SVT's related to stress?

Hi,
I had my pacemaker on the 3rd Feb 2014 for SSS with sinus pauses and bradycardia. I had the routine check at 5 weeks which was fine. I've felt ok until this last week.
I moved several hundereds of miles to a new home, new job, different type of job I had'nt done for years plus, on call approx 7 weeks post implant. I'm also apart from my husband due to having to sell the house etc. I'm not sleeping well so am tired plus the stress of the new job. I had been doing well up until this week when I have begun feeling dizzy quite a bit. I asked the local cardiac tech if he could check my pacemaker today (a weight fell on my chest from a cupboard, it did'nt hit the pacemaker but was very close) The check showed I was having clusters of SVT's, not related to exercise on frequent days during the past month. I'm seeing a cardiologist tommorow. I'm wondering if the SVT's are due to stress and tiredness rather than a cardiac cause. I dont want to go on meds especially beta blockers due to the side effects.
Have other people developed SVT having never had it before the pacemaker? Can tiredness and stress really cause SVT's?
Thank you

7 Comments

Yes, Yes, & Yes

by NiceNiecey - 2014-05-01 11:05:36

Poor Girl. You've just had a LOT of change in a very short period of time. I cannot imagine anything being much more stressful that what you've just been going through.

I'm 4 months post PM but I felt lousy for the first 2 months and now am doing better each week. You're only 3 months out, you've got a house to sell, you've lost the direct support of your husband, new job, on call, junk falling on you??? Wow! Oh, and you got a PM!!!!

SVTs can definitely be caused by stress. They can also be caused by sleep deprivation. And don't be fooled into thinking it's completely separate from a "cardiac cause." No matter what causes it, it's an electrical problem in your heart.

And don't worry about beta blockers. I am on a very low dose daily and I don't notice problems. I keep trying to blame my weight on the BB but that's not one of the side effects! Nice try, right?

Keep us updated on what your doc says. We all learn from each other.
Niecey

Still AFib Eight Weeks after PM

by quickclick - 2014-05-03 02:05:41

I am in my eighth week of having my PM installed. I have had two significant AFib attacks up to150 bpm. I was hospitalized for both. A few days prior to the last attack I had seen by cardiologist, had my rate increased from 60 to 70, had a good EKG. The following Friday I had a pre-Op checkup for another procedure (not heart related). This checkup also entailed an EKG. All was well. On that Friday evening I went into AFib and after verifying that it was up to 145 bpm, I went to the ER. While in the hospital I was prescribed Amiodarone to keep my heart rate down. Only time will tell if this will be a cure. Doing nothing except working on the computer. Did have a distressful message, a few hours before, from a friend that they had stage 3b lung cancer. Don't know if this a stressor that would kick off AFib or not.

Just posted

by davidjb - 2014-05-03 08:05:04

I posted something along similar lines today so take a look. I asked the question is stress a particular problem for someone with a pacemaker. Stress should increase the heart rate as you are anxious and burning calories. However, if you have a pacemaker I suspect that folk with SSS wont have an increased heart rate and of course the Rate Response won't kick in as you may not be moving. If you are stressed and burning calories and not moving then your brain will be deprived of oxygen. In that case, you will feel dizzy and I suspect tired. This is speculation on my party and I only discovered this recently so I am seeking advice. This MUST be common for those with SSS I would think and there OUGHT to be medical advice on dealing with stress. If you discover any - let me know please. I do think we have a particular problem!!

Forgot

by davidjb - 2014-05-03 08:05:30

My comments don't account for SVTs (what are they?? super ventrical ectopics I guess) but do account for dizziness and tiredness

Stress and the heart

by Selwyn - 2014-05-03 11:05:44

Stress causes the release of Adrenalin ( epinephrine, USA). This bypasses the heart's conducting system and has a direct effect on heart muscle ( when there is no heart beat you can inject adrenalin directly into the heart to produce some muscle activity- used in cardiac arrest treatment etc.) The muscle beats stronger, faster, with a tendency to cause tachy-arrhythmias.

For those of us with SSS this is noticeable when stressed.
Beta blockers have long been used to stop the effect of adrenalin on heart muscle- the more fat soluble ones get into the brain ( not insult here!) and reduce the mental effects of anxiety.

Stress will cause supra ventricular tachycardias and ventricular tachycardia /ectopic beats.

The usual medical advice about how to reduce and deal with stress applies just the same.

SVT's related to stress?

by Bryony - 2014-05-04 10:05:07

Well, I saw the Cardiologist and he said my SVT's were definitely NOT caused by stress, exercise, tiredness or any of the other ideas I had. My heart rate had been up to 160. I have felt dizzy waking up, standing and sitting still, when I've been walking on the treadmill, doing gentle pilates/yoga etc.
I dont think there is anything in particular that sets them off especially as they are not everyday nor at the same times. I've had very stressful times at work when I've had none and then less stressful times and had them.
I have a different Cardiologist to the one that I saw initially and who did the pacemaker implantation. I've moved many hours/miles out of the original health region so getting to see the original Cardiologist could be extremely difficult never mind expensive with ferries/flying/petrol costs incurred.
I've to have a 48 hour holter test although really I cannot see the point when the results taken off my pacemaker showed a definite problem.
I'm feeling down as stupidly I thought my heart problem would be sorted with the pacemaker and be no bother again.

SVT and stress.

by Selwyn - 2014-05-05 07:05:00

My first pacemaker check- I remember it well. I had been fine following the insertion, I had even been out racing on my bicycle in the second week - just to put it to the test. Could I exercise? I parked my car at the hospital, feeling a little tense, walked up the stairs to the cardiology clinic for my check up and immediately noticed I had commenced atrial fibrillation ( you can feel this, can't you?).
SVTs and ectopic beats are definitely stress related ( try 'Googling')- any cardiologist who says otherwise is not being frank with you.Whilst there are other causes, stress is very common. Does the cardiologist really understand the stress situations you have described?
My experience of talking to people with stress is that the physical effects often come on when you relax! I always likened it to being at the start of a race- the gun has not fired- your heart is racing in anticipation ( all that adrenalin!)- and as yet there is no where to go and use it up. Stress is a learnt response to some degree, and relaxation is a learnt response to offset it.
Tiredness is well known to cause SVT- almost all of my AF episodes now occur just as I am about to fall asleep in front of the TV in the evening. Such a lot of rubbish on TV these days!


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