How serious is ARVD?

Does this sound like supra ventricular tachycardia or ARVD?

• Hey my name is Tim and I am a 17 yr old male. I am quite active and i skateboard and skimboard often along with playing basketball. I am 5’11 and weigh 147 so I am fit. I have had this problem with my heart since i was 7 years old (or at least i think i have a problem with my heart). What happens is occasionally, sometimes once or twice a year, i will be sprinting a short distance and not even be tired, like i would run 20 feet really fast. Then suddenly in the middle of my run i would get this feel like something was about to happen. All the sudden i would feel my breath shorten and my heart would be pounding uncontrollably. I would suddenly get lightheaded and feel like i had to sit. My breathing was weakened and it felt like i had a lump in my throat. Afterwards i would have pressure in my neck and i would have a tingling sensation in my fingers and sometimes feet. I would come on really fast and i wouldn’t be able to stop it and it only last like 2 to 3 minutes. Then i would feel normal again. When i say my heart would pound extremely fast, i mean it would be pounding out of my chest, not a normal beat that you get from running or exercising. Whats weird is when i was like 7 i had it happen to me like once and maybe once when i was 9 and so on. Its very rare and very unpredictable. But now since 2 months ago it has happened about 5 times over the past five months. I have been more active and skimboarding which requires a really quick sprint as fast as you can. Whats also weird is that it only happens when I exert myself. Never happened while sitting but i have gotten the feeling that it was about to happen while sitting before. Over the past two months i have also had chest pains. I am positive that its not me just being tired cause i will be running feeling fine and all the sudden out of nowhere BOOM it happens. I have been really stressing out about it over the past 2 months. I used to smoke cigs and weed for a year when i was 16 and i used to have a bunch of energy drinks. Ive quit smoking and caffeine for good. Ive asked my doctor and seen him about 5 times for it. He had an ecg done and said everything looked fine and now im wearing a heart monitor which is pointless because its so unpredictable unless i get lucky and capture and episode. If anyone has any ideas what this could be please tell me cause it has really been bothering me and i feel like i cant even exercise with out something bad happening and i love to skate and skimboard. -Timmy

• Answer:

  It could be SVT, but there are other things, also. The 24 hour (or 48, or 72) monitor that you are wearing is a good test. You also need an echo (Ultrasound) while exercising, called a stress echo. And I would ask to see an Electrophysiologist, a heart doctor that specializes in the Electrical impulses. It sounds as if you have a serious, real condition. Good for you for quiting the caffeine, dope and cigs. Good Luck!