Exhausted!

[Cally53]

Af hit me at 9.20pm last night and it is now midday! I took a bisoprolol straight away, which I now only take as a pip along with 200mg of my flecainide pip and for the first time ever it has failed to work! I decided to take another 200mg of bisoprolol at 7.30 this morning, which has thankfully made a great difference, bringing my heart rate right down to near my usual level but I'm still not in a normal rhythm. My Kardia is reading unclassified and I can see that although my heart rate is now in the high 50s there are still some uneven beats. I have never had this happen before, the pip has always worked within 2 hours and have absolutely no idea why it hasn't this time!

I hope this isn't going to become my 'new normal'! No, I hadn't been drinking, I rarely touch alcohol nowadays!

My cryoablation was supposed to be done this month which obviously isn't going to happen now either!

I'm absolutely exhausted now having only had 2/2 hours of restless sleep!! zzz

[Padayn01]

hi Cally53 i hate when AF hits you at night cause you can't go back to sleep and your Anxiety on overdrive and the next day you just feel awful until you go back in NSR and than have a decent night sleep, good that your Kardia confirmed no Possible AF and just unclassified as I've been getting a few of them readings lately as i had an episode of uneven beats which woke me in the middle of the night just horrible, i hope things settle for you quickly please let us know

[Cally53 in reply to Padayn01]

Things have settled much more thank you. I still get the odd unclassified reading but also get normal ones now too.

[BobD Volunteer]

I really hope that you do not mean 200mg Bisoprolol or even another 200mg of flecainide for that matter. 300mg flecainide is absolute max in any 24 hour period and any more can be quite detrimental.

[Padayn01 in reply to BobD]

I was also thinking that 200mg must be a typo

[Cally53 in reply to BobD]

Sorry Bob, I forgot that this packet is in 50mg doses, and took two in the night and two this morning. My bisoprolol are only 2.5mg, I didn't tolerate them in 5mg! Maybe if I had taken 4 flecainide in the night it wouldn't have carried on! I'll have to remember that next time.

[Singwell in reply to Cally53]

I think it would be inadvisable to take four Flecainide. I know how horrible attacks are but it's always good to call your GP if you can for advice. Tell them the episode is lasting a long time and ask them to help you decide what to do. That's what they're there for and in my experience they will call you back. Also, keep your weird Kardiamobile readings - print them up and send them to your GP and cardiologist with a covering letter. Having things to do that give you power will help reduce your anxiety too.

[Cally53 in reply to Singwell]

I have all my Kardia readings and have also spoken to arrhythmia nurse. All is good now thank you.

[Paulbounce]

All I will suggest is trying to rest. Lack of sleep seems to the thing that sets me off more than anything else. Try to relax tonight before turning in for some zzzz.

Easy to say I know (if your on edge) but getting a really good nights kip can help. If your HR has settled down to high 50s that's good news. Hope it passes soon.

Paul

[Cally53 in reply to Paulbounce]

Feeling much better now thank you. Still a bit tired. so will hopefully sleep tonight.

[Swimsyroke]

Hi You are similar to me in that the AF is taking longer and with me happening much more frequently. It is a chicken and egg situation as the more it happens the more I focus on my heart thus causing more anxiety. I still stick to just 12.5 mg of bisopropol and 200 flex when it happens and if it doesn't clear in 5 hrs I take another 100mg of flec and usually it clears by 8 hrs. Sometimes it surprises me and clears in 3 or 4. Like you I take both as pip but I hate bisopropol so take ad little as I can as my heart rate is normally around 64 and bp not too bad when not in an anxiety state. I also have to be very careful what I eat and don't drink. I hope this helps. Stay positive. Exercise and distraction helps and I think the lockdown has made it worse for me

[Cally53 in reply to Swimsyroke]

I can't tolerate more that 2.5mg of bisoprolol as it brings my heart rate down too low, my resting heart rate usually sits around 55 at the best of times. I'm always quite careful about what I eat and drink too. and like you, my episodes are getting closer together and lasting longer unfortunately.

[Pollywaffle10]

hi Cally, Check with your Dr about the dose you can safely take with Flecainide...I was told no more than two 50mg especially if you are 55/60kg it can be dangerous to overdose. Best wishes...

[Cally53 in reply to Pollywaffle10]

I can take 200mg and then a further 100 after another 2 hours if it doesn't stop. I only use it as a pip.

[Mike-tyson]

Have had sleep problems when taking Bisoprolol and Amiodarone for six months now. Cardiology nurse at Stoke said she took Valarian Root tablets to help her sleep with no side effects. So take that some nights. Plus my GP has given me some Zolpidem 5mg which I take if I wake early and can’t get back to sleep. They work well as half life is only 2.5hrs so have no bad side effects next day. But think a lot of people are having anxiety and sleep problems at the moment due to this terrible COVID 19 that is effecting us all at the. Keep safe it won’t last forever ?

[Cally53]

I had sleep problems pre af anyway! I will look up what you suggested though, thank you.