Had to call 999 today, cardio upped my dose of verapamil on Wednesday from 2 per day to 4 per day.... think this might be too much. Heart going bonkers....well out of rhythm...head woozy and nauseous, very frightening. Blood pressure was 120/60.....is that good or bad. Pulse was 62 which is quite normal isn't it. Had an ecg in the ambulance where they told me I was in AF and that I had flipped t's????? All this lasted about 3 hours and have been sitting quietly all day, other than feeling tired things seem ok at the moment. As advised by ambulance crew I contacted cardios secretary straight away, said she would call back....now gone 7pm and no reply, not surprised though. I will only take 2 tomorrow I think and see how I go. Just curious over the flipped t thing can anyone help please
What are 'Flipped T's': Had to call 99... - Atrial Fibrillati...
What are 'Flipped T's'
Can't help with the TWaves biggran, but I was on 100mg/day of Flecainide and increased it to 200, as advised by EP, but immediately got palpitations, so went back to original dose and phoned his secretary who agreed with what I'd done. They are going to change my drugs.
It is odd because I did feel that the smaller dose of Flecainide did make things just a little better, so you'd think more (and 200 is still a medium dose) would do the trick but it didn't, it made it worse. Mind you, I only tried increasing once so may be a one-off, but certainly not going to try it again. I did gradually build up as well, not a sudden change.
Good luck, you'll probably get the call in the morning.
hi koll thanks for you're reply,
in hindsight I know I probably should have increased the dose slowly but was just doing what I was told....at my age (60) I should do the sensible thing and do what I think is right first.
do you really think I will get a call on a saturday? I have my doubts.
my cardio didn't want to change my medication this close to christmas incase I have any problems, she wants me to try flecainide if the increased verapamil doesnt work, what are side effects?
I don't know anything about Flecainide biggran because I've only just started myself. The EP's secretary, who IMO was very experienced, was surprised I had palpitations from taking it, so my reaction was probably unusual. Loads of others on this forum take it so hopefully you'll get some thoughts over the weekend.
Re getting a call on Saturday....I forgot it was Friday....I'm older than you so that's my excuse 
good job we were talking then...you might have missed the weekend...have a good one, thanks for youre help xxx
Hi -sorry to hear about your episode. I can't advise you about your medication, but can say that your blood pressure 120/60 and pulse 62 were both very good. So it doesn't look like any problems there. Was it the ambulance crew who took your BP and pulse or do you have your own machine for this? Just wondering whether it had dropped a lot lower well before they came and was on it's way up when they arrived. Did they take you to A&E? Also had you just eaten before this attack started.
Morning Jeanjeanie
yes it was abulance crew that took blood pressure, although that was the reading they put on the report in the ambulance. They took it 4 times indoors before going out to the ambulance and twice standing up and it was condierably lower on standing up. Yes I had just eaten my breakfast and felt absolutly fine until I stood up......thats when my heart went loopy and I felt woozy and very wobbly then got a headache. After all my years of palpitations I have never once had an abulance out, I called my daughter who came round and phoned straight away....no didn't take me to a&e just told me to contact cardio or gp. Gp useless so contacted cardio secretary who said she would get back to me but no call came. I have just taken 1 verapamil this morning, still feeling dizzy and heart fluttering and going at 80 at the moment so thats not too bad, going to take it easy today.
You certainly don't sound right. I think you may have to sit still for a while after eating and then get up slowly. If you are like most AF people you are probably always wanting to be on the go and doing something. I know that's me! Take care and let us know how you get on.
Hi Biggran
Your BP sounded good, as did your pulse. I know this AF is very frightening when it is happening and especially when on your own and it is horrible when you can't get reassurance from your specialist.
I am on Flecainide acetate 200mg daily following a catheter ablation, which is an anti arrhythmic drug rather than a heart rate drug.
I assume you are on anticoagulants?
I am only guessing here but I wonder if the term inverted T wave refers to missing or ectopic beats as I think that is how the T way appears on an ECG? Ectopic beats are extra beats which everyone gets and mostly we don't even notice them.
Did the secretary ring you? If you didn't hear I would call your GP surgery this morning and ask to speak to a doctor.
Hope you have a better day today and keep in touch.
