Ectopic beats

[Gwersey]

Bad ectopics again, 9 consecutive days now, 24/7. Always feel they are ominous and are going to kill me. I know they are mostly benign but can't help thinking "but what if they ARE fatal this time around"

[BobD Volunteer]

They aren't! Have you tried the slow deep breathing exercise which you can find if you search ectopic breathing. It takes time to get it right but please persevere as it really helps. Quick tutorial.

Breath in slowly using your stomach not your shoulders and then out again till you think your stomach is touching your spine. Breath in to a slow count of seven and out to ten and slow things down to no more than six breaths a minute ( I can get down to less than four so it is easy. ) Do this for at least five minutes and longer if you can. Don't just stop when the ectopics do either and use this exercise regularly as it is very calming.

[Gwersey in reply to BobD]

I have chronic eosophogitis and a hiatus hernia and find deep diaphram breathing difficult somehow. But thanks for advice and reassurance.

[Coco51 in reply to Gwersey]

It might be easier if you do it by pushing out your ribs. It takes practice but you put your hands on your lower ribcage just above your waist at the sides and push your ribs outwards against them for the in breath. Relax for the out breath. This was taught to me by a physio. Works for me. Rhythm as described above. Horrible ectopics. Beastly things.

[Gwersey in reply to Coco51]

Thank you. I will try that in bed, when they are at their worst.

[ajaxaf in reply to Gwersey]

Have a look at Sanjay Gupta on YouTube about hiatus hernia and AF.

[Finvola]

I get bouts of them too and found the breathing technique very helpful. After a dreadful bout in March I started taking magnesium (citrate) daily and this been very successful so far. Since my beta blocker was changed from Bisoprolol to Nebivolol, mine are duller and less intrusive.

As you probably know, the blasted things thrive on the anxiety they cause, so anything which helps physically, also helps with anxiety about them, which helps ... etc ... etc.

Hope you can find some relief - they are dreadful.

[Gwersey in reply to Finvola]

Thank you Finvola. Because I have to take Omeprazole every day, my magnesium level is most likely zero as PPIs deplete it and supplements won't replenish unless I stop taking PPIs. I have a jar of magnesium citrate to take when I can come off PPIs.

Yes ectopics are horrible!! And self-feeding as you say, anxiety being the food. They never fail to poleaxe me.

[Janith in reply to Gwersey]

If you are in Europe, there is a magnesium water called Mg mivela ... fantastic product. It has a little fizz to it ... l love it!!! However, l am leaving for America on Saturday ... l am hopeful that l can find it there. MAGNESIUM TAURATE is the one to take!! I have never had ectopics but l do have palpitations on occasion.

[Morzine in reply to Janith]

I’m in france do you buy it at the supermarket with other wAters?

[Janith in reply to Morzine]

We purchase the water in Belgrade ... in any grocery store. I am hopeful that l can purchase it in America. They have a website under Mg mivela. My husband just informed me that you may not be able to purchase it in France. It is worth investigating.

[Gwersey in reply to Janith]

Google aquagrade.com. They're based in US. I think they deliver if I understood right.

[Janith in reply to Gwersey]

Gwersey ... thank you so very much! I will definitely look into it. Try magnesium taurate as well as the water. Another thing that is exceedingly helpful is a very good probiotic. Additionally, watch your diet! Smallish meals. Drink magnesium water or a mineral water with a high magnesium content after din din ... keep your tummy in order! Feel better. I know that you will!! Remember, talk to God ... he will always be with you and look after you.

[Auntielala in reply to Gwersey]

In the meantime, until you can come off the PPI's, have you tried magnesium oil spray? Because it is used topically, no worries about not absorbing it through the stomach. I take Omeprazole and so I bought the magnesium spray from a health food shop. Good luck, hope you have success with the breathing and magnesium, those pesky ectopics are a nuisance to say the least, hope they settle soon.

[Gwersey in reply to Auntielala]

I bought 2 bottles from Amazon a few months ago. But I found out that the amount of magnesium that the skin absorbs was negligable so discontinued using it. Maybe if I could buy a more concentrated form of magnesium oil?

Thanks for replying.

[Diankayet in reply to Gwersey]

Try the magnesium taurate. Recommend by dr Sanjay Gupta of York cardiology. He has videos on you tube etc. he’s is very knowledgeable and compassionate.

[jeanjeannie50]

This may help:

youtu.be/vLTpv4bd9pI(Not working as expected?)

[Gwersey in reply to jeanjeannie50]

While having lots of admiration for Sanjay, and watched all of his videos, I feel he's just another doctor who suggests it's all in the mind. My ectopics are not brought on by anxiety but they cause anxiety when I have them. Also, they go away for several weeks and come back suddenly, without a trigger. I've just had so many doctors dismiss me and offer me anti-depressants.

