FED up

[Sotiredof2]

I am 84 and have had bouts of a fib for 2 1/2 yrs since a cardiologist suddenly took me off all b/p meds. now I am hospitalized about every 5-6 months with afib. Cardiologist loads me up with Metroprolol, flecanide, Lasix, Eliquis, Spironolactone, and now wants me to take Entresto that I read can cause Alzheimer's. I no longer trust meds or doctors. I wonder if drug companies pay doctors to prescribe their meds?

[BenHall1]

BP meds are an essential starting point in the fight with AF. I would be looking for a new Cardiac Consultant.

Meanwhile perhaps you could make an appointment with a Pharmacist to discuss the validity of your continuing with all those drugs you have listed unless you have other medical conditions which require some or all of those drugs. Wow! just to treat AF ..........what a list !

TBH, I too have wondered the same as you, whether Doctors receive 'benefits' from friends in 'Big Pharma' as you comment.

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to BenHall1]

Hi

Apparently it is the PHARMAC in NZ who push certain drugs.

Then they may pass the incetive to the clinics. So it is the clinics who push the. Drs and staff into promoting meds like STATINS for one.

Also once the h/Specialist prescribes then the Dr simply puts up you dose thinking is that it would work.

Not so with me BBs Metoprolol (banned for me at last) and Bisoprolol did little to control my Heart Rate Day. Bisoprolol 2.5mg PM controlled my Systolic BP.

It was a prive Heart Specialist who introduced CCB Diltiazem and in 2 hours my H/Rate went from 156 to 51 in 2 hours (180mg). This was reduced to 120mg AM.

Stable now for 2.1/2 years.

No statins for me at 4.6. Refused. Take Synthroid for thyroxin replacement - Thyroidectomy plus 12 lymph nodes (2 infected) with dissection. PRADAXA 110 x twice, Polygel - Dry Eye. Flixonase and Colofac, Paracetamol with Codeine, Sol........Vatris when necessary.

cherio jOY. 75. (NZ)

[Terriersgalore in reply to BenHall1]

They do in some cases. Especially for Statins. A doctor once put me on a Statin when I was relatively young with low cholesterol. I just didn’t take them. Months later I had occasion to see another doctor, and I mentioned about the statins, and she said I definitely didn’t need to take a Statin. When I questioned the original doctor about taking statins when my cholesterol was so low, she said well it will be lower still on statins!! I asked myself why??

[opal11uk]

Doctors used to receive benefit from promoting their drugs some years ago and I would say the same applies today but to be honest I don't really know. I believe holidays etc,, were also an incentive but maybe just hearsay

[Vonnegut]

You need to see an EP - the guys who specialise in electrical problems in the heart, which ours is. Flecainide stops episodes fairly quickly when taken as pip and now I take it regularly, it has put an end to episodes for me. And do agree re the drug companies ( and their profits) having far too much influence.

[babs1234 in reply to Vonnegut]

Do you suffer any side effects with this drug

[Vonnegut in reply to babs1234]

Possibly the Flecainide might have added to the fatigue I acquired at around the same time as the heart condition and it may have messed up my digestion as many drugs seem to do, but I’m sorting that out now. At 80, I don’t think I could contemplate any surgery even if it had been suggested. The stories here of people having several ablations without full success are not encouraging and I have successfully reduced the dosage to 50mg and then 100mg and still here at over 80 and a half!

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

Its about time you had a 24hr Heart Monitor fitted to see what these many drugs are doing.

Metoprolol is one of my banned meds. I said NO to it at Stroke hospitalisation with AF and Thyroid Cancer causing this. Embolic stroke a rogue clot stuck in my left frontal lobe.

1 year 4 months I proved that it made me breathless and fatigue no exertion and 2 secs pauses at night with a 47avg Heart Beat.

186 Day H/Rate and I was a zombie. Bisoprolol is better for AFers said the H/Specialist I demanded then left me on Bisoprolol showing a H/Rate day of 156.

