Pulse Reading 11 weeks post ablation. No's of ectopics/missed beats

[Turquoise19]

Hi all, just curious to know how others are doing at a similar stage, or prev experience. I am getting about 2-3 missed beats or pauses, per minute, when I take my pulse. Think this is more than earlier in my recovery. ? Know the scar tissue shrinks further through the 'blanking period', so wondering if this is a sign of that or if I get increasingly more might that be more of a chance for the AF to kick back (mine was persistent).

Still don't have my pre AF energy levels back so wonder if the missed beats are also to do with that ?

Anyone else relate to this ?

[Ridley60]

Hi Turquoise,

I’m 12 weeks post my 2nd ablation. I had a lot of PVCs between weeks 3-6 that on two occasions caused me the faint.

EP put me on a low dose of Bisoprolol and Flecainide which suppressed the PVCs. I’ve only felt a handful since.

My energy levels aren’t quite where they were but not far off.

Next step is to wean myself off the drugs and see what happens.

I suggest you speak to your EP to see what they suggest. Maybe a low dose Betablocker and arrhythmia meds might help.

[Turquoise19 in reply to Ridley60]

Thx Ridley,

Can u remind me what PVC stands for ?

[Ridley60 in reply to Turquoise19]

Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC) and Premature Atrial contraction (PAC) either is knows as Ectopics.

Difficult to tell apart unless you catch one on an ECG.

[Turquoise19 in reply to Ridley60]

Ok, now I am learning, so is that different to when u get a pause in the pattern of beats then it carries on regular, so u know u are not in AF ? Not sure if I have this now or not ?! If you say PAC is the same as ectopics ??

[Ridley60 in reply to Turquoise19]

The word Ectopics covers both PACs and PVCs.

I always thought my Ectopics were PACs until and ECG showed they were PVCs.

My symptoms are like yours, my heart feels like it’s paused when it’s really added an extra beat, then it kicks in with what seems like a bigger beat, where the pooled blood is pumped out.

[Turquoise19 in reply to Ridley60]

Ah right, that helps. So what makes the difference between the two N can this build up to eventually re trigger the AF. I have only had one episode for 2hrs so far in 11 weeks since ablation.

How have you been doing ?

[Ridley60 in reply to Turquoise19]

Not sure what triggers either but from what I understand the Ectopic is the new pathways suppressing the AF.

Myself, first 3 weeks heart rate all over the place but almost nothing since. It’s my second ablation I went nearly 3 years with no AF after the first so hoping this will last longer.

Sounds like you’re doing well apart from the Ectopics.

I also take Magnesium and Potassium supplements which are meant to help with Ectopics.

[Turquoise19 in reply to Ridley60]

Yes thx Ridley, didn't know the ectopics were 'the new pathways', aren't we supposed to just beat from the sinus node ?

[Padayn01]

Hi i'm 4 weeks post abalation and i was getting 50 skipped beats a day until last week or so they have calmed down to maybe 3 a day

[Turquoise19 in reply to Padayn01]

That's very precise. Do u have a kardia ?

[Padayn01 in reply to Turquoise19]

Sorry when I say 50 I meant around 50 no I don’t have a kardia but just afraid if I get one I be in it all the time reason why I got rid of my Apple Watch