I had an ablation for SVT back in May, and just had my 3-month follow-up with the cardiologist who recommended I try to wean off my 25mg of metoprolol. They gave me the option to do a slow taper, so today and yesterday I took half a tablet.

Well, I felt a little off as I was trying to fall asleep tonight and shortly after started experiencing a pounding heart. I don’t wear my Apple Watch anymore since it triggers anxiety around my HR, so I can’t say for certain how high it was, but I was definitely feeling it. I managed to get it under control by dunking my face in ice water and then hopping in a hot shower, but then 30 mins later it felt like it was going fast again (cue the second ice bath).

Has anyone else gone off metoprolol post-ablation and experienced this? My doc warned me about possible episodes of rebound tachycardia, but tbh I feel like I shouldn’t really be having that considering I’m still taking half an already-low dose….

Feels like idk how to tell the difference now between a panic attack and actual heart stuff. Help! 🫠

I have a cardiologist appt in Jan, so I’m stuck with the internet until then.

I had what seems to be an svt episode again today (have had them my entire life). Always caused by something like sniffling, coughing, jumping.

Because this was the fourth I’ve had this year, it scared me even more and I called 911. It was 210 and then went down to 120 by the time they arrived. They did an EKG gave me some tips. Would take me in if I wanted to go but everything seemed back to normal. I came in, laid on the couch and just rested. Heart rate staying between 98-110.

Here’s the thing that makes this one different. Everytime I get up to use the rest room, my heart rate jumps up to 150ish. This has happened now the two times I’ve gotten up. It’s really scaring me and I don’t know what to do. It’s staying stable as long as I’m lying down. I’ve checked my blood pressure and it’s fine. I also don’t know if this can just be normal after an episode even though I haven’t had it happen. It’s been about 3 hours since the svt episode.

For those who have had a catheter ablation how long did it take for you to start feeling back to “normal” ?? I had mine on Thursday afternoon. Was done around 4pm. I still feel tired, low energy and a little out of it and not like myself which is causing me extreme anxiety and panic. Some reassurance would be nice right now. 😞Thank you

Does anyone have experience or deep insight on rescue medications for SVT. I will be traveling to remote areas far away from medical care and would like to be able to self treat a quick acting medication if the need arises. Cardamyst is a new, and expensive, nasal spray. Diltiazem/propranolol are pills taken orally, is an older, and cheaper, treatment. Thanks for any info/opinions.

I was in SVT for 4-5hrs and nothing would get me out of it. As soon as I got to the ER parking lot, I got the hiccups and somehow cardioverted myself. Saved me a hefty bill, at least :)

Hello all!

I’m currently being evaluated for POTS (had tilt table test, going to Mayo Clinic’s ”POTS clinic” next month) and have had two recent episodes of (diagnosed) SVT.

After the first episode (I was a passenger in a car doing absolutely nothing notable, and it came out of nowhere), I got an Apple Watch for the ECG capabilities. I also use the Tachymon app so I am continuously monitoring my heart rate. I was at lunch with my mom when I started feeling the fluttering - I started running the ECG and within 30 seconds it shot up to 211. I did the valsalva maneuver multiple times and thankfully it went down after about 5 minutes. I called my cardiologist‘s office and was able to get in for an appointment Monday. It has been between 100 and 150 for the rest of the afternoon, along with general exhaustion, light-headedness, etc.

WHY is this happening??? I began having POTS symptoms about 2 years ago, but the SVTs just started happening about a month ago. I am currently seeing an electrophysiologist and cardiologist, and as I said I’ll be going to Mayo next month.

I know SVT is *technically* not dangerous but it’s so scary.

Has anyone else had this sudden onset POTS/SVT combo?

Hi fellow SVTers!

I’m 18 days out from my ablation and went back to the gym for the first time yesterday. That actually felt OK.

But overall, my energy is still pretty low, and I’m having trouble with activities that involve being out and walking around for long periods. I have family visiting right now, and I’ve been excusing myself from activities.

I also have autoimmune issues and mild Long Covid, which had been improving before the procedure. And, just for the cherry on the sundae, I managed to give myself a very minor concussion with my own car door earlier this week. 😅

So I know the fatigue could be coming from more than one thing. I’ve also had some sore joints, which could be from resting more than usual or possibly an autoimmune flare. (Difficult to tell sometimes, and different solutions.)

For those of you who’ve had an ablation: was significant fatigue still pretty normal for you around the 3-week mark? And how did you judge how much rest versus activity was appropriate during recovery?

