Ectopics and exercise

[jillgloucester]

Does anyone know if exercise is not good if you have missed pulse beats.. Ectopic beats! I'm not sure if exercise, like jogging, brings it on more?

[BobD Volunteer]

Ectopics are a normal function of every heart. We AFers notice them more as we are obsessed with our hearts plus we will probably get more. I average about 2000 a day on a quiet day which is perhaps ten times the norm. Exercise in moderation is good for us but not if we overdo it and make our hearts unhappy. It is a very individual thing as some people may find it exacerbates their arrhythmia whilst for others it may help.

Best advice is listen to your body .

Bob

[chalky1991]

Bob makes a very good reply there! I personally find exercise that shakes the core such as jogging jumping up and down ie skipping sets mine off. But low movement for the core such as static bike cycling is ok........ Unless I push it too hard and then as bob says it upsets my heart. You have to fine your level have a play with differing forms of exercise and don't push too hard. I feel that palpitations are bad enough but when your hearts beating more powerfully during exercise, if you have a palp then it's amplified vastly.

Take it easy.

[jillgloucester]

Thank you for your replies...

[paulh1 in reply to jillgloucester]

I've found that when many times when I exercise my heart seems to get and stay in rhythm longer.

[ILowe]

I have found that pushing my limits triggers problems. The general rule, can I sing or talk while walking is a good guide. But I was always taught to push myself through the pain barrier, so, when there is a hill at the end of the 20minute walk, to speed up and do it in style. No more. I can, it still feels good when I do so, and I feel all proud, then the heart rate will not go down. Similarly, I am used to going from sitting to fast walk over five minutes. Now I take a longer warmup time.

Another major trigger I avoid is gasping for breath. That could be when walking up several flights of steps. It could be in the swimming pool due to other swimmers getting in the way.

I used to think nothing of a one hour walk in the heat of 35C sun, which, if there is a breeze, believe you me is quite pleasant. Now I avoid it. BUT, and here is the danger. it is too easy to give in. I am healthier if I actively seek a 20 minute stroll. Avoiding extremes YES, giving in NO.

[01maxdog]

Hi . I've always been a gym bunny but at 62 I'm doing yoga Pilates body pump spinning aerobics , no more pounding the running machine ! I work at an airport so I'm on my feet all day and my dog keeps me fit otherwise ! Doing nothing is not good for your heart , keep it ticking over and hydrated , plus eat good unprocessed food . Every little helps

Lisa

[CTG99]

If exercising, one of the really important things to remember is to drink plenty of water. Dehydration is a frequent trigger of AF.

Caroline

[CDreamer]

Listen to your body, adjust and adapt accordingly.

We all react differently to exercise and different types of exercise. I find walking, yoga & Pilates & swimming is about as much as I can do these days. My EP recommends 200 mins of moderate exercise per week of which some should be stamina, some strength & resistance and some suppleness and the speak & walk rule is a very good good one.

[skirabbit]

Hi - when I had them I felt better while exercising- they were worse at rest - especially at night - my advice on statins is do not take them - so much research now that they are far more damaging than any good - pharceutical fact that their number to treat is over a 100 (so over 100 people have to take them before 1 gets any benefit) but their side effect number is like 1/2 - have you tried Banting? I can tell you what worked for me if you are interested. Good luck.

[jillgloucester]

I must admit,, I do come off them at times,, but I have heart desease and I'm not sure what to think about the build up of plague etc,, I go through stages of just taking half my dose of statins,, perhaps I should come off again and see if these ectopics fade away without them.. Hmm