Giddiness

[Cathyp99]

Morning. Can anyone give me any ideas please. Have had af for about a year but touch wood haven't had an attack for about six weeks. My main problem is I always feel giddy and out of breath. I am on 2.5mg bispoprolol and 200mg amiodarone daily. Have always taken them in the morning but thought today I'd leave it until this afternoon. Just had a very short walk and had to stop regularly and hold onto the wall because my head was spinning. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[jedimasterlincoln]

Sounds like the rate isn't controlled at all. I did swap my bisoprolol to the night time a few months ago primarily to avoid the whole day with groggy symptoms but I found it much better and more effective in the morning when I would take it and then be active through the day. It was either have it work and keep a lid on the symptoms and be groggy..... or be more awake yet feel unwell.

At the moment I am on 10mg Bisoprilol and until last week 200 Amiodrone (it's stopped ahead of my impending ablation) and I still had symptoms you describe on exertion. At the moment my resting HR is 100 and has been for 8 days, even before I stopped the amiodrone. When I go up the stairs and come back down again I get the symptoms you describe.

I would consider looking at getting your bisoprolol increased (something which I cannot do any more)

[Cathyp99 in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

Thanks for replying. My heart rate is (if anything) a little low (50s) which I suppose is making me sluggish. I'll have a chat with my doc and suggest upping the dosage. Good luck with your op.

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to Cathyp99]

Perhaps bisoprolol isn't the right drug for you then. If your HR is that low they probably won't increase it any more. Sounds like you are having the side effects rather than the AF being uncontrolled.

How long have you been on it?

[Cathyp99 in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

12 months. Started at 10mg and slowly wound down to 2.5.

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to Cathyp99]

Very odd. I'd go back to my suggestion of increasing the dose then (sorry!) if at all possible. Find some middle ground ! Good luck!

[Cathyp99]

Thank you for the chat x

[BobD Volunteer]

We really should not give advice about drug dosage or suitability and I think you should discuss this problem with your medical team. I can suggest that bisoprolol may possibly cause breathlessness., especially with asthmatics (really not suitable for them anyway) so again talk to your doctor.

[Cathyp99]

Thanks just wondered if anyone was experiencing the same problems and if they fixed them

[jeanjeannie50]

I used to feel a little that way when exerting myself and going upstairs. Sometimes low blood pressure can make you feel that way and drinking plenty of water can often cure this.

As Bob has suggested, you really need to talk to your medical team - please don't put up with feeling this way.

Jean

[Cathyp99 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you I do try and drink more water but will go back to my medical team to discuss. I feel that they fob me off but will get a bit forceful!!!!

[Stinky1953]

Cathy I like you have a relatively slow heart rate and find I cannot tolerate Bisoprolol as I get the symptoms you describe. However as Bob quite rightly says please discuss this with your EP. Hope you find a solution.

Tim

[Cathyp99]

Thanks very much Tim. Hate this giddiness al the time. Feel like I'm going to fall over!!

[Polski]

Amiodarone has lots of potential serious side-effects. Have you checked with your medical team that this really is still the best drug for you?

[Cathyp99]

I'm sure you are right. I went to my cardiologist in may/June and he said that he would probably take me off it at the next appointment but that is about December. I'm going to stop the bisoprolol for a few days and see if makes a difference. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

[Leighton11]

I am on the same dose of bisoprolol as you but no other medication other than warfarin. I also had the same symptoms as you so i now take my bisoprolol in 1.25 doses morning and evening. When I changed I did not feel great for the first couple of days but now the light headedness and giddiness have almost gone. Suggest you chat with doc to see of you can spread your dose.

[Cathyp99]

That sounds like a good idea thank you. I'm going to give that a try