I was wondering whether anyone had any experience regarding having an ablation because of ectopic beats and whether it was successful.
My ectopic beats were first detected roughly 7 months ago and have since been undergoing cardiology investigations.
I have so far had a 7 day ECG monitor and a echocardiogram. This showed I have a high burden of ectopics 34% but my echocardiogram was essentially normal with at most a mild degree of aortic regurgitation.
Currently taking Atenelol 25mg which hasn’t subsided my symptoms.
I keep being informed ectopic beats are harmless but mine appear to be getting worse recently and symptoms becoming stronger.
Cardiac ablation was discussed with me initially but they wanted to try medication first as i was informed it can be difficult to ablate.
I have been waiting for a tilt table test heard nothing yet from the last communication 4 weeks ago.
I am really struggling at work etc currently more than ever and my ectopics feel as though they are occurring every other beat all day. My palpitations feel much stronger, I feel breathless from minimal activity, tired and shakey/dizzy episodes.
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rosepod5
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Unfortunately no I’m unsure of the trigger but they are awful to live with. I cut caffeine which made no difference. I think it’s natural to feel anxious and fed up with the symptoms more than anything as it has affected what I can/cannot do at work.
But I wouldn’t say I was anymore anxious than when they were first detected
I do not take any magnesium but will definitely look into this if it could help in any way.
The palpitations have been thudding in my chest for most of the day today and I do try divert my attention to my breathing but haven’t attempted any exercises so again will definitely look into that one also.
Those look very uncomfortable and must be a misery - you have my sympathy. I have read about ablation for ectopics in severe cases and I think success depends on where the focus or foci are and if it can be determined.
Dr Sanjay Gupta recorded the video below for a breathing exercise to help diminish or stop ectopics which might be worth a look - anything which helps is useful as they breed on the anxiety which they cause. Best wishes.
I find it useful to relax quietly and count whilst I do the breathing exercise as it helps me to focus. It may need practice to get the best results and I usually keep going for ten minutes - soooo relaxing.
Hi Rosepod, I feel your pain, my ECG’s look very similar to your attachment, and I know the misery that that cause, I am always told ‘don’t worry they are harmless’, but that doesn’t make them any less dramatic or scary, I will watch this thread as I too am considering an ablation for this problem.
I have just had my second ablation for ectopic beats, the first one didn't work, had to go back on tablets, I am 2 weeks post second ablation, still on tablets, as he wants to wean me off them slowly, but so far the ectopic are a little worse at the moment, but I know that it will take 3 months or so until I am able to say it worked this time, keeping my fingers crossed..
I sympathize with you! I have Lone Afib and was getting up to about 1000 ectopics a day which I found worse sometimes than the AFib. They were PVCs according to my Holter readings. I was taking Sotalol for the AFib and was changed to Flecainide. I also started taking magnesium. My ectopics ( the ones I could really feel) disappeared. Of course I'm not a Dr and have no idea if it was because of the changed meds and just a coincidence but I thought I would share my experience. Maybe it was the magnesium. Many years ago before Afib started I had a bad case if ectopics for about 5 months that suddenly stopped one day. Maybe yours will too. I really hope so.
That looks just like mine did! You are in bi/trigeminy..... it’s an awful thing to have. I was having 20,000 plus a day. I had enough and when I finally made it to an EP and he told me quit thinking about what’s causing it and trying to fix it , that he could help me I jumped at the chance of ablation. It’s debilitating/ disturbing to be in that rhythm everyday. Meds made it worse for me because All they do is lower your heart rate and blood pressure so you don’t feel them as hard. I felt everyone! And as far as the meditation I don’t know how someone can meditate with a flip flopping around in their chest constantly it’s a little hard to concentrate ! I did everything they suggested over the years.... meds, vitamins, no caffeine or alcohol...chocolate etc. Nothing worked for me, but everyone is different. I am 3 months post ablation and it’s changed my life so far but I’ll take it!! I do have some PACs and PVCS, but it’s absolutely doable. I don’t mind some, but that bi/trigeminy is just awful, and I haven’t come close to that yet. When I look at your ECG I cringe.... I have a couple of my readings I’ve saved and compare to what I have now and I’m blessed. I’m very aware they can come back full force but for now I’m going to enjoy my life because I can finally work out without thinking I’m going to die and not feel like overwhelming hopelessness every day because I’m stuck in an awful rhythm. 34% is a high burden to live with. I hesitated for years from fear of a heart procedure....I’m sooooo sorry I waited!! There is hope......don’t live with it. Good luck!
Hey, I'm contacting you for the first time. I don't know if anything has changed with you in the meantime. I read your text and read that you had heart palpitations, or as it is professionally called SVES and VES. I have it and nothing from the therapy helped me. I drank Propafenone 150 × 2, then Bisoprolol 2.5 × 1, then both, then I stopped Flekarid, although it helped me in the beginning of the first two months, and later the condition worsened again. Now I am back on Bisoprolol, but the dose has been increased to 5 mg. .Otherwise, I have low blood pressure. The complaints that I normally feel are sudden suffocation that lasts 2-3 seconds and I run out of breath, and I think my heart then takes a long break and then starts working normally. During that time, I feel bad. That's ALL and VES. On the holter you came up as individuals and in 24 hours I had 25 of them. One was ALL in a pair. And they say it's nothing. However, I feel bad every day and I feel every skip of my heart.
When in intermittent flutter i had thousands of ectopic beats whether my heart rate was 40, 70 or 150. However i could only feel them at 40bpm. When flutter became permanent I had a cardioversion which resolved the flutter but left me with bradycardia and 40bpm permanently. No symptoms. However all the ectopics vanished. Strange. That was more than 2 years ago. I now take magnesium, cq10, carnitine and taurine. I have no idea whether these supplements are keeping the ectopics away but I will keep taking them.
Hi Steph, sorry to hear you are going through the same it’s very unpleasant.
My GP got in touch with my cardiologist as I was really struggling and I’ve now been taking Flecainide twice a day along with beta-blockers for around 3 months now.
The new medication has definitely eased certain symptoms but it hasn’t come without other side effects. I now have a low resting HR of 38-40bpm and when I sleep drops down to 32-36bpm. Subsequently I have very little energy and do have breathless episodes.
With all that’s going off currently, I’m coping as best I can and anticipate a long wait now before things return to normal.
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