Home treatment with AF

[Bettiehough]

I have been in the hospital 4 times past month. I have ME and PAF with a fast uncontrolled heart rate when i go into PAF sometimes going up I to 220. First time my EP sent me to hospital for electrical cardioversion after i was at home with AF for a week dosing myself with Sotanol. I was also on Indapamide for high blood pressure I went into bradycardia 53/39 in hospital. They took me of Indapamide and a week later i was in hospital with heart failure as my blood pressure went high again They put me on furosemide [diuretic} for heart failure. A week later i had fast AF again and was chemically cardioverted again. I started gradually to feel worse again very weak, dizzy and fainting when in upright position my ME symptoms pain and post exertional malaise very bad too, i went to my GP in my wheelchair which i have to use due to ME and he phoned the anmulance and i was carted off to hospital again. The diagnosis was dehydration due to furosemide although i drink a lot of water. The third day in hospital i started with AF again. I personally think it was caused by the stress of being in hospital. I self discharged and am now back home. I have now been diagnosed with postural hypotension [ fainting or very dizzy when upright] I feel that i am now like a car going to the garage to fix a problem and then the garage causes another one and i have to go back. I have decided i will not go back just for fast AF. I will treat it at home and only go if i have pain or heart failure again. I know the symptoms by now. My problem is that i am now on sotanol and i am a bit worried that if increase my dosage with sotanol when treating at home i will go in bradycardia again. Hubby is a dentist and he prescribed me some flecenaide that i could take extra dosage from if i go in AF again. Did any one of you had these problems and how does a combination of sotanol and flecenaise sounds like. I am very sensitive for medication and only on 40 mg sotanol twice a day, i am on apixaban too, Hospitals are bad for my health generally and I have an alivecor kardia Ame BP machine to monitor myself. Please help

[Hidden]

Hello Bettie! Sorry to hear of all the problems you are having .ME is bad enough without adding AF to the equation.

I am not a medical person but my understanding is that Flecainide should only be prescribed by a Cardiologist.

If you find that you can return to NSR without a trip to A&E and all the hassle that entails then all well and good.

I really don't think that you should mess about changing your drug dosage without consulting at least your GP.

You may find someone on this forum who is taking a combination of sotalol and Flecainide and can be of help.

Best wishes

Sandrs

[jeanjeannie50]

Bettie,

Under my EP I was once on Sotalol and changed to Flecainide. I had to go a few days with no medication while the Sotalol left my body before starting with the Flecainide. So I do wonder if you should be taking them both. My feeling is not, but that's just my opinion and I'm not medically trained at all.

You really need to speak to your EP. Flecainide has to be prescribed by a consultant only, even GP not allowed to prescribe it.

Jean

[Bettiehough in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I was on flecenaide before and it kept me AF free for 2.5 years, it agreed with me better than solatol [less side effects] but then it stopped keeping my AF at bay and i was changed to solatol in January this year. My EP is on holiday and on NHS long waiting time. I left a message for a private appointment when he returns, my GP is useless. When i was in hospital 18 July and went into AF there the consultant gave me 100 mg flecenaide after my 40 mg solatol and i went into sinus rymth after i went home after stressful hospital visit. That gave me the idea. I normally get chemically Cardioverted with flecenaide too.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Bettiehough]

Ah, that's ok if you've already been prescribed Flecainide. I much prefer it to Sotalol. My EP took me off Flec and on to Sotalol once, but Sotalol did nothing for my AF and I went back to Flec. Glad to hear you have booked a private appointment to see your EP. I understand your frustration.

Jean

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Bettiehough]

Just to clarify something here. The flecainide did not stop working. Your AF became more advanced. This happens as it is almost always a progressive condition. And no I would not take both together unsupervised. This is very dangerous. NEVER self dose.

[Bettiehough in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob I am now on the waiting list for an ablation but my EP is predicting 40% success with first one. I just want to avoid hospitals as much as I can until then.

[wilsond]

Sorry to hear your difficulties,and agree,sometimes medical intervention can cause different problems.

I was concerned to read about the Flecanaide prescribed for you by your husband.It is not even meant to be initially prescribed by a Gp,it is to be given in hospital under the supervision of a cardiologist. Not scaremongering,but this drug can have serious side effects,and is not suitable for all patients.

I strongly suggest that you speak to your cardiologist.

Best wishes xx