10 months later a new locum who has had AF persuaded me to go to a private H/Specialist.

Since then put on CCB Diltiazem 120mg and I have never looked back. Only 2.5mg from 10mg Bisoprolol.

Stable 2.1/2 years I've been discharged under H/Specialist.

Now only the return of my papillary Thyroid cancer in my 4th year is being investigated so CT Scan, PET Scan and MRI tests have been done since Feb. Repeat CT Scan in November because Surgeon has no other images for compare. But a drop of Thyroglubin from 1.7 to 1.1 after PET scan using a Radio Active Iodine infusion chaser means it has probably killed off the 7mm & 8mm lymphs under ?. And surgeon thinks behind them is the 19mm x 9mm ? which he says may be my THYMUS. Another endocrine gland which is big during childhood but shrinks in adulthood.

My Dad died of Lymphoma discovered during his Post Mortem. If I have cancer in my Thymus then Lymphoma can immerge if not removed. Not required in adulthood.

So all very interesting and we are all learning.

Otherwise the PET scan showed, I'm otherwise unremarkable (such a funny word made up of a negative and positive) (unremarkable means a very good body for age!) No brain abnormality thank goodness. My pET SCAN was from top head to toe!

cherio jOY. 75. (NZ)

[Tapanac]

oh heavens poor you

The part where you say entresto is especially scary to me as my husband has been put on a higher (the highest) dose and although he already had short term memory loss, it seems to have got worse lately to mild dementia. I had put it down to be quite busy one way and other lately snd he wasn’t coping too well, but now I’m worried

Has anyone else heard of this please

[Ppiman]

I am coming to think that many people no longer trust their doctors because of what they have read on the internet. Sadly, it's my experience that most of what is there is either skewed to a commercial purpose, misinformation, too technical or plain wrong.

This is sad since we rely on our doctors, who should have our interests at heart. I am lucky so far that mine seem to. You seem less lucky.

From the drugs you take, you seem to have other illnesses that your doctor is trying to treat as well as AF. For all of us, "trying" is the operative word, especially with heart ailments, since it is still a medical struggle to get the right drugs, the right dose and the right balance to help make our hearts work well for longer.

I would ignore the fear over Alzheimer's as a potential side effect or at least discuss this with your doctor. I have read many times how difficult it is to link any kind of dementia directly with any individual drug. To quote from a study I found online, " Might long-term use of Entresto raise the risk of AD? No."

Breathe easy on that one.

Steve

[Buffafly]

Looks like you have heart failure? So posting on the BHF forum might get more and helpful replies.

[1861]

In the US, The Open Payments Search Tool is used to search for physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, and teaching hospitals receiving payments from drug and medical device companies. It may also be used to search drug and medical device companies to see what payments they made to health care providers.

openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/se...

[ozziebob]

You definitely need to get your medical team to explain the purpose of these drugs for you with your individual medical history. Ask questions as best you can.

A quick look at a couple of your medications revealed they are used to treat "heart failure", which you also need to get explained. (Don't despair as that just means the heart is not pumping as well as it once did) And ask about your ejection fraction from your last echocardiogram, as that reflects how well your heart is pumping, but can be improved with appropriate medication. It seems you are quickly learning that we all need to be as informed" about our health situation as possible.

As a new member, you might also consider using the HU Search🔍option at the top of this page to read past Posts on topics like "heart failure" and "ejection fraction" etc..

Good luck, bob.

[Peacefulneedshelp]

I have a friend who was a phara rep at one time. Yes, doctors do get kick backs and perks for pushing the drugs. they win cruises and all kinds of contests. We also have to remember, it's Big Pharma who funds most of the medical schools. There has been a war on natural medicine since Rockefeller days. As someone mentioned find a new doctor and/or report this one. Some of the best doctors are the ones that don't allow Pharma reps to come to their office, they are few and far between. BTW, my friend quit a very lucrative job because her conscience wouldn't allow her to continue.