Adenosine User Reviews & Ratings

• izzy
• May 10, 2020

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "When I was 15 I was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia. It just so happened I was at school when I had my first episode with a rate of 280 bpm! the EMTs said it was the highest they'd ever seen and I was administered adenosine on the scene. It felt like everything in my body stopped. I felt my heart go from beating too fast to count to absolutely nothing in my chest. It was indescribable and it didn't hurt. It was in a way surprisingly peaceful which made me feel better about the thought of dying. I couldn't breathe until a few seconds later when I felt my heartbeat. And even though I was conscious it was almost like I wasn't there. Frankly the only way I can describe it was that the only thing left in my body for that amount of time was my soul, no life, just me. It was truly fascinating even though it was not a pleasant experience."

• Londo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2022

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I’ve had no-notice heart-rushes for about a year, usually peaking at c180-190bpm and tending only to last c30-45 minutes. As a result I’m seeing a consultant but they have yet to diagnose SVT. This week the rush was still going seven hours later and when I called 111 (the UK’s non-critical advice line) they advised visiting A&E asap, even though the attacks aren’t really frightening by now. Great RESUS doctor tried a Vagus manoeuvre but it didn’t work. He then very patiently and sympathetically explained the potential ‘imminent doom’ side effect of 12mg of Adenosine. In the end I was if anything a little underwhelmed, although it was still five seconds of sensation I’d never felt before - as though I could feel the drug inch-by-inch climbing up my left arm before moving from my shoulders down across my upper chest. Not doom, not death-like, more like a fast-creeping but painless entry into standby mode. Not so bad and I was back at 110 almost immediately."

• danic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2021

For Radionuclide Myocardial Perfusion Study "the MRI with the adenosine infusion was 100 times worse than any other procedure I've ever had. IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH IN SOME ELECTRIC CHAIR. It lasts around 5 minutes, but feels like an hour, and I have never been so terrified or traumatised. I will always be traumatised by this procedure and I refuse to ever have it again. The doctors didn't tell me how horrible it would be, they just said I'd be fine. But in my gut, I knew it would be horrible, just didn't realise how bad. So, they give you the infusion, and within seconds, you feel as though you are being pulled apart at the heart, your face is on fire, you feel like you are dying, you feel a burning from the top of your chest to the bottom. It is absolute torture. I was so traumatised from the procedure I was unable to get off the table at the end. They had to pull me into a wheelchair, and I couldn't get up for another 2 hours. I felt lightheaded and wobbly for hours after. do not have this drug"

• Kes
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2021

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I received adenosine IV at an emergency hospital to convert an SVT episode that lasted over an hour. I am glad the nurse warned me of it’s potential effects, because I had the less-common and very uncomfortable side effect of “a feeling of impending doom”. Essentially, an overwhelming feeling that I was dying. I wasn’t, and fortunately, that passes very quickly. I felt a rushing in my ears and a feeling like I was sinking, and the absolute certainty in my brain that I was dying. It resolved the SVT from 180bpm to 110 bpm, and eventually back to 80 bpm. I am glad that the medication worked as intended, but if I can avoid it at any cost in the future, I never want to have to take it again. It was terrifying and after that incident I became much more anxious about my SVT episodes than I had been in the years before that ER trip. It feels hard to say because the medicine did work as intended and the side effect doesn’t happen for everyone, but it was pretty traumatic."

• Ladyne
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 8, 2023

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I'm 46 years old and started having tachycardia when I was 16, but it wasn't until 4 years later when they caught an episode on EKG that I was diagnosed with SVT. Throughout my life, I've had to have adenosine about 12 to 15 times, when the vagal maneuvers didn't work. The first time it was given to me, they only said I would get a warm sensation and pressure in my chest. That did NOT prepare me for the feeling I actually felt. I thought I was dying because I felt the drug coursing through my body, spreading heat and heaviness, and suddenly my heart went from 240 bpm to nothing and it felt like something very heavy had been placed on my chest, or like something was squeezing my heart. Seconds later, I felt my heart beat again. After each episode in which I was given adenosine, I always felt very tired and worn out for the rest of the day. Eventually, I had to have ablation surgery to fix my SVT because of how often they had to give me adenosine. It's been 10 years and I'm fine now!"

