Deb86290 problem with bleeding

[Deb86290]

I was diagnosed in January 2018 with Afib and have been taking Xarelto and Sotalol for the last 18 months and have suddenly been experiencing copious nose bleeds, blurry vision and extreme fatigue. Heart rate is fine at 50 and no signs of Afib since my cardio version Jan 2018 during a periodd of extreme stress. Is this normal? Not sure what to do. Any advice welcome.

[Hidden]

You don’t give a time scale, but heavy nose bleeds and blurred vision are not normal. You need a medical assessment as soon as possible.

[Deb86290 in reply to Hidden]

All fairly recent but think I need to check in with my GP. Thankyou

[BobD Volunteer]

I agree with oyster about seeking medical advise and unless you are an olympic athlete a heart rate of 50 is far too low. "Normal" is between 60 and 100 but generally should be around 70.

[Deb86290 in reply to BobD]

Thank you I will check in with my GP

[Hidden]

Hi Deb86290,

Well now, I'm gonna stick my neck out as I'm not a qualified medical practioner - just gonna say my experience - right ?

If I were playing the blame game I'd say Sotalol is the main factor with your nosebleeds and low HR ! I use Bisoprolol ! Both are in the family of drugs known as beta blockers and their purpose is to bring your HR down and to steady it. Some medical practioners prescribe it for blood pressure control as it seems to have some properties relevant to BP. My HR holds boringly steady at 65 bpm and has done this for over 9 years - HOWEVER - in the beginning I suffered from random and quite dramatic nosebleeds and went back to my GP and asked to be taken off Bisoprolol. She looked up her Book of Witches Magic Potions and Brews and said take it at night. I was originally prescribed to take it at Breakfast. I'm assuming you take yours in the morning ?

I have never had a nosebleed since

You don't say what dose of Sotalol you are on. I'm on 5 mg of Bisoprolol.

My suggestion is to thoroughly read the bit of paper in the packet, particularly the bit on side effects. Then go back and see your GP and discuss with him dose levels and timings of taking doses, i.e. night v daytime and alternatives to Sotalol, but don't be surprised if he/she comes up with Bisoprolol.

Also read up and learn about beta blockers before you see your GP.

Be careful about suddenly coming off beta blockers, they are not the sort of drug to treat like a pill in the pocket and switching doses here there and everywhere. With these little beauties everything needs to be done gradually. But, remember if you come off them altogether don't be surprised to see your HR gallop away like a race horse. With AF it is important to hold your heart rate fairly low AND constant. Goodness knows why but it seems to be a fact.

Must say, even today all these years later every now and then my HR takes a dive down to 46 bpm. I deal with it by going to bed with a hot sweet coffee and an electric blanket on a highish setting to heat myself up. Lasts about 4 or 5 hours, I sleep and then I come out of it, HR rises again to 65 ish, I feel like crap and by the next day I'm just fine, as if nothing happened. It does this around 3 times a year. Oddly enough it does this when I'm home relaxing - never when I'm active and working -NEVER !!!

Beta blockers will tend to generate the symptoms you describe in your post.

Hope this helps, good luck.

John

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

My resting heart rate is always under 50 and at 75 that’s the nearest I get to an Olympic athlete. I take 2.5 Nebivolol a day but wonder if I really need it.

Di

[Jamila123]

Hi

First of all heart rate around 50 can be normal

In some Poeple

Especially if they keep fit this is absolutely a normal heart rate

It’s not about text books what they say is between a certain value

No depends on the person remember your heart rate is not going to stay the same

Only if u are in betas

However if this is not normal for u and u are experiencing symptoms u should go back to your doctor

As for the bleeding THIS is not right

This should been seen as urgent please

Best luck 🌸

[rothwell]

Coincidentally I have just had a nose bleed this morning...scary and I was worried that it wouldn't stop. However it did and when I googled Apixaban this is a side effect. Been on Apixaban for 18 months and it has never happened before. Has this happened to anyone else taking Apixaban. I also take Bisoprolol so will now Google that for nose bleeds.

[Patchwork123]

I have taken sotolol for around fifteen years and started taking apixaban four or five months ago. My heart rays is in the seventies/ eighties, I have never experienced a nose bleed as yet! But I wouldn’t have thought sotolol was the culprit.

[jimweisback]

Check with your Doctor. Don't take any advice from this site. This site should only be used to check for similar symptoms with meds and treatment plans.

[Mari4325]

People can only give you their thoughts but xarelto did it for me. I had to go off it after two days because of bleeding. If you look at other posts on this... blood thinners have caused problems for different people. But do check with your Dr. mine disapproves of me strongly right now because I will not take blood thinners because of this. I hope to go for a second opinion.

[Hidden in reply to Mari4325]

I declined anticoagulants because of the side effects of bruising and nose bleeds that I experienced but reading the information that comes with the apixaban I noted that if one weighs under 60kg then the dosage should be halved. I weigh 62 kg and have now agreed with a new doctor at our surgery, to take the half dose. As you no doubt know, dosages are based on the average male so we women are at a big disadvantage! You'd think that ith all the money the drug companies make, they could provide drugs in a variety of doses! The GP agreed as half doses are also advised for those over 80 and I am 75!! I have been taking it for about a week and no sign of bruising at all and only one slight touch of blood when I blew my nose on one occasion (this never ending cold is still with us after months!)