I have paramoxol af , have had 2 ablations, and treating a bit they couldn’t do at the time with meds , flecinide 50 mg , Bisopropol 2.5 in morning
50mg flecinide bisoprolol 1.25 evening, have had no side effects for 13 yrs , but for months now I have been experiencing realy awful side effects , I was in hospital this week after passing kidney stones🥴and realy did not want to feel any worse after taking my flecinide and bisoprolol , so I cut the bisop to 1.25 in mornings for 2 days , no side effects felt better but heart did a few blips and blops , but thought on 3rd day best not change it as I’m a real worrier , so took 2.5 again , felt awful and my heart rate dropped to 58bpm ? Usualy 65 to 80 s , this morning it’s 62 bpm iam due to take my medication at 9am , but worried that my heart rate will drop again ? Due to see cardiology on Tuesday
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Prosecco1997
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I think it very strange that you suddenly start feeling like this after 13 years! Probably best to detail all of this to your cardiologist on Tuesday. It may be that your heart has changed and the meds are now unsuitaable.
Yes that’s what I thought but I’ve been keeping a diary , of symptoms , my heart also like to beat now and then quickly , is it ok to reduce my bisoprolol or not take atall until Tuesday ?
Hi Porosecco - you have been struggling with a lot so it could be the meds are not clearing your system effectively. When was your last blood test?
Unfortunately meds can make you feel horrible, you will need to talk to doctor about your reactions and maybe ask to move on to another medication, there are alternatives. Please know that reducing Bisoprolol can increase anxiety so be very careful how you reduce/stop Bisoprolol.
I could not tolerate Bisoprolol at all and felt so much better when I stopped taking it, I now take no drugs but can tolerate AF much better than the drugs but my HR rarely goes very high these days.
Thankyou , I will reduce today ,I think as realy don’t want to feel how I did yesterday, just worried if my heart rate goes to low , just strange after all these yrs iam now getting side effects
The Bisoprolol stops your HR from rising and sometimes can be a cause of HR dropping. What do you call too low and for how long? What symptoms are you experiencing?
My heart dropped to 58 bpm yesterday , my usual symptoms are I feel very heavy , feel like the life is draining out of me , my stomach goes realy tight aswell , and I’m better off laying down , also get lightheaded , at one point , I felt like I would drop ?
Was that resting rate? My resting rate is commonly between 56 and 60. I worry when it went down to 36 on Bisoprolol. found I couldn't take any beta blockers, calcium channel blockers or any rate or rhythm control medication - I think we tried most of them and most combinations over my first year with AF.
Yes at resting , but I get those awful side effects even when it’s a higher heart rate 😔iam going to talke 1.25 twice aday along with my flecinide, do you think that is sensible to do , so just overthink and my anxiety goes through the roof
So long as you come down slowly from the bisoprolol you should be OK. Try deep breathing exercises for your anxiety and it's probably best if you stop checking your heart rate so often too as that will cause more stress. Just relax do deep breathing exercises and try to distract yourself from your heart rate. It's not too long until Tuesday and your appointment. Take care and relax
Does the NHS have a 'thing' about prescribing medication for anxiety? It was never suggested when I lived in the UK and I had no idea it existed! I have suffered from GAD all of my life and was prescribed ALzam 17 years ago here in South Africa, and what a difference it has made - even when I was diagnosed with PAF 6 years ago (It's familial so diagnosis was inevitable at some stage), the Cardiologist had no problem with me continuing with my Alzam (I'm 81 in May)
Hello , I was prescribed buspirone , but one of the side effects was increased heart rate , so I did not dare take them , even being told they should be ok ? Thankyou I will ask cardiologist tomorrow about what I can take , see if we have Alzam 😊
You're only on a low dose of Flecainide so that amount of Bisoprolol seems reasonable. I think CDreamers advice is good. I thought the same - your body has been through an adjustment due to the kidney issues and it's best to keep things stable. If the hospital advises the lower dose post op that's a good reason to stay on that dose. At least until you've been seen. Remember it takes a couple of weeks really to get over surgery so be kind to yourself.
