I’m currently on bisoprolol 2.5 and so far so good since returning to it 🤞 chest pain, breathing, ability to move, ability to exercise (lightly walking) all seem to be improving daily which is HUGE! Even looking at going back to work next week or the following. Haven’t gone into AF for over a month now either so signs are looking ok. Not going to get ahead of myself though.
Anyway my question is that if everything continues to improve 🤞 has anyone heard of bisoprolol being used as a pill in a pocket strategy? Was thinking maybe I could ween off the bisoprolol and see how I get on without it and if when I get another episode then take bisop until gone (pip strategy). Obviously I need to give it quite a while yet and check with EP that this is doable but thought I’d run it by the knowledgable people on here first and see if anyone has heard of this before?
Thanks guys
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Elli86
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What you might choose to do and what anybody here can recommend may be two different things Elli. We must not advise on drug doses as we are not medically trained so you really need to discuss this with you doctor but generally speaking beta blockers are seldom used as PIP.
Strictly after advice mate and will not take it as gospel. Not after doses, purely just if anyone knows of or has heard of anyone using bisop as pip successfully or unsuccessfully for that matter.
You say seldom. So does that mean you have heard it used in this way before?
I’m aware this will just be advice/info and will be used as a precursor for speaking to my EP.
Really good news Elli - you must be so happy with things.
I had the same idea as you years back when I started Bisoprolol which nearly knocked me flat. I asked my EP if I could use it as a PIP but, because I also take Flecainide, he said it was too dangerous (his word) in my case to use Flecainide alone.
Why not run the idea past your cardiologist - it might be OK in your case.
I am pretty chuffed but like I say I’m in no means going to get ahead of myself. It’s going ok this far is about as far as I’ll go 🤣
I’m going to be asking my EP but wanted to give it quite a while yet and see if the settling down on these pills I’m currently experiancing lasts for the foreseeable. Then I’ll look at weening off if possible after speaking too EP.
The idea just popped into my head and I thought I’d ask if anyone else had had the same idea or knows of anyone who has.
Interested why they deemed it dangerous? Did they say?
You need a beta or calcium blocker if taking flecanide regularly as it stops flecanide causing ventricular arrhythmia See what your doctor says about pip. I can’t have bisoprolol regularly as have vagal af ( so it’s contraindicated). Did discuss it once as pip and it would have been allowed if if had been suitable ( but not for me) but much less effective and would take time to act etc. It has many benefits so do discuss with your doctor carefully
I get very short runs of Atrial Flutter which my EP said is caused by Flecainide and the Bisoprolol stops Flutter signals being conducted to the ventricles on a 1:1 basis, which would give dangerously high heart rates.
I looked up the medical reasons for this and my layman's understanding is that anti-arrhythmic drugs can lengthen the cardiac cycle very slightly, making the heart vulnerable in the part of the cycle (QT) where other arrhythmias such as Flutter can start.
Oh right ok. I only currently take bisop and a fairly low dose at that (2.5) hopefully I can continue this way 🙏 be even better if I can come off entirely and just use as pip! That’s the dream atleast
I used to be on Bisoprolol 2.5 mg twice a day, but found it was making me breathless and very sluggish, so I changed to Nebivolol which suits me better. However, my cardiologist told me to use Bisoprolol as a PIP when in AF to slow my heart rate down. It does not stop the AF, just slows the rate down.When I was taking Bisoprolol all of the time, if AF was fast, I could take an extra tablet to slow things down.
You shouldn’t change how you use your medication without speaking to your doctors first. Why do you want to stop it if you are feeling much better?
Thanks for input. As I stated in original post I’m not going to be changing anything before speaking to my EP and I won’t be doing this for quite some time. I purely wanted to know if anyone had done this before. I take bisop 2.5 only once a day but it both slows my heart and stops af. Hopefully it continues. I want to try to wean off as I do not wish to take tablets for the rest of my life unless I absolutely have too. I would rather take tablets as a pip strategy than take them continually everyday.
