Ectopics.. SVT.. No drugs

[KRG13]

Hi all! I had my visit to the cardiologist yesterday. When he manually checked my pulse, he found it irregular and asked me to get an ECG and 2d Echo. The ECGs I had taken at home show missed ectopics frequently and tachy and Brady at times. The hospital ECG was clear though. The cardiologist did notice the ectopics while listening to the heart in the 2d echo. He mentioned the irregularity in the rhythm was rather evident.

After speaking with my EP doc though, they decided to keep me on wait and watch. I don't tolerate drugs well.. be it beta blockers, ivabradine or antiarrhythmics. As I am keenly aware of my own rhythm changes and can take a good ecg reading at home.. and as the tachy episodes are spaced out to about once a week, they think its safer not to ablate right away. Being the Sinus node, ablation is still being kept as the last resort. I wonder if playing it conservatively is actually better.. coz if I push for ablation, they'll agree in a minute. I'm just not sure what I should be pushing for..

They're both (cardiologist and electrophysiologist) very approachable and see any ecg readings I take within the hour and revert..which is very comforting.

Am I right in trying to find my own triggers and waiting.. or is ablation a better way ahead?

[meadfoot]

It has to be your choice and given you have approachable and supportive EP and cardiologist you are in very good hands. Oh for quick responses like you appear to have when submitting ecgs, mine seem to go into nowhere as it takes weeks to get a response.

I would continue to work in partnership with my medics if I were you, if they feel an ablation is your best course they will make it very clear but given they aren't saying that then perhaps a watch and wait approach is the right approach for now. Think it through carefully, your decision will become clear then. Best wishes.

[KRG13 in reply to meadfoot]

Hi.. thanks for your reply. Yes, I think you're right in saying that they will decide when an ablation becomes the best option for me. I guess I am lucky to have such supportive docs.. being some of the finest in the country, I think leaving it to them is my best bet

[Shcldavies]

Some decisions are made on very small margines, no one knows what will be best for you but the Docs are in the best position to make the best risk assessment of your particular case.

[Ernest76]

Completely eliminate alchohol and caffeine

Avoid heavily spiced foods which put the digestive system under pressure which is a direct link to the heart via the Vagus nerve.

Self monitoring using Alivecor is an effective and simple way to get recorded ECG via email to your GP and Consultant. Cost of device is about £100 and it works on most modern android and apple devices.

Best wishes

[MinnieMinnie]

Watch this video, changed life for me. I am totally off beta blockers and all medications. In short words - take away triggers - coffee, alchocol, stress. Take Holy Basil. Take potassium. Take magnesium taurate. This worked like miracle. I would postpone ablation until last resort really. youtube.com/watch?v=Cp3OQO6...(Not working as expected?)

[Niki_ in reply to MinnieMinnie]

Thank you for posting this

[BRHow]

Get the ablation. It’s a quick and simple procedure. Time flies and before you even know it a couple of months have passed and you are totally normal. My Ablation was a success. I wish I had never waited and got it 10 years ago rather than a few months ago.

[Hidden]

I have the same problem, it’s the ectopics that get me down.

[avma]

Hi,

You mention your sinus node. Is it too close to the sinus node that you are afraid of the ablation being done?