Change of meds

[Heartfelt46]

Hi, AF was diagnosed 13 years ago and has gradually progressed to a stage where I am in permanent Af and flutter, that’s ok, I can live with it and accept that’s what it is. Recently I was upped to 10mg of bisoprolol with the resulting side effects, extreme breathlessness on the slightest exertion, itchy skin and increased head itch. I have always been very active and find the breathlessness very wearing. The suggestion is to decrease the dose to 7.5, we have tried other combinations, to combat that, and if that doesn’t work then change to diltiazem. I have read about this form of drug and am not convinced, has anyone got experiences good or bad! Thank you.

[Hidden]

I would say that the only thing to do is try diltiazem and see how you get on. I couldn't get on with it ( nothing unusual there !) but plenty of people are fine with it. I sympathise with your reactions to Bisop.....been there!

[Heartfelt46 in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks for the reply. Onwards and upwards!

[wilsond]

I had to come off bisoprolol,but I am not in permanent AF And Flutter.Others say Nebivolol is much better..sorry got to fly off to an appointment,.....suggest talk to doc about it ? Best wishes x

[Buffafly]

I like Diltiazem, worth a try.

[CaroleF]

I have Paroxysmal AF. Didn't get on at all well with bisoprolol (side effects adversely affected my QOL). Switched to Diltiazem and am fine with that. Neither of the common side effects I was informed of by the prescribing consultant - constipation and swollen ankles. However I know there are people here who didn't get on at all well with Diltiazem and are fine with Bisoprolol.

As wilsond says …. there would seem to be good reports of Nebivolol, but I have no experience of that.

Trouble is, we are all different and until you try a particular medication none of us can know for sure how we are going to react.

[cassie46]

Hi there - I am in permanent AF and take Diltiazem as well as Nebivolol (used to take Bisoprolol but changed because of breathlessness, took it for four years) they wanted to increase the Bisoprolol at one time to 7.5mg but I could not tolerate it, just could not function properly so stayed on the 5mg dose and added Diltiazem. I also have HF so they were cautious about Diltiazem because it can cause water retention, but it has been okay for me. I take Diltiazem 180mg and Nebivolol 5mg. Nebivolol is much better than Bisoprolol. Hope this helps.

Cassie

[Heartfelt46]

Thank you so much for your reply. Will see what happens when the bisop is reduced. S

[Thomas45]

I have permanent AF but don't take any medication for it apart from an anticoagulant. I assume people take beta blockers or diltiazem to lower their heart rate.

A well - meaning hospital doctor put me on a beta blocker when my heart rate rose to 180bpm during unrelated surgery under general anaesthetic. 7 weeks later It triggered urticaria and gave me an asthma attack that landed me back in hospital for 2 days.

My heart rate is about, ninety bpm which is not fast. My AF is asymptotic most of the time.

[Hidden in reply to Thomas45]

I am hoping to go into permanent af soon. I tried Flecainide to control the episodes and that made them much stronger and more frequent now they are suggesting either Dronedarone or slip into permanent Af. Have stopped everything but Pradaxa for time being as HR 50s-60s and if I have an episode it never usually goes above 80.

Di

[Thomas45 in reply to Hidden]

Di,

Flecainide worked for me for about twelve years, preventing episodes, before I was found to be in persistent, now permanent AF. Hope you get sorted soon. A GP within the group which looks after the medical centre I go to has a special interest in AF and was a member of the NICE committee on re-writing the guidelines for the treatment of AFs, so I tend to trust him rather than general hospital doctors.

[Hidden in reply to Thomas45]

If I could only see the same doctor twice let alone one with an interest in AF I would be so lucky

Di

[lms0006]

Been on it a few weeks a little wight gain and freqjent dry cough otherwise ok.

[Jeffreybubbles]

If you are in permanent AF, like I am now after many years of PAF, the medication is obviously not doing anything for you now, even if it was some time ago. My take is : If you can live with the permanent AF, why lower your quality of life by suffering the side effects of drugs that aren't doing you any good anyway? My doctor almost, well almost, agrees. Medically untrained, generally sceptical of all drugs, medication free, apart from riveroxaban, I feel better now that I have done for years.