Anyone else had symptoms progress from manageable to very, very frightening?
Had my first episode of AF in 2010 but because it was so infrequent, I didn’t get a proper diagnosis of PAF until several years later and that was only because I bought my own Kardia monitor. I was prescribed apixaban but I refused beta blockers because I felt I was at the very mild end of the spectrum and was usually able to restore sinus rhythm with meditation and breathing exercises. I never had any really worrying symptoms, just the ‘Jumping beans in the chest’ sensation. I also had flecainide as a last resort pill in the pocket but it was rarely used.
Apart from a few trips to walk in centres and A&E (when things had usually reverted to sinus rhythm before I was seen!) my first serious event happened in September 2020 when tachycardia and AF set in and wouldn’t budge. From A&E I was admitted and monitored overnight and discharged with a prescription of 5mg bisoprolol.
Although the bisoprolol seemed to be controlling rate & rhythm I was very unhappy with the side effects – too spaced out to drive, low level headache, low mood, fatigue, lack of energy, joint and muscle pain, significant weight gain. The dose was reduced to 2.5 then to 1.25 but some symptoms persisted.
Yesterday, Wednesday 5 May at 2pm – my pulse rate became very fast (over 200bpm) and I had accompanying AF. I was weak, wobbly and VERY dizzy and thought I was going to pass out. The GP surgery advised me to call an ambulance: the wait was really frightening and I think I tipped into a panic attack. The weakness and extreme dizziness were symptoms I have never had before so I naturally assumed things were getting much worse. The paramedics suggested taking a flecainide tablet and this seemed to help me calm down but did not reduce the heart rate or stabilise the rhythm. I was taken to A&E and monitored for a while but needed 5mg of bisoprolol to get the rate & rhythm under control. This dosage lowered my blood pressure too much and I then needed a couple of drip bags to tackle that. By around 9 pm they were satisfied that sinus rhythm was stable and rate was below 100bpm so I was discharged. I am still feeling very tired, headachey and spaced out today.
Really worried and anxious about this recurring.