Something new for me

Paroxysmal Afib, approximately 6+ years, 2 CCV's-- one index and one along the way, non-ablated, prescribed flecainide & eliquis, have used extra flea as a PIP on occasion with good results. For the past several weeks I have been experiencing what Kardia determines to be NSR with Supraventricular Ectopy Drop in and out but mostly in for a good portion of the day. Many are determined to be Unclassified which may be because of how many extra beats occur during a 30 second graph. BPM's are in the 50/60 range and I have always been Bradicardic. Other than feeling "unwell" I don't seem to have any other symptoms. Golf a couple times a week and days when I don't will take an early morning 3 mile walk (avg 19 min miles). Walk the dog another 1 1/2 miles in the evening but at a much slower pace. Feel best when I am up and around and "worse" when sitting or reclining. Feel ok laying on my stomach in bed. Ok getting around to my question...Can't get in to see the EP for another two months. He doesn't typically utilize Kardia results. Thought of going to the walk-in clinic just to get an ekg on record but no telling if I will be "ectopic" during my visit. Plus they may just tell me to go to the ER which probably won't do any good. Finally a Q...Is there anything I can do in the interim? I don't take any supplements etc. Will using the flecainide PIP possibly work for these SVEs? Also, perhaps looking toward the future, do CCVs do much for the SVEs which the Kardia detects as they would do for Afib? Thanks.

About the only other consideration that pops up for me, an observer, would be if you have the correct levels of metabolites and minerals/ions. For example, so many of us run short on magnesium it isn't funny. Further, the way the levels are determined routinely across he globe don't really yield a veridical assessment of your tissue levels, just what's available in your blood. You'll get comments from at least one member here about his journey determining how to ingest enough for his system to feel well. He has controlled his AF wonderfully by taking copious quantities of Mg daily.

An echo-cardiogram might show something, or even an angiogram. While you're in NSR, but still apparently feeling unwell at a low grade, and apparently in some ectopy, you might be skirting an infarction due to atherosclerosis....unless that has already been put to bed for you?

If it's in the cards at all for you, it wouldn't hurt to get a Doppler ultrasound of your carotid arteries. If it turns out you have heart disease, and let's face it, who doesn't, it would be instructive to find out the extent of any blockages north of your aorta. I say this because while we're watching one ball, another clips us behind the ears that we don't see coming.

I'm having a brain fart and can't figure out what CCVs are....cardioversions? They're like the prescribed medications here and there: they work for now, then less and less, until they simply don't work any more. On to another drug or regimen.

It's small spuds, but I was fortunate to have an EP who accepted the downloaded ECG from my Samsung Galaxy 4 watch. He took one look at it and could see that, his handiwork three months earlier notwithstanding, I was indeed back in full-blown AF. Based on that slim evidence, he called me personally and we chatted. He agreed to try again, and this time I think he gritted his teeth a bit more and got 'er done. My overarching point in this paragraph would be to slip in your Kardia's readout when you see him, if you see him, and ask him about his reluctance to accept its evidence. If you, and some others, convince him to at least base more diagnostics on what they show, he may eventually feel more comfortable accepting them, which would be a boon to a great many other sufferers. Just a thought.

Meant to use ECV for electro cardio version. My previous EP, who moved, accepted the Kardias without hesitation. We even did a few tele-health conferences based on them. You gave me lots of good ideas. Difficulty is getting a Dr appt that isn’t months in the future. Something we all face I’m sure. But I’ll work on that and use some of your suggestions as talking points. I like my current EP but he is very business-like and swamped. Thanks

PS. Veridical….my new word of the day.

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Mark
swamped.

They are all swamped lately. My primary is now 3+ months out. Just got a January appt.

A lot of MDs retired in the pandemic and there are still a lot of people having complications due to covid and the "thing".

I took the "thing" just the initial 2 shots but wouldn't take it again.

I have had six in total, the original and five boosters. The last was early July. And I have AF...or did until my last ablation.

I've had five in total and plan to go for #6 next week. I know the risks and the stats, and that's all I need to know. COVID can be far worse than afib and the vaccines simply work. In fact, they work far better with fewer side effects than anyone would have predicted in 2020.