This is my experience exactly. I find taking extra Nebivolol is not as effective for slowing the heart rate when having an afib attack so I take 5mg of the Bisoprolol I have left over from before changing over. Trouble is this is running out so I will ask my cardiologist the next time I see him if I can have some more. My GP refused and said the two should not be mixed but I think he just doesn't know.
I am still using what I had left over, but they expire soon. It was my cardiologist that suggested using Bisoprolol as a PIP. He said that Nebivolol will not slow my heart rate. Works for me.
I was on bisoprol 1.25mg daily and had very few AF episodes, so my cardiologist said I could come off of it and use it when and as needed. This has worked for me, I take them very seldom now, and know when I do start needing them that I need to readdress my lifestyle (diet, sleep, taking time out to relax, alcohol & water consumption, etc.). You need to check with your cardiologist first, and if they agree to it, check out the posts on this forum about coming off bisoprolol, as that can be tricky. For me, it has been worth it, not being on daily bisoprolol, because it wiped me out, but I do have to listen to my body and make lifestyle adjustments to keep things at bay. Hope this is helpful. Good luck!
Thanks stellata. Exactly what I was hoping to hear 😀👍 so it is possible. My heart does feel pretty good currently when compared to how it felt a few months back on flecainaide. I honestly felt like I was on deaths door. Hopefully I continue to improve and then I can wean off the bisop. Maybe within the year 🤞🤞 I’ve heard coming off bisop can be difficult, no one has actually ever said why though? Hoping I can knock it down to 1.25 at some point and see how my body reacts and then hopefully get rid of it entirely and just use it as pip 🙏🙏🙏 that’s the dream anyway.
Elli I do the same as Stellata, right now put myself back on 1.25mg (after conferring with EP) since I had some episodes before Christmas. I am given free rein by my EP to take up 2.5mg as and when required so I always have a packet of Bisoprolol in the cupboard and my GP was instructed to issue it when I ask. Things have settled down now and in a week or so I will come off it again. But its likely that in the future I will have to go back on for a bit when it flares up. Confer with your EP, my team at the QE are bloody great.
Thanks for input Borg. Glad it works for you as well.
Seems like it’s definitely a possibility and I’m glad I asked. I’ll have a chat with EP next week however even then the opinions vary from doc to doc! See what he says and go from the I suppose.
Hello, I am on Bisoprolol 2x2.5mg per day for the last three months and it seems to have significantly reduced my rate of episodes (albeit at the cost of some tiredness, so thinking of reducing down to 1x2.5mg). My cardiologist suggested using an additional 2.5mg as a PIP as it does have mild anti-arrhythmic properties. However in about 3 episodes where I tried it, I found it had no ability to actually terminate an episode once it started and was forced to use Flecainide, which I find works well for me at terminating (albeit it makes me feel rotten for a day or two after). Definitely discuss with your cardiologist, because you might react differently to me!
The first time I was put on bisop it was horrible. I felt exhausted continually and had to change to flecainaide. This felt like it was killing me. One of the worst experiences of my life I would say. Do not want to touch the stuff again. Second time round of going onto bisop for whatever reason I’ve felt pretty good. Maybe this is the contrast from the flecanaide making it appear better than it is or maybe it’s because I’ve felt well enough to go out for a 2 mile walk everyday which will obviously help massively. Last time I had an episode was over a month now and when it happened I just took an additional bisop and the episode stopped after 5/6 hours of starting. 🙏🙏 seems to work for me. Long may it continue.
Very similar experience with Flec when I tried it on a daily dosage. My episodes went from 4-6 per month to 1-2 per DAY. One of the worse months of my life as I tried to stick it out, hoping my body would get used to it. The thing is it does work for me as a PIP so I can live with it as a very occasional necessary evil! Now at 29 days with no episodes, so having given my heart a rest I am contemplating (a) reducing the Bisoprolol dosage, because it sure does make me very very tired a lot of the time and (b) resuming some gentle running.
