So I'm wearing a Holter monitor....

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Aug 2, 2005

Last Wed at work I had an episode of SVT. Luckily, I work on Tele, so they knew exactly what to do. They hooked me up to a unit, and my heart rate was 210. I've had sporadic episodes all of my life. Usually I can cough or induce the vaso vagal response and get it to stop. That wasn't the case last Wed. I ended up in the ER, and after three failed attempts at carotid massage, I was given 6 of andenosine. The MD ordered a bunch of stuff I've had in the past, but the problem is I've never had an episode while wearing the monitor. They were able to capture it on the EKG in the ER, so that is good. I'm not asking for anything bad to happen, but I would really like to be able to capture this thing for them. It's very scary, and the pattern is changing over time. The episodes last longer, and my old control measures don't seem to be working anymore. I get SOB, tingling in the fingers, and light headed. So today I'm eating lots of chocolate, and drinking Mello-Yellow. Anyone care to join me?
:redbeathe Jen :redbeathe

Been there, done that, Jen. I had to wear the blasted thing at work for seven days. :rolleyes:

Same thing.. and SOB, lightheadedness, tingling in fingers always wound me up in teh ER.. had to leave work to go up there.. and at $180.00 a pop ! Had adenosine the last time, too. Vagovagal maneuvers never did work for me.. I grunted till I could have passed a bowlingball.. carotid massage..nothing.

I finally went for cardiac ablation back in March. Don't fancy the idea of taking meds.. never have. I wanted it done and over with.

So far so good. Still have spurts of runs.. or "attempts" of runs, but they last only seconds as opposed to hours now.. it's like it wants to kick in, but can't.

Guess we kicked THEIR butt, huh?

Wish you the best.. and erm... did the doc not tell you to stay off the chocolate (caffeine) and soda ??? :nono:

I can aviod the soda.. chocolate is another story althoghether.

jayne109, RN · Aug 2, 2005

You might see (if you can't get any episodes in the Holter) to see if they will put you on an Event Monitor. You know, one of them that you press the button to get it record. Hope it helps!

Jenni_RN · Aug 2, 2005

Been there, done that, Jen. I had to wear the blasted thing at work for seven days.
Same thing.. and SOB, lightheadedness, tingling in fingers always wound me up in teh ER.. had to leave work to go up there.. and at $180.00 a pop ! Had adenosine the last time, too. Vagovagal maneuvers never did work for me.. I grunted till I could have passed a bowlingball.. carotid massage..nothing.
I finally went for cardiac ablation back in March. Don't fancy the idea of taking meds.. never have. I wanted it done and over with.
So far so good. Still have spurts of runs.. or "attempts" of runs, but they last only seconds as opposed to hours now.. it's like it wants to kick in, but can't.
Guess we kicked THEIR butt, huh?
Wish you the best.. and erm... did the doc not tell you to stay off the chocolate (caffeine) and soda ???
I can aviod the soda.. chocolate is another story althoghether.

I was talking to a :redbeathe Doc about the Holter and that I've done it before with no results. He told me this time I should be a "very bad patient" and maybe this time it would help induce the SVT to get it on the monitor tape. I figured I'd give it a shot. When else am I gonna get the green light to be bad?

:chuckle

Jen

Just following Doc's orders. LOL

Jenni_RN · Aug 2, 2005

You might see (if you can't get any episodes in the Holter) to see if they will put you on an Event Monitor. You know, one of them that you press the button to get it record. Hope it helps!

I've done that too. This is like the upteenth time I've worn some sort of monitor. I've worn the event monitor several times for 7 days, and it never fails the day or so after I take it off, the SVT acts up again. It's frustrating. I'm waiting for the arrhythmia specialist to contact me for my consult appointment. Maybe this time they can do something to help me figure this thing out.

Jen

carachel2 · Aug 3, 2005

Been there, done that....got tired of taking the Toprol XL 100 mg daily. What really made me throw in the towel and have the EP study and the ablation was the ambulance ride with my 3yr old on my lap as I got two rounds of Adenosine..."sweety, be quiet for a minute....I'll talk to you again in *just* a minute."

Find an EP Dr. and get the ablation...you'll feel SO much better. FWIW, I had these episodes a few times before I got pg and ended up with a full blown case of PPCM after delivery with an EF of 30-35%. Get an echo and EP study done :)

carachel2 · Aug 3, 2005

Oh...and I meant to add that my cardio didn't even bother with the Holter. The episodes only happened 2-3 x/year and were specifically triggered when I bent down to pick something up. We both knew a Holter was a waste of time and went right for the EP study.

eprn · Aug 4, 2005

I'd have to agree with those suggesting that you find an EP. Most SVT is relatively easily induced during a study and they can usually ablate it then and there. People with these tachycardias generally tend to have more and longer episodes as time goes on--it usually doesn't go away.

Hope this helps.

greenbeanio · May 15, 2009

Oh...and I meant to add that my cardio didn't even bother with the Holter. The episodes only happened 2-3 x/year and were specifically triggered when I bent down to pick something up. We both knew a Holter was a waste of time and went right for the EP study.

That would describe me. I'm going in for a Holter Monitor next week, but what are the odds of having an episode on that particular day? Is the Holter something they have to do, like a hoop to jump through before moving on to the EP?

Editorial Team / Admin · May 15, 2009

These are questions you need to ask of your EP doctor or Cardiologist (whoever ordered the Holter).

As the previous poster (from 2005) wrote, their MD chose to go "right for the EP study." Yours may have a different opinion of how to approach your problem; treatment is not always cut-and-dried.

Also, standards of practice may have changed since 2005.

Again, please ask your doctor. Good luck!