Ectopic beats: Dear all, I have been... - British Heart Fou...

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Ectopic beats

Jonno34 profile image
20 Replies

Dear all,

I have been diagnosed with EBs. I was first diagnosed about a year ago after having a Holter monitor. They disappeared but recently came, went and came back again. Oddly a new holter test showed less beats than previously. A normal day starts off feeling normal, I often go for a run or to the gym then sometime in the afternoon I get the dreaded chest flutters, my bp does funny things including going low but never high (am quite fit for 57), I often get a headache too.

There does not seem to be an obvious trigger but sometimes lunch in general may kick it off. I am not sure if this is just carb related of if it may be a allergen.

Has anyone had any experience of triggers as it does not seem to be anything I can pin it on.

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Jonno34 profile image
Jonno34
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20 Replies
Johnbobby profile image
Johnbobby

My biggest trigger is stress. Anytime i’m having a stressful day i can count on getting one or two ectopics. Also, if i’ve had a heavy meal i’ll sometimes get a few ectopics. Something to do with the vagus nerve i believe.

Things known and medically recognised to be able to trigger or increase the frequency of ectopics:

Caffeine

Ginger

Dark chocolate

White chocolate

Certain prescribed medications (including but not limited to pseudoephedrine found in cold and cough remedies, some asthma inhalers, adrenaline based substances like lidocaine)

Recreational drugs

Alcohol

Nicotine

Stress

Anxiety

Insufficient and/or disturbed sleep

In addition, some people find spicy food has an impact, and there is a link with the vagus nerve running from the stomach to the heart and brain, so some people find that eating generally can trigger them. Exercise can go either way, with some people finding regular exercise massively reduces the frequency, others finding it either doesn’t help or occasionally triggers it. The reality, though, is that for some people, there are no specific triggers, it’s just ‘one of those things’. I have an arrhythmia triggered by ectopic beats, so the aim of treatment is to reduce them as much as possible, and even with medication and having excluded the things that I know set me off, I still have both PVEs and PACs every day.

Smileyian profile image
Smileyian in reply to

Haha..... I am much the same Charlie. Sometimes I go days with every 8th or 10th beat an ectopic. Yes they can indeed trigger arrhythmia - more often atrial tachycardia.

in reply to Smileyian

Good ol’ SVT over here. Have managed to avoid having a single episode in the last 6 years by staying away from my known triggers and taking my meds. Before excluding stuff, I was having 2 or 3 episodes a month on average for almost 5 years, sometimes 2 or 3 a week. Doesn’t work for everyone, but I always think you’ve got absolutely nothing to lose in trying. Except for your morning cuppa in a lot of cases 😬😂

Smileyian profile image
Smileyian in reply to

Big smile. After 40 years of trying and now 77, I just accept them. 15 years with added Afib, 2 cardioversions and 2 cardiac ablations, now glad to be rid of Afib but ectopics soldier on 😀

StillDavid profile image
StillDavid in reply to

Got to say, since I switched to no sugar and decaf tea and coffee my ectopics are halved.

Smileyian profile image
Smileyian

I have had EBs for 40 years but after many tests, no known specific triggers but suspect strong cheddar and expresso. Come and go at their own will.

HANDY1 profile image
HANDY1 in reply to Smileyian

I'm like you. My ectopics are all over the place. No rhythm or reason. No specific triggers. Anytime. I've grown tired of trying to figure them out.

fannief profile image
fannief

Do regular ectopic damage your heart over time? I have had them for a while but they have got progressively worse over the last year so now just started low dose bisoprolol (which actually seems to be making it worse). I can live with it if they are not damaging. I didn’t know there could be triggers, although mine are definitely worse with stress ( but that is a viscous circle as the stress causes the EB’s but then the EB’s worry me so more stressed!!) I need to find a way to break the cycle! I didn’t know about the possible food triggers so that is very useful.

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply to fannief

Yes Bisoprolol seems to make a lot of peoples worse and gave me arrhythmia I didn’t have before . Gone since I started atenolol and still gone now am in last stages of weaning off that . May be worth asking for another bb that doesn’t cross blood brain barrier . Take care

Smileyian profile image
Smileyian in reply to fannief

The direct answer Fannief is no they do not damage the heart muscle on their own. However if you have coronary co morbidities causing EPs that may be different.

DanniC88 profile image
DanniC88

Hi Jonno34Its hard to find the trigger. Ive had 2 7 day holter monitors, an echo, an ETT stress test and an MRI last week.

Mine developed in pregnanacy last year for no reason. When i exercise im fine but they happen randomly. I feel its a combination of stress, lack of sleep etc.

I up my water intake which helps and i do get a few less when i dont eat crap,

I take bisoprolol but it doesnt help the ectopics much.

Jonno34 profile image
Jonno34

Thanks for all the replies. I don't think stress is an issue. Had a couple of mince pies the other day....no effect, had 2 yesterday and felt crap after. BP all over the place low and headaches. I am normally OK in the mornings and run 5 or 10 k without issue. Oddly having a beer seems to calm them (depressant?) however I do not want to start down that slope, it may be slippery! I am cautious with caffiene however do not think that is an issue, "white carbs" are favourite at the moment.

in reply to Jonno34

Worth remembering, though, you may only be aware of some of your ectopics, not necessarily all of them: just because you don’t feel them doesn’t mean you’re not having any.

istimewa profile image
istimewa

I have only had a couple of episodes of ectopics, and I noticed they occurred after I had eaten lunch too. I know they are ectopics as I have the use of the AliveCor Kardia Mobile device which shows the occasional premature beat and the occassional delayed beat. And like you, I felt unwell, a little pressure on my sternum, weak and slight headache. Those 2 occasions lasted an hour before sinus rhythm came back and I instantly felt better again. They haven't reoccurred. thank goodness

Trevor29 profile image
Trevor29

Hi Jonno. I have recently been reading up Polyvagal theory as a treatment for anxiety. This was recommended to me by an NHS counsellor. It relates to the Vagus nerve which runs the length of the body and plays a significant role in the heart. I came across a section which described how Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) can help with tachycardia and AF. This can be done via a chest implant but you can have a go yourself using simple techniques. I get ectopic beats and it has helped me and certainly won’t do you any harm. I know this sounds a bit crank like but give it a go. Hold your breath for 20 to 60 seconds; dip your face in cold water; clench your stomach muscles as if you are on the toilet (!) I know this all sounds a bit odd but do some reading and give it a go. Good luck!

DanniC88 profile image
DanniC88 in reply to Trevor29

I could see this being great fun if you happen to be in a Tesco washroom and you need to do this. Imagine the looks 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Smileyian profile image
Smileyian in reply to DanniC88

Hahahaha......

DanniC88 profile image
DanniC88

Ive read somewhere that heart health can be linked with digestion. Please dont quote me on this i read it somewhere breifly a long time ago so i dont know how much truth is in it ( I would be interested to know actually if anyone does have any information)And CharlieG is right you dont feel them all. My holter monitor picked up loads in my sleep and they didnt wake me so i was unaware they were happening. Even when awake and minding my own business a cheeky little extra beat chimes in without so much as a hello because i didnt know it was happening until they told me.

Jonno34 profile image
Jonno34

Is there a phone App that can be used with a Chest strap like a wahoo Tickr that can show what is going on?

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