Hi CDreamer
no the secretary didnt get back to me, no surprise there really. No having a battle with gp over warfarin, he isnt making any effort to get me started although cardio on Wednesday said she will refer me to the clinic.
Going to have a quiet day today, thanks for youre reply
Forgot to say that Flecainide works for me with no side effects, verapamil is anti rate drug, a calcium channel blocked whereas Flecainide is anti rhythm drug, they work very differently.
I've just been googling, and 'flipped' or 'inverted' T waves do happen with certain heart conditions, I'm assuming AF is among them. Goodness knows, the way it feels sometimes I'm surprised the ECG doesn't come out in knots. So sorry to hear you've had such a bad experience - if you need confirmation of your decision to reduce the medication, I'm sure that your GP (or whoever is on on a Saturday) would be happy to talk to you even on a weekend. Personally I think you're very wise to be cautious...
Hi Eatsalottie
Why is it that you cqn feel youre heart going wobbly and well out of rhythm and it doesnt show up on the ecg.....I really feel sometimes that I must be imagining it, it was going off on one while I was in the ambulance yesterday but they couldnt see it???? Over the years I have tried to keep calm as I k ow getting in a panic makes things worse, but it is difficult sometimes isnt it....so frightening.
Hi biggran - yes, it is very scary when it is at its worst, isn't it? Good for you trying to stay calm, I'm sure that helps. I sometimes wonder how the heart can stand all the shenanigans but the doctor assures me there are plenty of little old ladies wandering around with the condition! I've had times when I've definitely felt my heart going wobbly, and then I've felt my pulse and it's been okay - I can only assume sometimes it goes back into sinus just at the point when the ECG is being done or the pulse is being taken... It's a really awkward condition!
I was in A&E last night. 2 nurses and 2 doctors took my pulse and all 4 said it was all over the place. The ECG person came in and did 2 ECG's, during the first I had the wobbles, during the second I did not. She discarded the first one as she said it had interference on it but the second one was nice and clean. They showed the clean one to the senior doctor, who I didn't meet, who sent me home. Not bothered as I didn't want to stay there and not what I went in for. Just wanted my INR checked immediately.
But it made me wonder!
hi. It can't happen that the ecg would not pick up this anomaly if its happening during the testing. Unless equipment is faulty or you were in sinus r. Just my thoughts.
Ive just had to switch from verapamil to flecainide as I got too many side effects with verapamil. Post ablation 4 weeks.
Hi Bigran, wondered how you are today? Convincing ourselves that we are not going to die is very hard when your heart feels so wobbly, whatever the machines say!
Morning CDreamer
Thanks so much for thinking of me this morning......difficult to say really as I feel odd. Have had some really odd dizzy spells in bed the last 2 nights, how can you get dizzy in bed?????? It only happens when I turn over and my head feeels like it has fluid in there and the change in position makes it slop about and the room swim about. I know I'm weird but thats the only way I can explain it. I seem to be fine walking and sitting. Is this conected with fridays eventful day or something different....I wonder. Heart is still flipping about but pulse is ok.....looks like another quiet day for me.
bet you wished you hadn't asked the question now don't you!? Xx
I know only too well how what you describe as dizzy spells when in bed. I have suffered with these, on and off, for over 20 years. Mine are due to periodic bouts of labrynthitis not the AF. It is certainly a strange sensation, but I have got accustomed to it now - and no longer grab hold of the side of the bed because I think I am falling!!
Thats right......its a falling feeling......thanks so much for replying, I really didn't think it was connected to AF but what a coincidence.
Dont understand how it just happens when in bed although I do feel pretty strange this morning, head just feels woozy and not right.....thanks Langara xx
Me too.it's a horrid feeling but mine usually starts to get better after about 10 days...until the next time! It does sound familiar so could be this. Hope you get sorted out soon.x
Do you go to docs when you get these episodes or do you just sit it out and wait for it to go? And thanks for you're reply x
After various tests and "back & forths" to hospital for scans etc. I was eventually prescribed Betahistine 16mg. 3 times daily. From originally experiencing 12 to 20 bouts a year I now only have 1 or 2, and they have reduced in duration from about 14 days each time to 2 or 3 days. x
If things get really bad the doctor can prescribe something to make you feel less dizzy but eventually I too was prescribed beta histine which I took for about a year and was then able to stop.
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