New to group

[Erika73]

Hi everyone I’ve been diagnosed with AFIB and high blood pressure. It all started about 6 months ago my heart was beating 220 for about 30 min I was laying in bead didn’t no what was happening thought maybe panic attack got up to get drunk of water passed out ended up in hospital. Was put on meds slowly but surely more was added to the list still when I do simple things like sweep my heart rate goes up to 175 I don’t have insurance at moment i will be added on husbands in sept I see my reg dr have been in and out of hospital several times. My dr put me on blood thinner Eliquis very expensive but he gave me samples to hold me threw till insurance starts also on DILTIAZEM 60 mg 3x day DIAZAPAM 5 mg take one tab 2x day as needed.

NORG-EEG.18-0.215-0.25/035

One tablet by mouth one time day

Eliquis 5 mg 2x day

Losartan 50 mg @ bed time

Digoxin 0.250 mcg 1 tab 1xday 5 pm

Doxepin 25 mg 2 tablet at bed time

I see no change taking all these medicines in heart rate. Sometimes I get short of breath. The anxiety I have is insane. I feel most of the time like I’m dragging I’m 46 always been active find it hard sometimes just getting threw the day!!! I’m glad I found this group don’t feel alone now reading threw thread. Thanks for listening to me. If anyone has any advice much appreciated thank you !!

[meadfoot]

Welcome to the forum, you will find so much support here and understanding. Your experience is similar to how I started with afib and I honestly thought life would never get back to any semblance of normality but it will. Please hold on tight things will get better, it often takes a good while to get the right treatment combination that works for us.

What you will find here is how different afib presents itself in people, it appears to affected us all in different ways, intensity and frequency of events. Read all the information on this site provided by the af association and the more you read the more you will feel in control of the current situation.

Anxiety accompanies afib and our whole nervous system often appears to be upset by an afib event. Dig in, things will improve, finding a good medic to support your journey in whom you feel confident is key. Best wishes.

[BobD Volunteer]

As meadfoot has said life will get better. It is always scary when you are first diagnosed. I guess from your reference to lack of insurance as well as the timing of your post that you are in USA which is unfortunate as things will tend to be on hold till you can get sorted with insurance. We here in UK don't have that problem although once diagnosed some treatments can mean long waiting lists. Drugs on the other hand are easier and unfortunately with AF it may take some time to find the right combination which suits you.

My best advice at this time is to go to AF Association website and read all you can as knowledge is power.

[etheral]

Are you in the In the US? Are you usually in AFib? I have been AFib free after taking Tikosyn ( dofetilide) for 2 years. Ask to be referred to an Electrophysioligist who can determine if you are an appropriate candidate for this. It has been life saving for me

[Gillybean123]

Hi there, so sorry that you are in AF. This site is amazing. Just to read that you are not on your own. Mine started 12 years ago. Have been so scared at times but you learn to manage it. My pulse was 250. In the early days like someone else said about the UK. You have to wait around but they get to you in the end. Our 111 service is amazing. Spoke to three people and within one hour I had an appointment an hour later. Just hang on in there, read read and read more. You will be fine. They will sort out your meds and find the best one for you. Make sure you always take your blood thinner. I am having a resting day today. Feel very zapped after 5 crap days. Try and calm down and do some breathing exercises they will calm you down. Xx

[Tikaneko]

Hello Erika, I can only agree with the others, read as much as you can, look for dr Sanjay Gupta on YouTube and listen to him, he is based here in York but very supportive to us all. It is frightening when you are first diagnosed and waiting for meds to start to work. The more info you read from this site and AF association the better you will be at dealing with your AF. Best wishes and good luck.

[Mouchkin]

Hello Erika

I am just rushing out to a meeting.

I wanted to tell you that my story is almost identical to yours. I started this heart thing when I was 47 and I was so scared. Now I am 80!! People can’t believe how young I am in many ways..despite having many health issues. I raised six children...four of whom are adopted...and I worked until I was in my late sixties....in the NHS.

Just recently I had an ablation as the drugs weren’t as effective and this has made a big difference to my health.

So. Take heart. I know how scary it is. Being so scared makes it worse. We are all still here and we learn to manage and have a good life.

Read as much as you can.

Xxx

[Ppiman]

I’d advise you to take great care using the diazepam (and any similar benzodiazepine drug), if you aren’t used to it.

In many people, it can work really well - when used occasionally - to lessen anxiety. Many can take it or leave it without problems. However, for some, this group of drugs becomes very difficult to stop. On stopping, diazepam can lead to rebound anxiety and other severe withdrawal symptoms that can cause great and prolonged suffering.

Steve

[seasider18]

Could you not take Warfarin (brand names Coumadin and Jantoven in America ) as a cheaper option to Eliquis. Then of course you would need frequent INR tests.