Back on bisoprolol

[Kapoole]

Seen cardiologist a few weeks ago he made me feel i was wasting his time, he said all my tests were ok and to stop beta blockers. I came off them slowly and a week after my last dose palpitations and dizziness returned i really felt like i would pass out. Went to see my gp he said my pulse was all over the place and to go back on beta blockers until i have a monitor again yo come off to try to catch something for cardiologist to see. Hate being like this i feel so scared that i will die and i need to be there for my 5 yr old augistic child and my teenage daughter. I want my life back.

[Kapoole]

Autistic 5 year old.

[etheral in reply to Kapoole]

Don't panic. You need to have the arrythmias properly diagnosed, hopefully by an Electrophysiologist, and then the best treatment plan can be implemented. A more comprehensive evaluation of your heart can be accomplished with an Echocardiogram which a cardiologist can order. Best of luck..

[Kapoole in reply to etheral]

Thankyou for your reply, i had an echo done all was good,. Hopefully next 7 day monitor will show something.

[pottypete1]

If your pulse is “all over the place “ it is very scary I know only too well.

But I hope it will be reassuring for you to know I have been in and out of AF for over 27 years and so far it hasn’t killed me nor do I think it ever will.

Hopefully your cardiologist will be able to get things under control.

In the meantime try your best to calm down. Try meditation and relaxation exercises. There are many relaxation videos on YouTube that can often be a help.

Bisoprolol is a rate control medication and you may need a rhythm control drug as well.

Pete

[Kapoole in reply to pottypete1]

Thankyou for your kind words unfortunately my cardiologist made me feel like i was wasting his time, until i catch a something on a monitor he said he has nothing to treat.

[pottypete1 in reply to Kapoole]

Well if your GP has told you that your rhythm is all over the place and has put you back on Bisoprolol then he should be able to give you an ECG that can be sent to the cardiologist.

I have had this happen before where there was no evidence as I have PAF but when my chest felt like a box of frogs I presented myself at the Doctor's surgery and asked for an ECG. On one occasion they wouldn't let me go home until the EP told them what to do.

Pete

[Cutie1 in reply to pottypete1]

It’s a good idea life style changes and reduce your stress if possible . Alcohol can cause problems and caffeine . Try and do some meditation it helped me reduce the fibrillation

[Kapoole in reply to Cutie1]

Thankyou

[pottypete1 in reply to Cutie1]

I think your reply should be directed to Kapoole

Pete

[Arion52 in reply to pottypete1]

Giving up loads of caffeine, all alcohol and sleeping in a recliner and not on my side seems to have helped a great deal

[Kapoole in reply to Arion52]

Thankyou i dont drink and gave up caffine last nivember.

[Rubymurray25]

It's sad how often we are made to feel we are wasting EP's and Dr's time, but this your life and you must keep pushing until you are as comfortable as possible with the result. We are all so very different and there is never a simple solution to fit all, so much trial and error, but it is your right to get back to feeling secure in life. Pottypete , for me has hit on what works for me ( other than the medication ) and that is mediation and mindfulness, take a few minutes when you can and recharge as it sounds like you have your hands full. Good luck.

[Kapoole in reply to Rubymurray25]

Thankyou for your kind words and i will.

[Patsy10]

Hi,

Whenever I wore a monitor my heart behaved . Finally my E.P. told me to start collecting some print outs for him to examine. This involved me nipping down to the surgery when I was in af and requesting an ECG and a print out copy for him. When it happened after surgery hours I visited the cottage hospital who were happy to oblige. After a couple of months I was able to supply him with lots of evidence and he booked me in for an ablation. I hope you feel more confident soon. Good Luck for the future.

[Kapoole in reply to Patsy10]

Thankyou

[MydogBrandy]

Hi, it’s awful when your heart is all over the place but the ecg doesn’t catch it. Hope the monitor catches it , saying that my monitor didn’t. I found that when my heart was racing that much I couldn’t cope, I rang 999 the paramedics did a print out, I asked for them to print me one extra and then kept this to show the gp and cardiologist..... this was the best thing I ever did because when I was taken into hospital my heart seemed to calm a little so I they never had a print out of it at it worst. Thankfully, I am now well after my ablation in January, touch wood!!!!! Hope this helps, good luck x

[Kapoole]

Thankyou hope you stay well

[Dodie117]

The early stages of AF are the worst. It will get better but you need to take control. If you can afford it get a Kardia machine. It costs about £100, takes a mini ecg and you can print out a trace for doctor. Very easy to use and a godsend to anyone in your position. Beg, borrow or steal the money if necessary!!

Ask your GP to refer you to an electrophysiologist (EP). They are cardiologists who specialise in arrhythmias. You can get a list on the AF main website and if you tell us where you are people on here can make recommendations.

Most of us have been where you are but you are entitled to proper treatment and not to be made to feel you are wasting anyone’s time. Ask questions on here. People are knowledgeable, helpful and supportive.

