palpitations and exercise - do I ignore the palpitations and ectopics?

[Rhiannonimity1]

Hello again. I have episodes of AF ranging from 1 yr to two weeks apart. This has been going on for many years now. Gradually And almost subconsciously I have stopped sudden movement. Even though I’m in SR if I climb the stairs or move too quickly I will get a 20 second palpitation followed by ectopics. I think it is down to movement of gas in the body. Everything I do I do slowly - but it has reached a point where walking round town or deliberate walking as I call it, rather than pootling round the home or The supermarket causes my heart to get excited in this way. My levels of walking fitness are now shockingly low - although I do gardening every day. Upper body movement doesn’t affect it. Should I force myself to walk through the palpitations or should I stick to pootling and have an unexcited heart? Thanks everyone.

[BobD Volunteer]

Maybe better to sort out some treatment that helps and try to live a more normal life.

You don't say what drugs you take or what your doctors have said so hard to suggest anything else.

[Rhiannonimity1 in reply to BobD]

hi Bob. I’m on 5mg bisoprolol per day with the option of 10 mg if I want. I have just been taken off flecainide because they have said it doesn’t work . I am not on ACs as chadsvasc too low. I havent seen my EP or their team in just over a year . They cannot offer me any other drugs and I have been on the waiting list for an ablation now for over two years. Had a previous conversation with EP about this who said hopefully it would calm down. It did, but the excitability comes back if I excercise.

[jeanjeannie50]

Perhaps you should explain this to your GP and ask if you can have an exercise stress test, to see just what your heart is doing when you exert yourself.

Jean

[secondtry]

Flecainide 100gms didn't work for me so cardiologist offered ablation, I countered with can we try 200mgs Flec (medium dose) , which has worked for 9+ years.

Avoiding sudden movement & pootling - in the early days after first diagnosis, I was similar. I walked short distances slowly with no uphill as I felt AF might otherwise start. Looking back I am not sure why this was but suspect it was Vagus Nerve related triggered by the brain due to high levels of anxiety. Over time I became absolutely fine and can do what I like now.

[Ppiman]

I asked this very question to the cardiologist I was seeing and was told to just carry on. I even get mild chest discomfort during some exercise and, similarly, was told to just press on. However, this was told to me after an echo and MRI scans. so they might have helped in the advice given.

In your case, I think only your doctor can advise you, since they know the cause of the palpitations and ectopics. By palpitations, by the way, do you mean slight heart racing and by ectopics, do you mean the missed (i.e. premature, heavy) beats?

Steve

[Rhiannonimity1 in reply to Ppiman]

yes- that is what I mean by palpitations and ectopics. I find that the gps won’t comment and £250 to see my EP to ask the question seems over the top. I am hoping that if I can stay out of AF it will calm down. I have just been taken off flecainide but I wonder if it was working to calm the excitability?

[Ppiman in reply to Rhiannonimity1]

The GP didn't carry out the tests and lacks the background that the cardiologist has (and even there, there's as much art as science, sometimes, I feel).

Essentially, though, the AF won't change anything whatever you do as its the ventricles that are in action supplying the oxygen, so it is the strength of the ventricles (and the quality of the blood coming in from the lungs) that determines whether you can carry on regardless, or feel to tired, and so on. Ectopics and a mild racing, in themselves, can't cause harm, either. The problem with them is that they lower the output of the heart by some amount, and this could lead to tiredness, breathlessness or even, I suppose, extra pressure on the heart muscle itself and mild angina? The last one is a guess and will depend upon other factors.

Steve

[Rhiannonimity1]

thank you. It is good to know this works for you. I am hopeful that I can get a longer break between episodes, which willlet me see if things calm down.

[ian16527]

I am the opposite.

Legs work fine, upper body work makes me feel sweaty and sometimes go pale. If I overwork myself, i.e heavy lifting or pulling then I can be sure of an AF attack within 24 hours