another episode

[Electricblue1]

hi all, had another episode last night , only 132 BPM but heart felt like it was coming out of my chest. Had to take another bisoprolol. My reading from last night looked upside down again but my watch is up the right way and it’s all how it should be. My heart has been upset lately but I’m hoping it’s down to food maybe and not the heart going wrong again.

[Hidden]

Hi, just wondering what your prescription for Bisoprolol says? morning/afternoon/ pill in pocket and mg's. Aldo who prescribed it GP, EP or Cardiologist ? I understand many healthcare professionals prescribe it in different ways.

John

[Electricblue1 in reply to Hidden]

hello, bisoprolol 1.25 morning and flecainide 50 mg morning and night . My arrhythmia nurse said it was ok to take that but she also said I could come off all of it after ablation but I thought it was too soon. I wonder if being on the meds is causing more harm than good.

[Singwell in reply to Electricblue1]

Those are the lowest doses so unlikely to be causing arrhythmia. And the rates that you're reporting are quite high. I think we had our ablation at a similar time - earlier this year? How long were things stable? I remember you had a bad time in initially afterwards due to getting COVID. I guess you've been told it's OK to take extra if you get a troublesome episode? Perhaps ask about this. In any case, with the frequency and rate of episodes you've been reporting I think you should ask for a follow up appointment.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Singwell]

hello, I have an appointment in January, things were good for a good while , I had ablation in January this year, I have to deal with a lot of stress at home but I’m learning a lot about staying calm and ignoring a lot of it . My health is so important to me. How have you been since you’re ablation? What meds are you on. I’m worried that they will put me on more meds as I don’t want to be on any of it . I’m hoping it’s either food or stress related.

[Singwell in reply to Electricblue1]

Mine was in March. I've been in Sinus rhythm since mid May although I still get ectopics sometimes. I do feel a lot better. I'd been gearing up to come off the meds and then had a bout of shingles so decided to wait. My GP has flagged a downturn in my hypothyroidism so I do have to deal with that. One good thing I've noticed, neither stress (and I've had quite a bit recently) nor anxiety (comes and goes), nor illness has set off my AF. My HR might go up so that I noticed it, so does my BP, and I might get ectopics, but no AF. That gives me hope. Fingers crossed 🤞 for both of us.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Singwell]

yes that’s good. When I had my ablation I felt fantastic for about five months , it’s only this last couple of months that it’s all over the place but it only ever shows as HHR on watch.

[Singwell in reply to Electricblue1]

It could be something is disturbing you - stress, digestion, poor sleep etc. Do get checked out though - its worth your GP doing a proper ECG which they're equipped to do.

[Hidden in reply to Electricblue1]

Hi,

I would ( as a patient) say the doses are too low. So from your comments I can only assume that these doses were not prescribed by an EP or a Cardiologist. From my experience I would say those doses aren't powerful enough to do any harm at all.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Hidden]

the doses was agreed by my arrhythmia nurse as a maintenance dose. The higher dose of flecainide caused eye problems, flashing . My heart started last night in late afternoon and was only 141 but it’s only gone back to normal this morning. Still 🙏it’s just unsettled by something lately and not another failed ablation. I’m optimistic.

[ChasMartin]

My advice, send the readings for these fast episodes to your doctors. Don't ignore them, it is important. Make sure they also know you are still taking your medications if, as you say, they had told you you could come off of them. All of this information is important, it may be that they would want you to try to come off the medications - IDK if there is a step down process for flecainide but there definitely is for beta blockers.

[Electricblue1 in reply to ChasMartin]

hello, I will and I went from 100 mg of flecainide twice a day to 50 twice a day. I’m now only last night cutting my evening flecainide in half to try and get off that. I did try cutting the evening one out all together but it was too much . I read another post on here that someone cut it in half for a while so I’m trying that.

[ChasMartin in reply to Electricblue1]

I hope under direction from your care team. I wouldn’t go by what people say on here.

[Singwell in reply to Electricblue1]

I think Chas is right. As it happens I do cut my evening pill in half and have done for ages. But it's all about keeping the right level in YOUR system for stability. There's nothing wrong with a maintenance dose whilst other things are going on in tour life. That's the advice my arrhythmia nurse gave me. We don't get brownie points for coming off our meds earlier. You have time on your side.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Singwell]

well tonight about an hour ago I had HHR again 141 bpm , I really hope it’s just something that’s aggravated it and not the ablation gone wrong again.

[Singwell in reply to Electricblue1]

I'm sending you are quite worried about it all. Ablation can be done again you know. You feeling worried and also uncomfortable (you mentioned this in an earlier post) is not a good thing.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Singwell]

I am worried because my cardiologist said he would not do another ablation and that it would just be pills from now on . That does not sit well with me.

[Singwell in reply to Electricblue1]

Just messaged you re the Flecainide

[secondtry]

Just checking.....are you taking the Flecainide 3hrs after a meal and then not eating for a further hour after that. Otherwise the efficacy of the drug may not be maximised.

[Electricblue1 in reply to secondtry]

no I take flecainide an hour after my breakfast.

[secondtry in reply to Electricblue1]

🤔 maybe check the notes in the box.

[Electricblue1 in reply to secondtry]

will do , I thought you had to take them with food but I will read the leaflet.

[secondtry in reply to Electricblue1]

I haven't checked the box for years but I know if I take 100mgs too close to food it makes me nauseous.

[Electricblue1 in reply to secondtry]

I get up every morning between 4 and 5 , have breakfast at 5 and take tablets just after . I hate reading leaflets.

[Singwell in reply to Electricblue1]

Take at least 40 mins before food. ESSENTIAL! Take it soon after waking up and drink a glass of water. It's better for you to wake up earlier so you can take the medication in the best way. If you need a PiP wait 1.5 hours after eating before taking the Flecainide. Flecainide does not absorb well with food or on a full stomach. This might be why you're having a problem. I keep a bottle of water by my bed. I wake up, go to the loo, get back into bed, take pills, drink water. In my case I then meditate. Depending on your routine you could shower, do stuff in the kitchen or whatever else is needed and then have your breakfast. Make sure it's 40 minutes minimum and that you drink the water, which helps the Flecainide absorb into the blood stream. I hate reading leaflets too but I got good advice from the forum on this.

[SeanJax]

I think you did not get what I meant in my last replies. You got above 150 bpm as AVERAGE heart beat during your episodes the other day . During your recordings which lasted 30 seconds, I saw half of it , which whatever you posted, with heart rate above 300bpm. This heart rate of 300 bpm is not compatible with life as I already explained if it lasts more than 30 seconds or a minute. Your Afib has returned with rapid ventricular rate. It requires hospitalization to have a strict rate control medication right away while waiting to see an ep. . For your next episode please go to the hospital. It cannot wait for an appointment with gp or ep. It is your body and obviously your choices. You are trying to reassure yourself which is positive but what counts is what happened during your Afib episodes. Hope it helps.

[ChasMartin in reply to SeanJax]

I don’t understand why you keep saying it was 300bpm.