Am I making a fuss?

Posted , 5 users are following.

I am feeling really unwell with unstable Atrial Fibrillation but my G.P.is reluctant to change my medication. The G.P. has now added Digoxin to my daily regime and I feel very uncomfortable. I am also booked in for a cardioversion some time in the near future. The Cardiac Nurse has advised me to stop the Digoxin because my A. F. is not causing her any concern, in fact she is very underwhelmed by my condition. Am I making a fuss?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Posted

    When you say unwell, what symptoms do you have.

    I find it difficult to decide if some symptoms are from AF or other conditions.

  • Posted

    Hello derick76,

    It seems such a long time since my last post and happily I reverted to normal sinus rhythm a couple of days later.

    My symptoms usually start with strong palpitations, (I do not know what the trigger is)

    The palpitation become irregular and I feel as though I have a fish flapping around in my chest, this makes me really anxious and scared.

    I guess my blood pressure must then get out of control because I can feel o.k. one minute and then breathless and faint the next minute, I have to lie down until my blood pressure recovers.

    My AF started in 2004 and I have been to A&E three times, they put me on a monitor overnight, hence the diagnosis, I am then discharged to my GP and thankfully my drugs are increased until I revert back to NSR and decreased when I am in normal rhythm. I hope this answers your question. Kindest regards.

  • Posted

    I take Digoxin for AF and it helps to reduce pulse rate irregularities. Give it a try. George
  • Posted

    Digoxin (500 mcg) is always the first thing I'm given when my pulse is racing over 150 for days and days. It always does the trick after a few hours but I've been told NOT to take it at home if things start up again, as they do from time to time. I used to be on Tildiem300 but this has now been stopped and I'm on a beta blocker, small 2.5mg, with a planned rise to 5mg and then 10mg.
    • Posted

      HI, Interested to hear how you are going? I had experience same as yours but the other way - I started on Bisoprolol increased up to 10mg which didn't seem to help at all so am decreasing it slowly, am now on 7.5mg. Then started on Digoxin which seemed to help, so now on 125mcg.

      So where are you at and is it helping?

      Maggie

    • Posted

      Hello Maggie34838.  Doing OK lately. Started on 125mcg Digoxin and back on Tildiem300 then saw the cardio who changed meds to 50mg Flecainide twice daily plus Tildiem and Candesartan 2mg for BP.  Seems to be the right stuff for me after some 3 months or so.  The two meds that I could not tolerate were Bisoprolol and Ramipril; the former made me breathless and the latter increased my heart rate. We are all different of course and one man's medicine is another's poison lol.

      Hope you are managing to be as well as possible, all the best, George.

    • Posted

      Hi George,

      Thanks for reply, Pleased you seem to have found the cocktail that suits you. I've been a bit nervous of the cardiologist suggesting an antiarrhythmic drug - flecainide or amiodarone, but am heartened by the fact that you seem not to have suffered too many side effects. As you say we're all different and it seems we all have a variety of kinds of AFand to be at different stages of the journey.

      Cheers Maggie

  • Posted

    phylis4

    Did I mention that my taking potassium greatly reduced the incident of irregular heartbeats and reduced by blood pressure!!. The next time

    you get a blood test, ask to have the potassium checked. Mine was below the normal range because I take a diuretic. It goes out with the

    urine.

    George (glassman19xx)

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