Thank you though jeanjeanie for responding. You're really kind.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Gwersey]

I agree with you, ectopics are certainly not all in the mind and do appear from nowhere - even when we're relaxed and our minds are focused elsewhere. I think what Sanjay is saying is that when we become anxious that keeps them going. I do deep breathing immediately they start and that always manages to halt them. I think sometimes I forget to breath properly and wonder if we are all like that and that's why they start? I've had AF for about 13 years now and it no longer frightens me as it did, with the result that I haven't had an attack of scary AF for several years.

Jean

[Bmwpaul1971]

Hi. I am in your situation. I stopped taking omeprazole as they made the ectopics worse, I have a hiatus hernia too. Switched to Ranitine which definitely helped. I recorded hundreds this week on my Holter monitor from the hospital. See what the results show? I am currently on bisoprolol which do not control them and I hate the tablet. Need to switch off them. I take magnesium taurate but that hasn't done anything yet? Maybe the PPI stopping It? I feel for you, it is horrible and depressing. A lot of mine is anxiety.

[Gwersey in reply to Bmwpaul1971]

Do you get ranitidine on prescription or over the counter?

[Bmwpaul1971 in reply to Gwersey]

I get them from the dr as I take 150mg x2 daily. You can buy ranitine/zantac over the counter in 75mg. I buy these also incase I need a too. Hope this helps?

[dmjtanner in reply to Bmwpaul1971]

Here in the US you can buy the 150mg Zantac over the counter.

[Bmwpaul1971 in reply to dmjtanner]

Ah ok. I would advise you check with yr dr before the switch 👍

[Gwersey in reply to Bmwpaul1971]

I was given 150x2 daily ranitidine but doc said that wouldn't help with eosophagitus so had to go back on omeprazole.

I've been researching surgery for hiatus hernia. Seems it's only performed in extreme cases(where quality of life is severely affected) and leaves you unable to burp or vomit. It's like the cure is as bad as the illness.

[Wabid]

Ectopics are horrible. I also have a genuinely dangerous arrythmia, but that doesn't feel as bad or as disruptive to daily life as the ectopics do. I'm one who magnesium taurate helped enormously for reducing ectopic impact. I was on Pantoprazole long term when I started taking it, but the improvement was significant and almost instant regardless. I have since stopped taking pantoprazole, as I was concerned about the impact they have had over such a long time, but doctors kept telling me I needed them. There are now studies linking PPIs to memory issues and arrhythmias, and I have been on them 20 odd years :/ After 3 weeks-ish of severe discomfort, I'm absolutely fine without them. I had tried several times before, but had given in after about a week thinking the doctors must be right

[Gwersey]

Do you take anything else for reflux?

[Wabid in reply to Gwersey]

No. I was desperate though, and asked if I could take ranitidine as I was really suffering. My cardio said he'd prefer I didn't, and I'm very thankful for that now. I just needed to push past my body's readjustment phase. I'm obviously not advocating this course of action for everyone, but I was really worried about how long I'd been on them, and my doctors' incredibly blase attitude about their benefit v harm potential

[DOCJH]

had what I call "rolling PVCs" since I was 16. Aortic valve install 63. Still PVCs but much less.

A friend MD suggested activated B Vitamins. All with Magnesium Taurate found very helpful. Ecological Formulas excellent source for both. I take morning and night and an ad hoc dose if occasionally symptomatic. You could fill a room with research studies on magnesium and heart.

ONE MORE THING ....do a red blood cell lab for magnesium and copper. Copper also anti arrythimic. A4M docs offer IV's to correct mineral deficiency and balance Calcium. then oral for followup. of course you can always try oral first.

and dont forget to check your blood Vit D level!! Can be very helpful

Much more you can do but these are the basics.

Good luck and good health!

[philologus]

Taking omeprazole/lansoprazole long term can cause arrhythmia/ectopics as well as reduced magnesium uptake. I stopped using it and found an alternative, natural product. I also take three drops of iodine a day.

Ectopics reduced from 30-40,000 a day to under 300 in a week!

[Gwersey in reply to philologus]

Can you tell me what natural product you use? I have a hiatus hernia and eosophogitis but would like to come off omeprazole. Whenever I have, the discomfort I felt after a few days forced me back on it.

[Les010 in reply to Gwersey]

Have you tried cutting out certain foods? There is a really good book called Dropping Acid by Dr Jamie Koufmann which has a two week plan in it where you cut out a lot of acidic foods. It's worth trying. It helped me last year.