Hi please bare with me first forum of any kind I've ever joined!!
I Have had Afib for over 7 years (on 10mg Bisoprolol since) recently had Second Cardioversion which led to regular Ectopic Heart Beats and slow HR of 29bpm at lowest which led to hospitalisation.
Now off Bisoprolol and After monitoring and further Consultation am now on Flecainide 50mg x3 Daily and Apixaban × 2 daily, have only been taking this medication (Flecainide) for 1 week but have seen no improvement, if anything currently feeling worse with constant Ectopics that can last for over an hour at a time (having constant ectopics as I'm writing this) before going back to sinus rhythm and then the cycle repeats, also bouts of Afib but not as regular,I find that just standing up or changing position in bed can trigger Ectopics.
Just wondering if this is due to the Flcainide taking time to kick in or if its just not going to be effective at all,
Just wondering if anyone else has or is experiencing anything similar or has an advise.
Sabine Ernst ( a top EP in London. ) once told an audience that ectopics were a good thing since they show the heart is trying to go into AF and failing. They are considered benign though many would argue that point. Strangely many people find them more anoying than full AF. Be that as it may you should try the slow deep breathing trick as this is great for terminating ectopics. Use your stomach (diaphragm ) not shoulders and slow your breathing down to six or less breaths a minute for at least five minutes. Longer if you can.
Have tried the breathing exercise , works sometimes but unfortunately when it does work doesn't last,long I know Ectopics and Afib won't kill me but can be very disconcerting and debilitating at times.
But now back on Bisoprolo along with the Flecainide and Apixaban so fingers crossed will kick in soon!!
Probably best to give Flecainide 3 months to let the body adjust. Try humming to reduce ectopics, it stops my 'flutter' type irregularities and my cardiologist gave his approval. I am afraid it is all trial and error as we are all different.
The only time I was aware of etopic beats was when I was taking Flecainide, really strong beats. I know I still get them, evidence on Kardia ECG, but don't feel them.
Don't quote me but as far as I'm aware Flecainide helps control heart rhythm , and Bisoprolo helps suppress Ectopic beats,. Apparently that's why I was having a nightmare with Ectopics , now after 2 doses of bisoprolol can already feel a positive difference, so, so far so good but early days.
It's kind of the other way around. The BBs are rate controllers and the Flecainide is an anti arrhythmic. I know how you feel about ectopics because they can be jolly uncomfortable. I found it took 10 days for my body to settle into Flecainide. I hope you settle too.
Quite right Bisoprolol for HR Control and Ectopics, but alas crossing my fingers did bugger all good!! Ecto's back but way more suppressed and can't feel the pulsing in my neck so getting some sleep now at least, should be used to this after over 7 years but doesn't quite work like that.When I was in periods Persistant AF at least I could adjust to it sort of ish until next Cardioversion, but the random nature of Ecto's is a lot more disconcerting.
Unfortunately AF is like a Demented Lop Eared Puppy, keeps following you around and got it for life.
P s. Thanks for replies and hope you all find some sort of middle ground you can cope with.
We're all different. BBs don't act directly on the heart is my understanding- whereas Diltiazem as a calcium channel.l blocker does. Diltiazem is also a rate controller though.
Beta Blockers do act on the heart to stop the body's reaction to 'flight' adrenaline. CCB stops calcium from entering the heart muscles.
BBs are sometimes used with folks who are anxious. I was reading a book where on first dates and stands the female took a beta blocker to stop her feeling anxious.
When I was diagnosed with essential tremor Mr Simpson Specialist in that field after diagnosing me said, I would prescribe a beta blocker or a glass of red wine before an anxious event. I was playing competitive outdoor bowls.
I do notice that the left hand tremors late afternoon but in the morning much quieter.
There are many different blockers about. Research them and learn the differences for your own interest.
I am not an anxious person. At the PET /CT SCAN I was asked if I wanted a sendative. I said no thanks I want to drive to my hoet and I said let me know when you about to push me in and when you take me out of the barrel. I listened to ELVIS.
