What an SVT Patient Needs from His/Her Provider

I recently had a discussion on another SVT sufferer's blog Heal SVT Naturally with an alternative health care provider.

Let me first say, I do believe in alternative medicine.  And he is proposing that SVT sufferers suffer from what they do because their minerals are imbalanced.  I don't disagree.  In fact, I agree.

But, when he proposed that SVT suffers spent their money on his outlined treatment instead of spending money on EKG's I had to reply.

Here is his quote....

“I’d like to make one final suggestion to those diagnosed with SVT. I wonder if the time,effort, and money necessary to capture an actual event via EKG may be better spent having an HTMA done and following the diet/taking the recommended supplements?”


I know he didn't mean harm, but this suggestion would be an outrageous suggestion to anyone who sufferers from SVT.  Anyone who has not been officially diagnosed is "dying" to know what they have, and he could no way know who strong that desire to know (and how important) to know what the condition is.  Anyone one who has been officially diagnosed, knows very well, how reassuring the SVT diagnosis is, because the condition has a good prognosis for those with structurally sound hearts.

Anyway, I responded in such a manner, because I felt he was ignorant of the seriousness of our worries, and un-empathetic.....

1. You can not be diagnosed with SVT without an EKG. It has to be captured and read by a cardiologist to get a diagnosis. A person may have some other arrhythmia caused by a previous heart attack, high blood pressure, or valve disease, and it is most prudent to know whether one has the benign condition of SVT or some other arrhythmia that points to a potential cause of sudden cardiac death. The structural condition of a heart suffering from arrythmias should never be trivialized. EKG is the most responsible use of dollars when SVT onsets, and I only pay $40 for mine. Money well spent for diagnosis and reassurance.

2. Even seasoned SVT sufferers, those who have even suffered since childhood and know what their condition is, and know that it is benign, can feel an extreme feeling of dread when going through an episode, even with all that they may know about their condition.

3. Without an official diagnosis, and test to see if the heart is structurally sound, one can not know his/her prognosis or chance for an unfortunate random fatality.

4. Once one has had the event captured, and an ultrasound/stress test proves a structurally sound heart, the worry factor decreases immensely, and the coping mechanisms become amazingly effective.

5. No one at this point offers guarantees of a cure, not you (even though I appreciate your wanting to learn more about how to help those with the condition), and not regular doctors, nor cardiologists. With all it’s a “let’s try and see” approach, nothing more, nothing less.

EP doctors have cured SVT, but they still don’t offer a promise of healing, and the healing rate is currently expensive but at 95% which is a pretty good promise, if your willing to go for it. But in all cases, one must go by faith, at this point, in all treatments, even mineral balance and change of diet. But I feel energies are best spent, at least from the beginning of an active SVT cycle, like I am in, to learn how to cope, manage, and educate oneself.

6. The patient needs reassurance and stress management first and foremost and as quickly as possible. Once that kicks, then and only then, can they have what they need to explore alternative ideas.

7. I have met and talked to many well meaning people with theories, offering help, and trying to offer reassurance, but to the sufferer their attempts seem to be trivializing what feels like life and death matter. People who go the alternative route for diabetes, allergies, cancer, and even coronary heart diease feel like they have time to explore options. People with their hearts beating out of their ears at 160 bpm’s feel like they are going to die now and want answers now, and unfortunately to us, theories, and suggestions seem un-empathetic.

But to those who suffer, the best healing balm, is to compare notes, and socialize with other sufferers. Why, because they have survived and thrived, despite the condition.

Cancer patients may receive hope from other cancer survivors, CAD patients may receive hope from other CAD survivors, but with SVT, the hope offered from one survivor to anoother is the greatest because the condition is benign for those who have structurally sound hearts, and once the new sufferer, as myself, becomes exposed to more and more SVT sufferers, they begin to learn that many people have lived long and healthy lives with this condition. This gives more hope than anything, and relaxes the person into living a more normal life.

8. It is also known that SVT suffers have additional electrical cells in their hearts that they are born with that lie dormant until some time in life. For me, it started after I had H1N1. Mineral balance would support a higher threshold but it can’t take away those errant cells. Only a catheter burning can do that.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our condition. The time you are investing in it can only help those you work with in the future. SVT sufferers can be very fearful about their condition, and the doctors that have been the most effective with me are those who have been empathetic. It is a very human condition that needs an extreme amount of the human touch of empathy in order to gain a patient’s trust and faith in treatment.

The best healing moment I had was when the paramedic held my hand on the way to the ER last fall when my SVT would not convert until after two shots of adenosine. My heart rate was at 180 bpm’s and shot up to 200 bpm because of the fear factor. Even after the second shot my heart rate would only go down to 100. When you think you are dying, you want the human touch more than anything, and it heals and gains trust more than anything. It was his holding my hand, although I didn’t even know him or his name, that brought the heart rate down to 80.

Keep studying and talking to other sufferers and your knowledge and empathy will be much appreciated by your SVT patients, and they will gain faith in your protocol.

Normally, I would link to the discussion, but I don't wish to drag his name through the mud.  But I hope that others who are trying to know how to meet, especially the emotional, needs of their SVT patients or family members, would come to know that when others trivialize the condition, or try to offer a no-guarantee cure, they only look un-empathetic and prideful in their attempt, and trust from the sufferer can not happen.  You are essentially hitting a brick wall. 

If the person who is advising the SVT patient with a protocol only to financially gain or gain notariety, first of all, shame on him, and secondly, good luck.  SVT patients are the least gullible, and the most demanding for sure answers, not just theories.