You are over thinking. Don’t get hung up on the numbers - 58 is not low. HR in the 30’s & 40’s is common for some but pay attention to your BP as it could be your BP going too low which is causing symptoms, it can do with AF.
Were you well hydrated? Have you a way of replacing electrolytes? How is your nutrition? All these factors are as important as your drugs so inform yourself as to what sort of foods will help.
I too had this problem with Bisoporal plus Propanafol (Flecanide was one of the first but its effectiveness wore off) when taking them at the same time so I take the Propanafol early morning and take the Bisoporal a couple of hours later because these two drugs do not 'marry' very well, I also make sure I take the first one with breakfast and the second one is accompanied by a plain biscuit. You have an appointment soon so discuss with your medic or alternatively give a pharmacist a call. Alternatively, speak to your medic trying a different beta blocker as there are several on the market, when I first had diagnosis over 20 years ago I read that in some cases they work for around 12 months and then their effect decreases, whether this is true or not I don't know but for me it did and I have been through the whole range of beta blockers so know there are many out there. With regards self medicating, please don't do that, I did, reducing both of my heart drugs gradually over a period of time, then Bisoporal and Disopiramide, and ended up in permanent A/F and heart failure and felt awful so again, discuss with your medic. Good luck x
BB which is Bisoprolol is better taken at night because BP etc rises early morning. It rides through that spike.
BBs do nothing for controlling my heart rate.
I take CCB Diltiazem for control for heart rate. It is slow release but at first dose the 180mg (1/2 dose) took me down to 51 within 2 hours.
I take my Bisoprolol 2.5mg at night. It controls my BP.
My normal Night Rate H/Rate avge is 47 and has never changed regardless of the adding Bisoprolol at PM. The Diltiazem now reduced to 120mg AM never takes my 47 lower.
Latest Radcliffe Research ? s whether a BB is right fr AFers.
I am waiting with earnest.
I should have been given a CCB when I was diagnosed Stroke with AF. The BB Bisoprolol @ 2.5mg is the minority med.
Have a 24-hr H/Monitor to illustrate what your meds are doing for you.
I take flecinide 50mg , and 2.5 bisoprolol in morning, and evening 1.25 bisoprolol and 50flecinide , I have tried to cut my bisop morning dose by half , seemed ok for 2 days , but yesterday by late afternoon felt awful again , my stomach goes realy tight , and I feel heavy and faint
At one stage when my H/Rate fell to 60s Day I left out the Bisopolol, Dr not around. No needed it. Couldn't half it. Then tried without Diltiazem but ECG was awful.
So went back to normal regime.
But sometimes a change to see doesn't hurt if done for a purpose and you are carefully monitoring it.
Ok thankyou I’ll give it a go today , just worried that I’m doing the wrong thing by reducing my dose , but I will take the other half if I have symptoms
Bisoprolol and Flecainide are usually OK together. My advice is don't mess with your meds. Your appointment is this Tuesday? Take the lower dise of Bisoprolol the hospital advised. You already feel anxious. Your body probably needs stability right now. If you yo-yo with your meds you'll be constantly on the lookout and that'll make your anxiety worse.
I can remember when they were trying me on different medications back in 2017 that there were some combinations I was put on that I had to ensure I took the medications 2 hrs apart - I don't remember which ones they were but ended up with me taking a water tablet at 5am with one of the medications - so that I could get all my lavatory trips out of the way before I had to do anything and another at 7 and another at 8. I am pretty sure that it said this on the packet information or my cardiologist or pharmacist told me to do it this way. Was also told to take my bisoprolol in the evening as it was giving me side effects - presumably so that I would be resting or asleep and not suffer to much from the side effects but that made no difference to me but may make a difference to others.