• Princ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 21, 2020

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "Started having my heart beat to around 135 bpm for a couple of hours. Decided to go to ER I was hoping they would stop on their own ride relaxing techniques etc. Basically it took approximately 4-5 hours to get it back to normal beats. I got ALL 3 doses of adenosine and none worked! It was somewhat agonizing to say the least but luckily they warned me I would feel bad and it wouldn’t last long. Their ER protocol was I had to have 3 doses before they could give me the cardizem flush which they didn’t want to use if they didn’t need to due to it being harsh on me but it did the trick and I could feel my heart beats start to go down right away. I was admitted for the night and had nuclear heart test etc and was diagnosed supposedly born with this condition and I’m just now finding out at age 53!"

• WPW...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 9, 2024

For Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome "After 10 hours of my heart racing at 225-235 bpm, a friend said to me, 'Either you go to the hospital or I send an ambulance to your house.' So, away we went. As I was standing in the ER to check in, they put the oximeter on and I was at 240 bpm. They rushed me through and tried all the techniques to convert naturally. Nothing worked. Then they told me they're going to give me medicine and the doctor says, 'Hold my hand. I'll know when it hits you.' The entire room's eyes were on me and I felt it come through. Burning from my arm through to my shoulder and then my chest. And then the loudest silence I have ever experienced. It was just a few seconds of nothing. Absolutely nothing. I was seeing... but nothing was happening. No sound. Just eyes looking and waiting. And then my heart dropped to 115 and all the worried eyes looked relieved. That ONE time was enough for me to find new doctors and get my ablation scheduled."

• Zoya...
• January 16, 2023

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "May 2 nd they found me unconscious in my house heart rate was 200 beats . They gave me adenosine 3 times and I still was unresponsive they cardioversion twice to get me back. I have a lot challenges with my memory and balance from the svt. But I know GOD has a plan and I know I am meant to be here the last 6 months I have been in the hospital over 60 times with symptoms of svt and I have felt horrible but sharing this experience I hope it helps someone"

• WPW-HKM
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 8, 2023

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I have Wolff Parkinson's White Syndrome and have had multiple episodes of SVT. Usually, the Valsalva Maneuver works, but, in this instance, it didn't. My heart was bouncing between 220-240 bpm, so I was rushed by blue lights into Resus and had a team waiting for me. The Adenosine was described as 'the feeling of impending doom,' and that's exactly how it feels. I felt like my head was being stretched off of my neck, and I was uncontrollably and involuntarily crying my eyes out. It immediately brought my heart rate back to normal, and the horrible feeling doesn't last long, but I hope I never have to experience that again. I'm now booked in for the Cardiac Ablation."

• Tanms
• November 27, 2016

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I have had this given through IV 2x and each time it cause my heart rate to go up to 200 and up, it never lowered it. Yes I had the crazy heavy feeling (like an elephant is on my chest) couldn't breath and was hot and dizzy not good! I will not allow doctors to inject this while having an episode I get another medication that works for me. Unfortunately adenosine doesn't!"

• Chi
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 26, 2019

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I get many SVT episodes but this time it was bad! I was given a heart monitor to document these episodes just in case they stop by the time I get to a hospital or doctors office. I was totally relaxed and my heart went insane! It reached 255 bpm. At that point I was almost passed out. The paramedics gave me one dose of adenosine but it didn't work. The second dose did work. The pain I felt was unbearable. Like I stated before, I was already on the verge of passing out but the adenosine brought me back! The pain felt like every vein and artery in my body was completely vacuumed out. I felt like everything in me was getting sucked out and I was being flattened out! So painful but doesn't last very long and you live to tell the tale!."

