Anti depressants and Afib

[Nightmare2]

Hi, i have PAf, and take half bisoprol every morning which helps the events. but i do get AF attacks which last for over an hour and take 2 bisoprol and at present coping, alszo Apixaban.

Recently with the stress around my life i.e. Husband det eriorating health mainly and losing pets, Dr. told me i need to take Sertaline, she said this drug is the safest for anyone with Heart issues whereas the others are not.

I have taken one today, but never happy to take these sort of pills, wondering if anyone else on these and do they effect the AF and heart.

Thankyou.

[Model52]

Yes. Sertraline affects your heart. It has a slightly anti-cholinergic action, which is helpful in keeping Afib at bay, at least if it is the vagally triggered kind.

I take Sertraline daily and have fewer Afib incidents since. Good luck!

[Towne]

Hi I take Apixiban & have been advised by my doctor that Sertraline isn’t compatible with anti coagulants as it also has a blood thinning effect. so I was prescribed an alternative (Mirtazapine)

[Ossie7]

Morning , I currently take duloxetine for occipital neuralgia but it is also an antidepressant . No heart side effects or unwanted AF . Previously I was on fluoxetine (Prozac ) for years for depression and the EP said no interaction with heart / meds . Not on AC’s tho as under 65 .

[Auriculaire]

You do not "need "to take Sertraline. You can choose to use natural methods to control your anxiety . Magnesium supplements can be helpful as can meditation exercies and breathing exercises. SSRIs come with side effects even making some people feel worse , can be little better than placebo for a large percentage of those that take them and worst of all can cause horrendous withdrawal symptoms if yoy want to stop them.

[Nightmare2 in reply to Auriculaire]

I never thought i would need to seek help from GP. all my life which has been a long one had many hurdles to overcome, more than a lot of people, but there comes a time when and if enormous stress has to be helped or a breakdown may ensue, sorry but meditaton etc, wont do it with serious issues.

[Auriculaire in reply to Nightmare2]

Just be aware that an SSRI might not help either. It will not take away the life circumstances that are causing your stress and when they they change you may be left stuck taking it for longer than you want.

[Nightmare2 in reply to Auriculaire]

Yes, but my own stress circs, will ease in time, and i do not intend to remain on any pills for life, never have or ever will, but i guess at times we all may need help, dependant on our own personal circs.

[Auriculaire in reply to Nightmare2]

My sister has taken SSRIs for many years. 3 times she has tried to come off as her life circumstances have changed very much for the better. Each time she has failed due to horrendous withdrwal symptoms. These chemicals can damage your brain.

[Nightmare2 in reply to Auriculaire]

Well this is something we all have to learn, there are some people i know that can never come off these they need them for life, but others like myself have been strong all my life mentally wise, i have had 3 friends over the years, one with two breakdowns, and had them each time came off them quie easily after a couple of months. my best friend also she had a breakdown out of the blue, she was off work with me for around 5 months, but came off them quite easily. So its horses for courses, but admit there are people who sadly cannot cope long term without them.

[Auriculaire in reply to Nightmare2]

It has not got anything to do with coping as far as many people are concerned but the degree to which the drug has altered the chemical composition of their brain . This is random just as it is random that some people are made worse by these drugs even to the point of committing suicide. I hope you are somebody who is helped and in time you have no trouble coming off. But you should be aware that that there are serious problems with these drugs that many doctors are not aware of or dismiss.

[JoseT in reply to Nightmare2]

i took Sertraline 10mg to cope with my anxiety during my chronic long-covid pain. It was a small dose and easy to withdraw it from it. But Auriculaire is spot-on, before going for any pill for coping with your family situation please consider first a psychologist and also natural remedies like magnesium, theanine, exercise, etc

[Nightmare2 in reply to JoseT]

Welll my GP gave me 50 mg ones and i asked for a low dose, i took half of one, and it was awful, felt like i was on a ship, couldnt focus my thoughts, felt sick after a while, and had i needed to drive no way.... I hve decided with all the problems i have at home which are not good with husbands downward turn with health, my cat dying in his sleep and 4 ldays later my dog diagnosed with cancer, and me 77 now, and having to cope with this big bungalow and the ground that came with it, i knew from the half pill that these are not the answer. who wants to be a foggy brained half of oneself, i need my wits about me to cope with it all. I dont like mind altering drugs, never have.

[JoseT in reply to Nightmare2]

I am sorry for all the situation, it must be really hard to cope with everything. But as you said a half pill is not an answer and perhaps even causes you dependency and other troubles. Have you considered support from a psychologist ? They can be a great support when life becomes very hard.

[Nightmare2 in reply to JoseT]

No i really dont want to go down that avenue, i have always been a strong person, i have to just sit tight, what gives me personally any strength i draw on, are thinking about the strong people who were in my life, like my Father who coped after Mum died at 42, and he brought up my two brothers until his untimely death in his 50's in a car crash, but he remained strong after Mum died. Its only now that i realise just what it took and what a strong man he was. its these people that i draw on and my faith. Hope it remains with me.