AF heart failure

[mariyn]

My husband takes 125 mg of Digoxin and I think I have noted a slight improvement in his condition. It is difficult to say as the cardiologist is juggling around with 6 different drug s . His main symptom is fatigue Best Marilyn

[Hidden]

Hello

Well that is a positive sign that you think you can see a slight improvement getting the right medications that will work best for each individual can take some working out and depending what he is taking all together some can also have side effects one of which can be fatigue which could be part of the reason his feeling tired this could be something you could maybe mention at his next appointment but meanwhile I hope the improvement you have noticed continues x

[mariyn in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Marilyn

[Hidden in reply to mariyn]

x

[devonian186]

Without knowing the other drugs it is difficult to be specific but everyone is different and the drug and the dose can have big effects. Within the box for the drugs there will be a leaflet describing the side effects. Pound to a penny that fatigue will be mentioned on at least one of the medications. There may be an alternative or it just might take time for your husbands body to adapt. I find the best remedy for fatigue is to go outside and have a walk, if that is possible.

[mariyn in reply to devonian186]

Unfortunately he can only walk to the front door. In October he could walk 3 miles on Wimbledon Common.Life has changed. Thank you for replying Marilyn

[devonian186 in reply to mariyn]

I don't think in the bio it says what happened to your husband. Did he have an actual heart attack/surgery or stroke?

[mariyn in reply to devonian186]

In October he suddenly collapsed, totally out of the blue, with AF , heart beating over 120 per minute. Over night I changed from being a wife to a cater .

.., carer

[devonian186 in reply to mariyn]

So sorry. Has he been taking all the same six drugs since he collapsed? As you will read on here there are some drugs that floor people and incapacitate them and once they change to something else they feel better. The same drug however has no effect on other people. For example I tolerate Ramipril pretty well but others here find it highly problematic.

[mariyn in reply to devonian186]

Pretty well the same but have decreased Bisoprolol and doubled the Digoxin . Next week they will increase the Ramipril . It’s a learning process !

[devonian186 in reply to mariyn]

So it may well be one or two drugs -or their doses- that may have created the problem rather than solved it? Have you talked to your dispensing pharmacist to see if they have any concerns?

My one warned me off taking something in conjunction with other prescribed drugs. I am a big walker myself and to go from walking long distances to barely getting to the front door would be-as it has been-life changing.

Presumably they must have hoped medication would have resolved the problem or has the cardioserve and ablation always been in the equation from the time he was first examined?

[mariyn in reply to devonian186]

Right now doing what the cardiologist asks , tho yes I will speak to my pharmacist. Cardioserve and ablation were advised at first meeting with NHS cardiologist at St George’s Hospital London .Left ventricle shows an ejection fraction of 32% .

[devonian186 in reply to mariyn]

I remember that my mother in her older age had around 15 medicines to take daily. It would have been useful to have been able to ensure that one wasn't counteracting the effects of another!

[mariyn in reply to devonian186]

I agree , what is necessary and what is causing fatigue? Not easy to say

[uzininemm]

Bekind 28 and Devonian are quite right there is no magic bullet which will sort it out straight away, my consultant wouldn't release me from hospital until he had the meds right, and this took about a week with daily blood tests.

Then when I went home I was absolutely shattered and it took some time for me to build up energy again. (In fact after 22 months I am still improving).

The positive to take away is that you husband is in really good hands.

[mariyn in reply to uzininemm]

Yes we have lots of support We are waiting for a cardioserve and an ablation Thank you for replying Marilyn

[Lezzers in reply to mariyn]

Can I jump in here & ask why your husband is having a cardioversion & an ablation? I thought cardioversion was the first line of treatment & if that doesn't work then you have an ablation? Have I got that wrong? My husband recently had a cardioversion, it didn't correct his arrythimias so they chemically cardioverted him. But as his VT's are becoming more frequent & more severe he's having an ablation at the end of the month.

[mariyn in reply to Lezzers]

You are correct , he is down for both , cardio first , then an ablation if it’s not successful

[Lezzers in reply to mariyn]

Thank you