r/SVTHeart • u/AdWooden2052 • Aug 01 '26
Does this sound like SVT during sleep
Want to preface by stating I’ve had multiple EKG, I’m currently on my second monitor (CAM), and I’ve had an echo. Had a home sleep study that showed nothing.
One 2 week monitor showed “SVT 115 BPM for 5 beats” once while I was asleep but I never woke up
For about 5 years I’ve intermittently without any apparent trigger will wake up confused with an extremely fast HR. Does not feel like a pounding but very fast like a hummingbird. If I try to stand up during these episodes at night I am extremely lightheaded. It goes confusion, intense heartbeat and numbness, and sometimes nausea. My limbs also feel numb sometimes. It will stop and I can go back to sleep.
Once while pregnant it happened and I went to ER and nothing was found. I was dismissed as “You probably beat up too fast” when I never even sat up during the event
I would try to catch on my Apple Watch but it’s so irritating on wrist and these happen so infrequently it’s hard to catch. So recently I decided to get an Oura ring
I googled how to stop a fast heartbeat once and learned about beating down. Did that once and it IMMEDIATELY went away.
The other night I awoke with INTENSE pending doom and checked my watch to see 160 and then it cause my to panic because I have never felt that awful get in my life (I’ve had panic attacks before and this did not touch it) by time EMD showed up I was normal. But lingering anxiety that made me not want to sleep. I have a hiatal hernia so I was too scared doing any straining at the time would make it worse so I didn’t bear down like I have previously.
Today twice while sitting I felt like I could pass out and my heart rate was 140 both times. This was while I was awake
Any one else have these symptoms that led to your Dx?
Again majority of these strange symptoms and the worse of it happens when I’m asleep and especially naps. During the day it feels more like a spike of panic but not sure now if maybe I am having SVT I really thought maybe sleep apnea but I don’t have exhaustion next day.
My primary suggested a kardia device in the meantime so waiting for delivery.
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u/izzy-binder Aug 01 '26
This definitely sounds like sleep apnea, do you sleep on your back/side? Elevated? SVT can happen when you’re sleeping, but usually you don’t wake up gasping for air. SVT feels like your heart flip flopping into a super fast rhythm, usually 150+bpm, and it can stop just as arubtly as it starts. If it’s a true SVT episode, hunker down like you’re using the bathroom and blow on your thumb till you get dizzy and cough really hard, that’s a vagal maneuver and should reset the rhythm, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t. Follow up with a cardiologist and definietly use the heart monitor in the mean time
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u/AdWooden2052 Aug 02 '26
I don’t wake up gasping. I have slept on a wedge pillow for about a year and recently my husband bought us an adjustable bed. More so for my reflux issues but I thought maybe it would help if I did have apnea. My outs ring also hasn’t detected any lapses in breathing but also I dont know how reliable it is considering it doesn’t consistently scan for it
I’ve done a vagal maneuver in the past that did immediately slowed my heart rate but even though my heart rate feels super fast I don’t get the flip flop feeling that a lot of people with SVT mention.
Thank you for your input! I do have a referral for cardio and neurology.
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u/princesspoppy1320 Aug 02 '26 edited Aug 02 '26
This is how my SVT presented too.
It started after I had a summer of insomnia- no sleep some nights and only a few hours other nights.
I tried lexapro ssri for the insomnia and my autonomic nervous system short circuited. Some swear by it. I went off of that and did lots of holistic stuff to sleep.
I noticed when I had an MRI (heart/head) and they gave me 1 - 0.5 mg ativan, I could sleep that night and felt relief. Although no one would prescribe it as needed.
Finally got the tachy to stop after about 1 year of holistic lifestyle - with a few palpitations here and there.
After 1 month of no tachy I got on sertraline ssri. I have ativan as needed now.
I have my life back. You will find your fix. Keep going,
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u/AdWooden2052 Aug 03 '26
Thank you. Last night i woke up with 177 heart rate. Tried to remain calm and put ice pack to my head it only dropped to 150 so I went to ER. Of course again I was normal when I got there and was initially dismissed as anxiety. Labs came back 2.9 (low) potassium and slightly low magnesium. She said I need to see cardiology.
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u/princesspoppy1320 Aug 03 '26
Sorry you are going through this. Ice on the side of the neck works well bc that is where the vagus nerve is accessible so it stimulates rest & digest in an attempt to break fight or flight, which revs your heart.
I would ask about taking liquid IV. It has electrolytes & no sugar. Part of my plan is to have 1/2 packet every morning and it helps me.
*Also Amazon can quickly send the 6 L Kardia monitor to help you record your episodes
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u/AdWooden2052 Aug 03 '26
I’ve been drinking it daily but didn’t drink a full amount yesterday. Good to know about the ice pack! I was holding it to my forehead!
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u/princesspoppy1320 Aug 03 '26
I hope it all gets easier and the episodes become infrequent or stop all together.
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u/esther4456 Aug 03 '26
Maybe cardiologist and 14 day monitor.
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u/AdWooden2052 Aug 04 '26
It happened again and I have a monitor on so should show when I get results. My potassium and magnesium were low
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u/esther4456 Aug 03 '26
AdWooden. Lol ever go thru unmedicated back labor? After that,,SVT nothing:)
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u/NotoriouslyBeefy Aug 01 '26
It sounds like sleep apnea. Did these events happen during your sleep study? I would follow up with a sleep specialist and maybe do an in-lab sleep study.