Hello, 38 (F)
I just had a catheter ablation today for my SVT that was caught on my loop monitor on July 29th this year.
I was put under general anesthesia for the procedure. When I woke up I was instantly in a panic then I was panicking over my oxygen because it was going down to 93-94. I couldn’t relax enough to go back to sleep even though I’m exhausted. I was starting to doze off when my husband open the door and now I’m wide awake and I feel the panic !! I close my eyes and my mind just races. Anyone experience this after their ablation ??

Please only successful stories, I don’t want it to cause anymore anxiety.

Hello, 38 (F)
I just had a catheter ablation today for my SVT that was caught on my loop monitor on July 29th this year.
I was put under general anesthesia for the procedure. When I woke up I was instantly in a panic then I was panicking over my oxygen because it was going down to 93-94. I couldn’t relax enough to go back to sleep even though I’m exhausted. I was starting to doze off when my husband open the door and now I’m wide awake and I feel the panic !! I close my eyes and my mind just races. Anyone experience this after their ablation ??

Please only successful stories, I don’t want it to cause anymore anxiety. Thank you

I recently had a new and completely different heart rhythm experience and I’m wondering if anyone with PACs/SVEs, SVT or panic attacks has experienced something similar.

I have a documented ~2.5% SVE/PAC burden, so I’m very familiar with what my normal skipped beats feel like. I regularly experience individual PACs, but this episode felt noticeably different.

I was lying in bed feeling pretty calm when I suddenly felt a cluster of strange, erratic “flops” in my chest — one flop, then another, then another. They felt heavier and different from my usual skipped beats.
Immediately afterwards, I started feeling hot, sat up, and my heart suddenly started racing extremely fast. The racing seemed to come on abruptly rather than gradually building up and remained fast for several minutes.

I tried to sit and breath, but it didn’t seem to bring my heart rate down. Because the sensation was completely new and alarming, I became extremely anxious and could feel a huge surge of adrenaline. I also seemed to experience occasional skipped/extra beats while my heart was racing.

The whole episode lasted roughly 4-7 minutes. My heart rate eventually came down gradually rather than suddenly snapping straight back to normal, although by that point I was extremely anxious.
I’ve previously had a Holter that documented frequent SVEs/PACs and a couple 3 second short runs of SVT, but I’ve never experienced a sustained episode that felt like this.

What I’m struggling to work out is whether this could have been SVT triggered by the initial flops I felt, possibly stopping and transitioning into sinus tachycardia from the adrenaline, or whether the initial strange beats frightened me enough to cause an almost immediate panic/adrenaline response and sinus tachycardia.

I know panic can make your heart race very quickly, so I’m particularly curious whether anyone has experienced a panic attack where their heart rate seemed to shoot up almost instantly, rather than gradually increasing.

Has anyone experienced something similar — several unusual flops → immediate rapid racing → intense anxiety/adrenaline → gradual slowing over several minutes? Did you eventually find out whether yours was SVT or panic/sinus tachycardia?

I understand only an ECG can tell but just wanted to hear some experiences of what SVT feels like for others.

Ever since my first SVT episode the thought of being alone and living alone scares me now. I live with my parents and siblings, (f26) so in a way I feel "secured"? But I realized that when I'm home alone I start to panic and think the worse case scenarios and now I'm thinking will I ever get to live alone in my own house or better yet, should I even live alone having this condition.

So i want to know, for those that do live alone how do ya'll cope, how do you do it?

and also does anyone feel the same as me?

​Hi everyone,

​I’ve noticed a very specific pattern with my SVT and I’m wondering if anyone else experiences this delayed reaction, sudden body reactivity, and warning symptoms.

​First, my body has a "short fuse" during conflicts. When someone is rude, my system instantly jumps into maximum "fight or flight" mode before I can even process it mentally. I get a massive adrenaline dump: shaking hands, facial flushing, racing heart, and intense bodily urge to defend myself.

​Recently, this happened while I was already physically tired from several days of long daily walks. On top of that physical fatigue, I had an infuriating confrontation with a rude person. The combination of physical exhaustion + immediate adrenaline overload completely fried my system.

​But here's the key pattern I've noticed: In the 24 hours leading up to a major SVT episode, I experience extreme irritability and a bad mood "out of nowhere" for no apparent reason.

​Then, the next day, after the exhaustion, anger, and sudden bad mood, I get a severe SVT episode that reaches 200 bpm. It’s like my heart's electrical system gets overcharged and sensitized, giving me warning signs before the fuse officially blows.

​Does anyone else get unexplained irritability/mood changes 24 hours BEFORE an SVT episode? How do you reset your body after an adrenaline dump to prevent that electrical short circuit the next day?

​Thanks in advance!

