Experienced another AF episode which lasted 15 hrs. HR was 141 BP through the roof. Felt absolutely awful the next day.
As my episodes are (in his words) “quite aggressive” Dr strongly advise that I attend A&E if my HR does not come down within 2 hours.
Dr writing to Cardiologist to expedite my appointment. Apparently, only the cardiologist can advise and prescribe any anti-arrhythmic medication, or discuss other options…
Current medication, is keeping my rate down, and BP normal when I am in NSR.
However during AF episode meds not having and impact…
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Fight-the-good-fight
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This is exactly what my surgery advises me to do. Indeed when I have not heeded this advice and left it considerably longer I have been given a ticking off by A&E medics. My episodes are very symptomatic and although just once or twice a year these days they almost inevitably require 'emergency' dc cardioversion.
Hope you don't have to wait too long for your cardio appointment.
You will not know very much about it as you will be heavily sedated/anaesthetised. Basically you will be wired up with pads etc on your chest and a very carefully controlled electric shock passed through your chest to hopefully convert the heart back to sinus rhythm. You will be very closely monitored all the time and probably be 'under' for about 10 minutes .
I've had a grand total of 24 over 30 years which admittedly is somewhat excessive . These have been performed variously in anteroom of theatre, catheter lab, A&E & ITU. When I've had mine there was normally a consultant present plus junior doctor , a couple of nurses and anaesthetist but this can vary.
We all get different advice! I have similar length AF episodes with my heart rate usually around 110-150 for the 11-15 hours or so but I have been told by my cardiologist not to bother with a&e unless I get chest pain dizziness etc.
I take Flecainide daily and increase the dose if I have an episode but it doesn’t always help.
Hi Sunny Day, last time I attended A&E they gave me the same advice as your cardiologist. Only thing is, I do suffer from is lightheadedness; which I presume is a symptom of hypertension-hence I suppose my GP’s advice to attend…
Luckily I dont feel too bad when having a Afib episode, For now anyway.????? But I noticed the hospital only monitors you while you’re in afib anyway so I may as well be at home and not taking a hospital bed up. If I got any pain etc then that would be a different story of course and I wouldn’t recommend anyone sitting it out at home if there were pain etc accompanying a Afib episode.
my Drs wrote to cardiology for advice as I’m still on the waiting list. Cardiologist advised Drs to start Flecainide to control rhythm. I was having 12-20 hr episodes every couple of days, these have reduced to 2 hrs and slightly less frequently. It is likely to be at least 6 months til I get a cardiology appointment. I hope you get sorted soon. Other meds did nothing to stop or reduce episodes
I take a low dose twice a day, I’ve only recently started taking it, but not experienced any side effects that I am aware of. Started off taking as pill in pocket, that seemed to reduce symptoms but make it more regular
I hope you get sorted out soon. My cardiologist prescribed me propafonone for the six months wait for my first ablation. It did calm things down a lot to be honest.👍
I used to have episodes of up to a few hours from 85-140bpm and my doctor’s advice was to take an extra dose of bisoprolol. This did the trick, even though I can’t exactly say it was at all comfortable, with anxiety being the main issue. 15 hours is a long time, so I can appreciate how you feel. I would, myself, try hard not go to A&E unless the discomfort or fear became overwhelming as our local hospital seems always far too busy.
Recently my episodes (few and far between at present thankfully) have been worse at 150-180+ yet still bisoprolol was sufficient and I managed to press on not doing much but coping until things settled (a few hours at most).
All else being well, a beta blocker is a far safer option I was told so I’m hoping I can stick with that. I can’t take flecainide or sotalol so I keep my fingers crossed.
I used to take 1.25mg only as needed but since March eveni has more AF, it’s been daily. I can increase the dose to 5mg if needed, I’ve been told, but I fear doing that as my heart rate is already quite low even on the lower dose.
I only take 1.25mg, and only daily since March when my AF became a bit more frequent (before that I took it occasionally, as needed). I have been told I can increase the dosage to 5mg if needed, but (fingers crossed) the lower dose seems to have stopped the AF, although not the many daily ectopics.
I have never tried anything else since my ablation, which was for atrial flutter. The only drugs that worked back then (2019) were bisoprolol with digoxin. I gather that beta-blockers or similar (i.e. "rate control") drugs are much the safer option compared with rhythm control drugs since I have some issues with heart timings that they can disturb (I have left branch bundle block).
You need an EP to do an ablation. That was me. Like running four marathons and wiped out for next three days and along comes the next episode. I had an ablation in Dec. Nsr since.
The heart is so bloody unpredictable , my husband is in permanent AF or persistent but sure which . He is being considered for a second ablation after the one in 2017 failed , we don’t know when as my husband can’t feel anything even when his heart is 160 plus . He recently had a stroke because of this . He is currently on bisoprolol 10mg a day which mostly keeps it in 80s 90s sometimes goes over 100 resting . We re waiting for an appointment at arrhythmia clinic . We also attend heart failure clinic once a month . Because his communication is limited because of the stroke and his vision he can’t go on his own as yet . He is also on thinners and cholesterol tabs as well as one for stomach and kidneys . He is 65. Hope yours settles soon .
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