Palpitations

[Tessybear]

14 months post ablation and had been feeling pretty well generally, until the last few weeks when I have been getting episodes of palpitations which I am finding very disconcerting. I'm not sure, but think they are ectopics, as my pulse rate is around 70 and pretty steady, then it seems to miss a beat followed by a big beat. This went on for about three hours with a few gaps of normality in between yesterday.

I am taking bisoprolol, candesartan dabigatran and thyroxine. The cardiologist recommended reducing the bisoprolol by half, as I was doing ok, which I did about a month ago - the lowest dose available now. I have tried to see any pattern going on but can't really, although eating a substantial meal has a couple of times preceded these episodes.

I am going to see the cardiologist/ EP on Tuesday this week for a check up, so need to have my questions ready. Any suggestions welcome!

[Hidden]

Hi, maybe the bisophonol was doing a job at the higher level. Heavy meals are a trigger for some people.

[Finvola]

Ectopics can be very symptomatic for me too. This simple breathing technique has helped me and many others on the forum. I hope you find it useful.

healthunlocked.com/afassoci...

[Hidden]

I suffer from constant ectopics and I'm on drugs to control them (Disopyramide in my case). If I eat even a normal-sized meal I will get them, even with the drugs although the drugs dampen the effects. I could never eat a heavy meal. No alcohol either and almost no caffiene for me. I have to eat small and regular although it doesn't matter what within reason.

[Tessybear]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I've lived alcohol and caffeine free for some years now, so I can rule those out. I intend to avoid rich food and heavy meals from now on too. I guess these changes are no bad thing for anyone anyway! I'll see what advice I get from the consultant on Tuesday.

[needlestone]

I too have ectopics since my ablation for tachycardia in March 2016. Mine only happen if I drink, chew or eat anything with gluten/wheat or aspartame. Also many alcoholic drinks I have discovered contain gluten. I can drink a gluten free beer with no issues or a hard cider but any alcoholic beverages that contain gluten/wheat will get my heart going. I avoid gluten like the plague and I do fine with few issues. I do have some ectopics I've noticed if I eat too much sugar so I am trying to eliminate that too. That is the most difficult for me. Also the week before my period sometimes causes some as well so they are likely hormonally initiated to some degree in me anyway.

After going gluten free in April 2016, one night my husband and I went out to a restaurant and I thought I would try eating a sandwich with a delicious handmade artisan bread. Before leaving the restaurant my ectopics began and lasted for 5 days. I will never eat gluten/wheat containing food ever again.

I suggest taking note of what you eat when your heart is triggered and you will see a pattern. It took me 2+ years to figure mine out but I did and I now take no medicines for this but do have to be vigilant about what I eat in order to avoid these. I still have them occassionally for short bouts but very rarely and I am not bothered like I was with them when they were a daily issue for me. Before ablation, my heart rate would get in the 200+ bpm range multiple times daily and I would have episodes where I would almost faint from this. If I had known the gluten/wheat link then, I may not have needed the ablation, but it did stop those crazy high bpm's.

[Tessybear in reply to needlestone]

Thanks needlestone,I am beginning to fully realise how much of an impact my eating habits may have been having. I eat really healthy food, don't drink, don't smoke and take regular exercise....not enough effort there it seems! So I am now trying much smaller portions, thus avoiding feeling too full at the end of a meal, and keeping sugars low. We'll see.