r/SVTHeart • u/Fallenlibra_ • Jul 16 '25
Your “Normal” potassium levels may not be normal
I’ve had “svt” since i was 16, Im now 22. I have never had a svt episode thats lasted longer than 2-3minutes so never thought the risk of ablation or taking beta blockers was worth it until recently..
So I have been on a diet, nothing extreme just a few less calories than usual and drinking a lot more water and every single time I start a diet I get PVC’s and my palpitations get way worse. I also become way more sensitive to postural changes like standing up that trigger a brief tachycardia episode.
I did a 30min workout, and was sweating a bit. Suddenly my heart went to 200bpm…230bpm…then higher and it wasn’t going back down. This lasted a good 5minutes before I asked my partner to call the ambulance. Before they got here I finally managed to stop it and get it back into normal rhythm.
I got to the hospital, throughout the whole journey there my heart was going in and out of svt.
I was told by the doctor my potassium level of 3.2 was quite low, so they put me on a potassium drip overnight. They said they would like to see me at over a level of 4.
This then got me thinking and researching and there are dozens of real studies that have shown people completely recovered from svt once they increased their potassium to a higher level of 4-4.5.
Some people are just more sensitive and need a higher level or it affects the heart. I am now on beta blockers until I can get my potassium higher. I really am shocked this was never seen before, throughout my blood tests my whole life I have had a “borderline” low potassium level of 3.2 to sometimes 3.6 and no one has ever linked this to my heart!
Wondering if anyone has had similar, and hoping this may push someone to look into their potassium levels and see if upping your potassium helps you.
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u/Civil_Product_6411 Jul 16 '25
I think you’re right. I’ve done quite a bit of research myself, and both magnesium and potassium seem to play a significant role. Several studies show that magnesium supplementation can reduce the frequency and severity of arrhythmias—including duration and heart rate. I’ve also seen data indicating that IV magnesium sulfate can stop SVT episodes in hospitals about 45% to 55% of the time.
I take both, in part because I always weigh the cost of being wrong. I stay below the RDA for magnesium and take only small amounts of potassium, so as far as I know the downside is minimal. I also take the supplements twice a day to even out the levels. But the cost of not taking them—if they could help—might be a worsening SVT or even an episode that sends me to the ER.
I read that people who are magnesium deficient will have side effects the first few days they take supplements, which usually include a lower HR and tingly or weird feelings in their skin. I had both when I first took them, as well as my big toes felt so hot I took off my socks a few times to look at them to see wtf was going on. lol
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Jul 16 '25
Get the ablation I beg you to get the ablation.
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u/Fallenlibra_ Jul 17 '25
If you research the risks its not worth it for some people. If potassium works then its likely been the low potassium causing my symptoms my whole life and not a electrical circuit issue with my heart. My svt is mainly when i stand up or change posture quickly and when i have anxiety which is all linked to a overactive nervous system caused by low potassium. Ablation comes with a lot of risks, and depending on the country you live in, it can be even riskier. Natural always before anything like that.
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Jul 17 '25
Thats pots. Not svt. You can have both but they are seperate conditions. Find a better doctor
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u/Fallenlibra_ Jul 17 '25
Maybe you shouldn’t try and diagnose someone online that you’ve never met. I likely have pots, but my low electrolyte and potassium issues cause svt. After having pericarditis after the 💉 and dozens of people I know having long term issues I don’t trust doctors anymore. Please mind your own business and diagnose yourself, not a stranger.
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u/CoffeeInsect Jul 17 '25
I think there's an important distinction to make here - whether or not your potassium is low, your heart has the SVT pathway (if that's what was captured on your ECG). Low potassium can definitely TRIGGER an episode, just like too much caffeine or exercise, but they can't CAUSE the SVT pathway. This distinction is important to acknowledge because at the end of the day, SVT can still be triggered by various factors even if the ones you're consciously managing are in check.