I stuck out the daily flec for a good couple of months. Don’t ask me how because like I say it was the worst thing I’ve ever experienced. So glad to come off it and felt like a different person after couple of days. Glad to hear your in same boat as me currently in that you haven’t had an episode for around a month 👍 good stuff. When I first started bisop this time round I tried 1.25 but it seems 2.5 is the magic number for me to keep episodes at bay. Hoping that after a while I’ll be able to drop it down 🙏🙏 everything crossed.
One things for sure and it’s that exercise helps me MASSIVELY. It’s only a daily 2 mile walk currently but I’ve made a massive improvement since starting again. Hoping like you to increase to jogging but going to take it very slow as I suffer massively from inflammation so just happy to walk for now if I feel better 🤞🤞
A daily dose of 1.25mg bisoprolol was enough to make me feel sluggish so, with my doctor's approval, I stopped taking both bisoprolol and flecainide and use them as a PiP instead. I have 2-3 episodes a year, and a combination of them both works every time. Coming off the bisoprolol was a long hard slog, frequent tachcardia, with very hard thumping, I thought my heart really needs this drug, until I found out about the side effects of stopping. Now my heart rate is back to normal. Taking it as a PiP doesn't have the same effect. This isn't advice, but it is definitely worth talking to your EP if you want to reduce your drug intake. Best of luck.
I was on bisoprolol before my ablation Irene and can echo what you say . Had the same issues coming off it, and had to wean myself off over a couple of months, even though my Gp said the 2.5mg dose was too small to cause issues and just stopped it, it didn't go well at all and I had to restart after a couple of days due to banging and thumping of the heart and adrenaline rushes .Then I read it here it was common to have these symptoms and someone told me to titrate slowly off, and gave me their solution they used reducing the dose gradually, it worked for me and thankfully nearly 12 months bisop free now and so grateful not having to take it anymore , was an awfull drug to stop and it made me breathless and fatigued. I know beta blockers such as this work for rate control and I needed it at the time, necessary evil I suppose, but very glad to be off it .
Really interesting to hear your experience was so similar to mine; it took about nine months for my heart to calm down and one doctor in the practice told me I was on such a tiny dose my symptoms had to be due to something else. Not so! That said, bisoprolol works for many people and I am aware of that, but 1.25mg knocked me out.
I had exactly the same Irene. Reduced from 5mg after my ablation to 2.5mg, then they just told me to stop taking it. Had an awful reaction, my ablation had been a success, so my EP just told the gp to stop the dose.Within 48hrs I had thumping and bumping heart, sweats, and panicky feelings like a rush of adrenaline. Gp said the same "it's such a small dose it must be something else causing this", put me back on in protest but it stopped the odd stuff in its tracks.
I titrated off over 2 months or so reducing it myself after speaking to my EP and reading a similar experience here, it still wasn't easy but I got off it thankfully . I saw others having similar issues, and as you say maybe it works for many but not me, and I wouldn't take it again, just for how it made me feel, with low mood, anxious and exhausted feelings most days. As you say some don't seem to have an issue and it's got its use to stop heart rate problems, but it's not for me.
Same here. I am much better on a small dose of Nebivolol but I take Bisoprolol as a PIP. I always feel wiped out the next day and I suspect it's not just the afib but the combination!
I think you are right. I am not fit for much after an episode has ended and it could be as much the drugs as the AF. However, I can live with that one day every few months rather than all the time.
