Anyone else have problems sleeping - is it the AF or the pills?

Be carefull with herbal products as some can put your BP up. I used to take one for chestiness after having a cold and my BP shot up after taking it. It now has a warning on the package.

Hi Derek,

Thanks for the note of concern. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.

I feel it is best to be focussed on avoiding synthetically created medicines. I have been following non-allopathic treatments for ailments and simply 'fine tuning' for more than 30 years now, but will take on board what you have mentioned. 

I watched my mother survive a coma and intensive care early last year following over-prescription of blood and heart related (AF) medicines, so would counter your concern for herbal tea with a more urgent need for anyone on prescribed medicines to question their doctors as to what are the true side effects of taking pharmaceuticals. She survived, but has been robbed of her ability to dance and play golf in her twilight years (she is 82 years old)

Kel

Thanks John, your experience is very similar to mine. I did shift work, as a nurse for 32 years so feel that certainly didn't help. I'm sure it's worsened since AF, I'm on 10mg Bisoprolol but it didn't help my PAF. If I do get off to sleep, I too wake around 2am and my mind is extremely active and just won't switch off. Usually lie there trying all manner of relaxation techniques - maybe I'll try getting up. Trouble is it's winter here in NZ and getting out of a warm bed isn't that appealing! Because I'm on quite a high dose of Biso (take it in morning as take Digoxin at night) haven't figured out how to swop over to night and whether I should.

Have tried taking mild herbal sleeping pills which help a bit but am aware they may not mix with my other heart pills.

Cheers Maggie

Hiya Maggie,

Well another sleepless night from Cornwall, UK. With my party bag of drugs for AF and hypertension etc I try and stay off all herbal stuff as a precaution. That said, I do take a Pharma Nord product - Bio-Quinone Q10 - you may care to 'Google' it and see for yourself. Prior to AF I was on Ramipril (10 mg) for hypertension and Simvastatin (40 mg) for cholesterol (which is now about 3.1). Now with AF diagnosed I'm on the same, plus Bisoprolol (5 mg) and Warfarin (alternate doses on alternate days but averages out at 5.5 mg a day). I also found that I'd get indigestion come on about the same time at night too. I then began to identify a link with other digestive issues and the onset of an AF event and changed my food intake by going gluten free and also (not too seriously I must say) following the FODMAPS diet. Massive improvements and now can't recall my last AF event. Minor palpitations though. So with a combination of drugs and diet if sleeplessness is the price I have to pay for being AF free - so be it. It still enables me to work driving buses two, three or four days a week as required. Did you know the Atrial Fibrillation Association have a website, both in UK and Australia with a Forum too.

John

Hi there John,

Thanks for your suggestions. I think the Pharma Nord product might be the same as CoQ10 here, I take that too. I'm about to start on Warfarin at the weekend and coming off aspirin thank goodness. Interesting about your diet, will certainly google that. Not sure I could go gluten free tho, wasn't aware that helped with AF. Thanks for the other contacts - wasn't aware of one in Australia.

Cheers Maggie

Why are you pleased to come off aspirin?

Warfarin is a highly dangerous drug as are the other anti-coagulants.

 

It is now medically recognised that Asprin is of no use in stroke prevention in cases of Atrial Fibrillation.

Having XRays is also dangerous if misadministered !

Anticoagulants - be it the newer ones or warfarin are the only ones suitable for stroke prevention in Atrial Fibrillation and a number of other cardiac conditions.

But can cause major bleeding. One has the choice of a a clot or a subarachnoid haemorrhage.

From 1941 till now I must have had over 400 X-Rays but I don't yet glow in the dark. I once had an X-Ray of my foot  in Switzerland and the radiographer put a lead blanket over my midriff. We must protect your manhood she said in her heavy German accent. 

Are you taking Warfarin and driving a bus?

We had a policeman's wife writing here whose husband  was about to lose his job because of the danger of bleeding while on duty. A teacher also said that he was concrned that in this Health and Safety age that even he was considered at risk. I think it was a bus drivers wife who wanted him to be declared unfit for work due to being on Warfarin.   

Yes - of course.

Everything has been declared to my GP and to DVLA from when I was first diagnosed with AF and medicated in Jan 2010 and every year I have a medical for the renewal of PCV licence and I have no problem passing it. When I was first diagnosed with AF DVLA suspended my licence but reinstated it - WITHOUT - qualification after my GP proved that I had been AF free for the required time. As I say - all declared to the appropriate authorities - all level and above board. AND - no problems !

Problem with Warfarin it is a suitable drug to be used for dramatic purposes and scare mongering by people who don't know what they are talking about.

If you are AF free do you really need to take Warfarin? When you are in AF is the time that a blood clot is likely to form.