Living with AF

[Andy-f]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with AF approximately 14 months ago

I have had a cardioversion which didn’t work unfortunately

Tablet wise I take

10mg of apixaban

10mg of Bisoprolol

I have had blood pressure tablets prescribed for one month then stopped

After the cardioversion they gave me Amoidarone which I haven’t taken due to the side effects and being worried about them

Does any one else suffer with bad joint pains and swellings to the extent it’s near on impossible to walk

Thanks

Andy

[Hidden]

Hello Andy, welcome to the forum and thanks for providing some useful information. Just a word about the cardioversion. That’s a normal part of the treatment process for folk in persistent AF. They may have told you this but if it puts you back into rhythm, even for a short period, it does indicate that you might be suitable for further treatment such as an ablation. In many ways, it’s a pity you didn’t follow your Doctors instructions and take the Amiodarone. I know the side effects sound really scary and it is definitely not a medication that’s recommended for long term use but it would have been better if you had persevered with it. Unless you have told the doctor otherwise, they will assume you have taken it and that you have remained in AF so if this is the case and you want at least be deemed suitable for other treatments, then come clean and they might try another CV but of course, the choice is yours.

Apixaban rarely causes side effects like the ones you are experiencing but you are on a high dose of Bisoprolol so that could easily be contributing to your mobility problems. There are alternative beta blockers and many here speak favourably about Nebivolol. Unfortunately, nearly all beta blockers or calcium channel blockers come with a huge list of side effects, many of which don’t effect some people so it’s a case of trial and error to find one that suits you. I suggest you discuss it first with your GP but they are limited when it comes to prescribing some medications so you may need to see you specialist.

I’ve added a link below which will enable you to access lots of helpful information but I would encourage you to think about revisiting the CV option but this time with the additional help of Amiodarone. Hope this helps......

healthunlocked.com/afassoci.........

[Andy-f in reply to Hidden]

Hi FlapjackI have the consultant ringing me back on Thursday to discuss we’re we go with it

I have talked to my doctor and told him I haven’t taken the Amoidarone to no out come

Am I right in thinking with what you have said that you just can’t restart taking the Amoidarone

Can it only be taken after a cardioversion

Thanks

Andy

[Hidden in reply to Andy-f]

We are not medically trained Andy so cannot answer specific questions relating to medication. It’s something which needs to be discussed with your consultant. If you don’t have contact details, you might be able to find his secretaries email address on the hospital webpage and then contact her.

[Andy-f]

Hi thanks As I said the consultant is ringing to discuss

Thanks for you input and advice regarding the joint pain, just trying to find out if others suffer from pain

Thanks

Andy

[The_Lord_is_with_Us]

I've had 4 ablations ... and more cardioverts than I can remember. Sure cardioversion got me back to sinus ... but never for that long. Just a waste of time ... needed something more substantial.

You're post makes me remember the days about 12- years-ago when I was first hit with AFIB.

How old are you? If you're young (or young in mind) and active, then you might be like I was. I didn't want medication or any more cardioverts. I wanted some kind of normalcy ... a cure perhaps.

But ... the AFIB kept getting progressively worse. In a year or so, I went from one episode every 2 months ... to 3 a week. So they put me on warfarin, which I hated. Couldn't eat as much veggies as I liked and had to go in every week for testing to stay in 'range'.

My options were to medicate for years to keep it at bay ... or seek a cardiac AFIB ablation. I chose ablation.

First for ATRIAL Flutter. It worked for less than a year. My next 2 AFIB ablations were performed in 2011 ... and I went almost 10 years of complete normalcy. However, AFIB returned this past AUG.

I had my recent ablation by a world-class EP on OCT 23 ... and have been free of AFIB since.

If you're like me, I'd recommend getting an ablation. They're much better technologically and for recovery than they were 10 years ago. A 2 or so hour procedure ... overnight monitoring ... out around noon the next day ... and home. AFIB free .. and not tethered to anything.

