Ectopic beats , 7yrs after rf ablation

[Runcrans]

Hi all , I've been good now for around 7yrs after rf ablation , got on with life running, gym , all good , so this week I felt tight in my chest with a few thumps checked my pulse and there's ectopic beats , pulse is fine , blood pressure fine , attended a&e they picked up the ectopic on ecg , did bloods all good , referred me to cardiologist , what should I expect next ? , I feel fine just anxious allover again many thanks Paul

[BobD Volunteer]

Exctopic beats are a natural function of a normal healthy heart and considered benign so be warned they may not want to treat them. (limited options anyway) Anxiety feeds them of course so best try to gnore them, do the slow deep diaphragmic breathing exercises stay well hydrated and don't push yourself too hard.

[Runcrans in reply to BobD]

hi Bob, thank you ,I've laid off the running today , I' just wonder how long I've been having them unnoticed , I feel fine outwardly ,the last time I was at the cardiologist 7 years ago he did tell me to ignore them and stop checking my pulse as I was obsessed with it, every little bump fed the anxiety which I struggle with anyway , I was ablated pulmonary veins and roof line in one go 7/8 years ago now ,thanks again Bob

[ETHEL103 in reply to Runcrans]

Hi I'm going through this exactly.Flutter ablation last May now slow heart rate has caused ectopics.This happened before I went into flutter in 2020.Im constantly pulse checking after every lurch anxiety ,blood pressure through the roof.Sadly the deep breathing doesn't seems to help as it slows hr even more

In the forties at night,resting watching TV 49 to 50.

[Runcrans in reply to ETHEL103]

Hi , my cardiologist told me not to get hung up on checking my pulse all the time as this led to my anxiety , he said go on how I'm feeling instead as I'd know if there was a problem , hope you get sorted soon . Cheers paul

[pottypete1]

Whilst I understand it is difficult to not be anxious I agree with BobD .

I have found that however difficult it is ignoring ectopic beats is the best course of action this way the anxiety is reduced. There is no doubt in my mind that anxiety is a major contributor to ectopic episodes and AF.

Pete

[Runcrans in reply to pottypete1]

Thank you , im just worried I may be having more thans ok to be having , I also have a dull ache in my chest which I put down to the anxiety , but I'm a overthinker so tie myself up in knots . Thanks again

[etheral]

If you're getting the tightness or dull ache in your chest after or during exertion, I would recommend ruling out coronary artery disease. The simplest least invasive test would be a stress Echocardiogram which if positive or equivocal would have to be followed up with an angiogram. Best, etheral

[Runcrans in reply to etheral]

Hi there , I'm ok when I'm exercising or working , I just seem to feel the beats and funny achy feeling when I'm sat relaxing at the minute only been this last few days I've noticed it , thank you paul

[Blondie12345 in reply to Runcrans]

im also experiencing this

[KMRobbo]

I agree with BobD. I developed a lot of ectopics that went on sometimes for days at a time, and this was over 8 months after my successful PVI. Eventually a few months later after serveral attacks and me continuing my running and nothing bad happening , I decided that they were harmless and just decided to ingore them and the more I ignored them the less they were. I think worrying about them was making them worse. 5 years later I still get them. Sometimes for no reason , but if i have a bug, they also start. I have noticed on occasions I notice more ectopics and then a day later, I come down with a sore throat or a cold. For all I know it was always like this, but before AFib and becoming so heart sensitive, I never noticed!

Best wishes

[Runcrans in reply to KMRobbo]

Hi there , yes my ablation was 7years ago I did have ectopics for a few months then sempt to settle or I didn't notice because cardiologist told me to stop checking my pulse, thank you for your reply ,cheers Paul

[Ppiman]

If they are only ectopics, it will likely depend how often you get them and what they call your "ectopic load". Generally, they are called "benign" as they don't cause long term harm. I guess they will carry out an ultrasound (echo) to look at the heart's function and structure, too.

Steve

[Runcrans in reply to Ppiman]

Hi , I don't seem to get any symptoms from them although I've been feeling tired more recently , hope they investigate rather than pushing it aside, cheers paul

[Ppiman in reply to Runcrans]

Yes - often, all some of us need is the peace of mind that comes from knowing things are “okay”. Sadly, thanks to the current state of the NHS, some now choose to pay for private treatment. I think with a consultation and an echo you’d be paying about £750.

[Runcrans in reply to Ppiman]

Wow thats a fare bit of money for probably 10 15 mins 😳 , thank you , I suppose its an option if things get too bad .

[Ppiman in reply to Runcrans]

An echocardiogram is a very useful thing to have, I gather, and especially to have it repeated after a couple of years to see for any changes.

Steve

[SeanJax]

I concur with Etheral . Tigh chest pain needs to be investigated. Ectopics happened to all of us , afibers, with different frequencies. Afibers are above 50 years old in general. With our diet full of fat, carbs and processed food, almost everyone has plaques to some extent. Chest pain starts to manifest when blockages reach 70% of the coronary arteries. Stress test echo, and cat scan or mri angiogram and you will go from there. People think they don’t have blockages because they don’t have chest pain but plaques are there. Ectopics cause anxiety because we lack of oxygen and it is normal physiological reaction. I use magnesium and coconut water when it happens to me and it is gone after an hour.

Focus on CAD first since it is life threatening disease. Ectopics are not big deal. People talk a lot about ectopics because of their anxiety.

[Runcrans in reply to SeanJax]

Hi there , I had afib at 46 year old , rf ablation 7/8 years ago now , I'm a runner only 1x 10k a week now and gym goer 3 x a week, been plant based 4 years and take magnesium , I'm very lean . Maybe I had a little too much chocolate and treats over Christmas 😳 , I've tried my very best since ablation as it scared the life out of me , reduced my running was running 10k every other day , hopefully things will settle and I'll get a few more good years doing what I enjoy , thanks for your reply 😊

[Blondie12345 in reply to Runcrans]

i think running caused my flutters

[Runcrans in reply to SeanJax]

Hopefully the cardiologist may run some tests 🙏

[SeanJax]

you have to be your own advocate. I would go in this order: CT heart with calcium score but it does not detect soft plaques, heart echo before stress test and echo again after stress test and depending on the results go with cat scan or mri angiogram. Since you are with NHS go for all of them . In the States we need to have approval for each test. If we ask too many tests we are in trouble with insurance pretty quick. If you are on statins, calcium score test is not covered. On the other hand once approval done we can schedule the test in a week max since CAD is a life threatening disease. Both diseases CAD and Afib promote the progression of the other and each is the cause and consequence of the other. I call it double whammy and vicious cycle. So we need to take both conditions strictly under control.

[Runcrans in reply to SeanJax]

Hi , a lot to take in here I think , I will ask for the tests when I get to see a cardiologist , but the NHS is under a lot of stress at the moment with most departments overstretched, I've had great care from them in the past so fingers crossed 🤞 I will get it again, thank you for your reply .