Hi wife's PAF has been constant for 5 days now. Been in contact with GP who's doubled her Bisoprolol dose to 5mg but no change. Since upping her dosage she us experiencing a buzz on the left hand side of her chest, every couple of minutes for roughly 30 seconds. Dr Google says this buzzing is a known symptom of AF but why now, especially as dose changed.
Buzz in chest: Hi wife's PAF has been... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Buzz in chest
A call back to GP asking for referral to cardiologist or better still an electrophysiological if wife has neither,for investigations.I used to feel similar sensation when I had atrial flutter,a type of arrhythmia happens in top left atrium Usually. The buzz gives it away. It may not be of course. It is resistant to medication bit very responsive to ablation (95+%)
Bisoprolol keeps the rate down but doesn't work on the Crazy rythym aspect of AF,hence a need to consult with an expert rather than GP( no disrespect)
Xxx
It might be worth asking could she also have " Atrial Flutter"? When it first arrived on my doorstep I found it hard to describe what I was feeling and the "buzzing" felt like two electrical wires trying to touch (but arcing). Another thought was that my pulse was going so fast that instead of the normal peaks & troughs in a Cardio reading it was almost like a complete line.
Update: Went back to GP and got an ECG. Despite buzzing being present when ECG taken GP saw no signs of flutter just the AF. Been told to up the Bisoprolol to 7.5mg (so triple normal dose) and told to contact GP in 3 weeks if still in AF when they may consider referral to cardiology.
'May consider referral to cardiology?' Please insist politely. GPs are just that,General Practitioners, know a bit about a lot.Best wishes
For 5 years I was on 2.5 mgs Bisoprolol daily, then I had some Tachycardia. The GP increased my dose to 2.5 TWICE daily. This worked for almost a year. When the tachycardia came again, a different GP who wouldn’t change my dose, and she referred me to my cardiologist, who I wasn’t due to see until 6 months later. I had a miserable couple of months before I could see him and when I did, he increased my Bisoprolol by 2.5 mgs, so I was taking 7.5 mgs split into two doses. This didn’t work so I saw a different GP at my practice who increased my dose yet again so that I was taking 5 mgs twice daily. Within 24 hours, my heart had settled and there was a sublime calmness in my chest ! I have seen my cardiologist since and he was happy with the GP’s tweak of my medication and said when or if that failed, I could change to Sotalol. My long drawn out message is mainly to tell you how my Bisoprolol was increased quite a lot fairly quickly, and if the drug has been well tolerated by your wife up to now, any increase is likely to be helpful - if a reduction in heart rate is required. People who don’t tolerate Bisoprolol find that is the case on even the lowest doses. As has already been said on the forum, Bisoprolol affects rate rather than Rythmn. I hope your wife feels better very soon.
Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Will update as things progress.
I know this is of no help at all but when I was recovering from my Ablation, I had the buzz a few times. Like a phone was on me but wasn’t… I just could not explain it. I’ve never had it again . I’ve always wondered what it was.