Things will get better. I had an ablation in 2013 and no AF since.

Good luck 🍀

[Kapoole in reply to Dodie117]

Thankyou for your reply i live Nr Exeter in Devon. Definitely will get kardia does it work on a adroid phone. Great you are well.

[Kapoole in reply to Dodie117]

Will Ep and cardiologist accept Kardia print outs .

[Torvi in reply to Dodie117]

You mention that there’s a list of specialists for AF , may I ask who in London is the best to see , I have just been diagnosed by a Cardiologist but he tells me there’s nothing other than blood thinners. , I am very anxious .

[Dodie117 in reply to Torvi]

Hi Torvi. I saw Mark O’Neill in st Tomas in Waterloo and highly recommend.

If you put EP London in the search box on this site, you will get a lot of suggestions for a good EP in London. The main thing is to get referred to one of them and start getting proper advice and treatment.

Ask question on this site as people are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Try not to worry about taking anticoagulant. I had to fight my GP to get mine and I consider them vital to protect me from stroke.

Good luck. 🍀

[Torvi in reply to Dodie117]

Thank you so much Lallym , I will check as you advised , I have spent most of the night looking at the blood thinner medication, tried several times to take it but cried every time .

Torvi

[Torvi in reply to Dodie117]

Lallym

I’ve got Dr O’Neills number , I will make an appointment.

Many thanks

Torvi

[Dodie117]

GPS and cardiologists are getting clued up on kardia. Mine loves it but not all. You need to educate them!!

The kardia is compatible with most smartphones but double check yours with kardia. Amazon sell the device.

[Kapoole in reply to Dodie117]

Thankyou

[Wabid]

If you're able to catch your 'blips', kardia will really help you to provide the evidence that you're not in sinus rhythm at a given time. My understanding is that it provides a 1 lead reading (as opposed to the 12 you get in hospital). As such, it isn't enough for full diagnostics for many issues, but will provide a very good indication of what your heart is up to when it does misbehave. It's ideal in situations where you can't demonstrate the problem because it's never caught on the 24hr or 7 day recorders

[Kapoole in reply to Wabid]

Thankyou

[Kellyjelly]

Hi Kapoole,

I’ve just read this thread and you have had some really brilliant practical advice, this forum is so great I wish I had known about it when I was at the beginning of my journey.

The most important thing now is to gather as much evidence as you can using all the ideas already mentioned and to stay very strong. It is so hard when you are being made to feel a nuisance. It’s such a shame that the GP didn’t do an ECG or send you for one when your pulse was all over the place. My experience has taught me that you have to push and keep knocking on doors, the very nature of Paroxysmal arrhythmia is that everything appears completely normal when it’s not happening but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. In the early days before I was diagnosed a GP told me to call an ambulance so that they could catch it on an ECG, Thats how I finally got my diagnosis after years of being told it was chronic anxiety and being made to feel like a nuisance. I feel for you so much, it’s hard to fight just to be listened to especially when you feel so scared and poorly but you are going to have to advocate for yourself and not just accept what the cardiologist said. It might be a good idea toSee if you can be referred to a different cardiologist?

Wishing you all the best and I hope that you get some evidence soon to show the doctor/ cardiologist so you can get a better idea of what kind of treatment could help you going forward.

Take care 😊

[Kapoole in reply to Kellyjelly]

Thankyou

[Auriculaire]

How slowly did you come off the Bisoprolol? I have read that the final small amount is the most difficult and I am finding this. I have reduced my dose from .625 mg to one sixth of a 2.5 mg tablet. After two days on the new lower dose I noticed some missed beats this evening. It is true I had little sleep last night so tiredness could be playing a part. I have now been on Bisoprolol for a year whereas the previous time I weaned off I had only been on it 6 months. The body gets used to it and I have read reports of other people getting palpitations and other withdrawal symptoms on stopping.

[Kapoole in reply to Auriculaire]

I was only on a small dose of 1.25 then 0.65 i then had 0.20 for 4 days then stopped palpitations started a week later.

[Auriculaire]

That is probably too fast. I have reduced from 2.5mg. The initial drop to 1.25 was easy but getting down from .625 mg will be more of a challenge. I am staying on each new lower dose at least a month so as to give the body time to get used to it. When on the lowest dose I will go to every other day then every 3 days before stopping completely. Some people are very sensitive to even very small doses of Bisoprolol. I read an account of a guy on another website who weaned off and had withdrawal symptoms with every dose reduction. He said the lower doses were the worst and even after stopping it remains in the body for a bit so that rebound symptoms can occur weeks after stopping.

[Kapoole in reply to Auriculaire]

What will be your lowest dose

[Auriculaire]

About .4mg .Cutting small pills into bits it's hard to be totally accurate..

[Kapoole in reply to Auriculaire]

I have a pill scale i weigh mine on