change from bisoprolol to sotalol

[Blimeyohriley]

Has anyone changed from bisoprolol to Sotalol? I’ve been on 1.25 bisoprolol for a few years. After wearing a holter monitor for 7 days I met with an EP for the first time and he recommended I change to 80mg Sotalol to see if it stops my monthly (on average) 11 hour + AF episodes. I usually take flecanide as a pip which I’m never convinced helps. I have a slow heart rate and my EP thinks the Sotalol will stop the break through rogue pulses when my heart is beating particularly slowly. Structurally my heart is fine. I have absolutely no reason not to trust him but I’m always anxious trying / changing meds. Reading the package leaflet always makes me even more anxious - I understand the logic, they have to put everything in etc etc but my subconscious shouts at me “Look, see! It’s not safe”. He said if soltalol doesn’t work then we’ll discuss ablation. Anyone else take soltalol ?

[Karendeena]

Yes, I do and was changed from bisoprolol and Flecainide a couple of years ago. I am on sotalol 40mg x 3 daily but I am still getting episodes that last for 30 hours plus. They used to be every 4 months, now every 2 months so it's not working for me now.

I cannot have the meds increased as I already have low BP so my only alternative is an ablation and I am waiting a date, been on the list for 10 months in the UK. Scared but don't want to take Sotalol for life.

[Blimeyohriley in reply to Karendeena]

Hi Karendeena,

Thank you for responding. My blood pressure is very low too. I take meds for another condition that has both raised my blood pressure and my pulse a little which is good. I plan to start the Soltalol tomorrow when I refill my tablet dispenser. It took me quite a while to adjust to bisoprolol so hoping it’s an easier transition.

Good luck with your ablation. Hope you don’t wait too much longer.

[Karendeena in reply to Blimeyohriley]

Sotalol is a very powerful drug which worried me at first but it was also much better than bisoprolol. I only wish it had controlled my afib.How much have you got to take and at what frequency?

[Blimeyohriley in reply to Karendeena]

40mg twice a day. He didn’t discuss increasing the dose if it doesn’t reduce my episodes possibly because I have bradycardia.

[Karendeena in reply to Blimeyohriley]

He increased mine with an extra 40mg in the middle of the day but it's as much as I can tolerate I think

[AFCyclist]

I changed from Bisoprolol to 120mg Sotalol x2 a day about 10 months ago. It had an immediate effect and stopped my AF episodes which I had been getting about monthly after cycling. Not had one since. Very happy. Has dropped my heart rate a bit from 55bpm to around 50bpm at rest.

[Blimeyohriley in reply to AFCyclist]

Hi AFCyclist,

That’s reassuring. My heart rest is naturally very low anyway (without a beta blocker) so hoping it doesn’t drop mine further than the bisoprolol does. My EP is hoping the sotalol will have the effect it seems to have on you.

Happy cycling 😊

[ninks01]

i was on bisoprolol which some times made me a bit of a zombie, switched to Sotalol , was very suspicious / anxious but you have to trust the experts. I still get AF episodes but mostly i can carry on daily life, now and again i get a tougher one, where i have to stop and let it ride out HR goes up to 160 and above but i have no accurate way of measuring it ( oxymetre). I try not to check on it.

Any way, have not had any noticeable side affects from sotalol, my HR does dip sometimes to 40s. Just had a 7 day monitor, so awaiting results feed back.

3rd year since diagnosed with the AF, lot of life changes. Drink about 6 pints of water per day, eat less, have not had any alcohol for nearly 3 years ,which was a tough one as i was big weekend drinker........on the positive side ,i have lost about 3 stone, Happy days.

[Blimeyohriley in reply to ninks01]

Hi ninks,

I was diagnosed about 3 years ago too. My episodes knock me off my feet as my blood pressure drops through the floor.

I’ve done the same, drastically changed my lifestyle. Alcohol was the most difficult to stop, I liked a drop or two…. or three. No alcohol at all now since diagnosed. I’ve lost two stone, I’m told another 5lbs will be my ideal weight so that’s a bonus. Bisoprolol made me zombie like until the well known side effect of another, unrelated drug, raised my BP and HR by about 10bpm (still in low 50’s). I felt much better then. I know we’re all different- fingers crossed I don’t experience any side effects either.

[Woodymet]

I was on bisoprol for about 2 years however it didn’t help my a fib. My cardiologist changed me to sotolol about 4 years ago 80mgs twice daily so far so good. I underwent hip replacement last year without any problems with afib. I have no other I’ll effects from taking this drug.

[Blimeyohriley in reply to Woodymet]

Thank you Woodymet, that’s good to hear. Fingers crossed 🤞

[Dudtbin]

i take sotalol 3x daily, im in persistent afib and not had any problems since i was put on digoxin and sotalol, they stopped digoxin when i was nsr and have had no problems since!

[mav7 in reply to Dudtbin]

Hi Dud

Did Sotalol convert you to NSR or is it for control of persistent AF ?

[Dudtbin in reply to mav7]

No the combination of sotalol and digoxin converted me to nsr, actually the ep upped the digoxin by half a tablet and that did it i had a constantly high hr, about 120 t0 130 it reverted to about 48, still goes over a hundred if i walk up a hill and is high just going for slow walk but quickly goes down again. I stopped digoxin, but they said keep it just in case, however never needed it.

[DKBX]

I switched from metoprolol and diltiazem to sotalol about a month ago rather than have a sixth ablation. So far so good. Although my heart rate is about 48 at rest and 58 when walking leisurely, I’m ok with it. I can still get my work around the farm done.

[Blimeyohriley in reply to DKBX]

That sounds good. Long May it last.

[MaryCa]

I was changed from bisopropol to sotalol April 22. Originally prescribed bisopropol Feb 22. Neither of them controlled my afib. Taking them together as instructed to stop an episode (as a pip) had me flat lining. I had awful side effects, brain fog, bradycardia and fatigue. EP decided that I come off sotalol, he said just stop it. The only way to see if it was the meds causing the side effects. Whoops. That wasn't a good thing to do. Episodes increased to every three days. 10 hours of afib rvr. Saw new EP in Dec. Ablation Dec 21st. Nsr since. No meds except Xarelto. (Blood thinner)

[Blimeyohriley in reply to MaryCa]

Didn’t know they were prescribed together. That sounds scary!

[MaryCa in reply to Blimeyohriley]

I was probably as well off I remained calm. Paramedics were concerned.

[Sarn52]

My cardiologist switched me to sotalol from Bisoprolol following Cardioversion last month. I am on 80mg twice a day. First few days had an awful headache but that has eased. My heart has gone back into AF but not sure that this was because of the Sotalol. Think I was just unlucky.

[Blimeyohriley in reply to Sarn52]

I’m now on my 3rd day of switching. So far no side effects. Hope I’ve got lucky 🤞🏻