Hi everyone, as promised here is an update to Doctors appointment

[Attic]

I posted yesterday about Bisoprolol making me feel awful and thank you for your replies.

What happened beggars belief really. I told the Doctor how awful I felt after being on these tablets for six weeks or so. She replied with "well, what do you want me to do" I said "you are the Doctor and I was hoping for some guidance and advice from you"

In her infinite wisdom she has told me to carry on with them but to take half the dose in the morning and the other half in the evening. These tablets are poison to me and it is quite comical that she thinks this will solve the problem, ha ha.

I will try it, but if it doesn't work I will go and see another Doctor.

Thank you for listening, Jenny x

[10gingercats]

I guess it is possible breaking up the dose will help you but her attitude sounds unprofessional and unsympathetic..I do not take B. but there is hardly a drug that does not have an alternative.

[EngMac]

Been there. It is frustrating when doctors don't listen to the patient. If the patient continually complains, then the doctor is in a difficult situation but if the patient has always been sensible, then the doctor probably should listen and consider options. In Canada, it is difficult to get a doctor, if you don't have one, so finding a new one is sometimes impossible so people can have no alternative. Hopefully, you at least can change doctors if you choose to do so.

[Hidden]

I’m going to be the “devil’s advocate” Jenny, but this is one of the reasons why we encourage folk to do their research before seeing their consultant and especially their GP. We get a lot of people who say Bisoprolol gives them unpleasant side effects and we also get a good few who swear by it and don’t have a problem. The same could be said about atenolol and other betablockers and the same also applies to calcium channel blockers such as Diltiazem. This means it can be difficult for doctors to decide what might be a better option for the patient and of course, most of us won’t know either until we try something else. Most GP’s are reluctant to prescribe anything other than Bisoprolol, indeed, I’ve heard it said that they can only prescribe something different if it has been requested by a specialist.

Sometimes, staggering doses can work and it’s certainly worth trying, but if it does not improve your situation, when you go back to your Doctor, I suggest that ask to change your medication and actually ask to for something by name, eg Nebivolol (which is a betablocker often discussed on this forum) but do your research first and maybe ask (if you haven’t already) for their views on different medications. You need to remember though, what is good for one may not necessarily suit you.....it’s all a bit of a lottery, but rightly or wrongly, don’t expect your GP to have all the answers, they cannot be experts on every ailment known to man (or woman 😉)

[Attic in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Flapjack , I will bear that in mind.

Jenny x

[10gingercats in reply to Hidden]

You are right. GP's cannot neccesarily be experts in all or any field but they can have sympathy,empathy and respond to the patient in a pleasant way.

[Polly159 in reply to 10gingercats]

You've hit the nail on the head. Communication and a good professional compassionate manner should be basic in any patient/doctor interactions, always bearing in mind that medical folk are human and may themselves be having a hard time! Of course, as we all know we can have good doc/patient encounters. I still remember when I told my cardiologist about increasing afib episodes and her reply was a very sincere 'That must really affect your quality of life.' I could have hugged her (I didn't) But yes, sometimes offers like you're hitting a brick wall with some docs.

[Rienij70]

I take Bisoprolol. 2.5 mg in the morning and 2.5 at teatime. I find that suits me better. Had it prescribed by a doctor in the hospital at my request. Because 5mg in the morning made me sluggish.

[bigbearatthecave]

What dose are you on and what for ?

[barneyfrances]

Hello Attic, I had a very similar response from my GP he was very abrupt and more or less said ' get on with it' Bisoporal was making me feel very unwell in general . On my next appt.I saw a different doctor and he had a totally different attitude and suggested I take the Bisop. late in the evening which I now do, certainly made a difference for me !! good luck !

[majjic]

It was the first thing my doctor prescribed for me when i was diagnosed, together with Rivaroxaban. I felt so ill for weeks.....i couldn't go out or function at all. Eventually i went back to the doctor and requested something else and together we came up with Atenolol. I haven't looked back since. I do wake up with my heart in Afib often but it usually goes off in a short while. It doesn't frighten me as much as it used to and i can usually find something to take my mind off it. Then when i think about it, i realise it's gone again.

