murraysmum. It is such a disturbing feeling. They were talking about possibly treating it with beta-blocker medication - but I'm really not keen because of possible effects on bub. I think I'd rather learn to live with it (as long as it isn't life-threatening)... Has yours just started in pregnancy too? I read somewhere that high levels of progesterone are thought to play a part... I hope you are well
Hi Juliette, I suffer from SVT - Supraventricular Tachycardia. (have for 12 years now)
Usually I can deal with it -as my cardiologist has taught me some manouvers to stop it, or reduce it usually it only happens once a month or so. But since being pregnant and moving well into the second trimester, mine was happening every night/day.
I quickly saw my cardiologist we discussed beta blockers (which I have never had) and surgery (which I have always wanted - but he never let me have it ) and have had a holter monitor fitted for 24 hrs and an echocardiogram.
The risks as far as I know are
fainting
sweating
claminess
tiredness
dizzy
The worst things
severe low blood pressure - this affects the fetus, lack of oxygen and nutrients to the baby. Especially when it is ongoing not just sporadic.
IMO - I don't want medication - all meds that I can find are C & D category. None of which are safe for bubs, even in low doses
Surgery - as much as I have wanted it for years and he decides he wants to do it now, I dont want either. Its too risky - as I will be under fluroscope (x-ray) for 25min to 3hrs again not good for bubs.
My OB - is sitting on the fence, and has said to me in all his years of practice he has never had a patient under go surgery whilst pregnant for this condition. In the end its my decision, but quite politely said when we are doing your C-section I would like your cardiologist number incase you have an "attack" whilst on the bed - in other words don't do it.
As much as I can trust my cardiologist, I also worry that the cowboy/guinea pig rule applies in my situation. I am pregnant with this and he wants to operate, he could only tell me of ONE case where he has operated on a pregnant lady. ONE. Therefore I would be somewhat of an experiment. Something I am not willing to risk, considering my bubs was ICSI/IVF.
I don't have a review with him till Tuesday, but my mind is made up - and I would rather have extensive monitoring, rather than be sliced and diced or fed a pile of drugs to "help".
Hi Juliette, I also suffer from SVT, and have done for 16 years now. It goit much worse during my pregnancies- i was hospitalised once with each of them and given drugs to slow the heart rate, but the runs of plapitations I was having came at least once a day.
Some tips i find helpful are to make sure you are very hydrated, especially druing the hot weather, make sure you are taking supplements to keep your iron levels up (aneamia and dehydration both trigger SVT) and be careful doing anything that will change your blood pressure suddenly- bending down or standing up quickly, getting out of a hot bath into cool air, etc, etc. I choose not totake meds for my conditon because the side effects are quite yucky and really mess with me, but I'm hoping to have surgery this year.
Hope that helps. It is quite a scary thing, and not many people know a lot about it
Thank you Lolli. It helps to know I'm not alone with this. Thanks for the tips re: hydration, supplements, and watching the postural hypotension etc. I have heard that the beta blockers aren't particularly nice to take even when you're not pregnant. My doctor said they can make you emotionally flat, and can sometimes even cause a worsening of symptoms. I hope your surgery goes well this year. It would be great if you could be rid of these scary episodes... I'm keeping my fingers crossed that mine will magically resolve once I've had ths baby! If not, then I guess I'll have to consider the surgery option too...
Krikit, it is tough knowing what to do when pregnant. Like you, I'm not willing to do anything that might put bub at risk. I don't think I'm a candidate for surgery (it's a new condition this pregnancy, and I am hoping it will resolve once bub is born), but the betablocker medications don't sound particularly safe either. I can totally understand why you're not keen on surgery (particularly with x-ray) while pregnant. My doctor seems to think that the anxiety I get when I get a run of PVC's is more of a problem than the PVC's themselves, so I am going to work on trying to implement a bit of cognitive behaviour therapy (telling myself it's not a heart attack!) and try to relax and take it easy. I got myself a cleaner at home to take off some of the pressure (I work full time too). I guess I'll just keep up the communication with all my various caregivers during pregnancy, and hope that monitoring is all that will be needed. I'm sorry you're going through this too, and I hope your cardiologist will respect your decision...
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) and have had a holter monitor fitted for 24 hrs and an echocardiogram.
- in other words don't do it.
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