I was diagnosed with afib just over a month ago but I'm still having a lot of issues I'm having a portable ECG fitted on Saturday then two weeks later I'm seeing the cardiologist team I'm having problems not only with my heart rate going super high, andcontinuously all throughout the day going down to 40 so that is an issue at the moment because it's making me feel quite unwell I keep falling over and I'm getting concerned that my heart drops too low that it may stop anyone else had this.
Afib and bradcardia: I was diagnosed... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Afib and bradcardia
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Corrie12
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That's not a nice situation to be in and I hope it's soon resolved. It sounds as though they are getting you through the system quickly. Are you on any medication?
Re the heart rate recorder, they are standard for people who have AF. How long do you have to keep it on for?
Jean
Thanks for you reply yes I'm on Bisoprolol and I've go to wear it for 3 to 4 days x
What dose of Bisoprolol do you take, that could be what's making your heart rate go too low? Some people have heart monitors implanted under their skin. Lets hope yours will catch what is going on. Sods law usually has it that once the monitor is on, you can feel wonderful. When I have them I feel as though I could climb mountains!
Best wishes. Contact us here if you have any queries.
Jean
Only on a low dose 5mg don't think it's that's as this dose isn't controlling the high rate.
I would have a word with your GP and tell him/her about your low heart rate and how it's making you feel. You can't wait two weeks feeling like you are and afraid you're going to fall. When you feel odd get yourself to the ground, or lying down as quick as you can, blood can reach your head easier that way, that's why nature makes us fall. Is your heart rate going up and down constantly? Or do you have episodes of it doing that? Mine was a bit like that at one time and it totally wore me out (my heart rate didn't go quite as low as yours though). In the morning when you get out of bed sit on the side for a few minutes before standing up, same if you get up in the night.
Take care and let us know how you get on please.
Jean
I'll hold out for the cardiologist it's only a couple of weeks, it happens continuously on and off or day it a nuisance. When I come over dizzy I think I will fall I do sit down if I can till it passes soon
5mg Bisoprolol is not a really low dose, I couldn't tolerate 1.25 mg, people's reactions vary. With feeling dizzy and low heart rate you shouldnt wait two weeks, please discuss with your GP as Jean has suggested.
If your heart rate drops too low you could loose consciousness, happened to me though not when on Bisoprolol.
Also if you are a driver, you shouldn't drive until you get this sorted.
Best wishes
When you feel dizzy, lie down as Jean suggests and elevate your feet a little. Are you drinking plenty of water? Important if you're getting runs of AF. And eat sensibly avoiding high fat, salty or processed foods. I agree btw that 5mg Bisoprolol is not a low dose. 1.25 is the lowest.
I was put on 5 mg of bisoprolol when diagnosed. It is designed to reduce resting pulse ( measured on my fitbit) and mine only took 5 days to dive below 50 and increased my sense of unwellbeing if there is such a word! I had been told to make contact if the resting pulse went below 50 and I was given a prescription of 1.25mgs and told to experiment with 1 or 2 either once or twice a day. Eventually I settled on 2 x 1.25 in the morning. Another thing about bisoprolol is it is long acting, both in doing what it does best and in stopping doing what you want to go away. So cutting the dose will take 10 days or so to work its way out, so you may not feel better immediately. However equally you may find that as you have been taking it for a couple of weeks that the episodes of fast heart rate may start to reduce. Good luck!
I have had PAF for two years, and I am on 3.75, my heart rate sits at 50 ish in the day time and 40 at night or rest. Sounds like you should ask to come down to the lower dose, especially if it is making you feel ill.
Welcome to a club that nobody wants to join! 5mg is not a low dose. It is a high dose for some people as not everybody does well on beta blockers. On 5mg I felt like a zombie! Beta blockers can come with a whole raft of side effects especially for women increasing the feeling of being unwell. Hopefully you will be offered an anti arrythmic treatment that will stop the afib episodes. Beta blockers are mainly for rate control but do not stop the episodes from occurring. I do not understand how it is not controlling the high rate if your heart rate is dropping to 40bpm. Or is this only at night?
No at night it at 50 in the day it can be as low as 40 on and off all day
So how high is it going during the periods in between the brachycardia?
It doesn't matter in my own experience that it's not controlling the high rate but it most certainly dropped mine to 38-40, with conversion pauses going from AFib to nsr. It did not control the rvr (rapid ventricular response) when I had episodes. It also gave me brain fog and fatigue on top of the bradycardia.
Really?!? I’ve been declined it! Deemed unnecessary. I had one way back in 2020.