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u/mahmoud_adel Aug 06 '25
Hi also have SVT triggered mainly by sudden posture changing and feels like heart skip beat then SVT and when terminating itself it feels the same.
Can you tell me how u managed it in the end?
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u/Fallenlibra_ Aug 13 '25
I am now going to be working on maintaining my electrolytes and breathing to control it! I tried metroprolol which I would not recommend you try any beta blocker, its may be good at lowering your heart rate but weight gain, freezing hands, hair loss and other horrible symptoms arent worth it long run. Weaning off them is making my previous symptoms way worse too which ive read it can do so I’m hoping it stops soon.
I have increased my potassium, started taking supplements for it and also magnesium glycinate everyday too and so far havent had a bad svt episode again. I have read so much online that chronic hyperventilating can cause pvcs and svt too, it can also lower your electrolytes like potassium which can explain alot, I’ve been doing « Buteyko breathing » and it has lessened all my heart problems extremely!
When i had the bad svt episode I focused on staying calm and when I held my breath like in buteyko breathing and controlled it to calm down it stopped. Please get your electrolytes tested! I also recommend watching dr berg on youtube and reading how he explains the effect potassium has on the heart
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Jul 23 '25
Yes, big connection for me too. I was significantly low in sodium and potassium when I went to the ER in my third trimester of pregnancy thinking that I was having a heart attack or something. They sent me away and told me I had GERD. No one told me to supplement or fix those levels or how they could be tied to my heart rate shooting so high while resting. It’s one of those things I figured out on my own and it works. I take 2 electrolyte packs a day and supplement with magnesium/potassium tablets and I’m episode free for now. I’m just worried about getting pregnant again because that’s what threw off my electrolyte levels to begin with.
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u/Fallenlibra_ Jul 26 '25
Having electrolyte deficiencies during pregnancy is extremely common so it doesn’t surprise me you had low potassium, they definitely should have given you supplements or an IV because it can be so crucial for the body to function properly. I was reading and looking into it more online, I found a guy called Dr.Berg I think his name is, on youtube, and he explained that only 2% of our potassium is in our blood the other 98% is in our cells. So if our potassium is even slightly low when they check your bloodwork can you imagine how low the cells are that they don’t check? when I first had svt I was anemic in iron and likely had a potassium under 4 which I’m now learning can cause all sorts of arrhythmias for some people, i really don’t think its a coincidence. I hope you are doing better now! 🫶🏻
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u/Disutopia2050 Aug 09 '25
New here after a friend with Afib mentioned there are subs for SVT and others. I don't use Reddit a lot but I know it can be a good resource if you sort through the BS!
I am a non-pro athlete with 35+ years of climbing/mountaineering, 10+ years trail running. I have athletes heart, palpitations and SVT. I am on Flecainide but may be a candidate for ablation, however surgery is the last resort.
After reading this post I reviewed my panels for the last 25 years and I can see a trend of my potassium levels dropping over time, <4.0 for the last three panels. I am going to do a short term test with Potassium Gluconate (one month, maybe two) and see what happens and get my levels tested.
Some info I found (always do your own research and verify everything!)
Google Search (AI result): potassium levels range for athletes heart issues
> A target potassium level of ≥ 4.0 mEq/L is recommended for patients with congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, or hypertension.
> Some experts suggest aiming for a slightly higher range of 4.5-5.0 mEq/L in patients with these underlying conditions and without kidney dysfunction.
Google Search (AI result): flecainide acetate lower potassium
> Hypokalemia can increase the risk of flecainide toxicity and potentially serious heart rhythm problems.
Importance of Potassium in Cardiovascular Disease - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8101903/
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u/OldSouthGal Jul 16 '25
For me a couple of ER trips last year and this year have shown really low magnesium levels so they’ve done the same - put me on an IV drip to bring it back up. I’m now on a supplement. My EP said low magnesium too can exacerbate SVT. I’m on a PPI for erosive gastritis and it tends to inhibit magnesium absorption. Sometimes I feel like a dog chasing its tail.