Thanks Irene. Glad to hear it works for you and hopefully it will work for me in same way 🤞🤞I don’t want to come off if it’s going to cause issues but at the same time I don’t really want to take tablets continually if there’s a chance I could come off and use pip. I’ve got a consultation with EP next month about having an ablation so will discuss with him then 👍
I had the same experience, daily bisoprolol completely wiped me out, even at 1.25mg dose. But coming off of it was one of the hardest things I've ever done. The adrenaline rushes were so uncomfortable and then the temptation to take another bisoprolol was so strong. The doctors tell you just to stop taking it without acknowledging the difficulties, so I was grateful to have this forum for support. Thankfully, as you say, taking the occasional dose does not bring negative side effects when it wears off. It's so good to read about other people's experiences.
In the early days after coming off, I said to my husband that I couldn't bear the agitation, and like you, very nearly gave in. Then I googled and found one man who cut his 1.25mg tablet into quarters his withdrawal symptoms were so bad. I just stopped, the tablets are so tiny it never occurred to me to try and divide them!
My withdrawal was bad ! 11weeks off now and so much better . I cut those tiny tablets into eighths using a magnifying glass and a Stanley knife blade then dropped to eighth every other day etc. I tried reducing faster but the symptoms were too severe and I failed twice
Your withdrawal sounded really severe - cutting a 1.25mg into eight takes some doing. So pleased to hear things are better for you, it took me quite a bit longer to get back to normal but I am fine now.
Thank you . Not there yet but transformed from both before the withdrawal and the pills itself . But as you say, it was worth going through it to get off and start to feel like myself again. Never ever again
😳 sounds like you didn’t have a great experience on bisop either peony? What is your current regime of choice? Other than the library and wine of course? 🤣
I ve only had one episode 8 months ago caused by a medically induced electrolyte imbalance ( prescribed NSAIDs for a back injury ) so my current regime of choice is lifestyle . (Cake, wine, reading ) only joking . Am lucky my heart stood up to the battering and weird arrhythmias I experienced courtesy of bisoprolol . My aim is to avoid drugs if I can do, so very clean lifestyle , walking, gardening, yoga , regular bedtime ( now you know why I read so much). Have you found the doctors kitchen podcast? He started getting AF as a junior doctor aged 24 if you scroll back to his first episode he explains how he turned it around in 6 months . Won’t work for everyone of course . I had SVT for 5 years aged 28 to 33 never took any drugs for it or saw anyone after the initial diagnosis and it just stopped happening. My son had the same when he was a boozing student he reformed and his went away . Am not suggesting for a minute lifestyle is enough to solve everyone’s problems but you are a very young man to face a lifetime on beta blockers which most definitely do have their downsides . If the AF comes back with any frequency I will be pushing for an ablation if it’s possible . I want the beep beep beep thing gone
Yes it’s a tough one peony for sure. I hate taking meds with a passion and don’t really want to mess with my heart via ablation if I can help it either. Who knows what the future of AF technology will look like so I’d like to avoid for now if possible. The only reason I went on meds in the first place is I needed it to stop so I could work. I’m a self employed electrician so if I don’t work I don’t get paid. I’m hoping that I can stay on bisop for now and take the exercise really slowly and gradually build up to running properly again. Truth be told I’m convinced if I get myself to even 10 % of the physical fitness I used to be then my heart will sort itself. I’ve had MAJOR issues with inflammation over the years trying to get myself back to training and I’m pretty sure this is the main cause of my AF. If I can keep myself in check and not push my body too hard then hopefully I can get back to being fit again and not have to take anything for my heart. I am genuinely convinced this is my problem but who knows?
Thanks for the info on the podcast 👍 I’ll check that out. My lifestyle is pretty clean anyway to be fair. I don’t drink, smoke, take drugs etc. I’ve drunk 6/7 litres water a day since I was early 20s and used to train. I eat healthy, no sugar, VERY little junk food, don’t eat sweets, crisps or chocolate. Probably my biggest strength is my willpower so if I need to stop something I’ll stop it straight away and forget about it. So outside of the lack of exercise caused by the inflammation my life is pretty clean. That’s why I’m convinced it’s the combination of inflammation and lack of exercise that causes my heart issues. Hopefully I can rectify it before it’s too late 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
You have shown that you have great insight into your problem which is fantastic . You are the expert on you . I found during my biso withdrawal that the withdrawal arrhythmias and other symptoms were much worse when i felt too ill to go out for my walks . Once I could start walking again everything started to improve . Many men have a tendency to overdo and be competitive with exercise if only with themselves so if you can go gradually and settle for a lower level it may help. Running your own business and having small children is in the nicest possible way stressful , pandemic not helping so you may be stressed even if it’s not conscious and any anti stress strategies you can employ will help. What do you think is the cause of the inflammation ? Any idea ?
