AF or Ectopics

[Bazman29]

I am experiencing significant heart rate rhythm irregularity on inhalation which then returns to a normal rhythm on exhalation. I can have up to 10 or so fast/irregular beats per inhalation, often with the usual 'thud' at the end before it returns to rhythm. This is now happening every evening when lying in bed for the past 2 weeks. I can also self induce it with slow inhalation but sometimes it happens regardless. Does anyone else suffer from this? It's kind of freaking me out a bit given frequency and number of irregular beats. And any view on whether this is AF or a run of ectopics or something else? Thanks in advance Brian

[Yachtgirl]

Hi Bazman I also have a very irregular heartbeat on inhalation sometimes and it can be very worrying which makes it worse of course. Something will have triggered it in the first place so I have been working on finding the triggers and avoiding them though no that easy. For me that can be a stressful

situation, over exercise, sugar, alcohol which I avoid now, more than two pieces of chocolate and caffeine. I use a relaxed breathing technique to help get back into a more normal rhythm. Good luck

[Peony4575 in reply to Yachtgirl]

It’s funny isn’t it how often the usual suspects trigger arrhythmia s of various types

[secondtry]

Its trial and error time - first I would eat earlier and lighter in the evening e.g. no red meat and then put an extra pillow under my head in bed. There are many more Lifestyle changes to consider that are discussed here on a regular basis.

[Hidden]

What you describe, sounds like switching between NSR and short series of PVCs. The thud is specific for PVCs, as far as I know. This situation is not bad, in fact much better than full blown AF, lol. Someone in the forum has already mentioned this influence of breathing on arrhythmia, but I do not remember who and when. In some occasions, when lying in bed, I also experienced what you describe, but it would not happen often. You obviously are prone to arrhythmia, but still at the beginning. After so long period of being devoted to exercise, and after so short period of having some arrhythmia, your heart is not likely to have any problems from the structural side. To keep it so, be very careful with the exercise in the future. I was also exercising for long and very intensely (resting HR of 48), but have stopped doing it for the benefit of my ticker - nobody of us would push an old car to the limit, why to do it with an old heart, lol (68 of age).