AF went nuts back in October, but they’ve declined to let me wear one again despite me asking for it to get an overview of my heart performance when not in AF. 🤷♀️
do you know how high your heart rate goes? I have afib but my heart rate does not usually go over 120bpm, I also get bradycardia after an episode and my heart rate goes down to 34 bpm, because of the low heart rate I can’t take beta blockers, 2.5mg of bisoprolol was enough to make me pass out! I have been waiting for a pacemaker for about 10 months, I have got used to having bouts of bradycardia but find them unpleasant.
On good day 130 on bad day 151 but the bridacardia is on and off day day/night it makes me feel rough I've fallen over loads plus have a continuous chest pressure and slight pain.
Chest pressure is not good. That kinda requires a trip to the hospital unfortunately
It comes and goes when beats drop or rise high. It's not bad just uncomfortable.
It doesn't have to be bad like on tv. I was in hospital two years ago and asked if I had chest pain, I said no. Next question, do you have pressure, yes. Next question, do you feel like something is coming up your throat, yes. And doc replies with, they're chest pains!!!!
That was a good doc! I was in hospital with fast AF, asked if I had chest pain, said no because the pain was going up the side of my throat. When I had a heart attack I got the classic ‘bear hug in the chest’ but normally the pain is in my throat.
It was a junior doctor, mid 20s. He wanted to run more tests. This was twelve months ish prior to AFib diagnosis. Consultant overruled him. Discharged with a prescription. Bp had been 190/110 for 24 hours in hospital and I was given no treatment in the hospital for it. I was not impressed. Had bradycardia as well at that stage. God only knows why, except obviously the electrical system in my heart had decided it was going wonky.
5 mg is slightly high and could be causing your BP to go so low. Could be worth asking the cardio about that and telling him about dizziness when standing. I am sure your episodes will be caught on monitor and you will be given the correct medication for your treatment. It can be a case of trial & error with the meds but things should eventually settle with the correct diagnosis.
That's meant to say they increased the dose of the meds due to lower dose wasn't working.
Sorry you miss understand its not my BP it's my heat rate not blood pressure
Corrie, you're new to this. When we're in AF our BP can go all over the place. Mine uses to drop like a stone after a long run of AF and I'd feel dreadful. I'd be worried about the pressure in the chest. Have you rung your GP about this?
They increased the price the meds due to wasn't working at all at lower dose. Of course I will tell them about dizziness when sitting and standing.
Bisporolol can lower the blood pressure in some people and that could be the cause of your dizziness and trouble standing. Tell your GP or cardio nurse.
My husband is on Eliquis 2.5 mg twice a day. Hit heart beat usually runs on the high side--80-90's. Then is BP started going up and he is on 3 BP medication. When he was put on metoprolol 25 mg, his pulse rate dropped into the 40's. He was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension related to the heart and not the lungs.
Is your BP under good control. I would check with your cardiologist with your low heart rate. Perhaps you may also be too sensitive to any meds that end in "lol.
You should be wearing your monitor sooner than later. I would tell your cardiologist your symptoms. Can you email him?
That must be a horrible feeling. When I was still going in and out of A Fib, I got some really low rates and dizziness when I went back into sinus rhythm. Lower still with Bisoprolol.
I’m now in constant AFib and taking 5mg per day ( 2.5 twice a day). I’m not sure it’s bringing the top rates down that much. My watch sometimes gives readings in the 40s, but might not be accurate.
Standing slowly etc, does help. Really hope you can get it all sorted out.
I am in 5mg of Bisoprolol per day and my heart rate goes down to 45 as measured by my watch. I have not been diagnosed yet with afib, but I do have moderate to severe MVP.
hi, yes I understand your problem, I had that before I got my pacemaker fitted. I am now on 2.5 mg Bisoprolol mornings and 5 mg Bisoprolol evenings as 5 mg in the am made me very slow. Try cutting your 5mg in half and take 2.5 morning and evening for a while. You can test your hearts response whilst you wait for your cardiologist appointment.
Take your days slowly and don’t worry.
Xx
My pulse can also drop to between 45-50bpm, especially if I've taken a bisoprolol tablet (a beta-blocker). I think overnight it might go even lower as after a two-week monitor the cardiologist commented on it. I was told that it's of no concern and that it cannot stop - as yours won't, I am quite sure. I do know that awful feeling, though.
