Advice on episodes of fast heart rate, please

[Ecki]

Hi all, bit of background, successful ablation January 2020 for AF. Don't drink or smoke, no caffeine, lost nearly 5 stone, regular long daily walks, good diet. I take sotalol 20mg twice daily, ramipril and amlodipine, both 5mg, rivaroxaban, lanzoprazole. OK since ablation until few months ago. Since then I've had a few very brief episodes of sudden fast HR, lasting a few seconds. Had one last night, about 8.30, probably lasted less than 10s, regular beat but very fast, then just went back to normal slow rate, which for me is low 50s. Before that, I had one about 3 weeks ago, and a couple before that. They are very occasional and it's not AF. Anyone got any ideas about what's going on. Tia.

[CDreamer]

Happens a lot post ablation it seems. My HR took 9 months to settle after ablation & now many years later and after pacemaker I still have occasional burst for no more than a few minutes. Can’t say I take any notice if then now as I don’t believe they mean much if short lived. If you have symptoms with such episodes such as dizziness, breathless or pain or if concerned then you should go see or these days speak, to your GP.

[BobD Volunteer]

A top EP once told conference that if it lasts less that 30 seconds it doen't need a name. We AFpeople are so darned focussed on our hearts we notice all these little blips.

[Bluenomore]

Hi , I had my ablation in Feb 2019 and had those short runs of fast HR (which did feel like AF ) but only lasted a few seconds , 10 seconds at the most. I would always freeze and think the AF was coming back but touch wood it never has . 2 years on I still get that on occasion and palpitations as well. I don’t actually know what it is but I think someone told me that it could be that the heart wants to go into AF but it can’t because of the ablation.

[Ecki in reply to Bluenomore]

Thanks, that's very reassuring.

[Visitingcat]

I have never had an ablation ( and told I am not a good candidate for one ) but I used to get these I’d say about every couple of weeks, they would make me gasp for breath. Would never be able to catch one on my kardia as I could never set it up in time to catch it.

I did think about getting an Apple Watch for these but since I went on Flecainade I have not had one for months ( touch wood ). I’ve just had to swap to propafenone due to blurred vision problems and hoping it does as good a job for me, and does not bring any problems of its own.

I think maybe my heart was trying to go into afib as on one occasion it did straight after a slightly longer one of these little episodes.