It really isn't designed to stop AF. After 13 years on Bisop I have changed to Nebivolol as the Bisop was taking all the life out of me, a feature which only became really QOL disruptive in the last 10 months. Same family of drugs as Bisoprolol.
You need something like flecainide which does deal with the rhythm problem which AF is! I take it regularly now though originally took it as a PIP to use when episodes occurred. It mostly works though has side effects as a downside!
Bisoprolol is meant to lower heart rate and help with palpations but does not stop afib although I went 184 days without an episode when my Bisoprolol was increased and I also thought I was cured. No such luck but it keeps my pulse rate around 65 during afib so it's doing its job
It’s keeping my HR below 120 most of the time in this current af unless I start doing something (only light things like moving in the house) then it goes to 140+.
I’ve replied previously to a similar question which may be of interest and I will include the link, I tend to have episodes once a month but I have gone 3 months without an episode and that was after starting bisoprolol 1.25mg which did reduce my HR, I then settled back in to roughly one episode per month but nearly always early hours of the morning when I believe the medication was wearing off. I was increased to 2.5mg and I asked if I could split it 1.25 am and 1.25 pm, this increase made little change to my HR and I still have episodes monthly but now start at random times. The bisoprolol is primarily to control/lower HR while in AF but taken regularly it definitely helps reduce episodes caused by HR flying up too quickly in stressful or anxious situations.
Seeing an EP next week and my guess is anti arrhythmic medication will be discussed.
Thank you. Just read your other reply. The bisoporol is def keeping my hr down. I still am getting the other symptoms, ie, feeling tired, a bit breathless when I move around, headache and sweaty. I think the headache and the awareness of my heart beating through my chest are the worst symptoms.
I’m on the waiting list to see an EP with a view to getting an ablation. I’ve been told I have months to wait for the appointment which will give me breathing space to decide if I want the procedure.
I also need to lose weight. I just can’t get in the right mind set. Even though I know it could help I struggle to even want to lose weight.
About losing weight, that’s me too, my chum used weight watchers and seemed to loose with ease so I’ve been signed up five weeks now and lost 3 kg with ease as it’s a lot of food you can eat that dint gain any points…..it amazed me also once doung this that I was eating the wring stuff that was hugely fattening, I live in France and ate so much charcuterie, always charcuterie in lunch sandwiches, looked healthy enough but that portion was a huge amount of points….so it was quite encouraging to see that changing a few things would make a diference….anyway I thought I’d share this as I’m still way overweight but it’s so nice to see the scales go down, I signed for a year nit that I can do it fir a year but it’s cheaper thst way than the short term option if you look at the numbers. I hope this helps!
As for bisoprolol my cardio last week said if I get afib to take another bisoprolol……if it’s in the day, and if it’s at night take another arythmia tablet but the smaller dose….I find this all very confusing and just hope I dint get another for a while
Yes I’ve looked at weight watchers (along with other diets but I thoroughly believe you have to have the mindset to succeed. I enjoy good food and bad food and have too much of both. My portion control is silly.
I know I desperately need to lose weight but don’t feel desperate enough to do something about YET if that makes sense.
I’m sure soon it will hit me and I’ll do it. I’ll definitely look at weight watchers who seem to have taken a leaf out of slimming worlds book ie points, good foods, bad foods etc.
I’ve taken extra bisoporol which is keeping my heart rate below 120 most of the time so it’s doing its job.
Oh gosh daythreethats long I’d be in a panic by thrn…I easily get freaked by this afib. Yes agree u have to have the mind set, mine was my leg has lipodema and losing weight may help…I’m just about to arrive in Spain though so how I’m going to keep this going is anyones guess! My overnight hotel has nothing on its menu that resembles healthy!!!!
I was having more frequent AF in the early spring but had a small medical procedure, so my GP recommended that I took 1.25mg bisoprolol daily. It worked and, fingers crossed, continues to do so.
Betablockers work to slow the heart rate and, it seems, for many, that is sufficient to keep the rhythm in NSR. In my case, I was told that I cannot take the more potent anti-arrhythmic drugs, so I keep my fingers crossed.
I was shocked into losing weight and eating better by a blood test which showed I was in the pre-diabetic range. The NHS offered a free course, which I went onto, and I've lost two stones. The course handbook is very useful.No doctor or anyone else had told me I was overweight, and I didn't feel it. I am just under 6' 7" tall. I have had permanent though asymptomatic AF for about six or seven years ,after 22 years of paroxysmal AF.
I've also had asthma, now well controlled, for 48 years, and foot drop of my right foot for 3 years.
My only medication for AF is an anticoagulant, Warfarin being my choice. I self test and largely self manage, with an arrythmia nurse checking up on me by email.
My paroxysmal AF was controlled by Flecainide. Beta blockers caused urticaria and exacerbated my asthma, leading to emergency admission to hospital.
My diet is largely pescatarian, fish and vegetables. Never meat. Today is a fish day, half a tin of mackerel with salad. Fresh fruit and maybe some tinned, in juice, apricots. Oatibix for breakfast, and a mushroom and courgette omelette for tea.
Apologies for digressing from your question, but for someone who can tolerate beta blockers, they don't normally prevent AF, but do normally control heart rate.
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