Ectopics

[Profound15]

I get ectopics directly after eating fairly regularly but then they calm down a bit after a few hours. Does anyone else have the same issue and can you advise if you’ve done anything about it please

Thanks

[BobD Volunteer]

Try the slow deep breathing exercise. Use your stomach not your shoulders and slow down to not more than six breaths a minute for at least five minutes.

[Profound15 in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob. I do try the deep breathing exercises but they don’t seem to make any difference. Do you have the same problems with ectopics after eating. I had dinner three hours ago and it’s settled down now

[pottypete1]

Yes I had this problem and in recent years I have been much more aware of my heart during and immediately after eating.

After about 18 months the ectopics have faded and it all seems to have settled down.

It is probably caused by the vagal symptom, and I often theorise that it is because your oesophagus run very close to the back of your heart.

Hopefully time will be the healer for you.

Pete

[Profound15 in reply to pottypete1]

Thanks Pete. Have you had an ablation and if so has that helped pls

[pottypete1 in reply to Profound15]

Yes I have had 7 ablations including 1 for atrial flutter, 5 for atrial fibrillation and 1 for atrial tachycardia. This was over a period of about 10 years.

The ectopics didn’t start diminishing until about a year after the last ablation which was for atrial tachycardia.

Pete

[Profound15 in reply to pottypete1]

Thanks Pete.

[T8746 in reply to pottypete1]

I agree.

This summary sounds very similar to my own experience.

The esophagus and the pulmonary vein are in very close proximity at one point, and I feel that this may be at the root of the problem for me.

[Cliff_G]

Yes indeed. Very common, unfortunately whilst so many fibbers know this, too few doctors recognise it. One who does is Dr Sanjay Gupta. Look for his video on Youtube on the heart-stomach link.

I have had this same problem both before and after ablation and my GP prescribed Ranitidine, which has stopped the ectopics almost completely. Best I've been for 30 years!

[Profound15]

I think my ectopics could be caused by what I eat. I don’t drink alcohol. I also notice that constipation can bring on ectopics. In the morning I eat a high fibre breakfast with lots of fruit and walnuts. I don’t seem to get many ectopics with this. However in the evening if I eat high gluten or a food that has a rich sauce I get them. Has anyone else noticed this pls

[Suanna]

What you describe is me to a T ....

I can't really pinpoint any particular food that brings on these ectopics (except, of course, really fatty and spicy foods, which have always been a problem for me), but I have found it more beneficial to eat a larger meal at lunchtime and a lighter one around 6 pm. I then try to follow a 'nil by mouth' regime until bedtime. However, there are times when nothing at all helps. At those times I can't even lie down, and I have to prop myself up in bed in order to get to sleep. I very often wake up in the night (like last night) and then can't lie down again for an hour or so.

You mentioned constipation bringing on ectopics, and I have the same. This effect is obvious when you think about it because the increased pressure in the bowel must, in turn, put pressure on the stomach, and so on upwards.

The positive thing for me is often being able to control the ectopics turning into AFib by deep breathing, which I learned about on this site. I had a telecon with Dr. Sanjay Gupta about all this, following his video on Roemheld Syndrome, and he thought I should see a gastroenterologist, so maybe that's the way forward for me.

I hope you find a way through all this.

[Profound15]

Thanks Suanna you too

[Profound15]

Thanks John

[T8746]

There are a lot of interesting articles about the esophagus/afib connection.

One is at https:/academic.oup.com/europace/article/19/1/16/2952312

I suspect that I am in the small percentage that has issues with the esophagus/PV proximity.

The study on the link hinted that about 20% of people may have this issue.

[Janith]

Take a ginger tablet during your evening meal.

[Hertbeat321]

Vagal nerve response, I have a normal heart beat but after eating sometimes I get a more forceful beat,

[Claer]

I experience PAC's after eating, also. (I have been diagnosed with SVT (ablated), Atrial flutter and tachycardia, and PAF over the course of several years). I believe, and so does my EP, that the PAC's were precipitated by a short course of steroids that I was prescribed. The first time this happened I had lots of ectopics for about 16 months. I found that taking magnesium helped, but cannot be certain of that. They diminished finally, but unfortunately I was given another small dose of steroids last year and the PAC's started all over again. The other thing that I experience in conjunction with this is hyperthyroidism (weird, they don't know why). One EP wanted me to take a drug that would cause my legs and feet to swell. However, I did not want to deal with that, as I am fairly active and like my shoes to fit. My regular EP said the PAC's were harmless (remember this!) and would probably diminish as they did before. He did agree, although hesitantly, that I was experiencing "vagal syndrome". He did not really want to discuss this, so it must be controversial. (?) I tried not eating, but I don't recommend that..lol. I find that eating less, i.e. smaller portions high in fiber, (no greasy foods), no alcohol, no coffee, taking magnesium (liquid form) helps as well as staying upright. I do not eat lunch, and the PAC's go away until I eat dinner. Night is always difficult, as the PAC's can get worse upon lying down, so will disrupt sleep. I try to avoid being on my left side. The only advice I can give is to try breathing exercises/meditation to relax, and experiment with foods and portions. I am holding out for the PAC's to someday be gone again, and hope that yours will be gone, as well!

[Profound15]

Thanks claer. Yes tried the breathing process but it didn’t really help. I think like you it’s all to do with the food I consume. Ive also gone caffeine free and now drink rooibos tea. I have to say that having two or three cups of this tea daily seems to have helped my ectopics. Whether I can look forward to them ever being stopped is doubtful but I’m trying to just get on with life.

[Claer in reply to Profound15]

Yes! I also drink rooibos tea...think I need to drink more! Also, just getting on, as you say, and trying not to dwell on the PACs as a problem. They really don't hinder me from doing anything (although I thought they would). I agree that breathing exercises do not get rid of them, but do help with stress. I find when I am focused on my work, exercise, or engaged in conversation with friends I really don't notice the problem as much, if at all. PACs seem to quiet down, so I think shifting gears can alleviate the stress, which can be a significant factor. Best of luck to you!

[Kingsley09]

Can you tell me how you know your having ectopic heart beats and not afib as I think that may happen to me sometimes but am not sure how to work out which is which thanks

[Profound15 in reply to Kingsley09]

Ectopics feels like an extra or skipped beat. Sometimes it can also feel like a little flutter. They only last a second or two whereas afib is an irregular heart beat. Check your pulse and find out if your heart is beating regularly called sinus rhythm or irregularly. Afib in my experience lasts minutes hours or even days. It’s a horrible feeling and one where you have no energy. Ectopics on the other hand just come and go in my experience.

[Pearce1940oscar in reply to Profound15]

Thanks for replying I think then I’m sometimes getting ectopic as I feel fine otherwise

[bantam12 in reply to Kingsley09]

I have the same problem, what I recognise as ectopics with missed beats actually showed on my ecg trace as runs of AFib following the ectopics, I wasn't aware I had AFib !