If you decide the medication route, don't take Amoidarone with any kind of lung issues. It doesn't go well. However, in preparation for my recent ablation, I was on Flecainide 50mg twice a day (lowest dose) for 4 months. It has 'nasty' side effects, too. But nothing like Amioderone.

It was slow to take effect (about 3 weeks), but when it finally kicked in it completely controlled my AFIB and tachycardia rapid heart rate I also had with it.

Good Luck!

[Andy-f]

The_Lord_is_with_Us

Thanks for the reply

I have just turned 50 years old

People talk about flutters and bouts of Afib coming and going, I don’t get those symptoms at all

Is that normal, I do get out of breath light headed when bending down and lack of strength

Have you taken Amoidarone in the past ?

Andy

[cuore]

You give no timeline in terms of how long you have been in persistent AF. Because you say, " bouts of Afib coming and going," I am not quite sure you have grasped the difference between paroxysmal and persistent AF. Nor do I feel you are aware that there are two types of cardioversions -- electrical and chemical. You appear to have had an electrical cardioversion, but do not state how long you were in sinus after the cardioversion.

Your post states "living with AF." In summary, you are at a juncture of whether you would like to continue to the path of permanent AF or whether you want an ablation to be in sinus, and will likely have more than one since you are persistent. On Thursday, you will then have some decisions to make. It would be to your advantage to do a little homework about this disease before your appointment.

[Andy-f]

Thanks cuore

As you say I am not sure and are trying together as much info up as I can

I am not trying to sound rude just asking what the difference is and my options

Yes the cardioversion was electrical that is something I know

This is one of the reasons I didn’t take the Amoidarone as when I had my cardioversion I woke up and was told it failed

Then I was given the Amoidarone and a printed booklet and sent of home, after reading the booklet and reviews I got worried and didn’t take the tablets

Hope that makes sense

I appreciate you and other members trying to educate me the different terminology used

Thanks

[Angusdon]

My 1st ever CV failed I was then put on Amiodarone for 4 months prior to my 2nd CV and I remained in NSR for over 6 years.

[Susangibbons]

Hi there, I had a failed cardioversion and wasn’t suitable for ablation and you may not be either (though it is worth asking the consultant to close down or open that option)After it I was put on apixaban, no side effects.

I am also on bisoprolil, at 10mg I took for 15yrs with other medications and it worked till it didnt and joint pain was one of my symptoms alongside feeling like I was in a fog all the time. I am on 5mg and feel champion now though.

I was heading for a pacemaker as my next option until they tried digoxin as a last chance and so far its been great!

Good luck with your consultant.

Mine said bisoprolil should be taken with perindipril as well but that was when I only had Dilated cardiomyopathy, the af came later.

It sounds like The bisoprolil is to slow you down and slow your heart rate to keep it racing out of control , but hearts are very complex and your consultant will know whats best, mine did at least.

10mg is a very high dose.

Good luck x

[Susangibbons]

Andy I forgot to say, my consultant put me on apixaban to reduce the chances of a stroke, but said I didn’t have to take it, I decided to reduce the chances of a stroke alongside my other conditions which are managed well.

It may be worth asking why you are on this one, but its alot better than other blood thinners from what I hear as Doesnt need monitoring. I dont think its that giving you joint pain but I am not the expert .

[Andy-f]

Thanks Susangibbons

Yes possibly the bisoprol causing the joint pain

Also had the swollen legs and ankles but only given a small dose of water tablets given for two weeks, not sure if it helped or not

All ready take the apixaban, not got a problem taking these

Regards

[Andy-f]

HiSpoke to consultant earlier today

Doesn’t want me to take the tablets amoidrone

Apparently I’m to have a heart monitor and another scan

On apoxiban and biosopal

Possible left hand heart enlarged, o take it that’s not good

Andy

[Tut7iFru7i]

theres got to be hope!! dear andy-f this debilitating disease is so soul destroying -so life changing.i sure feel that behind the scenes there are all these amazing pioneer medicinemen experimenting for a breakthrough.i have been told my heart has become more enlarged and have to have an echocardiogram .while i am here does anyone have the same and have they got a appetite i struggle to eat sometimes xxxxxxxxx