Walking 100% helps and it helps ALOT! I’ve never been a Walker, always been a heavy exerciser and don’t feel like I’m exercising until I’m near killing my self 🤣 I don’t get addicted to anything but I’ve got to be honest the buzz of a near death workout is like taking heroin for me. I know what it feels like to be ultra fit so the allure is almost impossible to resist. I looked at a runners website the other day and was shocked beyond belief at how slow they suggest you take it when a complete beginner, which unfortunately is what I am now and it’s taken me years (9/10) to realise this. So the inflammation is probably caused by my stupidity mostly. I do get it literally all over though and my gut especially, so I do think there is something else going on as well. Who knows?
As far as stress goes, hell yes I’m stressed 🤣 I meditate daily, nothing spiritual or religious in any way shape or form. Just investigate the mind and see thoughts for what they are and that’s it but it’s helped me realise how much stress i can be under sometimes. What with the fact that like you say I have 2 young kids and a business and I haven’t worked for 6 months out of the last year due to pandemic. 6 months no pay will stress anyone out believe me 🤣🤣 but it is what it is. I’m treating exercise like I’m over 60 at the minute. Just walking my 2 miles and letting the muscles and ligaments get used to moving again. I’ll keep at that for the next 3/4 weeks and then start one of these walk/jog programs and hopefully can build it up that way 🤞🤞🤞 I’m hoping once I’m up and running (literally) my heart problems will sort themselves or atleast decrease to where I can just take a pip of some description. Here’s to hope 🤞
I think there is every chance you will get improvement with what you are doing, and investigate the possible causes of your inflammation . Heavy exercise may get you fit but it can knacker your joints and give you AF so there is a lot to be said for not going flat out . Stressing your body out will cause inflammation which in turn causes so many other problems . Do your best to chill , easier said than done I know but we’re coming out of the pandemic and you will be in high demand for work . Remember the tortoise and the hare . You need to be more tortoise !
🤣🤣 never thought of myself as a tortoise 🐢 🤔 maybe it’s the attitude change I’ve been looking for all along 😆
I get what your saying though and you are right, I do need to slow it down and I am fortunately. Hopefully this latest exercise regime works as I don’t think I can handle another promising start and then the inevitable crash when it all goes tits up again! Hopefully the turtle 🐢 regime works this time round 😆👍 I’m counting on it......
If you are drinking that amount of water still but not sweating buckets are you sure it's not too much? It might be upsetting your electrolyte balance. Have you ever been treated with antibiotics for prostrate inflammation/ infection? I know what that buzz is like. I used to get it whilst dancing. But as Peony said excess exercise can knacker your joints ( mine are pretty bad) . Is it worth it in the end? You are young now but but living in a skeletally painful body when you are older is not fun.
It’s a possibility no doubt but I have been doing it for the past 14/15 years so it’s second nature to me. I may not sweat buckets away more but I do piss for Britain 🤣🤣 so my interior does not resemble a water balloon hopefully. Valid point though. Never thought about it to be honest.
In regards to antibiotics I’ve had them a few times in the past but not for anything prostate related and long may that continue 😬😲🤞
To be honest if I had a choice of 2 extremes, one being fit as a fiddle pushing myself in the gym, active day in day out, doing adrenaline fuelled activity’s versus being docile, immobile and spending the majority of time of my backside. The former living 15/20 yrs and the latter living 40/50 I would choose the former every time. Obviously this is the 2 extremes and the real sweet spot would be somewhere in the middle.
