Hi Forum Friends, last year I was diagnosed with AF after a health check ECG. I have never had any symptoms of this no attacks or problems. I am on 2.5 bisoprolol, Antorvastatin, Ramipril, Apixaban and Furosemide. My problem is breathlessness. 100 yards and I am wrecked. I was so fit a year ago, gym 5 days a week ex sportsman. My life is hopeless like this. Does anybody else suffer with this? Is it medication? Any advice would be grateful. Thank you all so much.
Chris.
Hi Chris - you say that you have no symptoms, so do you have permanent AF? This would make you feel breathless but the likely culprit in there is Bisoprolol. Many of us who take it have problems with exactly what you describe.
If you type Bisoprolol into the search box you will find numerous threads about it - some of them from me, as I was changed from Biso to Nebivolol to rid myself of breathlessness, tight chest, wobbly legs and the inability to do anything for longer than 15 minutes at a time.
We are always told that Bisoprolol is the best beta blocker for us, but it might be worth while talking to your doctor again to determine if Biso is the problem.
Hi I swapped ramipril to losartan due to cough and itching I'm on Bisoprolol 2.5mg also and Apixaban I felt very tired and out of breath at first in Bisoprolol weak in legs and tired with no go I have perservered for four months and it has got better for me Takes a while I think to get use to all these new things going into our bodies Talk to doctor if you have concerns though
Hi vonnie I’m now on sotalol instead of bisoprosol been on it since Monday and yesterday I felt the best I have felt for weeks ??? Not sure how long you can stay on sotalol I’m back at hospital on Thursday so going to ask !!!
Glad it seems to be helping you Long may it last Hope all goes well Thursday let me know how it went Hope your having a good weekend so far sounds like you are I went for lunch with two friends last week enjoyed lime and soda and a j2o. Too scared to try alcohol lol
I still have a gin and tonic and when we all go to rugby I like a Guinness with black currant 😄 I’m having a chill weekend been busy at work !! What you up to ? It’s a bit grey in Yorkshire today !!
Chilling at home Dull but dry here today Just afraid to try alcohol again I hadn't drank for months before I started with AF to be honest so don't know if it a trigger or not
That’s scary I’ve been ok not that I drink everyday !!! Only a couple on a weekend but I know what you mean I would be scared to try it !!
Hi there - Who prescribed these meds for you a cardiologist, EP or GP. If you were having no symptoms it is a strange mixture. I have permanent AF for which I take Nebivolol (used to be Bisoprolol), Diltiazem and Rivaroxaban (anticoagulant) I also have Heart Failure for which I am on Ramipril and furoseimide when needed as HF can cause fluid retention.
So I donn't understand why you are on all these drugs with no symptoms, I can understand the beta blocker and anticoagulant but not the rest of them. The Bisoprolol may well be the cause of the breathlessness and tiredness, Ramipril can also cause tiredness and lethargy. Do you have any other health problems! Think you should see an EP as soon as possible, I think your QOL could be much improved with a review of your drugs.
Cassie
I was wondering that but your experience confirms it. There was a post sometime ago about a 'drug cascade'? sounds like it.
Thanks Cassie this was all bought on a year ago, I had Sepsis, I recovered and during an ECG I was told I had AF, this has been confirmed after several Eggs and Ultra Sound exams. I have no symptoms at all, no pounding chest I feel fine. I was just taking Bisoprolol and Antorvastatin until a week ago, I have been complaining about breathlessness since I was first given the meds. Last week I saw the Cardio Consultant who has given me the Ramipril, the Apixaban and the Furosemide he told me they would help, no change so far though. My lungs are fine, done COPD test, chest x-ray and have seen a Respitory nurse. So I am at a loss.
