Afib only once

About 2.5 to 3 years ago I had a racing heart while driving. Went to the ER and they said it was Afib. Stayed in the hospital 1 day while they waited for it to return to normal and they injected blood thinners into my get. Got out and was prescribed warfarin and atenolol. My heart has never done this again for over 2.5 to 3 years. My heart dr whom I have from this is not good and I do not like him. He just says nothing and is not friendly at all. I never see him and he does not feel I need to unless my primary dr says so. I quit warfarin because I can not take any pain meds with it and I had my knees replaced and needed to take Advil. This atenolol drug is one problem. It drops my heart rate to 45 to 55 most of the day. I feel tired and fatigued. Personally, I do not think I have afib. I just want opinions. I do take a baby aspirin each day cause I stopped the warfarin.

[barbara2]

Hi, I found this, which might be helpful. It was printed in Everyday Health, in July, 2016:

Less Aspirin, Less Bleeding for People With Atrial Fibrillation

One big change is the recommendation to use less aspirin. Aspirin is now not recommended for anticoagulation to prevent stroke in patients who have afib.

“Studies have shown that aspirin does very little to lower stroke risk in afib patients, while at the same time being associated with a bleeding risk as high as some of the newer anticoagulant agents,” says Hugh Calkins, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore.

“In the old days aspirin was considered important for stroke prevention. New knowledge and reanalysis of prior studies reveals that aspirin does little to nothing to reduce stroke risk in this setting,” notes Dr. Calkins.

[Thomps95]

If you don’t like your cadiologist then get another one, and then find a good electrophysiologist (EP). That is, you should find two specialists to look after you and coordinate their diagnoses. Shop around and find someone you respect and believe. I agree with you: a single episode of racing heart does not equal AF, so either the diagnosis was wrong or you do not have the correct information about the event. You have every right to find specialists you like. You (and your loved ones) need to be your own advocate.

[Angie06 in reply to Thomps95]

Hi, I also had a single episode of AF over 10yrs ago and was put on Flecainide after a night in hospital wired up. I take 50mgs x2 daily and no further episodes. Like you I wondered whether I had been misdiagnosed as my heart was healthy but the cardiologist said my heartbeat was irregular and I would need to continue with the flecainide. When I reached 65yrs I was advised to take warfarin but due to another condition I'm unable to take any anticoagulants so I was fitted with a left atrial appendage device which will stop clots from forming in the most common place. I still have plenty of ectopics and check my rate with a Kardia but still no AF episode so just grateful for that and keep taking the flecainide. I think an irregular heartbeat could be the precursor to full blown AF .

[meadfoot]

Please change your cardiologist and find a good electrophysiologist who is a cardiologist specialising in the the electrics of your heart. You need a thorough overhaul and accurate diagnosis so that a suitable treatment plan can be devised for you and get you back on track.

Please do this as a priority as currently it sounds as though you feel your diagnosis is in doubt and there is the meds issue too. If you do have arrhythmia there are alternatives to warfarin if anti coagulation is needed. A thorough medical review is important.

[Hidden]

Find a good private EP arrange a review, aspirin is a waste of time for AF ask to go on something like apixaban instead. Good luck

Andy

[Bagrat]

My husband had one episode of paroxysmal af in the 1990s. He reverted to normal rhythm on the way to the warfarin clinic to start his treatment. He was waved goodbye with no treatment ( already on a shed load of BP lowering drugs. In 2012 on hols with no excess alcohol he went into AF and has been in permanent AF ever since with (according to him) no symptoms! He had a heart attack in 2005. I do think it's worth seeking out a more conducive cardiologist. We knew nothing in those days.

[Stobban]

Yea, your emulating the same problems all us patients come across usually. The NH procedure is, you are supposed to 'report' to your G.P. if your heart doesn't seem right, but pain in the chest go straight to A.E. The drug Atenolol has been around since Moses and due to it being older has more side effects, although Beta Blockers do tend to tire you but not so much nowadays. On the Aspirin side is that recently they are cutting back on it's use as it is being blamed for stomach pains and upsets.

Your best bet would be to visit your G.P. ask for an appointment with a Cardiologist and insist these negatives be put right, but do insist he satisfy your worries............................Ron.

[JanettePearson]

I had my first AF episode 26 years ago and didn't have another one till 6 years ago when I was taken to hospital. I am on Bisoprolol now but had to have the dose halved as my blood pressure went too low and I too was fatigued and felt drained. Apparently I don't need blood thinners but keep an eye on your blood pressure as your heart rate seems very low. Good Luck.

[Polski]

I suggest that in the short term you consult your GP about possibly decreasing the amount of Atenolol you take (Do not decrease it on your own), and then follow the advice above and ask him to arrange for you to see an EP.

[annlynne]

Hi sevendollars. sorry to hear you have been unwell and don't appear to be getting good advice from your cardiologist. I had severe afib and was about to start on warfarin when I had a stroke(a bad one that paralysed my whole left side(. I am sure if I had been on warfarin my blood would not have congealed and clotted in my ventricles ,travelling as a clot to my brain and giving me the brain attack that has left me disabled with limited movement left side. so beware and take the advice of your cardiologist very seriously. I was put immediately onto wardarin after the stroke after the course of stomach injections (heparin I think it is, that was to break up the blood clot in my lungs) that all happened in 2009. I was on warfarin with regular INR checks to make sure my blood viscocity was right. Once you're on warfarin they do look after you. I had no worries , only that antibiotics threw my INR out of kilter., but no side effects as long as I kept to the dosage I was instructed to take by the health proffessional. I'd been on warfarin and sotalol betablockers (varying doses) until last year when I was hospitalised again twice with Afib and drugs could not normalise my BPM. My drugs were all reviewd and I was prescribed Apixoban instead of Warfarin. So far all is well apart from not having the regular check on my INR. However I will insist on a bloodtest very soon (tomorrow !)

to summarise, get a cardiologist who you can trust and take their advice seriously, I wish I'd been taking Warfarin earlier. good luck , keep well Annlynne

[Janith]

Your situation is almost identical to mine. I take the smallest dose of solatol ... l feel as tho l don’t have Afib. I will discuss this with cardiologist on my next visit.