I was prescribed 2.5 mg Bisoprolol for atrial ectopics. Originally on 1.25 but no change to arrythmia. GP suggested to up to 2.5mg once a day. My heart is still beating irregularly. So can't see point of taking it.GP not interested just says to ask cardiologist. Still waiting for an appointment.
Any tips or advice ?
Go back to your GP and make a fuss. Just ask him what his/her reason for prescribing them in the first place was and that in your opinion they are not working and that you intend to stop taking them. They hand these drugs out like smarties in my opinion hoping they will sort problems out when in fact there is growing evidence that they actually don't in a lot of cases. Tell them you want an appointment with a cardiologist or if not available a plan for treatment going forward. We are entitled to better treatment than the rubbish we have to endure, just keep ringing up and make a huge fuss, it's the only way to get anything done theses days unfortunately.
I waited a year to get cardiologist appointment. She agreed with prescription. But my irregular heart beat not as bad then. I've been to a and e and to GP several times but am getting nowhere
Spot onx
You're lucky it was only a year .I've now been waiting over 2 years. What tests has your GP arranged to find out what's causing it? Where did the diagnosis of atrial ectopics come from? What other tests are available? Can you see a different GP? GPs usually only know the basics about heart. If he can't get you an appointment he can at least ask a cardiologist for advice. Push, push, push.
I noticed my pulse was "funny" so GP did an ecg the next day. Multiple ectopics noted. He seemed quite alarmed. Started me on Bisoprolol then and referred to cardiologist. Saw cardiologist after a year and she ordered 72 hour tape and stress echo. I've had tape . Still awaiting echo. 12 week wait for tape result apparently
Sorry to hear you’re struggling. I was put on Bisoprolol 2.5mg by my surgeon, following on from open heart surgery to replace my mitral valve in June ‘23. Unfortunately I went into A.F for a couple of weeks post op and whilst I wasn’t best pleased with various side effects of the medication in the beginning - the Surgeon described Bisoprolol as ‘the heart’s friend’ and insisted I was take it, as my heart rate was permanently over 100 - even just laying on the hospital bed. I even managed to set off all the alarms on more than one occasion - when my heart rocketed off and had 4 Nurses rush in my room to monitor me. I wouldn’t mind, but I was only laying there eating a packet of crisps! Who knew Walkers could have that effect?!
Unfortunately, I’ve always suffered with ectopics and extra systoles and still do - despite now being on a cocktail of different meds. So whilst the Bisoprolol has calmed my heart down to around 60 bpm, it doesn’t seem to prevent the ectopics. I’ve had an Implantable Loop Recorder fitted for the past year, to see if my heart ends up back in A.F. To date - it’s been behaving itself…
Did you have any tests following your appointment with your Cardiologist? If you have the funds available, you can self refer to see one privately. They can then refer you back to the N.H.S if need be. I hope you get it sorted. Take care.
When they said get more exercises, join Walkers; they didn’t mean crisps 🤣😂 sorry couldn’t resist
😂 Next time I’ll be sticking with Monster Munch - in my experience, much safer than Walkers…! 🤭🚶🏼♀️
your gp might. To be interested but his or her group of surgeries probably employ one or two pharmacists ans they are the experts. Try to get a phone appointment with them.
Hi Grimmer, it sounds to me you need a bit more authoritive information. Firstly, I don't believe the vast majority of Drs hand out medication like smarties. They look at your symptoms and devise a treatment plan which very often includes medication.I'm on a low dose of bisoprolol. It's a low dose because my resting HR is very low already circa 38-40, occasionally lower in sleep. But the reason for me being prescribed bisoprolol is to hopefully lower any high HR when either experiencing Afib or LVT, left ventricular tachycardia, which can be dangerous. I have an implanted defibrillator (ICD) following a sudden cardiac arrest while on a parkrun.
The effectiveness of drugs is calculated in trials with large groups of people. In the UK drugs are prescribed if they are cost effective assessed by NICE. The benefits outweigh the risks and will measurably improve the life expectancy of the prescribed group.
This is not worked out as an individual benefit, you have to hope it works for you. It's a permanent trial until either you get well or in my case I'll take the drugs I'm on for my lifetime, short or long. I'll never know if the drugs I'm on keep me alive longer than.....
While I understand my own condition reasonably well, I'll never have the knowledge or experience the Drs who treat me have.
I hope this helps.
Do a blood work and check your iron levels. Sometimes Anaemia can cause irregular heart beat. Once treated it goes away
Hi, I have ectopics and had them for years. It used to be only now and then I got usually for a run of say 15 mins to an hour and then I wouldn’t see them again until say 6 months later that was until about 2 years ago and now I get them everyday. I’ve seen a few cardiologists and all told me they are ‘normal’ and nothing to worry about even though I’ve told them some of them are that large they make me unsteady and some make me feel faint. I was put on Bisoprolol in Dec after ending up in hospital with high troponin levels. They put me on 2.5mg but it was reduced because my heart rate was going to low and now on 1.25mg but still get ectopics every day. One Cardiolohist I saw privately told me to buy a Kardia ecg machine that works off on an app on my phone so I try to catch them as much as I can on that for evidence. High blood pressure can make them worse so can stress and dehydration. I hope you get to see your cardiologist soon.