Hi Chris - I changed from Bisoprolol to Nebivolol 4 months ago because I believed that the Biso was causing breathlessness, there are a few threads on here about this and quite a few of us have changed over to Nebivolol. I had been on it for over 4 years and since then have been diagnosed with mild COPD. Since the change over I have very little breathlessness and feel less tired on the new drug, so has worked well for me. I did ask my Cardio to make this change in January at my yearly appointment but he would not, (I believe that cost is one of the factors) so eventually I asked my GP and she agreed. Having AF can cause breathlessness but it is also well known that Biso does as well. As you have no symptoms other than this I cannot understand why your Cardio has prescribed Furoseimide as this is for fluid retention. As I mentioned I have HF and do sometimes have fluid retention but I only take it when needed, I know many people take it daily but only if they constantly have fluid retention. I take Ramipril because of HF and I am told that it makes the heart stronger, to pump more effectively. By the way a common side effect of Ramipril is a dry cough, I get this but have tried some of the alternatives and they have not suited me, so put up with the cough. I am no medic but I cannot understand your Cardio adding these drugs to your daily intake, except the Apaxiban. As far as most of us are concerned the less drugs the better. Can you get an appointment with an EP or see one privately (I had to do this in the end and then go on his NHS list). Can you at least ask why your Cardio has put you on these drugs,
Cassie
Hi Chris
I found myself short of breath but it turned out to be food intolerances? Go for a breathing test you might be asthmatic
This is my first post. I have been looking in for a couple of weeks. I have been suffering from PAF for several years now. I am taking Bisoprolol, felodipine and rivaroxaban. I have started to get breathless over the past couple of months. I have had an echocardiogram which was fine and I am having a CT angiogram tomorrow. My cardiologist is not expecting to find any problems with my heart arteries as they were fine 3 years ago. He thinks it may be stress related as I lost my husband this year 😢. I think it may be either the rivaroxaban or bisoprolol. I have been on the bisoprolol for several years and the rivaroxaban for about 18 months, but I do have a history of drug intolerances and not necessarily on first taking them. So Chris it could well be your medication causing the breathlessness. The only way to find out is to get your doctor to agree to substitute the meds one by one to see if the breathlessness goes away. Hope you manage to quickly get this sorted Chris.
Val
Surely you do have symptons - isn't breathlessness a major symptom?
I get breathless when I'm in AF, the reason for which is that when in AF I have atrial tachycardia such that my heart is beating irregularly at over 150 bpm and so it cannot pump sufficiently and the lungs get starved of oxygen. I don't usually notice an AF episode if I am not moving around as I don't get chest pains or other symptons but if I go upstairs or take an uphill walk and am breathless during or after, then I know that I must be in AF.
Beta Blockers slow the heart rate so that for some, they can both increase breathlessness and at the same time help to reduce it by reducing the heart rate.
I suggest you get an ECG device such as AliveCor Kardia and take a reading whenever you feel breathless. It is likely that you will be in AF at such times.
Yes I have same. Problem! It's one of two things or a combination of both. Common side effects of most of the meds I am on is shortness of breath but also afib causes shortness of breath!! I have notes when I am in normal rhythm my breathing is pretty descent. I do have asthma so I am easily sensitive to many. Meds and the symptom is shortness of breath! They look it me on brilenta in hospital and within an he I was out of breath!! They didn't want me to stop it but I did and am glad I did. Have read lots of coments from people who c/I sob and they say Dr won't let them come off of it.. Nonsense. I was switched to plavex and it seems to be fine..You. Just have to rule out which is the problem. I have loop recorder which monitor's my afib. I knew when I went for last apt that I was in Aviv most of the time because my breathing was so bad. I was in afib 96 %of time. Had cardioversion since then. Now I have good days but today I am winded easily so I know I am in afib unfortunately. Probably looking at another(2nd) abrasion...Good luck
Well, you are on a lot of drugs and I was taken off 1.25mg of bisoprolol as it brought my heart rate down too low. Look into breathing exercises- yoga or other type which will help the breathlessness and ask about all those drugs- it does seem an awful lot- I just take flecainide if/when I have an episode of AF which isn't very often or for very long. I see others have mentioned the Bisoprolol- it's very cheap (actually cheaper for higher doses) so gets dolled out to everyone! Good luck.
I’m suffering currently like this it started 14 months ago I gradually felt breathless from never wondering about my body doing physical activities I’m now going to bed hopeful of having a day where I can do basic tasks
I have AF not persistent my echo was ok
It’s put me in a dark place
Breathlessness
Afib breathlessness
Mums become totally disabled with breathlessness 