• Anonymous
• August 31, 2010

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "Heart rate was 240 I arrived at the ER within 5 minutes because I live 2 blocks from the hospital and yes I know but I drove myself. Second dose of adenosine lowered heart rate to 110 then it returned to normal within 2 hours. Didn't like the effects as it was given but I feel it saved my life. Felt burning from head to toe, head pressure and felt like a wave like panic attacks."

• Anonymous
• September 7, 2011

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "Heart ramped up to 200 bpm. Received two doses of adenosine in ambulance as first dose didn't work. EMT's warned me it would cause some pretty unpleasant feelings. Intense burning and pressure occurred instantaneously, from my head to my toes. It was pretty horrific, but short lived. I even manged to joke how excited I was to receive a second dose and experience it again. Heart rate was in upper 90's by time I was settled in emergency room at the hospital."

• Matt
• July 31, 2023

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "In total, I think I have had at least 5 Adenosine shots to sort out my SVT. The very last 2 were administered within about 5 minutes of each other with a heart rate of 288 bpm. Sadly, after the extreme pain and horrible feeling, both shots did not work, requiring a shock to the heart with no sedation... I had an audience of 4 paramedics and a handful of nurses, plus a couple of doctors, but the doctor in command was the one who did the harm and was fired for malpractice less than 12 months later. Sadly, no one stood up to say, hey let's at least give him some Valium or something... Luckily now, I carry Flecainide to sort the heart out. It sorts it out before I even get to the hospital as I live 30 minutes out of town. But if it does continue and not get back into normal rhythm, they give me Verapamil now (an old-fashioned drug). That works the same as Adenosine but with no side effects."

• heart...
• January 22, 2020

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I experienced SVT's from the age of 18 until 45 when I had a successful cardiac ablation. On two separate occasions, I required adenosine because of 200 bpm that I could not self reset. The first time I needed the 2nd 6 mg dosage (with the nurse standing by with the paddles). The second time it was handled with one dose. I did not experience the pain, stress, heat symptoms that others have indicated. I remember a sense of calm and relief because my heart was no longer racing. I believe I flat-lined because there was absolutely no sound in my body and my breath was held for a moment but I was aware of what was going on around me. Suspended animation. Very interesting and unique experience. It has made me feel better about what death will feel like. I also had no negative side effects in fact, on the second occasion I was at a festival concert and left the ER to go back. Maybe my experience is different because I had lived with SVTs for so long that it became normal to me."

• Anonymous
• January 19, 2011

"I have had to use this medication several times due to rapid heartrate. The highest my heart has increased is 260 bpm. Anytime I have had to call 911 they insert and IV and this medication is pushed very quickly through the IV. I do feel a good bit of pressure in my head. But it doesn't hurt in any way. They ususally have to do it twice for my heart rate to convert. It always works. It's not a problem once you understand that you are literally using a CTRL, ALT, DELETE technique. I have never had a side effect to this. My only effect to my experiences are....exhaustion for just having ran a marathon without actually have to run 26 miles. :)"

• maryl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 17, 2015

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "This drug was given to me when I was totally unaware of what was going on. I was transported 60 miles to nearest heart center. Given to me a second time in 12 hours. I was aware and let me tell you it was painful in my chest and then I got an intense headache. The doctor tried to get me to take the drug a third time about 24 hours later, and I said no! I ended up putting my head into a bucket of ice water to get my heart rate back down to normal. There are ways to do things with out chemicals! over and over again!"

• 12Hou...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 11, 2019

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "The first 6mg adenosine dose isn't fun. The second, doubled-dose is almost unbearable. A wave of heat flows from head to toe, immediately followed by a crushing feeling in your head, neck, chest, and back which continues along with the heat flash for about 10 seconds. It's awful, and it is scary to know that, on rare occasions, physicians have been unable to get a patient's heart to start beating again after administering this drug to them."