Essential Tremor is in my genes although my immediate family did not display my cousin was bad, came from both sides of her parents.
Its all very interesting.
Diltiazem is also an anti-arrhymic med and much safer than Flec....
Welcome to the world of AF, ectopic beats and anxiety!
I think flecainide, if it is going to help, will work immediately. Your dosage might be too low, but that doesn't sound likely given what you report. I have pretty much a similar background to yours with lots of ectopic beats and less frequently, AF. I haven't had a cardio-version but do get spells of bradycardia (not as low as yours - my that likely worried you).
The cause of all our ills is atrial, with some kind of over-excitability in the conducting cells and nerves there. The answer is, I am told, an ablation, but the success of this depends upon where the ectopic "focus" is, I gather. I am on the waiting list for one.
I was prescribed flecainide a few weeks ago but only took it for a day. It worked well for that day but caused me some odd heavy heartbeat like feelings and so I have left it since.
As far as breathing exercises go, they are worth trying but I think these and the "valsalva manoeuvre" help only in specific cases - often tachycardia (SVT). They do nothing for me.
Thanks for your reply Steve,Not a candidate for Ablation or Pacemaker unfortunately due to Left Atrium Volume, so unless some other procedure pops up Meds it is!! Hopefully Flecainide kicks in soon but at least seeing some improvement with Bisoprolol, although was on it long term originally.
Same here with breathing exercises only very short lived fix.
More frustrated these days than anxious, but suppose its all part of the (never ending) AF journey!
Being phlegmatic helps. I could do with being better at that. It’s a hard going life at times. I can add in insomnia to it, which worsens the ectopics.
I hope the flecainide and bisoprolol do the trick sufficiently at any rate. What kind and level of symptoms do you get?
My Symptoms tend to include, fatigue Intermittent breathlessness depending on severity of Ectopics/Afib bouts, (sometimes heart has felt like a golf ball rattling around in a tin can) poor blood flow to extremities (winter a nightmare) periodic visual disturbance and extremely vivid dreams when I finally manage to sleepHopefully though the future will look brighter for all of us as new meds come on line.
An electrophysiologist told me Flecainide can help with AFib but can cause ectopics or make them worse . In my case, the drug made the ectopics worse. I stopped it after 3 days. My ectopics are now controlled by a daily low dose of Metoprolol. I have found that breathing exercises, as described by Bob, can help with ectopics, but Metoprolol has pretty much eliminated them for me.
Welcome to the forum and welcome to our world. It can be a very scary experience getting these symptoms but I to spent 10 days in hospital after unsuccessful ablation and had to get Amiodarone administered through IV to get my heart rate back to regular rhythm. I was also prescribed Bisoprolol along with 200mg oral Amiodarone after the 'leading dose.' Every time I would turn over in bed the ectopic/skipped beats would rear their ugly heads but they were happy that my heart was happy and so I just got used to them as I couldn't and still cannot sleep on my back. Most nights my heart 'thumps' along albeit deafening in my ear and pressure on my throat but usually too tired to keep me awake and perhaps the fact that I no longer panic probably helps but if it lasts for hours I stick on my headphones and listen to my favourite music tracks. I hope you find this forum informative and helpful as we all share our experiences with this condition. Take care.
I have suffered with AF for around 18 years and Flecainide worked for me for around 15 years. I had to come off Flecainide due to mild coronary artery disease.
I then have suffered with Bigeminy and Trigeminy ectopics over the years horrible experience and was always a precursor to going into AF. I was actually glad to go into AF
I have tried various breathing exercises square breathing etc the one that helps me is breath in to the count of four and breath out to the count of four.
My heart rate has always been low around 40 BPM due to being quite athletic and probably overtraining over the years. I have been saying that I had Vagal AF for many years and was eventually put on a drug called disopyromide that has alleviated my symptoms and AF.
Not been in AF for 3 years and ectopics controlled with breathing exercises
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76 years old with A F
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