AF and muscle pain.

[Poppy128]

Hi all I was diagnosed with AF at the start of May and am due to have a cardioversion on the 4th July. Have been put on the following medication but my heartbeat is still averaging 100 to 120. These readings are coming from the Kardia I purchased. Should I be worried about this and tell my cardiologist.

Digoxin. 62.5 micro grams in the morning

Edoxaban. 60mg in the morning

Diltiazem. 180 mg in the morning

Nebivolol. 5 mg in the morning

Also I have what I can only describe as bone ache. My legs and arms all ache deep inside. This is what sent me to the doctors in the first place. After being on all the medication for six weeks now I expected this pain to subside as it is so debilitating and makes me exhausted all of the time. Is this a usual symptom of AF.

I am trying to read as much as I can but there is so much information I start to feel overloaded.

Any help or advice would be really appreciated

Thanks

Poppy

[BobD Volunteer]

I have not heard of "bone ache" being associated with AF Poppy. I suggests that you keep pushing your GP for answers.

[Poppy128 in reply to BobD]

Thanks.

[doodle68]

Hi Poppy you say.....

''Also I have what I can only describe as bone ache. My legs and arms all ache deep inside. This is what sent me to the doctors in the first place.''

Have you had your levels of vitamin D checked. I had legs that ached deep inside and it started to threaten my mobility then my nurse daughter in law advised me to get my Vit D levels checked which I did and I was shocked to find I was very deficient in the vitamin.

After 14 weeks of taking a loaded dose of VitD3 things have improved greatly and the aches have almost gone. I find it hard to believe that a vitimain deficiency could cause such pronounced sypmtoms.

[Poppy128 in reply to doodle68]

Thanks very much. Will make an appointment to get my levels checked.

[Auriculaire in reply to Poppy128]

I too had this before my vit d deficiency was diagnosed. More in the legs than the arms.

[cassie46]

Hi Poppy - As Bob has said aches and pains are not a symptom of AF but low levels of vitamin D could be. Out of interest I see that you are on Digoxin, Diltazem and Nebivolol, I used to be on Digoxin and Bisoprolol but had to stop the Digoxin because of side effects and was put on Diltiazem, I have also been changed from Bisoprolol to Nebivolol, I am on the same doses as you are, I wondered why you are on Digoxin and Diltiazem. Unusual to see someone on both.

Cassie

[Poppy128]

Hi Cassie I’m not sure why I am on all the drugs it’s just what the cardiologist has prescribed. I saw him last night again and he said as soon as I have had the cardioversion he will stop the Digoxin and the Diltiazem. I know this sounds thick but why is it unusual to be on both. Having only recently being diagnosed I am not sure what each tablet is for what. I understand the need for a blood thinner but unsure about the rest are for. Trying to read as much as I can but am finding it quite overwhelming.

[Hidden in reply to Poppy128]

Hi,

I was also on Digoxin when I had been in fast af for several weeks,and bisoprolol alone would not get my HR below 140 BPM even being on 12.5 mg daily (max recommended dose 10 mg/day)

It reduces strain on your heart. I stopped taking this after my first cardioversion.

Edoxaban is an anticoagulant, it's to reduce the risk of having a stroke, Having AF ,not just being in AF, increases our risk of stroke, and you will need to be anticogulated for a good period of time before you can have a cardioversion

Nebivolol is a betablocker, used to reduce your heart rate

100-120 is a bit high, and worth asking your GP/EP they may want to change your meds to reduce your HR further

[Tomred]

hi poppy i have p-af and for years i have also felt a tiredness that i described as in the bone and if i do anything physical i feel my muscles ache with tiredness i take vitamin d and a whole host of supplements to try and counteract this but one thing i believe helps more than anything is trying to keep a better consistent sleeping routine whenever i would mention to gp about tiredness they never seemed to grasp how bad it can be so i gave up telling them i knew it wasnt all in my head so to speak good luck this is all trial and error and quite exhausting dealing with this condition

[quanglewangle]

Inflammatory muscle and joint pain is not uncommon and of course it's a chicken and egg question when AF is concerned. Until someone answers that question the only answer is to suffer or control. Mine has been controlled for years by Diclofenac - shock/horror I hear some say, but the research is very conflicted and although NSAIDs are said to be a no-no, QOL is what it is all about surely.... And my medics all agree....

[Buffafly]

When my osteoarthritis plays up it affects my heart so I really think you need to push for a diagnosis of the bone pain.

[ian16527]

I have muscle/sternum pain which when inflamed causes more ectopic beats and has been a problem on and off for 9 years, without the PAF. GP does not know what it is and I am sure they think there is no connection, but its always been the same, the ectopics come on then the folllowing day, the inflammed chest area. It also hurts when I extend my chest so I know its not cardiac pain

[Auriculaire in reply to ian16527]

Costochondritis. It is an inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs and where they join to the sternum. Mine was brought on from having a bad reaction to the antibiotic Cipro. All fluoroquinolone antibiotics attack cartilage. It can be virally caused and also idiopathic. The pain often mimics heart attack pain because the nerves sending pain signals are so close. I can't say I've noticed any connection with my ectopics and I had had it for years before afib started.

[ian16527 in reply to Auriculaire]

GP says not costochrondritus after initially saying it could be.

[Auriculaire in reply to ian16527]

Did he give any reason for changing his mind?

[ian16527 in reply to Auriculaire]

No, but I have had this problem a long time and Costochronditus has been mentioned a few times, but I have no pain when pressing the joint or area which I think is a key indicator to what I have read about it. I personally think mine is an autoimmune response to something which also causes the heart instability as they always occur together and always have, but because this is my opinion is always dismissed by the medics. We have talked about this on another thread as my AF in the last 3 episodes has been caused by me stressing the chest muscles the day before.

[Auriculaire in reply to ian16527]

The medics have an unfortunate habit of dismissing whatever they have not got a pat answer for. They don't get it that we know our own bodies better than anybody else.

[Jt222]

Blood thinner did it to me. You can also get that from cholesterol meds. And afib/flutter makes your whole body feel like shit anyhow! You are in flutter, right? 100 to 120 is not not that bad especially on blood thinner. The meds are also keeping it down in that range. I had it in that range for a while before a cardioversion and then the sotalol kept me out of it. 140 sustained is the big area if concern, so watch it but I'de tell the EP what your concerns are anyway. Good luck and tell us what happens.

[Ppiman]

My own experiences, having suffered for a couple of months or more with permanent atrial flutter (now 11 days after ablation, but still only very slowly recovering), bring me to think that arrhythmia reduces the heart’s efficiency more or less and in some of us it is definitely “more” - and can have a lot of significance.

The effect of a less efficient circulation must be that the major organs will always get “first call” on the heart’s supply of oxygenated blood (but also on the important removal of the lactic acid that builds up in muscles after they use up the oxygen). The result is that different things will feel “wrong” - sometimes “very wrong”), as you are finding. I didn’t have aching bones, but did have many symptoms (and still have).

All I can say is “hang in there” and keep telling yourself that all will eventually be well once more.