Sorry I can't remember the name of these medications but I was really unwell at the time, living in temporary accommodation as we were waiting for a new house to be completed and had sold our old house and was just recovering from cancer treatment. My wife spent most of her time juggling packs of medication and filling dosset boxes for me and then taking the medication out when told to change it and grumbling about the waste of NHS money on me - I think that was to make me laugh and distract me.
Is there anything else you have changed - either medication or supplement wise, diet wise or anything at all which might be causing this?
Hello the only thing , I have along with meds is levothyroxine, and I have hashimotos , thyroiditis , but been on those for around 2yrs , I just find it strange after all this time , they now don’t suit me , I will try the 2 hours apart see how I go Thankyou
It seems odd and if you can't pin point it to a change in something around about that time back in August. You really need to speak to your consultants. How often do you get your thyroid levels checked and medication reviewed?
A few others have mentioned this but I'd check your blood pressure. Obviously I'm not a medic but 58 is a normal heart rate. Sounds like a gp appointment might be useful if you are feeling that awful, rather than experimenting yourself with dosages.
Hello , my blood pressure has been ok , I contacted doctors , they told me to carry on taking my medication, until I see cardiologist tomorrow, I have been feeling like this since august 23 , only just got a appointment, due to waiting lists , realy getting fed up and anxious 😟
You don't say if you have been told to reduce meds or it is something you have decided yourself.I thought I new my body & meds and reduced my BP meds myself.Not a good idea.Back to previous dose after a few days
My HR goes down to 42 quite regularly at night .Only spikes and have discussed before.I don't worry.
However discuss with cardiologist but make sure a plan is in place to monitor & review any changes.
I cannot take BBs.
Make notes to ask the cardiologist & at the end ask if you can look over your notes in case you have missed anything.
funny you say that because my GP tells me she wants my heart rate at 55. When normally without meds it's 68 or lower. I felt awful on Nebivolol so I took myself off and I feel better. I eat more and exercise less and I feel better and so for no AFIB. instead my GP put on my chart that I refuse to exercise I have to wonder what they hear when you talk to them. Because that is not what I said.
I had terrible side effects from BISOPROLOL and after my DCCV I was advised to just stop it. I was on 3.75. So, I spoke to my pharmacist who advised me to come off it VERY VERY SLOWLY as the heart can rebound and react to the sudden change and as I’d just had the cardioversion it could kick it back into AF. I took his advice and very slowly reduced it over months down to .625. Even at that small amount had an effect on my heart. I have now been clear of it for over 6 months and I couldn’t be happier. Still in NSR too, Feb 15th was my 1 year anniversary. 🙏
Btw - I’m beginning to suspect that Covid or the vaxx has had the result of increasing my sensitivity to any type of drug as the burning pain in my feet was very much worse when I had Covid for the second time. I still have it occasionally but not to the intensity I had it when taking Biso and Apixaban. I am intolerant to both of them.
Do you think it could be the bisoprolol , as I’ve tried reducing felt better then yesterday felt ill again , ive done this without asking doctors 😬 I’m so tempted to take other half ? Due to worry , but trying to hold off until tomorrow, I just feel so ill by late afternoon
I had the same thing happen after 3 years on Flecanide and carvedilol. I felt unable to function normally after taking meds. Extreme fatigue. I am now taking 25 mg Flecanide 3x day instead of 100 mg 2x day, and 12.5 mg metoprolol ER 1xday instead of 12.5 mg carvedilol 2xday. Carvedilol was cut from 12.5 to 6.25 to 3.125 prior to changing to metoprolol. All changes were done after discussion with EP cardiologist. I now feel normal, normal energy. I do have more ectopics but tolerable much more so than total lack of energy and feeling unwell. I guess sometimes the body changes somehow and changes may be necessary. My primary care Dr ran tests to determine reason for increasing fatigue but when tests normal, he suggested talking to cardiologist about meds. Best advice ever.
been to see cardiology today , she said it’s very unusual to have side effects after 13 yrs , but could be , ? Now going to try diltiazem once a day slow release along with my flecinde , to see if I fee l any better , has anyone tried these
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