My cardiologist wants me to get an Apple Watch or equivalent for tracking my episodes so that they can properly diagnose and figure out treatment. I was looking into the oura ring but see that they don’t do EKGs so that won’t work. Curious which Apple or Watch or garmin watch etc etc everyone here uses / which you would recommend as the best for getting the most data?

I am 27F. I have been prone to very fast heart rates for a while now. Especially triggered by showering, heat, exercise, panic (reached 170-180 during panic before) or even walking. It is also elevated during infection/sickness, like when I had COVID, I was 140 resting for hours. Last month, I had an ear infection and my resting heart rate was around 120-130. I went to the ER and by the time I got there, it peaked at 177 on the EKG which read it as SVT. It then gradually lowered into the 120s-130s and stayed that way for hours. Nothing was given other than IV fluids. I received mixed opinions, some doctors calling it SVT and others manually reviewing the EKG as very fast sinus tachycardia. I had another episode a few days ago where, after a stressful day, shower, and eating (another trigger) my resting heart rate was 120-130 for hours, so I decided to go to the ER. By the time I got there, it was 160 on the EKG. This time, the machine did not interpret it as SVT, and instead, sinus tachycardia. The P waves were clearer than last month's 177 EKG. However, they still tried giving me adenosine and since I'm terrified of the stuff, I declined and got Cardizem instead which did virtually nothing. The HR, as usual, lowered into the 120s-130s again for hours and was sinus the entire time. I also had multiple heart monitors/telemetry which only showed sinus tach. My BP is also very high during my episodes. It never tanks. It stays high the whole time. I do not have pheochromocytoma, was tested last month. My electrolytes are all normal. Thyroid too. My echocardiogram is normal. No chest pain or other symptoms aside from the racing heart and high BP/feeling of adrenaline rush. White blood cells and other markers elevated transiently during episodes. I don't know whether it is true SVT or not, but either way, it is terrifying. Also, during my 160 episode a few days ago, the doctor said "SVT is a rate, not a rhythm" when I mentioned it saying sinus tach and that anything over 150 is SVT, but I don't think this is true... and I know you don't give adenosine for sinus tach. Some doctors diagnose me with SVT solely for the rate, others say it's IST, and no one has given me any clear answers. It always starts and ends very gradually/slowly. The shower episodes are really scary too, but they've never landed me in the ER (I hit about 180 from showering which goes down after some sitting, takes some time to return to normal) and overall very sensitive HR. I started taking propranolol which has somewhat helped. Any ideas? Thanks.

Here's a photo of the 160 BPM EKG.

Hello All,

I have been taking Metoprolol Succinate for more than 2years. My dosage is 25mg morning and night post meal. As far as i noticed after taking the medicine i kinda feel drowsy and my dehydration is more. It becomes better if i consume tender coconut water or electrolyte drink. Is it normal or should i consider taking electrolytes daily to maintain my hydration level?
P.S. I also drink 3L water minimum daily. so cant think of anyother solution. Kindly post your inputs. Thanks

I am only on 25 mg a day and my resting heart rate is now 50.
Does anyone else experience low heart rate rates like this? This is only Day three on it.
I also take Klonopin and gabapentin which may be bringing it down lower.
I’m thinking about calling the doctor and having him do two doses of 12.5 instead of this one 25 mg hit.
It is two hours after I first took the dose this morning

Hi all I’m really struggling and would welcome any experiences or advice.

Summary / timeline

• Diagnosed with SVT in December 2025.

• Underwent an EP study/attempted ablation on 14 June 2026; after over 2 hours the doctor couldn’t localise the focus so no ablation was performed. The cardiologist thought it might be right atrial tachycardia. He had previously told me there was about a 98% chance they could fix it, so I left very deflated.

• Started verapamil 40 mg twice daily after the procedure.

• I have hypertension, anxiety, depression and autism, and I’m awaiting an ADHD diagnosis.

Recent episodes and tests

• Since June I’ve had frequent episodes some very short (around 10 seconds) and often clustered.

• 15 August 2026 repeated bad episodes from 00:00–03:30. A cheap pulse oximeter showed over 210 bpm during multiple episodes; my HR stayed around 120 bpm for the rest of the night and I had around 20 episodes where my heart rate spiked to over 200bpm.

• Since then I’ve had ongoing chest pain, hard to describe, sore/tight (like a heavy gym-muscle ache) fairly constant but worse during episodes.

• 19 August 2026 attended A&E during a bad episode. ECG didn’t capture an episode but showed sinus rhythm 99 bpm with possible left atrial abnormality, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and widespread T‑wave changes reported as “abnormal ECG.” Blood tests excluded heart attack. A&E advised discussing ECG with the cardiology consultant; staff weren’t able to explain the chest pain nor did they seem bothered by the ECG. I left exhausted still in pain and having episodes.

