Questions about my mother’s AF

[mitchino]

This is a long post - but I’m keen to hear any opinions.

My mother is 89 and was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation about a year and a half ago. She already had a pacemaker, which had been fitted over 10 years ago for sinoatrial disease.

At the time of her AF diagnosis she was put on 5mg Apixiban per day. She was already on 40mg Furosemide for high blood pressure, 30mg Lansoprazole for Acid reflux and 125mcg Levothyroxine for her thyroid.

At this stage, she was still quite a vigorous and independent woman. Her mobility though was poor because of severe arthritis in both hips, which she had been in denial about for many years. She finally saw a consultant and got on the waiting list to have one hip done. The hip consultant sent her to a cardiologist to check she was strong enough for the hip op.

At this point the Cardiologist put her on 2.5mg Bisoprolol per day. She found that hard to tolerate so they tried 125mcg Digoxin, which made her quite ill, so she went back on Bisoprolol at 1.25mg per day.

Today she is a shadow of her former self, completely exhausted most of the day, quite breathless, losing interest in all that she once enjoyed, becoming housebound etc etc.

I want to know whether there is anything else to be done? We get a lot from the medics of “well, she is 89 etc, her heart is not what it was etc” Maybe that’s true and I can’t decide if I’m just in denial about her decline, but I can’t help feeling there’s more life in her, her father lived to 96 and was fairly strong until 95.

I’m wondering if she might be a candidate for alternative treatment like a catheter ablation or cardio inversion, and why they haven’t been mentioned? Or even different drugs? Sometimes I think she’d be better off stopping all her medication!

Hoping someone can give me some ideas or share similar experience. Thanks.

[IanMK]

Hi Mitchino

I’ve been in your situation myself and I fully appreciate your concerns. Different people can react very differently to Bisoprolol and it seems that some people have difficulty tolerating the small amount that your mother takes. I believe there are alternative beta blockers and one of these may be more suitable. I suggest that you re-post in the AF Association forum on Health Unlocked and I am sure that people there will be in a better position to help. Personally, I would question the need for Lansoprazole (is reflux a problem or is the medication just in case). Also, you don’t say how symptomatic your mother is regarding the AF. Some people aren’t aware that they have AF at all.

[mitchino in reply to IanMK]

Thanks - I thought I had posted in the AF Association forum - where do I find it?

Mum does have awful reflux btw.

[mitchino in reply to mitchino]

OK found the right forum!