I find this problem with af quite confusing.. My Heart and coronary arteries fine. Do not have heart failure but am now in af most of the time after two periods of several days in hospital with racing heart they had difficulty in bringing down. Pace maker regulating this now. I have a hemi block left ventricle of heart causing delay in signal to heart . Am waiting for urgent ablation for this. At the moment it feels that I come under the category of no further action other than just being treated mainly with meds like Bisoprolol that has caused my breathing to be so bad it has reduced me from being a fit active person walking three miles a day, gardening for hours, to someone who now needs blue badge, attendance allowance etc..
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carkat22
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I sympathise carkat - waiting for treatment carries a heavy burden for us and I agree about the effects of Bisoprolol on some people. I couldn't cope with it at all - even on the lowest dose - and walking up a short slope took several stops to catch my breath.
Have you asked your doctor about an alternative beta blocker to Bisoprolol? My GP changed me to Nebivolol with an almost immediate improvement in my fitness. Nebivolol does not act on lung tissue, so causes less breathlessness.
I hope you get called for your ablation soon and that things will start to improve for you. Best wishes
My GP normal so good I sensed was reluctant to interfere with what hospital prescribed. Am going to try and sort it by going back to cardio clinic.. Thanks
Good idea carkat - I had been taking Bisoprolol for about 5 years and told my GP how badly it affected my day to day life. He said he would try me with Nebivolol for a month and if I felt better, then he would change me, which he did. My cardiologist was quite happy with the decision.
It might be an idea to list the things which are difficult for you to do and which cause breathlessness and use that as a guide to ask for a change. Best wishes.
Yes but my GP seemed reluctant to changing what hospital had prescribed, He made a referral for an ablation instead. It wasn’t like him at all and I was quite puzzled. X
That’s really tough, Carkat. I wish you well. As to why we develop AF, we really just don’t know. On paper I was low risk and I had a goody-goody lifestyle, but AF happened. My arrhythmias started with a viral illness years ago, and eventually I developed AF. I was doing well until I went down with Covid and that really kicked the hornet’s nest. I also have haemochromatosis which also predisposes people to ectopics and AF. So who knows if it was iron deposits in the heart over the years and the inflammatory immune response of the virus was maybe the tipping point? It’s not your fault. You haven’t done this to yourself. Bodies are very complex and they do develop “faults”. We may never know the why. Just take care of yourself. Maybe see about different meds until your ablation. If your symptoms get too much to deal with, you can ring 111 and if you deteriorate then it’s 999.
I’m sorry that you’re having such a bad time with this - hope that you get the ablation soon. I agree about asking advice on whether there could be an alternative to bisoprolol.
I’m lucky in that I seem ok on bisoprolol. Back pain prevents the three mile walks anyway, but I can usually get out for reasonable walks, and just get tired legs on hills and stairs.
We are all so different in our responses to this medication, wishing you luck in getting it sorted.
Like Finvola I changed to Nebivolol as Bisoprolol made me feel tired and breathless. Also depends on your dose of Bisoprolol. Some people can tolerate the lowest dose well.
That's tough Karkat. I was doing incredibly badly on Bisoprolol, like Auriculaire and Finvola, after 4 years on it for Afib, though it wasn't too bad at first. Breathless after walking a few yards and needing to sit down and get my breath back. Then I read about Nebivolol ! It has 2 actions, one slowing the heart and blocking it's adrenal receptors, but also making Nitric Oxide which opens up the arteries and brings more oxygen to the whole body. I noticed the difference after my first dose! I can walk slightly faster now and not get breathless or need to sit down so often. I expect my medical explanations are laughable, but you can look it up and find the correct terminology! Dr had no problem changing me and the Pharmacist explained it did two things, not just the one like all other beta blockers. Hope you get treatment very soon!
That’s interesting, thanks. I am also on 120mg Adisem twice a day too. Horrendous probs with fluid retention. Getting to a point when I feel I will blow and lose my patience. Cheers
Many thanks. Hit a real low. From a fit active 85 year old able to walk three miles a day, climb up and down a very steep beach and garden for hours, a few weeks later am now virtually disabled, blue badge, stairlift, shortness of breath, fatigue. Just hoping Ablation will eventually take place. Cheers
Ive had permanent AF for a year now and take 2.5 mg of bisoprolol . I dont have any issues with it but I was on 3.75mg initially and that made me very tired and breathless. There are alternative medications so maybe speak to your GP about those? Hope you are better soon
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Mother of 93 frightened after been told that she has Heart Failure
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