Flutters/Ectopics taking breath away

Hi guys, been a couple of months since I last posted, so I have a couple of questions.

Any of you ever find your breath taken away by particularly strong flutters or ectopics, and get a 'rush of blood' feeling to the head?

I was having a lot of rhythm problems in the last few months, and despite having been taking magnesium, taurine and L-arginine for 18 months, it was getting increasingly worse (i.e. more activity, albeit no atrial fibrillation).

So I packed the supplements in for a month or so, planning to see how I got on. With the help of Jackie, I found a supplement (magnesium) that I planned to start taking again if that didn't work out.

Anyway, last night was the worst night yet. Genuinely felt as if my heart was slowing down after each ectopic/flutter, to the point where it almost went under 60. Was beating very shallowly at times, almost 'going through the motions'. Each ectopic/flutter was hard, forceful and the pauses were between 1-1.4 seconds. Which probably doesn't sound long to some of you guys, but it feels like a life-time. I also noticed that my sinuses suddenly became very clear and I had an odd scent in my nostrils. Almost metalic.

It's unsettling me massively now, I'm struggling to sleep and then can't function the next day, heart plays up more, can't sleep the next day, and so on.

I'm attaching an ECG over 60 seconds that I recorded with my Kardia. There's a couple of strange readings on there, just after each 'pause' that I can not identify.

Not really looking for solutions, just a bit of advice or guidance on whether this is something to be concerned about. I was meant to have a week-long tape fitted last month but had to cancel due to a Covid outbreak at the hospital where it was to be fitted. I should've just gone ahead with it now, as I'm currently working on Covid-19 trials at work anyway! ha.

Friday Night ECG - 4 image split

Looks to me like those pauses you're feeling aren't really pauses -- they're PVCs. Uncomfortable, no doubt, but nothing to be alarmed about. The recording is also very noisy. Were you sitting and relaxed when you took it? Were you near a laptop or PC, or a large appliance like a refrigerator or something?

Yeah, I know, they just feel like pauses due to what feels like a heck of a long wait for my heart to beat again.

No, I was just sitting up in bed. Had a lot of activity so I was determined to try and catch some of it for a change.

Only thing in the room is an xbox and TV, birth were off.

I've had the "breathless" feeling, but not to the degree you are describing. I figure it has something to do with my Afib.

As far as the head rush, I've had those - thankfully few and far between. However, had one this morning. It's very unnerving. I'm telling myself that it is anxiety. With all the Covid news on 24/7, I think it's causing a lot of stress with people. Also, I was concentrating on something on the computer screen and I don't think I was breathing properly

Yeah, there is absolutely zero doubt that anxiety over this situation (and my own situation) is playing a role but my heart activity is certainly ramping up to previously unknown levels.

I'm at a point now where I wonder whether the ablation a few years ago was a bad idea. Prior to that, I had 2-3 episodes of afib that were traceable to something I'd done the previous days. Now I can't pinpoint any cause at all. It's scary and frustrating.

Should point out that I'm currently taking omeprazole for IBS, I find I get a lot of bloating and gas that accompanies the ectopics for the most part, but that tends to follow the ectopics, rather than cause them. Also, take BP meds and recently starting taking full spectrum enzymes in the hopes that that will help with my stomach probs.

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DavrosT
I'm at a point now where I wonder whether the ablation a few years ago was a bad idea.

More likely things would be worse for you now had you not.

Perhaps so. But prior to that I'd had 3 episodes of afib in 12 months. Since then I've had increasingly worsening activity (that's not afib) but has been even more disruptive.

Guess I'll never know.

Davros -

There are many positive, beneficial effects from L-arginine. However, a number of years ago, I recall reading about potential L-arginine side effects. Undoubtedly, it depends on how much you are taking as well as whether you have healthy kidney function (as reflected by lab tests).

The indication was that L-arginine can cause high potassium levels. As we know, high potassium levels (when magnesium levels are sub-optimal) can cause shortening of the refractory period or the time between beats.

The benefit of taking arginine to lower blood pressure is well known but there is a caveat indicating one should be cautious about taking it with ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics (ACE inhibitors) which can also increase potassium levels.…so that apparently, was the connection that also led to the observation of the irregular heartbeats.

You might want to consider lowering your L-arginine dose considerably (or stopping) to see if your ectopic activity is less or is eliminated completely.

Jackie

I was having PVCs for several months ...non stop....and I was taking magnesium taurate consistently . I could not feel the premature heart beats, but they showed up constantly on my blood pressure machine and in my cardiologist's office. He ordered an echo which showed no other problem, but confirmed the constant PVCs. I was reading in another a-fib forum about someone who had solved the problem by switching his magnesium supplement to PHYSICIAN'S CHOICE MAGNESIUM BISGLYCINATE CHELATE which is on Amazon. I ordered it , thinking it would be worth a try, and much to my happy surprise, it worked for me! After taking it only a few days. I stopped having the premature beats. That was a couple of months ago and I have not had any premature beats show up on my blood pressure machine since then. It has definitely worked for for me and possibly it could help others. I realize that what works for one may not work for another...but I am so happy to have found this.

Quote
Jackie
Davros -

There are many positive, beneficial effects from L-arginine. However, a number of years ago, I recall reading about potential L-arginine side effects. Undoubtedly, it depends on how much you are taking as well as whether you have healthy kidney function (as reflected by lab tests).

The indication was that L-arginine can cause high potassium levels. As we know, high potassium levels (when magnesium levels are sub-optimal) can cause shortening of the refractory period or the time between beats.

The benefit of taking arginine to lower blood pressure is well known but there is a caveat indicating one should be cautious about taking it with ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics (ACE inhibitors) which can also increase potassium levels.…so that apparently, was the connection that also led to the observation of the irregular heartbeats.

You might want to consider lowering your L-arginine dose considerably (or stopping) to see if your ectopic activity is less or is eliminated completely.

Jackie

Hi Jackie, thanks.

Unfortunately, I stopped all supplements about a month ago. Started up just magnesium about 10 days ago and had no benefits so far.

The ectopics are getting so bad now that I feel like there's a pulse in my head every time I get one. And I'm getting lots right now.Pulse in my head, take my breath away, becoming very uncomfortable.

I'm really running out of ideas and feeling quite desperate.I was wondering whether it could be BP, but that's under control with ramipril. Thinking it could be a circulation problem, considering I have pins and needless in my hands and feet a lot, when I get too hot or over-exert myself. Getting dizziness/vertigo type feeling at times too.

Sorry to go on. Coupled with my other health issues, this really feels like it's piling on at present.

Quote
JustMeToo
I was having PVCs for several months ...non stop....and I was taking magnesium taurate consistently . I could not feel the premature heart beats, but they showed up constantly on my blood pressure machine and in my cardiologist's office. He ordered an echo which showed no other problem, but confirmed the constant PVCs. I was reading in another a-fib forum about someone who had solved the problem by switching his magnesium supplement to PHYSICIAN'S CHOICE MAGNESIUM BISGLYCINATE CHELATE which is on Amazon. I ordered it , thinking it would be worth a try, and much to my happy surprise, it worked for me! After taking it only a few days. I stopped having the premature beats. That was a couple of months ago and I have not had any premature beats show up on my blood pressure machine since then. It has definitely worked for for me and possibly it could help others. I realize that what works for one may not work for another...but I am so happy to have found this.

Thank you. I'm getting that desperate now that I may try anything.

They're really compounding all of my health problems and making things many many times worse.