Fed up with episodes

[Electricblue1]

Post ablation, nearly week 12, episodes are weekly, latest one started Thursday, it’s now Saturday and it’s been a mixed of HHR 130, 137 for hours then it goes to AF, this is on Apple Watch, it’s still coming up AF although HR is 98 now , just so confused why it won’t just settle down. I’m talking with cardiologist on Monday so hopefully he can shed some light as to why or what I can do next. The flecainide is affecting my eyes , hair and weight. I’m trying with a good diet but am guilt of a few naughty treats which is what started this episode off I think. I want to get back to exercise but am just to out of breath. Sorry for moaning just had days of feeling breathless, weak and fed up.

[etheral]

Sounds like you have good cause to moan. Perhaps a small dose off a beta blocker such as carvedilol 12.5mg once or twice daily might keep your heart rate down. Couldn't tell from your bio, but I guess you're in the UK. If not, perhaps Tikosyn can be substituted for Flecinide. It's kept me in NSR for years. Apparently not available there, must be because of cost considerations. Perhaps you would feel better without an antiarrythmic if your rate stays lower and your afib episodes are few. Wishing you the best, etheral

[Electricblue1 in reply to etheral]

Hi, thank you, I’m in uk yes , I’m on bisoprolol 1.25 and flecainide 100 , I’ve been taking an extra bisoprolol but it hasn’t done anything.I’m past 24hours now and it’s getting tiring.

I will see what arrhythmia nurse has to say on Monday.

[BobD Volunteer]

Still early days but why not speak to your arrhythmia nurse if you are concerned?

[Electricblue1 in reply to BobD]

Thank you, I got a phone appointment Monday so let’s hope I can sought this out.

[bassets]

Sorry you're feeling so awful. I hope this episode will pass sson and you'l feel better. As Bob has told me, still early days and there's a good chance everything will settle down. try not to worry and relax if you can. Best wishes

[Electricblue1 in reply to bassets]

Thank you so much, it helps to talk.

[momist]

This also happened to me around 12 weeks after the ablation. I ended up in A&E on a trolley for 14 hours in the resus section where all they could do was monitor me. I self reverted after 72 hours in tachycardia/AF at 140+ bpm.

There followed a few weeks of short runs of both AF and tachycardia, but I've had no problems now in the last three months or more. The 3 month blanking period is not fixed in stone, we are all different!

[Electricblue1 in reply to momist]

Thank you, it’s horrible isn’t it. It finally stopped this morning, until next time. I wii see what the hospital say tomorrow.

[Snowgirl65]

I hope your cardiologist can sort this out -- you're entitled to a good moan. Flecainide also affected my eyes, hair and weight. I feel that it was Flecainide that caused sudden cataracts on both eyes, for which I then had surgery; hair became thin; gained weight and couldn't, no matter how hard I tried, lose it. I was taken off the med and all went back to normal again (of course the eyes were taken care of with the surgery). I quickly lost 23 lbs. I hope you have a good conversation with your cardiologist.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Snowgirl65]

Thank you, that flecainide is awful, my eyesight has deteriorated so much, I’m hoping they take me off it. What did you replace the flecainide with if you don’t mind me asking.

[Snowgirl65]

Well I was taken off all meds when I changed doctors, so I currently take dofetilide (Tykosyn) and metoprolol succinate.