Afib meds

[Profound15]

I’m seeing my cardio on Wednesday and I think he’ll probably advise me to go on regular meds for my afib. I’m (touch wood) feeling ok and in nsr at the moment. I started this awful journey last New Year’s Eve and I’ve had afib six times in total. The latest on 22nd December where the pill in the pocket didn’t work

I wanted to get an idea of the possible side effects of whatever maintenance he puts me on. I’m assuming it’ll be flec 2x50mg, beta blocker (? on dose or type) and anticoagulants (surgery told me edoxaban 60mg). I understand that we’re all different but wouldn’t mind advise on possible side effects before I see him.

I’m now teetotal but I toast you all a happy and healthy new year

[Jhcoop55]

Everyone is impacted differently by meds. I take flex and metropolol without any side effects or issues. Others are impacted differently as noted by the response below Looks like they are starting you on a relatively low dose, so hopefully you can tolerate them well. If not, your doc will help you get on a tolerable Med and dose

Best of luck

Jeff

[Pollywaffle10]

As others have said, everyone reacts differently to meds.

I have PAF (age 78) and resisted regular medication for a long time. I walk my dog twice a day, have no shortness of breath or swelling of my feet, though they are always cold! Even in Australia. I take 50mg Metoprolol am/pm Apixaban 5mg am/pm and 50mg Flecainide pm only. No PAF since July 2018 when I started the Flec. I also take 125mg Magnesium Taurate am/pm. Dr had no problems with taking the reduced dose of Flecainide, he said it’s worth a try!

Happy New Year, hope you have a Dr who is willing to listen!

[Profound15]

Thank you for the responses. Don’t really want to take Bisoprolol as I’ve heard it makes you feel like a zombie. I’ll see what he suggests and take it from there

[Buffafly in reply to Profound15]

Mention if you have ever had asthma or any breathing difficulties because if so betablockers are not for you.

[Profound15]

Thanks. Breathing seems ok but what I’ve read so far metoprolol is a reasonable bb to take. I do get acid reflux and read that edoxaban can cause indigestion so my preference would be apixaban. My doctors surgery here in the uk prescribe edoxaban. Do you think apixaban is better tolerated

[CDreamer in reply to Profound15]

I don’t know about edoxaban and I don’t think you can comment until you try as we all react very differently. Pradaxa is known to cause acid reflux but it is also very easy to control the reflux without resorting to yet more drugs.

[CDreamer]

This is probably somewhat controversial but if you aren’t that symptomatic, don’t have a very high heart rate which needs control, apart from anticoagulants I do wonder about the value of any of these drugs. The long term affects for me were not good. They are to help your QOL, they help the symptoms and are not prescribed as a treatment to stop AF. If they don’t improve your QOL my view is why take them?

I haven’t taken any drugs for 4/12 years I have had confirmed PAF, although I had 2 ablations in 2013 & 2014, so if I had my time again I would refuse the drugs. The AF episodes, when infrequent, I could cope with but I found the the affects from the drugs much worse.

Maybe ask about treatments such as ablation?

[Profound15]

Yes thanks I’m going to discuss ablation with him as I’ve read that can give you long term nsr.

Not sure of any benefit from regular beta blockers. Perhaps if I go in to afib they might help but not sure you can take them like flec as a pill in the pocket. My blood pressure averages 115/75 and resting heart rate around 70 when in sinus so I don’t want that to go down any lower

[HiloHairy in reply to Profound15]

I don't know if it's unusual but I do take metoprolol and diltiazem only when I have an afib event which is about ten times a year for the last three years. This is because I reacted badly to several meds when taken daily.

Other than the AFib, I'm very fit and work out at the gym five mornings a week. When taken daily the meds either took my energy such that I couldn't work out or made me feel like a zombie or a robot.

For the last few months I've been experimenting with hawthorn extract and lately adding NAC, both taken twice daily. The Hawthorne has some weakening effect but very little and does seem to help my condition in that I'm getting far less stray beats and the only time I've had AFib is when I've eaten a too salty restaurant meal. At least for me there appears to be a critical relationship between magnesium, potassium and sodium.