My first post but have been reading with interest for a while. My husband had AF about two years ago ( possibly a degree of heart failure as well as oedematous and breathless). Corrected with cardio version. Unfortunately has gone back into AF and prescribed Bisoprolol 5mg to slow heart rate. Apparently cardio version not an option as unlikely to work. The problem he has is anxiety which he relates to the medication. He is struggling to sleep till around 3am. I wonder if this is a common side effect?? He will be seeing consultant later this year. He is well other than this anxiety which he has never experienced before. It mainly bothers him when in bed. He has occasional palpitations but says this isn't what bothers him. Any advise greatly received.
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Olgarabbit
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Hello Olgarabbit and welcome to the forum. Anxiety generally goes hand in hand with AF because, if you have paroxysmal AF, you never know when the the next event will happen and if you are permanent AF, there is the concern that symptoms may worsen over time. Bisoprolol is an effective drug, but it can have side-effects which, for some, are difficult to tolerate. It is nearly always the first drug prescribed, but there are a number of alternative beta-blockers available, and in my case, I take Diltiazem, a calcium channel blocker which does not cause me any problems. Many believe their anxiety is worse because of the drugs they take, but because AF symptoms can be similar to the side-effects of medication, this can be difficult to determine. It is commonly said that AF will not kill you, and many of the 1 million sufferers in the UK lead reasonably normal lives, but it can take time to establish the right treatment plan and adjust to any medication used, but this, in itself, can help reduce anxiety.
Depending on Mr Rabbit's health and age, you should check out whether or not anti-coagulants are required to prevent the risk of stroke which I know can add to anxiety, but is important. Knowledge and understanding is probably on of the best ways of coming to terms with anxiety because this can reduce the fear factor. If you type anxiety into the search box on the top right, you will find lots of information which you should find helpful and do the same with anti-coagulation if necessary.
The folks here on the Forum will be very helpful, and you may consider seeing if there is an AF support group near you as that can help alleviate anxiety. Also, see if he can be referred to an Electrophysiologist (a cardiologist who specialises in arrythmias) as this is the best way to establish a treatment plan.
Thanks Flapjack. He is on an anticoagulant and ( from reading the internet) his consultant is apparently a leader in the field of AF. My husband is convinced the anxiety is related to the medication as he has never really suffered from it until now. I know what you mean about his state of mind being affected by his condition and I will see what he could try to help alleviate the anxiety. I have done some training in mindfulness so might give that a go ( if he takes any notice of me!!). Thanks again for your response.
I kinda felt you were well informed, but it's safer to cover the basics just incase......good luck, he's a lucky guy, just give him a slap if he get's stroppy!!
I have chronic asthma (meds every day) but when I have an asthma attack often the warning sign is a feeling of anxiety. This is caused I guess by too much CO2 and not lack of oxygen. Bisoprolol is not advised for people with asthma so I assume it affects breathing in some way and since Mr Rabbit complains of it at night I suspect that is the problem. Lying at an angle of 30 degrees might help until he has a chance to consult.
Well, that is interesting... My hubby has high blood pressure, I have AF and have been on bisoprolol for years. I'm one of the lucky ones that don't seem to have many side effects. However, he was put onto it recently (a high dose, 10mg, but then he is a big fella, 6ft 3in and 22 stone...). He recently started having anxiety attacks and as this isn't AF related, I do wonder if it's to do with the medication. I'll tell him and hopefully he'll discuss it with the doctor, though our surgery do seem to love the bisoprolol. I wonder if they have shares lol.
My husband, 75, was diagnosed a little over two years ago. He had cardio version, but AFib returned about a week later. He always complained of shortness of breath but a new complaint of feeling like having to gasp for a breath around the same time every day, 4 AM. No feeling of increased AFib. I suspect anxiety may have something to do with it, too, because it only happens if he is awake. We go to the Dr. tomorrow, hope he has an answer.
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Presistent atrial fibrilation
Anxiety and AF 
Feeling washed out and just out of hospital , after second cardio version within a week of last !
Has a cardio version caused a different arrhythmia for anybody else?
