Update

Thanks to all those who replied to my “having a grim time of things”. Basically, the upshot is that I had my fastest PAF episode yesterday morning at 153 (I know that’s small beer to some folk here), was taken to A and E *again* but this time admitted to the Acute Cardiac Ward where I have been overnight. I am to be seen by a consultant some time this morning. They haven’t said what they think the problem is, but have asked me if I have ever had an angiogram. Heart rate now seems to be back to normal and they did not give me any Sotalol yesterday. Will update when I have more news.

[Hidden]

What a roller coaster weekend for you. How are you feeling now?

What was the outcome of your trip to A&E on Friday evening?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

The blood tests were ok. I have just been told there is a disparity between standing and resting blood pressure.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

This might be an opportunity to discuss anticoagulants again.

[jeanjeannie50]

I hope they get to the bottom of what's going on with your heart Sam.

Wishing you the best of luck for a simple and manageable diagnosis. Keep in touch.

Jean

[Bagrat]

Whatever the outcome always better to know what's going on. Hope you soon get some answers. Sending good wishes

[SpritzerAce]

Sending you good wishes. Keep us posted.

[Hidden]

I have been discharged. The consultant says he has found nothing in addition to the original PAF. He has upped the dose of Sotalol to 2x60 per day. He also thinks I take should take an anticoagulant, prescribing, this time, Riveroxaban 20mg per day instead of Dabigatran. He says this is a low dose and is a different type of drug to Dabigatran. He thinks that I had probably rubbed my eye at without noticing it, and it was this that caused the subconjunctival haemorrhage which I have referred to before. I don’t know anything about Riveroxaban other than what I read on the list of side effects. These, disconcertingly, say that “up to 1 in 10” may get bleeding to the white of the eye (or it is a common side effect). He also thinks I should stop drinking coffee, tea and alcohol and avoid stress. So In suppose this is a bit of a curate’s egg- good in parts.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

This does not sound too bad. Perhaps you will find Rivaroxaban suits you as many of us are happy on it and have not had problems although some have not got on well with it.

AF does point us towards a healthy way of living and that's no bad thing. Many forum members don't drink coffee, tea or alcohol. Alternatives have been discussed a few times on the forum, including the suggestion that decaff alternatives are suspect and not the same as caffeine free.

Avoiding stress is not easy!

[solarjdo69]

I know from past discussions that you are not a big believer in herbs and vitamins or anything that has not been scientifically proven, but here is something you could try for those times when your heart is racing like you mentioned above and it may change your mind. I use it as a "pill in a pockrt" type for emergencies which have become few and far between since I moved to primarily natural remediers, but I keep at the office, in car and at home just in case. I can testify that when I did have high heart a rate that after about 5-10m after taking a dropper full. my heart rate drops down dramatically.

Semi-scientific data ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Lore / user testimonials:

Motherwort (slows overly fast heart rate)

saiayurvediccollege.com/atr...

remedygrove.com/misc/A-natu...

Read the purchasers anecdotal sories to see what they have to say.

amazon.com/Herb-Pharm-Certi...

Hope you feel better.

[Hidden in reply to solarjdo69]

Thanks for sending these interesting links. I have never dismissed herbal medicine- *some* of this *does* work and it’s efficacy has been established scientifically. To give an example, the ancient Egyptians found that a particular herb (or leaf-I can’t remember the exact details) was useful for treating heart conditions. The explanation they gave for its positive effects was pre-scientific, but millenia later scientists were able to establish that the traditional medicine contained a substance or substances which were known by doctors to be beneficial and to explain why it was effective. So I categorise herbal medicine quite differently from homeopathy, which has been shown to be ineffective beyond placebo.

There is the question of safety however; I am willing to give the herbal medicine a try provided my GP thinks it’s ok; there is the possibility, of course, of it interacting with Sotalol and producing too strong a slowing effect. Herbal medicine is not regulated in the UK, and some of it has been found to be problemlematic. Some practitioners, too, make unwarranted claims. On the question of vitamins, I have suggested that where there is a known deficiency it may be appropriate to have them prescribed by a doctor; however, there is scant evidence that taking a daily supplement is on much benefit; it’s better to the right foods to obtain vitamins. Thanks

Once again for taking the trouble

to post these links.

[ETFCfan]

Hello just to say that I’ve now been on Rivaroxaban for three years and 6 months and not had any side effects at all. Think it’s like anything works for some and not others. I also agree about herbal remedies, my mind is open to them but like you I would check with yourGP. I have given up alcohol and drink decaf coffee which I know has some caffeine in but better than the amount of caffeine I was having pre AF