Good solid advice no doubt and appreciated none the less 👍
I was on 2.5mg bisop for rate control before my ablation Elli.It made me tired and sluggish and when pushing a little harder exercising I was breathless.
Thankfully I got taken off it last year after an EP review, well they said just stop it which didn't go well. After going to gp who said my dose was "tiny and shouldnt be a problem" I'd read a lot here about coming off bisoprolol being Problematic.
I titrated off over a cpuome of months and was successful, but it wasn't pleasant, with thumps and bumps on every reduction and rushes of adrenaline etc.
I didn't realise how much it held me back until I stopped it totally, and felt loads better, mood and had a lot of energy compared to when I was on it.
From reading loads of other members experiences, it seems a common thing, and similar when trying to titrate down doses is hard when it goes low.
It did its job up to a point prior to ablation stopping fast tachy episodes I had, but they kept increasing it up to 5mg and one point 7.5mg, that was the worst, like walking through mud for me.
Seems to affect everyone different and some come of it fine, maybe I was on it too long or just reactive to it, but wouldnt take it again, there are alternatives I've seen others suggesting I'd rather try before that again.
Yeah I felt horrible first time round. Exactly as you describe. No energy at all, depressed almost. When they took me off they literally said just stop and try flecainde on pip. I hadn’t been taking bisop for long, maybe 2/3 months. But I stopped and instantly felt better. Felt like myself again and was put on pip flec. This worked for ages. 5/6 months with very few episodes and I felt like myself again. Unfortunately episodes got more and more regular and they suggested I go on flec daily and this is when I went downhill MASSIVELY. Absolutely horrible. Like I said above probably worst experience of my life. Hard to list side effects as virtually everything in my body felt like it wasn’t working. Felt like a total zombie, heart felt like it could just stop at any minute and there were a couple of times when I probably wished it would so I didn’t have to feel the way I was. Luckily after trying for quite some time to get in contact with hospital I contacted a private EP and he got me changed over 🙏🙏🙏🙏 feel pretty good now and bisop seems to be working. Going back to work next week after 3 month lay off so that will be the real litmus test! Fingers crossed I’m ok and hopefully if bisop keeps working and I’m able to keep going for my walks daily maybe I can increase to running 🏃♂️ and improve further 👍
Didn't agree with me mate and flec the same, I took flec as PIP worked ok for first few years. Best thing I did was ablation, wish I hadn't waited so long.Good for 4-5mile walks quick pace, and 15-20mile bike rides, can do stairs again and life's decent.
Flec I didn't like at all, felt ran over by a truck for days after using as PIP, blurred vision and wiped out. But if you need it you do. Glad I don't have to take any of them now, just the odd tickle which I think we all get, just we beco w hyper sensitive to the heart after it misbehaving so long, so now it's like the wife, very important in my life, has a little dig now and again, but I know when to do as I'm told 😂 wait for incoming sensitive reactions in 3..2..1 🤷♂️
🤣🤣🤣🤣 brilliant! I’m sure you’ll get a few mate but maybe not as many as you get off mrs so your good!
Glad your ablation went well. It’s not totally off the books for me but not sure I want to alter it permanently at my age? Still unsure. Just want to get back to exercise properly and see if that helps. I’m convinced it will. If not then hopefully tech moves on it near future and there might be something better for AF. Who knows? If I knew then I’d get myself a crystal ball and charge £100 an hour and never have to pick up my tools again 🤣
I said the same over10 years ago mate, as mine started at 42, and I waited for same reasons . Tech is good now with excellent outcomes, and leaving it made mine much worse, I suffered now what I consider unnecessarily, and as Bob says afib begats afib,so it doesn't improve what I've seen and experienced, I'd get in early and stop the rot personally, but everyone's diagnosis and treatment plan is different, as are individual EP choices, me, I wish I'd done it sooner in most respects El.
