AF and different drugs

[Lovetheoutdoors]

Back in hospital with AF. Being monitored as trying out different drugs. Took a calcium blocker is anyone else taking these please. I can't take betablocker. Is Is all quite new to me. I'm 71 and of course no visitors allowed so glued to my kindle and mobile!

[Palpman]

I was on Amlodipine 10mg but my feet and ankles swelled up. I also read on the pamphlet that people over 65 should not take the high dose of 10mg so I stopped. My BP was fine anyway.

I had been taking it for a few months with no problems at all until the oedema started.

[jeanjeannie50]

I can vaguely remember taking Verapamil, but it was such a long time ago and all I can remember is that it didn't work for me.

Really feel for you being in hospital though, have they admitted you to a ward? Thank goodness those days are in my past since my third ablation. The more calm you remain the quicker you will go back into normal rhythm.

Are you aware that taking magnesium can help reduce your AF attacks? Also changing your diet to a more plant based one and avoiding anything that contains artificial additives? How I wish someone had told me about that before I had my very first ablation.

Keep in contact and let us know how you get on please. Will be thinking of you.

Jean

[Lovetheoutdoors in reply to jeanjeannie50]

They said my magnesium was low so taking that and potassium. Heart now in sinus.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Lovetheoutdoors]

So pleased to hear that you're back in normal rhythm and hope you'll soon be able to go home.

[Lovetheoutdoors in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Yes I'm now being monitored on a ward.

[judybrowneyes in reply to Lovetheoutdoors]

Good hear you

Are back in normal. Rhythm. So seems your like magnesium. And potassium may triggered you what combo of drugs got you

Back into normal sinus ? I

Am having AF EPISODES every few days since. Lockdown you

Have prompted me to speak to my GP to get blood tests done maybe. Hope you are home soon

[Lovetheoutdoors in reply to judybrowneyes]

Apparently my levels were low so just taking the potassium and magnesium until they're up. Now on a calcium channel blocker too. Feel much better but can't wait to go home. Thanks for message

[7164 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Jean

How are you?

I see you took veramapril and it didn’t work for you. I have been on it three months and more Afib and more palpations than ever? The beta blockers exhausted me so and no too low. Did you get probs with the verapamil?

Feel that I am running out of options. Two years down the line and the meds have just made me feel worse. I have never tried the digoxin as a pip and just stopped taking the others? I want to get off the roundabout

Any help ??

Rod

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to 7164]

Hi Rod

The only thing I know that really helps us with AF is changing our diet to a more plant based one and totally avoiding any food that contains artificial additives. Losing weight and taking a magnesium supplement can also be beneficial. As for a total cure, I'm afraid I know of none. Some very lucky people have one ablation and then are cured, but quite often that cure doesn't last more than a few years.

Never give up hope of being cured though, as a positive mind really helps. I feel sure that one day someone will discover AF is caused by something that's easy to cure.

Always bear in mind too that you could have had something far worse to contend with.

I'm feeling really well today, have been out for a lovely walk through woods to an isolated beach this morning and then weeded my front garden all afternoon (in between talking to neighbours).

Jean

[Hidden]

I have been taking 120mg Diltiazem for over 5 years with no problems. When first diagnosed I was taking Bisoprolol and Diltiazem and it felt like I was walking in treacle but after a relatively successful cardioversion, I was taken off the Bisoprolol and have not looked back but I have also had two ablations. It can cause swollen legs and feet in some, but I am not aware of any side effects of significance.

[Lovetheoutdoors in reply to Hidden]

Glad they got you sorted. I’m 71 and they said didn’t really want to try me with diltiazem so be interested knowing if you’re a senior!

[Cookie24 in reply to Lovetheoutdoors]

Age 64 and have been taking Diltiazem 240 SR for three years.

[Hidden]

73, but 68 when first prescribed.