DId the cardiologist give a reason for the elevated troponin levels?
They told me I had a heart attack. An NSTEMI and that’s what I’ve been treated and am still being treated for. All my ecgs were normal, my echo was fine and had an angiogram just over a week ago and I have no obstructed coronary arteries. So where I go from here I don’t know.
My GP put me on them for ectopics. Felt awful on them and no sleep. Saw cardiologist who said she wouldn’t have put me on them, but re ran tests to prove right. I was actually worse on the tablets, and made my blood pressure low, so she took me off them immediately. Feeling so much better now. Everyone is different, so do seek further medical advice, good luck
Hi, did your GP put you on an alternative beta blocker? I too am on Bisoprolol and they don’t agree with me at all ,feeling awful with side effects. Have read not good to just stop so weaning myself off them gradually.
No alternative was offered, despite my saying how awful I felt. I did see a cardiologist quickly. Said wouldn’t normally treat unless over 10% ectopics, I was lower than this
Bisoprolol controls rate not rhythm. So you'll still be irregular, just slower. Sometimes slowing things down allows the heart to reset.
Hi . Thanks for replies. Awaiting results if 72 hour tape. Hardly had any symptoms on that but for several days after. Go figure. Stress test on 27th of this month. I've been told results of tape take 12 weeks at the moment. I'm not taking Bisoprolol anymore. Felt awful last night. Cold and tired. My pulse is never fast just irregular at times. Multiple atrial ectopics. It's OK so far today. Will just use breathing techniques to stop them if they reoccur. Last time I spoke to GP he just said await results of tests. Getting no where fast
mine never showed many on the tapes either sometimes they are difficult to catch as you don’t know when they are going to happen. Have they offered you an HB1AC test for diabetes. I got that and they told me I was pre diabetic apparently diabetes can affect stuff in the heart as well
Hba1c is fine . Can't think of any reason for my atrial ectopics. Don't drink dont smoke. No caffiene
Hi Grimmer, you've had a lot of interesting personal responses, including an earlier response from me. I've had ectopics with bradycardia ever since ever. The bradycardia was checked out with all the tests many years ago but all the basics were all present and correct. I think of ectopics as a sign that the heart is a living analogue pump. It's NOT a digital pumping machine. It's responsive and amazingly so. But the processes are unbelievably complex beyond the physical nature and architecture of the heart itself. The electrophysiology of the heart and the hormonal controls are even now not fully understood..A long time ago , in the 1960's there was a great song, the chorus going, " my heart goes bumpety bumpety, bumpety, bumpety, bumpety bumpety, bump, bump, bump," repeat. I don't think the writer knew about ectopics then but as Valentine's day approaches .....
I'm not trying to minimise your concerns at all. But bisoprolol and related drugs have possibly made the biggest contribution to health of any drug. Do a wiki search on the discovery in the 60's. They do work of course on the electrophysiology pathways, slowing down the chemical feedback loops in the nerve channels. A consequence is to slow down heart rate and reduce blood pressure, that helps the heart function less strenuously.
Unless I feel my pulse at the wrist I'm blissfully unaware of my heart, to the point I had no warning of it in LVT at 280bpm leading to SCA. And as we I can be prone to think nobody understands, they don't know how lucky they are feeling their hearts bumping away erratically. Of course that's a stupid idea and I'm deeply sensitive to realising just how worrying our heart issues are for all of us. But although I've experienced the real challenges of our current health care system I do know that the staff are well trained, know their stuff and never shy away from taking, and making the potentially life or death decisions that keep us well. They also prioritise, which in times of pressure, don't always see your needs as urgently as you might do, or certainly some of the sharp elbowed responses written here.
It's tough, but there is a lot of information on the BHF pages to read and help increase your understanding.
I really hope this helps , it's well meant.
#chinkoflight
It's not advisable to stop this or any other medication without getting proper advise from a qualified medic. Some medication may need a tapering process to stop.🤗
It was prescribed as a pocket medicine. So supposed to take it as and when. It's not working so can't see the point. My pulse isn't fast but I don't get multiple atrial ectopics. Again not helped by meds.i will see how I go this week and see a different GP if possible if needs be
Sounds like a plan. 🤗
I was on 2.5 of bisoprolol . I was ok for the first sixteen months or so after my stent operation. Then I found that whilst walking (I’m a hill walker) I felt as though my heart wasn’t keeping up with me. Weird description but it just felt wrong. It was a struggle coming off I went to 1.25 but after around three months I was off it completely. I felt much better in terms of my walking. I liked the calm feeling it induced in me, but I use my walking for mental health … I’ve always said I walked away my depression!
Talk to your doctor, the cardiologist said I was on it for angina, but I’d had no angina since my operation so actually it was unnecessary! He said he was happy for me to come off it.
I’m now on aspirin every morning and 10mg avortistatin at night ( I had strong reactions to statins)
The one size fits all approach is unfortunately the norm. Especially as a woman I had to battle to be heard when I developed angina, and it wasn’t until the angiogram showed my two 90% blocked arteries that I was even remotely listened to! Up to that point I was considered to be stressed and anxious!
I have to say my GP was amazing, and the cardiology unit was fantastic once I got to them.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and push to get things right for yourself. Wishing you all the best!!!
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