Non pulse beats?

[wilen]

Hi. When I`m in AF, particularly when I`ve been active, the "normal" haphazard AF pulse can be felt, but once every few seconds I get what feels like a punch, or kick inside the chest. It`s quite strong and can be clearly felt. But it doesn`t appear to register as a pulse beat. It usually stops after a while. Does anyone know exactly what this is and what causes it?

[rosyG]

I'm guessing here but it sounds like an ectopic- perhaps your heart is catching up a beat! I think others will have more to say here!!

[Hidden]

I've had "big bangs" before now and I think they were ectopics, or maybe even a group of them if that's possible. I'm on drugs now that control them, but before that I was getting small ones all the times. I have been into hospital for a checkup just in case and they did record as "extra beats" (ectopics). Usually just felt like a wobble, but only occasionally a bang or thump.

If you think it might be ectopics, you can Google them and there's quite a lot of info on the web. I think they're harmless but if you get them all the time like me, it certainly doesn't feel like it !

Hope you get to the bottom of it.

Koll

PS. I'm no expert, just my personal experiences.

[wilen in reply to Hidden]

They`re definitely not ectopics. Ectopics are actual beats that can be felt as a pulse. These that I refer to are not felt as a pulse. They resemble thuds inside the chest. I`m pretty sure there`s a name for them.

[CDreamer in reply to wilen]

I haven't a name for them but have experienced exactly what you describe,

[Hidden in reply to wilen]

Yes same here, it feels like a kick. I'm guessing it's a part of the beat that the heart is suddenly picking up on. Sometimes I have a run of them, which is great fun (not).

Lis

[JeanetteH]

I sometimes get them and it feels like the heart has missed a beat and so get an extra beat and I have always thought they were ectopic beats.When I had my first ambulatory ECG the consultant said I had a lot of ectopic beats but within the normal range.He explained that the heart is like a motor engine and is beating thousands of times a day so will misfire occasionally.This was in the days when they were telling me there was nothing wrong with me although I gave an abnormal ecg and cardiomyopathy.