So I am months post ablation, and where almost all other symptoms have seised, I am getting ectopics a few hours after having a cup of coffee. I'm just curious if anyone else has experienced this, and if so, does it eventually trail off, or should I just avoid caffeine all together from now on since I do not feel them outside of that.
Side note, I am also taking magnesium to attempt to alleviate the ectopics as well
Caffeine and arrhythmias are common bedfellows. Ectopics are a common after effect of abaltion and considered benign though irritating. I know what I would do. Adjustments in life style are often a good idea for long term health benefits.
Only way to know for sure if caffeine is a trigger for you is to stop the caffeine for about 2 weeks to see if the ectopics reduce and go away.
It’s impossible to say as everyone reacts very differently,
3 years past ablation I still get runs of ectopics. I don't believe they are linked to coffee as I can go a week or more without any being noticed. I just try to ignore mine and usually succeed unless they are particularly bad ( more frequent than every 20th beat - ish).
Please note I am convinced that my ectopics are benign, and did discuss with my EP at the 12 month follow up.
I am not medically trained and suggest you also discuss with your medics to ensure yours are benign.
Could I ask if you had ectopics prior to ablation? Prior to being put on amiodarone I was getting ectopics almost all day/night every day, with occasional escalations into AF. I found the ectopics totally debilitating and I was quite breathless, felt very unwell. I am considering ablation but the thought of going back to having ectopics fills me with dread!
Thats the milliion $ question!
When I was starting AFIb I got the fluttery feeling in my upper chest /throat that I now associate with ectopics.
Now did I have ectopics or was it just the transition into to AFib? Or was the ectopics the prelude of Afib.
I don't know.
Did I have the fluttery feeling before I had AFfib? Maybe. I would have thought it was wind or indigestion.
I do believe what I read in that everyone has ectopics but does not generally notice them
All this is exaggerated as during my time with AFib I got VERY sensitive to my heart beat and I could hear it in both ears. I recognize now I was looking for it. Very bad for sleep as that is the easiest time to hear it, but if you are listening for abnormalities in your pulse your pulse, you don't sleep. And being tired does not help Afib!
However Post ablation I did not notice the ectopics too badly for several months (probaly 6 ish) and then I got a long run of them four or 5 days at various levels. I have the fluttery feeling and the more frequent the ectopics the more irritating. If they are at every 15 beats or less then they are bad. If it gets lower that every 30th I don't notice so much. However they are random any way, I can miss the 4th, then the 26th, then the 9th, then the 12th , then the 30th if I feel in my neck pulse. I was a bit concerned for a while and I suspect I was spending time looking for a problem, but probably 12 months post ablation I decided as I was regularly running and cycling no problem, then they were clearly not dangerous and so better to stop worrying about them and stop listening for them.
Then 4 months after that I had my 12 months post ablation EP follow up, and he was not concerned and that made me even less bothered.
So since that time I have ignored them totally (well 99% of the time if I get a bad run of frequent ectopics my hand automatically goes to my neck and feels my pulse to make sure it is ectopics and not Afib, but then no matter how irritating I shut them out. They don't stop me doing anything or interrupt anything.)
Also I can go for months without any.(or certainly without noticing) . Not had any for several days or a week as I type this.
My theory on ectopics is that they are partly self generating. If you worry about them too much you get into flight or fight mode, your body generates adrenaline, but you cant run away from your heart nor can you fight it, so that adrenaline adds to your stress which makes the ectopics worse! I am not medically trained , just my observation on me.
It is easy for me to ignore them now as 3 years in they have never developed into anything serious, it was more difficult initially as I was used to looking for problems and it probably took 12 months to shake that off.
Have your ectopics been studied by your medics? If so what is their view, are the harmless PACs or PVCs?
Best wishes
Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed reply. I had loads of ectopics show up on a 14 day monitor- all PACs. My cardiologist didn’t seem at all worried about them and just said I was obviously very conscious of my heartbeat - absolutely true! I didn’t get to the stage where I had the confidence to ignore them, if you see what I mean.
You are welcome. Yes but if you are prone to Afib it is very difficult not to be conscious of your heart beat IMO, but clearly the cardiogists comments indicate he/ she finds that unusual??
However the main thing would be that the cardiogist confirms that the PACs are benign , so as long as you can differentiate between them and AFIB, then there is no need to worry about the ectopics. Which is very important.
However your view is that the ectopics even if harmless are debilitating owing to shortness of breath.
Perhaps you could try the breathing techniques that many people use and see if this alleviates the symptoms ?
I am not expert in this at all.
I actually bought James Nestors book "Breath" several months ago to investigate this but have still not read it!
Perhaps others could advise?
I gave up caffeine as soon as it was apparent I had a cardiac issue. When I was diagnosed with atrial tachycardia and ventricular and supraventricular ectopics it was a no brained for me. No caffeine and only the very occasional glass of red wine or single gin and tonic.
Caffeine is a problem. Bigger problem is I look forward to my daily mid morning cup. For me I have just one cup of coffee a day. Make it a good one, not too strong and savour it. Similarly tea. Drink de caf at night. Green tea and black tea in day time. Green does also contain caffeine but also, if you accept the propaganda other good nutrients not found in black tea.
Ectopics
Ectopics
Ectopics
Ectopics and exercise
