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Am in permanent AF at 74. Anyone else likewise or older?

Posted , 7 users are following.

donald85642
donald85642

Since Christmas 2014 I have been in permanent AF and apart from very occasional burning sensation in my chest I am fairly asymptomatic and can walk at pace with little ill effects. I am 74 and take dabigatron tabs (warfarin substitute ) 150mg twice daily along with 5mg Bisoprolol once daily. My consultant strongly advised me not to have an ablation as it would serve little purpose and could be risky. He said that there was a slight risk of a stroke but there was no difference in longevity with or without the ablation. Hope this helps others in similar circumstances. If you have been in AF for a prolonged period at similar age please share your experiences.

Donmal

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • pebbalita
    pebbalita donald85642

    Posted

    I am aged 75 and also semi asymptomatic  also I gain LOT of the newer information online by googling WEBMD an awsome site that seems to stay ahead of the cardiologists who never have time for computers UNLESS thay are younger (hat has been my experience,,and since there are varied opinions from cardiologists re AFIB we should doour own researxh I find iit eases my mind anD helps to ask for change in meds as we AREALL DIFFERENT so some drugs are notthe same for ONE SIZE FITS ALL..as most MD's think....MY puzzlement on thhis site is HOW DIFFERNT all ojur nmeds are yes a slight contradiction to the above statement but I see N O ONE taking  the same drugs as I do which after much research I  have narrowed down to THREE,

    1.,The Anticogulanr  PLAVIX ( I switched from  the awful XARELTO)  which  alnost killed me by internal bleeding  I )KNOW  if ANY anticoagulant is STOPPED it can cause STROKE if Stopped it,

    2 Atenalol keeps my NP in Check and effedts the afib I was surprised to discover

    3. HALF of Thyrois pill Lovas oxina I think ,,, forget exact nabe

    and if my home machine shows my Pulse rises above 100   (rarely)I take HALF of a RYTHMONORM

    I do not see Any mention of anyone taking any  of these drugs for their AFIB on this site   Strange ?  as all are  fellow  AFIB patients here ???

     

  • Maquinna
    Maquinna donald85642

    Posted

    I am going on 72 and I have arrhythmia. I have had it for about 10 years. I take 80 mg of Sotalol to control the heart rate. I also take 81 mg of Aspirin a day for stroke prevention. My present cardiologist wants to put me on Warfarin but I refuse to take this medicine. Another cardiologist told me 82mg of Aspirin works just as well.  I am in good health for my age. I go to the YMCA 3 times a week.

    I still get bouts of heart flutter but they do not last long. Before I started taking Sotalol they would last for hours, now they only last for minutes. Some times for 30 minutes but that is not normal. My heart rate when walking can be around 75 bpm, when exercising up to 105bpm, in bed around 55 bpm. When I get a heart flutter it can jump from 55bpm to 115bpm and higher. I know it is happening because I have a lack of energy and I feel queasy.  I also wear a device that shows my heart bpm.

    Lately I am getting hot flashes with the heart flutter. I do not know what is causing this condition. I also have trouble sleeping which could be a side effect of Sotalol.

    I think stress and diet plays a part in heart flutter. I drink decaffeinated coffee but I am going quit drinking coffee. Even after 10 years with the condition I do not know for sure what causes the problem. 

    • donald85642
      donald85642 Maquinna

      Posted

      Hi Maqinna

      I am 75 yrs old. I have had permanent AF for about 2yrs. My son, who is a GP says that age, wear and tear and past stress are causes of the dysfunction in the electrical conductance in the heart. ( I was a teacher for 40yrs) For about a year I took 80mg of Sotalol twice a day and 75mg of aspirin. I never experienced any flutter etc. My consultant advised me when I reached 75 to take a blood thinner to prevent a stroke but said that a more modern drug than Warfarin, which needed blood monitoring tests, was Dabigatran. I now take 150mg of Dabigatran twice a day plus 5mg of Bisopolol, instead of the Sotalol. I eat English and Italian, fairly bland food. Fortunately, I have always disliked all spicy or curried food and I hardly ever drink alcohol and never have caffeine. (I sound like a real boring  old codger don't I !, but I'm not really ha, ha)  Anyway, I don't get any adverse symptoms, really and can walk at pace without problems.

      There is one important thing I forgot to mention - Dabigatran is very expensive and your GP may quibble at prescribing it.

      P.S Don't take aspirin if you go on to anticoagulants. 

      Don

    • pebbalita
      pebbalita donald85642

      Posted

      True Don I also do not smoke rarely drink a glass of wine also a Brit (Now living 25 years in Costa Rica...and far from Boring Haha oh but  75 taking eliquil now for Afib (with rare symptoms smile Old codger I have not heard that in Years But did visit England in april Br was FREEZING our temos anr not hot and humis but SPRINGLIKE fresh air and sunshine so I guess I will not mbe moving back there LOL

       

    • donald85642
      donald85642 pebbalita

      Posted

      What a lovely name, Pebbalita! Did you mention you were taking Eliquil? Is that a blood thinner or a heart rhythm monitor drug. As I said, I don't really have any adverse symptoms with Dabigatran plus Bisoprolol and I don't feel any different than when my heart was in full sinus. My mother had an irregular heart beat fron rheumatic fever in her teens and she lived till she was 90...so there's hope for us yet !

      Don

  • pebbalita
    pebbalita donald85642

    Posted

    I am also older  &6 and also assymtomatic except ,like you occassional burning in my chest and U had bad luck with xarelato  9inner hemotoma ) then tried plavix ,,but doctor said better to BUT the Eliquis and was proven better  for my Afib..and 6 months onEliquis .so far so good..

    • pebbalita
      pebbalita

      Posted

      I meant to type 76 lol..tired better go to sleep smile

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