Here's another question to my fellow afib sufferers....
I am on sotalol and apixaban and have been since November last year. I seem to tolerate both quite well, however more recently I have developed Upper body, neck and shoulder pain which is worse in the night. This may be totally unrelated however I am having osteopath treatment and she has suggested a PMR test for polymyalgia. Seems my body is just breaking down at the moment and I don't know how much longer I can cope with this pain. I am told I cannot take any form of anti inflammatory medication including those applied topically. Has anyone here suffered anything similar and if so how did you treat it?
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Karendeena
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I think many of us on here hugely empathise with the need for pain relief and the inability to take anti inflammatories. Short term paracetamol or even paracetamol and codeine is thought to be ok with AF, though the problem I find is not just if that’s powerful enough, but also not being able to take them long term. Other people may be able to give advice on how they’ve found pain relief. It’d be good to hear!
I’d think it sounds very wise to contact your GP and have investigations into polymyalgia, as suggested by your osteopath (btw was s/he helpful/reassuring over the bruising issue?).
My understanding is that there’s no one polymyalgia (PMR) test but that certain blood tests can eliminate other things & indicate PMR? Hope your GP can get you started on those. If they think it’s likely, they may try you on a corticosteroid (eg prednisolone) and if it IS PMR that should have a tremendous affect on the pain. Which would be a massive relief, I’m sure...
Hmm. You have me concerned. I'm on Apixaban and for 4 days I've been in pain with stiff neck, shoulder. Shooting pain running down my neck to my arm pits.I put it down to wood treating my car port. Which because of the nature of its shape meant lots of twisting and bending.
It is easing off now. Took co codimol at night for 2 days so I could get some sleep. Did lots of acu pressure to try and ease the stiffness.
I had a quite short lived experience with Sotolol and didn't have that sort of reaction to it, sorry I cant help with that. I have been on Apixaban for around 11 months and again I have not had those sort of issues. I would have thought if your current problems had anything to do with either drug they would have shown closer to the date you first started toking them. You should be able to take paracetamol to help until you can get to see someone.
I am on Amiodarone for almost nine months and on Apixaban little ove a year.
Quick google search on Sotalol VS Amiodarone, I found this: "Conclusion: There is no significant difference between amiodarone and sotalol in converting atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm. However, amiodarone is more effective in maintenance of sinus rhythm than sotalol. The adverse reaction of amiodarone on heart is less severe than that of sotalol."
About two months ago, for the first time, I had very similar pain. It went away in about ten days. About five days ago, it came back - it is still with me.
It is a kind of pain I have never experienced before - it feels as if it is a nerve pain --really, really bad. The pain is in my left shoulder slightly to the back and in my nack as well. It also hurts one spot of my upper left arm. The other unusual (but happends only occassionally) pain I get is in my right shin - it is an extrame sharp pain - like as if a knife sliced my leg . It doesn't last long - not longer than a second... I believe it is a nerve pain...
It is very likely that both the pain in the shoulder and the pain in right shin caused by the Amiodarone.
I am sorry I don't have any solutions or recommendations to ease of your pain. I am going to discuss this newly developed pain with my cardiologist and the GP next week. I think you should speak to your doctors too.
About 15 years ago used to get bouts of that same short very sharp pain in my shin and you are the first person I've ever heard mention it other than myself. I had just been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and was on perindopril and bisoprolol at the time. I had it a few times over maybe a twelve month period but I have never had it again.
I take Sotalol 80 mg and Eliquis 5 mg for about 2 years now and a host of other blood pressure medications and I do not have anything like you have. I do have an arthritic lower back for years and I do take Advil as required to help but I try to minimize it. The only issue with Advil I was told was with possible stomach ulcers (bleeding) and that’s why I try to limit it.
I've been taking apixaban for about 2 year's, i stick with them but detest them, I've never felt the same since I started on them, examples are if I work out, diy or even play darts i get the aches and pains that you mentioned, then you have the likes of getting a needle and are asked, do you take blood thinners, same at the dentist, anyway, for the pain i take ZAPAIN 30/500MG,
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