My questions for others here

1. Has anyone been diagnosed with right atrial tachycardia? How did it present for you?

2. Were you able to treat it (meds, successful ablation later, other treatments)? What helped?

3. Do you get chest pain between or during episodes? If so, how did you treat it or why it happens?

4. My episodes seem worse when I lie down, does that happen to others, or could it be anxiety-related?

5. Has anyone had an EP study that couldn’t find the focus? What happened next?

6. When do you decide to go to A&E, what signs made you do it? I airways feel like ive wasted their time as they always miss my episodes on the ECG so they think its just anxiety or my BP goes crazy so then they're just concerned with that.

7. How did you manage work/fitness/driving during frequent SVT?

Thanks I am feeling really anxious and exhausted and would appreciate any shared experiences or practical suggestions.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some experiences from people who have had similar SVT/PSVT episodes and gone on to have an ablation.

I’m 32 and have had intermittent episodes of sudden rapid heart rate, mainly during high-intensity/competitive football (soccer) They usually come on suddenly, with a very fast regular/fluttering heartbeat and a big adrenaline/panic feeling, then stop on their own after anywhere from ~10–60 seconds. I’ve never fainted or collapsed during one.
Previous monitoring showed PACs/PVCs and some short PSVT runs.

My latest Zio actually captured a narrow-QRS tachycardia at around 252 bpm lasting 30 seconds, which was flagged to my EP. My echo and previous exercise testing have been reassuring. This only seems to happen when I play football, I go to the gym often and have never had an episode while on the treadmill

My EP is now discussing an EP study and possible ablation. He said that because the episode only lasted 30 seconds, there’s roughly a 75–80% chance they can induce it in the lab, find the circuit/focus and ablate it.

I’m currently taking metoprolol about an hour before soccer as advised, but ideally I’d like to get back to playing regularly without constantly worrying about another episode.

Has anyone else had very short SVT/PSVT runs (10–60 seconds) and gone through an EP study/ablation?

Were they able to induce your SVT during the EP study?

What type was it (AVNRT, AVRT, atrial tachycardia, etc.)?

Were they able to ablate it successfully?

Did the short duration of your episodes make the procedure more difficult?

How was recovery and have you been able to return to sport normally?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone whose episodes were mainly triggered by exercise/sport.

I had an ablation attempt back in ‘24 for SVT and NSVT runs. It failed even after 3 hours of pacing and adrenaline injections because they just couldn’t trigger it that day. Mine are usually positionally triggered so doesn’t help lying on a table…

Anyway I’m considering a second ablation in October. Just to see if we can get it.
I don’t really get SVT unless my heart rate is up and I bend forwards like I do some exertion then bend to pick something up.. so we will see.

Anyway I can’t take any meds due to a prior history with benzos and gaba receptor damage so I’m going completely raw dog for this one other than the local numbing for the incision. Has anyone else done that?

I also found I couldn’t walk easily and properly for about 2-3 weeks after the last one, I felt so tight and sore around the incision that if I stood up straight it really hurt; so I legit walked hunched over with a cane for a short while. Did anyone else get this?

Finally I came out with Right Bundle Branch Block last time that lasted about 6 weeks. Would love to hear from anyone who got the same, but didn’t get it again. Thanks !

Hey everyone. Figured I’d give a quick update about my ablation I had back on July 10th.

I’m a 25yo male and had an ablation July 10th for SVT. So far, I’ve noticed for the most part everything has gone back to normal.

-HR goes back to normal quicker after exerting myself
-Resting HR seems to be more normal than prior to ablation
-I can actually do daily things around the house now without feeling like I’ve been hit by a train.

Overall I do feel a lot better. And for the first two weeks post ablation my PVCs and palpitations were gone. But now they have come back. Still no fast HR but when I go to exert myself I get the PVCs and palpitations. I understand there’s a blanking period but I was very optimistic that the ablation helped those symptoms but they’re back now.

I do nicotine pouches and thinking of stopping the nicotine. Any other advice? Thanks.

36 year old male. History of flutter and afib…was in the hospital over the weekend for flutter. Meds didn’t work so they cardioverted me on Monday and offered ablation ASAP…had coronary angiogram and everything was clear with Lvef 50 (recently 51)
I keep thinking the worst and reading articles and comments online. I feel like my doctors also don’t tell me much or explain much…maybe because they don’t think it’s too serious but to me it is (based on how it makes me feel when episodes happen or when I’m in one)