And even if vaccinated, long COVID is still possible (unlikely but possible). I know a guy who had long COVID. He was out of work for a full year, so no thank you. Afib never prevented me from working and I had it for 15 years.

@KingFizzy, I'm assuming you mean the COVID vaccine when you say "the thing." It's perfectly fine to discuss COVID and the vaccine in this forum as long as it's related to afib or other arrhythmias. It's just not okay in the General Health forum because it became a disruptive magnet for anti-vax propaganda, conspiracy theorists, and pseudoscience.

I have been in the the Kardia “Supraventricular Ectopy” for about 24 hours now with resting bpm in the 50/60s. Would I likely be prescribed a calcium channel blocker?

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Mark
I have been in the the Kardia “Supraventricular Ectopy” for about 24 hours now with resting bpm in the 50/60s. Would I likely be prescribed a calcium channel blocker?

Maybe, but that's a pretty low heart rate. Most doctor would be cautious about lowering it more.

Flec would be my best guess since it targets rhythm (instead of rate). But unfortunately for some ppl (me!) Flec does not work on its own unless combined with a betablocker....hence me dealing with very low BP in order to fight these stupid PACs that are sticking around even after my Ablation with Natale 40 days ago.

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WhyMe
Flec would be my best guess since it targets rhythm (instead of rate). But unfortunately for some ppl (me!) Flec does not work on its own unless combined with a betablocker....hence me dealing with very low BP in order to fight these stupid PACs that are sticking around even after my Ablation with Natale 40 days ago.

I've had very low blood pressure after ablation (70/40), had to stop Metoprolol and Flec early (2 weeks post ablation). I am 12 weeks now, BP finally back to (95/55).

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WhyMe
Flec would be my best guess since it targets rhythm (instead of rate). But unfortunately for some ppl (me!) Flec does not work on its own unless combined with a betablocker....hence me dealing with very low BP in order to fight these stupid PACs that are sticking around even after my Ablation with Natale 40 days ago.

The beta blocker is a safety protocol with Flecainide to prevent the rare possibility of one-to-one conduction between the atria and the ventricals. I took propranolol which never lowered my BP a much at all. Metoprolol seems to affect BP more.

Back in NSR but don’t know for how long. Mine ”seem” to be worse or occur when I am sedentary and activity can sometime quell them. Thanks for the feedback. I am new to the extended ectopics, don’t like ‘em, and my best wishes and condolences to all who have to deal with them.

They are annoying as hell, not something one can just "ignore cause they are not Afib". Nah, I can't just ignore them, cause it feels like something is heavy in my chest, I feel lightheaded, short of breath, I feel like I don't want to do anything. This ain't life, I don't care if you call them Afib, PACs or Micky Mouse to be honest.

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WhyMe
They are annoying as hell, not something one can just "ignore cause they are not Afib". Nah, I can't just ignore them, cause it feels like something is heavy in my chest, I feel lightheaded, short of breath, I feel like I don't want to do anything. This ain't life, I don't care if you call them Afib, PACs or Micky Mouse to be honest.

Truly hope you wlll have better days and peaceful nights ahead. Will say a prayer for that.

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Mark

They are annoying as hell, not something one can just "ignore cause they are not Afib". Nah, I can't just ignore them, cause it feels like something is heavy in my chest, I feel lightheaded, short of breath, I feel like I don't want to do anything. This ain't life, I don't care if you call them Afib, PACs or Micky Mouse to be honest.

Truly hope you wlll have better days and peaceful nights ahead. Will say a prayer for that.

Thank you, I really appreciate it.

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WhyMe
They are annoying as hell, not something one can just "ignore cause they are not Afib". Nah, I can't just ignore them, cause it feels like something is heavy in my chest, I feel lightheaded, short of breath, I feel like I don't want to do anything. This ain't life, I don't care if you call them Afib, PACs or Micky Mouse to be honest.

Right there with ya! My feelings exactly, word for word!! That's why I love this forum so much because it's comforting to feel I'm not alone on this journey. Sending up prayers for us ALL!!