Please excuse the confessional nature of this post. And No, I’m not suggesting we experiment without guidance of a good cardio medic!
However like many people here I’ve had to overcome a strong resistance and fear of taking these powerful heart medications. If I’d been told a year ago that I’d soon be taking Apixaban, amiodarone and later dioxin I would have been truly horrified! And instead I have been amazed at how my body and mind have managed to adapt, despite a few unwanted side-effects. When I think of the recreational drugs I took in my youth, yet alone those that I narrowly avoided taking, I find it easier to feel receptive to drugs that have a purely medicinal purpose! I entirely understand peoples arguments with big Pharma. But somewhere in there are a group of scientists with the sole purpose of improving our health and quality of life. I just feel very grateful to be living at this time, awaiting cutting edge procedures for the AF. Thanks for listening to my morning ramble!
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Rainfern
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Interesting post. I think we all have much to do in terms of acceptance of our condition with varying success.
I have to confess the only recreational drugs I remember were 40 a day Marlboro and Alka Seltser for the morning after apart from a small piece of ginger bread I was given whilst skiing one year.
l must admit that I often wonder why I am so worried about starting a different medication when I never thought twice about overindulging in alcohol ( in past gone days of course 😂
At first with the stroke without meds my H/R Day avge was too rapid. I demanded a H/Specialist 1 year 3 months later as no followup except thyroid removed plus due to thyroid papilliary cancer.
Metropolol and a change to Bisoprolol did not control the AF H/R.
I went to a referred private H/Specialist who was interested. My H/R avge Night stays at 47.
For me higher doses of Bisoprolol didn't control the situation but CCB Diltiazem did.
I believe that any meds need to be kept to athe lowest dose to control H/R and BP.
I do not like to take meds either because they have so many side effects, they are starting me with SOTALOL! I have to start this tomorrow, any feedback please!
I was terrified to start sotalol but I had zero side effects, feel 100% better than I did on Bisoprolol . My Afib and HR are controlled. I was so worried all the bad things were going to happen and so far it’s been great. I have been on it 5 months. I think we read all the warnings and get ourselves worked up. ( I know I do 🙈)
Good post. I must start by saying I owe a debt to Big Pharma for Flecainide as I was in emergency mode 10 years ago and that drug bought me time to seek other routes back to good QOL.
I agree I am sure there are many good scientists as there are other professionals in any walk of life prone to bad publicity eg solicitors, bankers etc The problems in my mind is that BP has slipped its leash and is a beast out of control resulting in many legal cases for catastrophic drug side effects (the jury is still out on whether the Covid vaccine is another) and too much control over regular medics and their better judgement as a close second. The result and I know I have to come down on one side of the fence is that I have trouble trusting and now look increasingly for health solutions elsewhere... excepting emergencies.
Oh those scientists are not "somewhere in there" but everywhere inside "Big Pharma". It's a sinker I detest, myself, having spent a good part of my life working for large pharmaceutical companies. The profit motive distorts so much of human endeavour but, paradoxically, drives it. too. There's no gain without pain, as they say. I wish there were a better route and that more regulation could be found to curb the excesses of the likes of Abbot and Pfizer (to think of two)!
Hello Rainfern, long time no contact - well now, there’s you owning up to being a tinkering with the “recreational” in your younger days!! Think you are with a majority maybe & now here we are telling our own kids not to do this & that 😂
So you’re on the hard stuff now then, Amiodarone & Apixaban? You may recall the Amiodarone was a no go area with me (both mentally & I physically was allergic to it) - I do hope you are coping with it. Apixaban, well, I wish that all makers gave an alert card that actually stood out & showed quickly that’s what it is!!!! I took Eliquis & their card is brilliant & thankfully I saved a few now to copy in colour (I was changed to Apixaban by Sandos - what a pathetic tiny card, tiny writing, no colours to denote “look at me!” Looks more like an old bus ticket & had I not known I should look for it - they stick it literally to the inside of the box so it doesn’t just fall out to you!!!
Anyway I digress - having been so so ill but now incredibly well - the meds are now my best friends - other than looking & feeling like I raided a pharmacy every morning & evening even Flecainide - literally a bitter tasting pill as it dissolves so fast on the tongue - I’m on them for life, now I have a life and I’m living it - it’s brilliant.
So to everyone, try maybe to think of it as, I’m not generally a pill popper, I don’t like them at all, but, do your homework, ask questions and then just think a minute, how do I feel on them then how did I feel before I took them? We’ve all at some point thought, I’ve had enough etc - I was well & truly there but now - I’m actually looking forward to next year - turning 60, celebrating touring Florida etc (I never thought I’d actually celebrate anything ever again!) I’m in no way gloating at all, I wrote on here that things just literally changed early hours one morning, AF stopped, HR plummeted (for the good) - you never know what’s going to happen next minute, hour, day week or year! I wish good changes for absolutely every single one of you. Work with what you have each day, try your best to be positive, maybe do something new or learn something new - just Google about anything you see, hear, follow crafts on face books - I started following Dalscone Farm Live when at my worst - I saw their lambs, kids, donkeys etc all born, grow & followed their daily live presentations at 6:36am or 4:30pm ish. Anything to take you away from heart issues, feeling weak or ill - hope this helps just one person today.
Sorry, another essay folks - take care lots of love n hugs 🤗 💕 x
good to hear from you Flipper and glad to know you’re doing so well. It’s Digoxin (foxgloves!) I’m on now, I was only on amiodarone for a couple of months but no doubt I’ve still got some floating in the system! I used to chew on hawthorn berries after hole in heart op because these are supposed to be good for the heart and act as a natural blood thinner, but not to be taken with anticoagulants! Anyway, alert card for hawthorn would cause a mega panic in A & E! Agree with you about the Apixaban alert card - I’m thinking of making my own. ( Current craft is paper mache - could make one in 3D 😂)
How exciting to be planning a Florida holiday - you’ll have a wonderful time, so much to see there.
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Fear of AF Progression
medication
Seeking info on side affect of medication 
GP vs Specialist ; the lost art of medicine
A bit of a dilemma