Yeah I’ll be honest mate I have the same thoughts as well. Can wake up Monday convinces the ablation is what I’m doing and by Tuesday afternoon I’m staying on pills as I’m doing well. Wednesday comes and I can solve it all via lifestyle and supps and by Thursday I’ll just screw it all and get back on the booze and enjoy what I’ve got left 🤣🤣 not quite that bad but it is hard to decide what to do for sure. It is our heart after all and it’s hard to decide what method is best. Annoying thing is all eps have different views as well so if they can’t make their mind up what chance have we got? 🤣 all depends what one you get and then once the decision is made and ops done there’s no going back! 😳😳 big decision! Leaning towards trying to get back to exercise ULTRA slow, like a complete and total newbie! If the exercise doesn’t rid it after a good go then probably ablation would be my preferred route as I don’t want to poison myself with meds! Oh how I love AF!
It's catch 22 isn't it El, I had same thoughts, ah I'm OK, then ejxr bad episode, right I'm booking in. Glad I waited a little though maybe not so long. My Op was a pretty new procedure up here at time, and my EP was one of nicest people I've met, no stuffiness, just straight to point and very considerate, best in class. 👌
🤣🤣🤣 yeah you’ve got to be careful about the offering of balls mate! Don’t think even my mrs would pay me £100 an hour for that sort of offering though so I’ll keep it Crystal for now
Hey SPROG...I was diagnosed with permanent AF in late 2014 and was medicated with 5mg bisoprolol, which I’ve taken ever since. I remember asking my doctor, a year or two later, if I could come off the biso, to relieve my tiredness symptoms and he said, if I did that, I would end up back in the surgery with high HR.
I’ve previously read that it can take two to six weeks for bisoprolol to take full effect. In that case, do you think that PIP would be appropriate. These are just my interpretations/experiences and in no way scientific judgements. Take care matey. 🥃👍
Get what your saying about the period it takes bisop to work and that was my initial thoughts about using as pip. That’s why I thought I’d ask on here and it seems people do use it successfully however might need to be used alongside flec 😩😩 absolutely hate the stuff. Gonna be a while yet so ill see how I get on for a while regardless and have a chat with EP next month during consult.
Cheers cheese 🧀 thanks for input and enjoy the booze 🥃 🤣
They gave me bisop Ticker for fast tachy a few years ago in A@E, it worked and kept on it after I came out, but not used as a PIP, hated the stuff and hope to never see it again after my ablation worked.
Tired easily, no endurance for gym or anything really . And low mood I found, didn't feel like it at time but realised after it did, just not a nice drug at all Ticker.
Started at 7.5mg in hospital after a A@E visit for a very bad fast tachy AF bout, then reduced to 5mg by gp after feeling lousy once AF settled , then after my ablation put on 2.5mg until I stopped that last year , all reduced fine until the last 2.5, that was the bugger to get off, not nice at all .
Ahh right Ian...I may mention to my GP, about possible reduction to 2.5mg dosage. See if that will take me back to the strapping, heart throb of a person I used to be, about 40 years ago‼️‼️
Interestingly when I was last in hospital with an AF attack I asked a nurse what pip they usually gave me and could she get me one, as I had been there for hours and not been treated. It turned out to be Bisoprolol! Made me wonder why I couldn't just take one at home and avoid an unpleasant experience in hospital again. When I had my latest conversation with the cardiologist he sounded shocked at what they had given me and told me to just try doubling the Sotalol I am taking.
That’s strange. Did you cardio give a reason for the reaction of shock? Surely if it did the job then there must be something to it?