[Lovetheoutdoors in reply to Hidden]

Oh that's great to hear that, something positive thanks

[Hidden in reply to Lovetheoutdoors]

👍

[Jaws66]

I have had permanent AF for about 15 years (I'm now 53). I started on beta blockers, which worked a treat, except for a personality change. I was listless, not bothered about anything, but also starting to get very angry over minor things. I lasted a while on it, but told my cardiologist about it, and he moved me on to Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker. It does hold my resting heart rate down, but when I exercise it can still go quite high. (I run 5k several times a week, and do the occasional 10k - so it is effective enough to cope with that.) The one down side I've had is constipation - bran breakfast cereal, more fruit and veg, and exercise helps that. (To be honest, I have an office job, so just getting up and walking around more works too). My ankles do swell a little bit, but again, walking helps. Other than that, I feel fine - my heart is irregular but never races, no side effects as major as with beta blockers.

Couple of tips - I'm on three 80mg tablets a day, which is higher than my original dose; keep monitoring your heart rate and BP for a few months. Also, I now take two first thing, then one about 5pm, and that keeps my heart level. I could take all three in the morning, but haven't tried that. They take about an hour to kick in, and last for about eight hours, but I don't really need them when asleep, as my HR is low then anyway, so just need to cover the other 18hrs a day.

Good luck - and ask your doctor lots of questions!

[TheProf]

Calcium blockers caused severe oedema in me to the extent that I couldn't get my shoes on. Changed to Irbesartan. No effects at all. Also ace inhibitors such ss ramipril gave me a severe cough. It's all down to individual reaction. I'm currently on flecainide 300 per day for AF but it drops my heart rate by 10.

[Palpman in reply to TheProf]

It may not be healthy to take as much as 300mg Flecainide for a longish period as it accumulates in the blood plasma to toxic levels. Speak to your cardiologist or nurse.

[TheProf in reply to Palpman]

It was the cardio that prescribed it last august.

[Palpman in reply to TheProf]

I have read that 300mg is fine if you are rather heavily built and even 400mg can then be tolerated as the very maximum.

Regular checks should be done by an ECG to check for cQT longer than 440ms. Alternatively a blood test should be done regularly to check for Flecainide toxicity.

[TheProf in reply to Palpman]

I was 153 kg when prescribed. Down to 137 now. I intend to see the cardio wjen i'm 125 or less.

[Rosemaryb1349]

Hi, after several years on a gradually increasing dosage of Bisoprolol which turned me into a zombie but wasn't doing what it was supposed to do, I was eventually tried on a slow release Verapamil. I take 120mgs of Half Securon Verapamil, and this is suiting me much better and with no side effects. Hope you get sorted soon.

[Gowers]

Were you sent from A&E to the ward with af/high heart rate? Do hope you are feeling better by now. I started on Diltiazam about 2 years ago. Started with 120mg dose but now on 300mg once a day dose. I was on Verapamil for many years but the dose eventually had to be increased to maximum & then stopped working for me. No problem with Diltiazam but - cardiologist said i had to keep to the same brand & foruar. In my case = sr (slow release) Zemtard. A friend told me cardiology wards are very quiet at the moment due to ae/emergency surgery only being done - how did you find it? Do let us know how you are getting on

[Lovetheoutdoors in reply to Gowers]

I'm home! Got back late afternoon today. One of the bays on the ward was empty from what I saw on cardio ward. I had spoken to my GP on Monday and was asked to go to the hospital and then admitted. I still need a heart scan and 24 hours monitor but both done as an outpatient so have to wait for appointment which might take months because of coronavirus situation .

in the hospital no visitors allowed and when I left a porter took me to the main entrance to be collected . Hoping the new medication sorts me out . Thanks for your support.

[Heartfelt46]

Hi, I was taking bisoprolol and flecanide for quite a long time, the combination was ok for a while but then I had a bad few months, feeling very rough. Changed to Diltiazem and within a couple of days I was a new woman, none of the side effects of the other drugs. The one slight down side is that if it is hot I do get swelling in my feet and ankles, but I can live with that.