[Jogb]

I felt like a zombie on them and after a year got my GP to change me over to atenolol still get a bit breathless but nothing like before. I also take Apixaban I take the 2 tabs before going to bed and the 2nd Apixaban in the morning. good luck Josie

[Tapanac]

A lot of people on here have had your problems and I know from myself that bisoprolol does make one sluggish and they have changed to nebivolol and all say how good they have been. Might be worth a try to ask your cardiologist to change or another doctor. The one you have doesn’t seem very nice or sympathetic. All the best

[fairgo45]

We must all have stories to tell of GPs who are ignorant when.i first had AF mine didnt have a clue thats 15 years ago for me.

Even my cardiologist doled out pills that might have worked but didnt

I made a private appointment to see an EP and it was a revelation

I was on drugs that did more harm than good.

I took.myself off those I knew were making me into a zombie hardly able to function sleeping my life away.

I took charge of my health told my cardiologist I would hang myself from the tree outside his office if he didnt help me.

Long stories short he listened he changed my drugs he worked with the EP they got me the ablation that restored me to normal life

You have to stand up for yourself

If drugs are making you worse dont take them educate your GP they cant know everything

Never except take this pill never mind the side effects it's your life

[Brandibell]

I am off it. I weaned myself off it very slowly from 1.25 mg.. It is a drug that causes too many side effects - tremendous weight gain/headaches/sleep disturbances/acid reflux etc..

[7Helena]

I used to take Bisoprolol and had similar side effects to yourself. My GP with the same attitude that yours had, reduced it but it made no difference so I told her that I was stopping it. GPs are seldom experts on AF I've discovered but it's not easy to change to another doctor.

[TigerLizzy]

You will be lucky. I had same thing. I recommend calling the cardiac nurses on this forum and getting PROPER advice. They are phenomenal and amazing and caring and know what they are talking about. They will help you. X

[Attic in reply to TigerLizzy]

Thank s ever so much for all of your replies. I didn't know they have Cardiac Nurses on here. I will give them a ring. I was never referred to a Cardiologist despite being blue lighted to hospital a few times.

I was just discharged to the care of my Doctor, with the Bisoprolol and Blood Thinners to take.

Thank s again, Jenny x

[Staffsgirl in reply to Attic]

I must have missed your post when it first appeared, but simply to add: I was on Bisoprolol (alongside Riveroxoban) for nearly two years. The fatigue, breathlessness, and general feelings of being below par were one thing. The appalling, almost intolerable, pains in limbs was another. Until I came off this drug, I hadn’t associated the pains with Bisoprolol.

I’m off it now...didn’t come off gradually, just stopped. (Dr said no need to do it gradually. )

Hey presto! I’m a new woman. (Well, nearly new.)

We’re all different, and clearly B is fine for many.

[Kateuk1]

I had the same response from my consultant. He said he was prescribing Bisoporol because it was the best and I should continue with it. When I saw another consultant , he reduced the dose and added 1.25 Digoxin. I have felt much better since the change.

[sarniacherie]

I am sorry to hear about your problems with Bisoprolol. I would ask for a 24 hour tape. These ought to be done routinely anyway but having one done now would show accurate readings of your heart rate. I was on Bisoprolol and felt quite poorly. At a cardiology appointment I said how I was feeling and how my heart rate was around 44-46 bpm during the day. A 24 hour tape was fitted and showed my heart rate dropping to 34 bpm during sleep. That prodded my cardiologist to take me off Bisoprolol altogether. Good for him you might say but he didn't bother doing that until my follow-up appointment 9 months later. He left me taking a drug that he called 'dangerous' to my health for all that time. Needless to say I see another cardio doc now. If you haven't already watched any, try Dr. Sanjay Gupta's short videos on You Tube. He is excellent on so many heart-related matters. I have never heard him say 'What do you want me to do about it'! Priceless. Keep well and don't be fobbed off.