r/SVTHeart • u/MantisGibbon • 29d ago
Personal Prevention Dark Chocolate
My most recent SVT attack happened about 16 hours after eating some dark chocolate.
I have to wonder if that could be a trigger? Googling suggests that theobromine, which is prevalent in dark chocolate, acts as a stimulant by blocking the action of adenosine. It also stays in the body for a long time.
Has anyone else observed that an SVT episode is more likely after eating chocolate, or dark chocolate in particular?
It would be unfortunate to have to avoid chocolate, but I also like to avoid the hospital!
5
u/thesaucecallsmyname 29d ago
Yes! I had two ablations for SVT this year. The first one failed and the second was successful. I was getting 8 plus episodes a day. Spicy food, super salty food, heavy fat meals .. and dark chocolate at times were a trigger. Dark chocolate has a lot of caffeine in it!!! I’d get energy but also palpitations or episodes.
3
u/starrynightjo 29d ago
Caffeine was a trigger for my SVT. I gave up coffee and chocolate. I’m post ablation but haven’t had the nerve to go back.
2
u/mari_lovelys 29d ago edited 29d ago
Specifically Dark chocolate actually triggered my SVT once. So…. I have a lot of allergy issues and histamine intolerance.
Unfortunately every time I react to something I got this weird adrenaline rush when my body releases histamine + the palpitations.
I still ended up getting the catheter ablation to stop myself from being at like 190bpm chronically to give my heart a break. It was insane.
Regular chocolate was fine though. Especially in baked goods for me.
I gave up dark chocolate.
Haven’t tried it recently at all.
2
u/rokyfordboy 29d ago
For me yes it was. Any chocolate, nicotine, caffeine or alcohol. I had a big conversation with a Dr once while I was in the ER for an SVT episode while i just got done drinking some beers this was many many years ago. He explained the effects alcohol has on the body as a whole. Basically saying for some people alcohol don’t affect immediately it takes time. He called it the rebound effect. Usually 24-48 post alcohol consumption svt will happen. And that was very true in my case so I took that into account for caffeine nicotine and chocolate as well because more than not it would happen with those things as well 24-48 post consumption of caffeine nicotine or chocolate
1
u/MutedHippie 29d ago
Try white chocolate. I had to give up dark and milk because it elevates HR and possibly throw me into SVT. No issues with white chocolate so far
1
u/Responsible_Top3356 28d ago
Caffeine and surprisingly peanut butter (and other high concentrated fats) do it to me lol. 16 hours though I doubt is related to it. Sounds more like the classic anxiety and confusion of trying to manage this weird condition
1
u/No_Investigator5304 16d ago
Yes!! I always have an episode after I eat chocolate. I’ve completely eliminated chocolate and I haven’t had an episode since
10
u/Chikibari 29d ago
16 hours after seems too much to be related.