Lots of ectopics

[Norfolk_spaniel]

Ended up spending most of yesterday in A&E as having lots of ectopics. At times this was one in three heartbeats lasting for up to 3 hours. It was making me feel breathless, dizzy and faint. Blood tests showed that nothing else was wrong apart from these very frequent ectopics. I was eventually sent home and advised to contact my cardiologist on Tuesday. I don't have aalcohol or caffeine and am wondering what else I can do stop these ectopics which have taken over my life.

[BobD Volunteer]

Do the slow deep breathing trick and relax.

[pottypete1]

In addition to the deep breathing technique I found finding a quiet place and listening to or watching a meditation video such as Jason Stephenson in Youtube was very helpful.

Remember that 99.99% of all ectopics whilst being upsetting and annoying are in benign.

Try and chill.

Pete

[HANDY1]

ectopic beats can be caused by alcohol, caffeine, food, stress or they can manifest for no reason whatsoever. Breathing exercises help calm them down. I’ve learned to accept mine. Ectopic are not harmful unless there is some underlying condition that you have. Have a cardiologist check you out and run all the usual tests. If your heart is structurally sound, then what you need to do is learn to accept them and not worry. I know that can be difficult but that’s what you need to do.

[OzJames]

I went for about 4 days with constant ectopics. I too gave alcohol and caffeine a miss as they were my catalysts. I looked back to the night they started to work out what I did different.

In the morning knowing I was going to golf and not wanting to dehydrate as this can bring on AF I started the day with a fresh carrot and apple juice and drank a litre before golf. During golf I drank 2 bottles of Gatorade then after golf I drank a large ginger beer. That night I drank 2 no alcohol wines plus a sorbet desert for wifes birthday.

Essentially I flooded my system with sugar which I'm sure brought on the ectopics. No episodes since as now I drink fresh lemon water with a little salt at golf and occasionally a carrot and celery small juice.

[Ppiman]

I have bouts of this but not persistently for days on end. Mine eventually result in an AF episode. But, goodness - you poor thing. I have found that no amount of meditation or any special manoeuvre does a thing; however, 1.25mg bisoprolol daily is currently helping a great deal. I suppose you are already taking something like that ?

Steve

[Norfolk_spaniel in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I can't tolerate any of the AF medication which is why I had a successful ablation last October. I don't know what can be offered to keep them in check but I'm going to try and get an appointment with my cardiologist. I'm just coming to the end of a 7 day holter test so that will hopefully show what is going on.

[Ppiman in reply to Norfolk_spaniel]

I had in mind you'd written about that before. Sorry I forgot but my morning brain (on holiday on the Suffolk coast today!). Have you tried all of the different drugs? When I had atrial flutter with a fast rate, the only one that worked for me was low dose digoxin.

Steve

[Domino49]

Three years ago I was getting a lot of ectopics whilst waiting for a cardiology appointment to diagnose Afib. I watched the York Cardiologist on Youtube and read his articles on the subject. He said Magnesium Taurate had worked for a lot of his patients. As I was desperate to try anything I ordered some on line …. within a few days the ectopics decreased and finally stopped. Coincidence? I have no idea but three years later I still take it (as well as meds for my now diagnosed Afib) morning and evening and I won’t stop. It’s not cheap but to me it was a lifesaver and it’s worth a try.

Pamela…. hope something helps you.

[bassets]

I take daily magnesium glycinate and it works for me. My Ep said it was a good idea when I last saw him. Give it a try?

[Qualipop]

Right after my last covid booster I started with ectopics like that, felt like about 1 in 3. I'd never had a bout like that. Holter monitor showed 5000 in an 8 hour period ( Then the electrodes fell off) They were both atrial and ventricular. The episode lasted around 3 weeks before slowing down and stopping after 5 weeks. I was extremely tired. Slow deep breathing seemed to help but they did eventually stop and haven't come back.

[Norfolk_spaniel in reply to Qualipop]

Thanks for the reply. Mine started whilst I had covid which was 14 weeks ago. I had the occasional bad day, then more bad days, now every day and more and more frequently during the day. This morning was about every 3rd beat and lasted a couple of hours. I'm breathless whilst I'm having them. I'm trying to get an urgent appointment with my cardiologist as I'm just coming to the end of a 7 day holter test. I'm only 70 so am not eligible for the latest booster.

[Qualipop in reply to Norfolk_spaniel]

Hope you get the holter results quickly. IT certainly sounds like long covid doesn't it? I hope it settles down like mine did. I'm just, by 3 days, old enough to be offered the booster; husband already got his invite. Afraid I'll be refusing it. I didn't realise at first until my BP monitor showed ectopics but as it got worse I felt the same as you.

[Shcldavies]

I had ectopics for a 3 week period last October, Dr did all the tests and thought it was long Covid ( following my second Covid infection 3 months earlier). Did not believe her at the time but Dr was right, apparently you can get Covid with mild syptoms then be fully fit for months then it can come back and bite you again in so many different ways.

[healingharpist]

This is an odd tip, but I discovered, while having persistent ectopics, that if I leaned over to pick something up, and paused in the leaning over position, the ectopics stopped. I then just tried leaning forward slightly, while seated--as you might while working at the computer--and that, too, stopped them. Some people get triggered by bending over, but I am the opposite! May be worth trying, as the mechanics and positioning of the body can, at times, affect AF and ectopics. Also, doing slow deep breathing as BobD suggests, and pursing your lips so you do a very slow exhale, has stopped my ectopics on many occasions. Give that a try. Hoping the best for you. You are not alone! Diane S.