Ectopic Beats - A Different Route

[Barry24]

Hi Guys,

I realise that our forum has a lot of posts in respect of ectopic beats, and it seems that the breathing technique recommended by the excellent Dr Sanjay Gupta is the "main route" in reducing or dealing with them.

It seems to me that a lot of people who have ablations suffer from ectopic beats post ablation for some reason. I suffer badly from them, feeling breathless and pain in my stomach when they start.

Has anyone tried a alternative method of dealing with ectopic beats other than just the breathing technique already mentioned and has it been successful?

Kind Regards

Barry

[Thomps95]

I had this problem a few weeks ago and they are completely gone. However, I took a LOT of steps!

(1) When ever I experience them, undergo 5 min breathing exercises in which you hold your breath momentarily and then let the air out slowly, like blowing through a straw;

(2) Double magnesium intake (morning and night with high strength version with at least 4 different forms of magnesium to maximize absorption);

(3) Drink more water and include one bottle daily of rehydration drink (with potassium);

(4) Take calcium channel blocker daily, like Nexium, to keep digestion calm. Often (my) ectopics are responding to abnormal vagal activity due to underlying digestive issues.

(5) if you take medication for AF, make sure you take it at *exactly* the same time every day, before meals. If two tablets per day, take at 12 hour intervals, very strictly;

(6) Highly controlled exercise, at least 3-4 times per week: on a machine that measures your heart rate, increase your heart rate very gradually to a moderately high level (e.g., up to 125-130 bpm) and then gradually slow down and reduce heart rate to near-normal before stopping your exercise (e.g., 85-90 ppm).

(7) Eat dinner early - best 5 hours before bedtime and avoid heavy meals like the plague

[Barry24 in reply to Thomps95]

Hi Thomps,

Many thanks for your comprehensive reply.

Gives me something to work on.

Regards

Barry

[Thomps95 in reply to Barry24]

and sleep ... many people with AF have a version of chronic fatigue. This means some of us need more sleep. I try to get about 9 hours per night as a norm - when I'm short of sleep, AF often rears its head.

[Barry24 in reply to Thomps95]

Hi Thomps.

Thanks for the follow-up. I'm sleeping quite well, about 8 hours a night. Bed at 10pm, up between 6-7am.

Have a good day.

Regards

Barry