Digoxin

[Diver2]

I was over medicated for years. Toprol xl, digoxin, and other medications for Afib, and flutters. I am 73 years old and they have reduced my digoxin to .125mg of digoxin…. From three times that amount. Since they have learned over the years that over medicating with digoxin above .125mg is a problem as we age. These medications all have side effects like fast or eradicate heartbeats. Some of the side effects can trigger Afib. I now need to have my digoxin looked at be cause my heart rate has increased during Afib….

We should all be checking our dosages as we age. Since new side effects are discovered and we become more sensitive to drugs.

[10gingercats]

I always try and question what/why I am being prescribed a medication. I also take my spouse or son to appointments. even during Covid.I entirely agree with your sentiment.

[etheral]

A simple serum dioxin level would be valuable. Your dose seems high and possibly unnecessary.

[bassets]

Thank you for this heads up 🙂

[Ppiman]

It sounds as if you have a poor doctor. Do you think he or she genuinely making errors and lazily treating you? Or was he maybe confounded by other issues, trying to get your tachycardia controlled against the odds in some way (with Afl, for example, tachycardia can be very hard to control with drugs) - even maybe faced with other heart issues, too?

I tend to have great respect for my own doctors, but maybe I have been lucky? I well remember an elderly late aunt whom the family all thought was in genuine and unstoppable decline and all her new doctor did was take her off most of her tablets and she fully recovered and went on to live to a very ripe old age indeed.

Steve

[irene75359 in reply to Ppiman]

Exactly the same thing happened to my mother - at 94. And in fact her new doctor found that some of the medication she had been given masked a condition she had been living with for some time (achalasia) and her last years could have been a lot more comfortable had she been properly treated for it earlier.

[Diver2 in reply to Ppiman]

No I have a very good doctor. The doctor who over medicated me…. Did it on purpose.. he is a world class doctor and was trying to stop the Afib. I was seen by a number of doctors over the years and No one has been able to permanently stop the Afib or the 3 flutters that were created by the 3 ablations I have had to stop the Afib. The over medicating was done during the first few years of diagnosis and once I turned 70 the doctors began to reduce the dosages because the side effects are more dangerous for my age and duration.Of these medications. The over medicating was also done after I was given ever other beta blocker and Chanel blocker and got a rash from all of them. Like they say we’re all different. I’m sure if we ever find the reason for my Afib it will turn out to be caused by a combo of medications I take or another health issue that results in Afib.

[Crystalbowl]

I take 62.5 mcg which I assume is half the dose you take, Diver2. I also take Nebivolol, Entresto and several other meds. I don’t really know how to know if I am over medicated or not and, if so, which one(s) it would be.

[Diver2]

Ask your doctor. My being over medicated was a decision between doctors when all else failed.,,