My EP wanted to put me on sotalol but I started to have a good reaction to the bisop so I told him I wanted to stay on these for the time being. So hard deciding which tablets to be on/stay on or if you want to use them at all. Let’s be honest none of us have a clue what these tablets are actually physiologically doing and just go by how we feel so it makes it almost impossible to decide which are best. All I know is I CURRENTLY feel best I’ve felt in a while on bisop but I’m under no illusions that this will continue indefinitely and would rather not have to take tablets at all. Maybe ablation is the way forward but then that brings its own lovely set of pitfalls. Do I really want to permenantly alter the makeup of my heart when there’s a tiny possibility that tablets could cardiovert me permanently or I’d only have to use them occasionally as pip?
No he didn't say why. I don't think they want to criticise other doctors treatment which I can understand. We are all so different with our reactions to medication. I was awful on Bisoprolol and Flecainide but seem ok on Sotalol. In comparison I am still very tired but manage to do jobs etc. mornings. Afternoons are rest and sewing.😊 I am currently on the list awaiting my first cryo ablation. Had this for five years now and I would love a bit of my life back. Good luck with being well. I'm glad you have found a medication balance.
I use bisoprolol along with flecainide as a pip, my EP said she is happy for me to. I have to also say, that my normal heart rate sits at around 64 and bisoprolol often took it too low. Speak to your EP and see what they say.
Another one who uses as pip 👍 shame you need flec as well as that stuff scares the hell out of me after last time. But to be fair when I was using as pip it wasn’t too bad. Had a couple days of feeling rubbish while taking and faded a day or so after. Don’t really want to feel like that everytime I have an episode though. My resting heart rate on bisop is around 54 so not too bad. I’m happy with that. As long as I feel ok I’m good for the minute. Long may it continue 👍
Luckily at the moment I only need to use both as a pip. Bisoprolol made me feel so awful, there were days when I was dragging myself around because I was so tired. My ep agreed that it isn't a good drug to take. Also I'm asthmatic, so shouldn't have had it anyway! I'm 67 and think my heart rate is pretty good. I don't have high blood pressure either, long may that continue! 🤞 your ep agrees for you to take it as a pip too.
I hope my EP is of the same Ilk as yours and I can have a similar regime that works until I get my exercise and fitness sorted 🤞 thanks for all info 👍 very helpful
I take bisopropol as a PIP. I take sotolol twice a day. I take 2.5 bisopropol when I have an AF episode but only if my heart goes very fast. It slows my heart rate down but doesn’t seem to stop the episode. Personally I definately wouldnt make decisions about my medication. I would be guided by my cardiologist.
Thanks fibber! Although I’m not sure I should believe you judging by your name 🤔🤣
Thanks for input and I won’t be doing anything until I’ve spoken to EP 👍 hoping I’ll just be able to take bisop as pip and nothing else but I’ll know more once I’ve spoke to EP.
Hi, I had a brief discussion with my cardiologist about this. Bisoprolol gives me really bad side effects, and my cardiologist wanted to " catch an event" on ecg, she suggested that I stop taking the drug so as to trigger an event that could be recorded, but was also happy for me to take up to 4 tablets after making the recording to stop the problem ( I have a Kardia, which can be used to take an ecg at home)
Thanks for input Wendy. I’m assuming you managed to catch it in the end then? It is strange how docs/eps tell people just to come straight off bisop even though they know the side effects 🤔 seems odd to me. My gp told me the same but luckily I didn’t have the effects mentioned as I don’t think I’d be taking it long enough
Hi Elli, I was on bisoprolol 2.5 and was told I could reduce it to 1.25, and then, all being well, just use it as a PIP. I’m still at the 1.25 stage at the moment- about to take the leap ! Obviously we’re all different, so what suits one person might not suit another. Good luck !
😬🤞🤞🤞 good luck mate! Hopefully it goes well! 2.5 seems to be the magic number for me 🪄 last time I tried to reduce it did not go too well. Hopefully once cardio is at a decent level again I can reduce and my heart will cope 🤞 that’s the plan anyway. Let me know how you get on once take the plunge. I’d be very interested to know how you get on. Hope it goes well mate.
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