What I rarely get is a fast rate, as you are doing. Mine has peaked at 155bpm, but rarely since my ablation. It did this while I was driving last week, which made me concerned as I was picking up my daughter-in-law, a nurse, from our main A&E hospital. I expect you can imagine what was going through my mind en route! But, I decided that there was no way that I was going to spend hours, overnight likely, in that over-crowded place and, lo and behold, the rate fell into the 80s before I arrived!
When I saw a cardiologist about it, I was told that a low rate on its own isn't a problem, but that it can mean that beta-blockers cannot then easily be used as they will lower it too far. This is where a pacemaker comes into the equation, as it can boost the rate while allowing the drugs to be used. Luckily, so far, I am coping so have put that worry to the back of my mind.
In your case, however, you say you are falling over - and that could be dangerous. This could be from a low BP or from paused beats. Both of these will need your doctor to investigate. My older friend, with persistent AF, also falls now and again and he's been told it's caused by a sudden drop in his blood pressure, called postural hypotension. This is especially bad before a meal, for him.
So, do take care and let's hope your doctor sorts you out quickly!
Steve
I, like a lot of people, can’t tolerate beta blockers (Bisoprolol, etc.). It nearly had me passing out while driving! Doc stopped it immediately. NB I have very good BP and resting heart rate (when not in AF) and it can drop it lower/reduce heart rate.
Do you have a BP monitor at home? If not, they’re available on Amazon at a reasonable price. Might be worth monitoring your BP when you feel faint. xx
yes corrie12 I’ve had all that. When I was blue lighted into hospital my heart rate was 240. They let me out when it went down to 110. This happened 11 times before I had an ablation. Now if I get an attack it usually doesn’t go above about 150. It can last 3 weeks or so.
Unfortunately since the ablation my resting heart rate is mostly about 43-45 except when I get bouts of tachycardia but my EP and cardiologist don’t seem to be too concerned
As a lot of our friends above have said 5mgs of bisoprolol is not really a low dose and could contribute to making your heart rate low snd also your BP resulting in your falls
Next time (hopefully not) you fall I would call an ambulance and go into hospital fast route. So dangerous as if you are out you might fall in the road and please don’t drive
I’m surprised your EP or cardiologist hasn’t put you on an anticoagulant to protect you from a stroke
I do hope you feel better soon
l would go to GP. I have problems with Bisoprolol. You are on a high dose and from my experience of this drug it makes my numbers go too low and also makes me feel ill to the point it’s intolerable. I can only take this beta blocker as a pill in the pocket. There are other drugs you can take, so l would ask to change and don’t be fobbed off. I would do this as soon as you can.
Hi, i was first put on 5mg of bisoprolol and literally couldnt get out of my chair, it may sound low dosage but everyone reacts differently to different doses, im on 1.25 mg and can handle it, might be your problem, my ep asked if it was a young gp that put me on 5mg, he said they were taught low and slow, it was indeed a young gp not long serving in my practice.....
I had a bradycardia episode that put me on the floor when I was given eyedrops for uveitis. Later had bradycardia with beta blockers.
I had finished exercising and got so dizzy that I grabbed onto my counter to keep from fainting. I was wearing a heart monitor and the company called me immediately and my EP. My heart had paused for 5 seconds...several times. I had never heard of a Pause. My BP was also low. A few days later I had a pacemaker inserted. It is scary when you're so dizzy. Check it out please.
Yes, I had a similar situation. I was eventually given a pacemaker so my heart rate would stay above 60 bpm. Pacemakers do not prevent or eliminate AF, however. Sounds like you are having it appropriately investigated. I wish you well.
I have a similar condition. I had a H/R of around 40 at night, and began having ectopics which in turn sometimes morphed into 1-2 bouts of Afib. Which also meant I didn’t sleep well at all, and was anxious about the whole situation. Wore a heart monitor which also discovered occasional heart pauses of 6-9 seconds, so a pacemaker was implanted very quickly. This was 4 months ago, and that problem is entirely gone. No pauses, although still have occasional ectopics but H/R at night is paced at 60 so sleeping is not a problem any more.
Corrie,
You'll know a lot more after wearing the heart monitor. Hope your cardiologist is not one to run for a pacemaker first. I to had bradycardia in low 40s/20s in 2016. Had an MRI which showed my heart was strong. Now (2023) I have Afib around 80 HR...go figure? In 2022 I requested and received a heart catheter exam, showed no issues. The heart is hard to figure out and we only have one. Might ask your cardiologist if this procedure is for you.
I took amiodarone for years but no effect on my afib. I change to TAMBOCOR....just one dose afib gone. I keep tambocor on my pocket always just in case.
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