• Stumpy
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2019

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I had SVT for over 40 yrs & was able to get back into sinus rhythm using the self taught vagal techniques.A couple of years ago they became more stubborn & ended up in A&E frequently, I was given Adenosine on 10 occasions & it was a love hate relationship, eyeballs felt they were going to burst, my whole body seemed to cramp up & a feeling of falling backwards down a mine shaft lasted a few seconds before the heart flatlined & dropped from 180bpm to 90bpm then slowly returned to sinus rhythm while waiting four hours for blood work results. Ended up having an ablation & now 12 months on having a pace maker fitted to control Bradycardia"

• Cpayne
• August 30, 2016

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "Could not control my heart rate naturally after going into SVT of 200 bpm. Tried bearing down, breathing techniques, but nothing worked. Had my wofe drive me into the ER where they prepped me for an IV and then gave me Adenosine. First time ever I had taken it for my SVT in the 36 years I have had it. It dropped my heart rate instantly to 130 then down to 90. I was amazed and relieved. I still prefer controling it myself but it is good to know there is something out there that works to control it when all other ways fail. I had no burning experience like others did. I do have a cottony feeling head and extreme tiredness 2 days after but that seems to come with a 1-2 hour 200bpm episode."

• RCali...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 24, 2017

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I had undiagnosed supra ventricular tachycardia for a couple years. Episodes lasted a minute or so and would pass after holding my breath and bearing down. In August 2015, I was at a clinic on a hospital campus when the SVT started. It didn't stop and continued to go faster. The doctor had them call the paramedics and the EKG showed my heart rate was 220. On the way to the ER, I got an IV and adenosine, as my heart rate was still increasing. It was the weirdest, scariest feeling, like the intense pressure of being on a roller coaster heading downhill, and breaking really hard. It passed in seconds, my heart rate was down to 130, then was a more normal 80 when they released me 4 hours later. I didn't enjoy it, but it helped me immensely."

• Djano
• August 26, 2018

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I was in the ER for Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) which I didn’t know I had at the time. It had been going on for hours and I decided to go in when I couldn’t sleep. As soon as I got in they took me to the children’s room but decided to take me to the adult section since my rate wasn’t reading. They immediately knew what to do and told me they had to work fast. It was scary because the nurse said if the other nurse didn’t do it fast enough I could DIE. They gave it to me and it was the weirdest feeling. It felt like someone was squeezing my heart, an elephant was on my chest and it was cramping all at the same time. My heart immediately went back to normal it was amazing. It did hurt but it was more uncomfortable and scary it thankfully only lasted for about 5 seconds."

• Bee
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 5, 2022

For Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome "It was certainly a very unpleasant experience. I was at 210 bpm for a few hours before I went to hospital so they gave me a dose of adenosine. It did not work. I think the best way I can describe it is that it felt like all of the blood and life was draining from my body, particularly my head, and everything went kind of black and sparkly, there was really bad muscle ache mixed with pins and needles. Pretty sure I glimpsed hell and would not like to go back. I know it is generally very successful even though it did not succeed at lowering my heart rate personally, but it sure does feel like what I imagine death is, the darkness and gasping for air particularly."

• Kidkash
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 6, 2017

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I was given this drug one evening when already in hospital for an unrelated infection. I'd felt palpitations for a while but when they did my routine obs my heart rate couldn't be read. They called in a cardiac team who swiftly entered my room with all sorts of machines, they hooked me up to a more sophisticated heart monitor and my pulse was 236bpm, the doctors couldn't understand why I was so calm (I was just used to them so just assumed as it usually went away that it would do the same this time) I was warned that the drug could make you feel "an impending sense of doom". I had to have 2 doses and to be honest I didn't have any adverse reaction, the 2nd dose got my bpm back to normal straight away!"

• elleb...
• May 22, 2021

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I had no concept or expectation of what would happen when I went to the ER. My heart rate was super elevated but I had no pain, shortness of breath, etc. It was SVT and they gave me 6mg then 12mg of adenosine and some beta blocker. I felt the adenosine immediately each time. It was uncomfortable but not painful. Specifically remember that I felt it in the back of my neck. It was like a muscle cramp and flushing or heatwave. Thankful that it worked quick and well!"