Ectopics regularity

[OzJames]

hi everyone my first Cardioversion was September for AF then mid December another for A Flutter. I’ve been on 12.5mg Metopropol twice a day since December.

Last week I started getting regular ectopics I think brought on by drinking 2 Gatorade’s during golf then a ginger beer after then went out for my wife’s birthday dinner and drank 2 zero alcohol drinks.

The Cardiologist put a 48 hour Holter on me and just met to discuss, he was running late so I felt I had about 10 minutes with him, results showed Ectopics throughout the 2 days quite regularly with some breaks. Not sure what that means?

He suggested going on Sotalol for 6 months to see if we can eliminate the ectopics. I said I wasn’t keen and for the last 2 days since I removed Holter I’ve felt great and checked my pulse about 20 times each day and not noticed ectopic beats. He said I would need to check for more than a minute a time. He’s happy for me to stay on Metopropol if I preferred instead of Sotalol.

BTW he didn’t check pulse or listen to my heart today. It’s the first time I’ve seen him so rushed. I need to ask him some questions and receptionist suggested sending email which she would pass on.

Do ectopics settle down to zero or do we get a lot throughout each day, I have read they can also flip you into AF.

Is there a better way to measure them rather than my pulse? I’m a little disappointed I was hoping to go off the Metopropol today. Sorry to vent…..

[CDreamer]

Tricky things ectopics but mostly considered benign so unless you are very symptomatic with them, they are not treated. I suffered them for a few months following ablation but they eventually settled.

If I were you I’d cut the all of the cold fizzy drinks, stick to plain water for at least a week and if they lessen or settle - you have your answer of what is triggering them. For me it was bending or doing certain yoga poses or twisting (golf swing?) or after eating carbs. I lived like a nun for a few months, avoided all carbs such bread (the worst), breakfast cereal, cake & biscuits - never had any ectopics since & now eat & drink what I want but restrict to very occasional ginger beer or lager, wine still disagrees apart from champage. 🤷‍♂️

My experiences were ectopics were sometimes a pre cursor to AF but I experienced more converting back to NSR.

Hope that helps.

[OzJames in reply to CDreamer]

thanks for reply he just worried me saying they were consistent over the 48 hour holter. I guess I should have asked how many. I told him I felt better after the Holter came off for the last 2 days but he still suggested going onto Solotol. Anyway I like your idea stick to water for an while and see what happens. I remembered I’ve also been drinking about 800ml of watermelon apple and strawberry juice daily as well thinking I’m building up electrolytes. I stopped a couple of days ago so hopefully keep improving

[CDreamer in reply to OzJames]

a lot of sugar there……

[OzJames in reply to CDreamer]

I’ve pulled right back now and feel better and also I just remembered I’d been taking protein powder for a few days before ectopics became abundant as I’d lost some kilo’s in weight after eating less. I’d felt at meal time if I ate too much or too quickly then I felt some pounding in my chest. I’ve stopped the protein powder as well

[mollie2shoes]

If prior to these recent episodes you were keeping well and no ectopics, I would stick with your current medication. My experience of Sotalol was, brilliant when I was first prescribed it, beat everything else I had had, but, I was taking it for many, many years and eventually it caused heart failure due to such a slow heart rate. I suffered with oedema and incredible shortness of breath. I live in Spain and was so fortunate to find a Dr who understood what I was saying...I was admitted to hospital all drugs stopped and new ones commenced -Bisoprolol - I am now as well as I have ever been. I have had cardiac surgery x3 and also have Bronchiectasis which really does not help. Stay with what you know if it keeps you well.

[OzJames in reply to mollie2shoes]

thanks Mollie I’m starting to think that way. My meet with Cardio was only 10 mins. I’ll send him an email. I’d like to go off the low dose 12.5mg of Metoprolol as my resting HR is about 58. Typically when I'm in AF at rest it’s about 85. So when im not in AF or any drugs it’s about 65-70 so I query what is it doing for me as currently not in AF.