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Atrial Fibrillation

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lankylass
lankylass

HI, I started with a really fast and irregular pulse and heartbeat last Wednesday night and took myself off to A&E. I spent the night wired up to a monitor and had a saline drip with some other medication to try to bring down the rapid heart rate. During the night I had an injection of a warfarin type medicine (claxol?) and beta blockers. The following day I was taken to the Coronary Care unit where I was given a further injection and more beta blockers, bisoprol fumarate. I met with the cardiologist whe explained that I had Atrial Fibrillation, althought my heat rate had come down the irregulare beat was still there. Further treatmenst a couple of months down the line were explained to me but now, one week after discharge I have a few questions I would like to ask fellow sufferers who have permanent atrial fibrillation. Oh, I am currently on 5mg of bisoprol fumarate and 3mg Warfarin.

1. Do people have any tips for getting off to sleep, I can't seem to settle at all with a banging heart even though my pulse is sort of normal, (with a few missing beats).

2. I have just come back from a cycling holiday and usually walk about 4 miles a day, after a very slow walk today I am exhausted, any tips on getting back to normal.

3. I saw my own GP yesterday and he said that I should get back to 'normal' cycling etc, I did ask if I could have a glass of wine or beer, he said that's fine, however I have read that this  can make the AF worse. Any thoughts?

I know that this condition affects people in different ways and have read a lot of negative things which seemed to frighten me to be honest so any positive thoughts would be appreciated. Cheers. 

 

3 likes, 90 replies

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  • eddie16
    eddie16 lankylass

    Posted

    Hi,

    I just got this conversation and I really can't go through it all. Just by scanning the messages I don't see anything that I can relate to so I'll just speak my mind.

    I got my Afib four years ago and the first thing I was told to take was Amioderone.

    I had read that it was a very strong and possible dangerous frug so I found another cardiologist that recommended MULYAQ which is similar but without the Iodine that make Amioderone stronger but with more problems. I staid on Multaq with the Afib until I was CARDIOVERTED ELECTRONICALLY which cured the Afib immediately. I stayed on Multaq and Warfarin for several months when after putting in a stressfull 12 hour day setting up a booth at a festival when I had a relapse that woke me up and went immediately to the Hospital where they injected me with all those drugs whose name I can't remember But I do remember being put on Amioderone and two days later I was back to normal. I have never had a relapse since while remaining on Multaq and Warfarin all those years. Full of confidence of three years of no more Afib I went off of Multaq and Warfarin. I am now on Metaprolol for the heart which stays at about 40 to 50 beats and take a baby asperin for blood flow thinning.

    I am writing to say if my regemin worked for me I urge you all to get on the Multaq (dronederone) bandwagon and keep hopealive that unless you have other heart problems that caused your Afib it can be beaten. (at least for now)

    Get electric cardioverted as soon as possible but prepare with  multaq for a few weeks.

    • lankylass
      lankylass eddie16

      Posted

      Hi Eddie, I am glad the cardioversion worked for you, hopefully I will be having the procedure in a few weeks time. I have had AF for about 8 weeks now, I started with a very rapid heart beat and the beat was also irregular, after a visit to coronary care I was put on bisoprolol and warfarin, the only time I had amioderone was when I went into A & E, and was put on a drip, it did not bring my heart back to normal rhythm and so I have been waiting to have a cardioversion. The drugs I am on make me tired and I do get a bit breathless, I am hoping to be free of it like you and will be prepared to take anything to help it work. I have heard that although the cardioversions are quite successful, the trick is to stay in regular rhythm and steady heartbeat, I guess thats's where the drugs come in. Thanks for your information. Cheers. 
  • eddie16
    eddie16 lankylass

    Posted

    Just check out MULTAQ. I was told that is what you should take up until the cardioversion and then to keep it regular. They promise that if you take Multaq you will never have to go back into the hospital after you have been cardioverted.

    You should take it FOR A FEW WEEKS in preparation for the electro cardioversion.

    Search (MULTAQ) DRONEDERONE AND READ UP ON IT.

    • Soobee
      Soobee eddie16

      Posted

      Do you have shares in this company?! I'd never heard of this drug until your posting. Not mentioned by my GP or cardiologist. Also, their website says: "In patients with permanent AF, MULTAQ doubles the risk of death, stroke, and hospitalization for heart failure."   Urgghh!
    • lankylass
      lankylass Soobee

      Posted

      Hi Soobee, I too got the posting from Eddie and looked up the drug Multaq Dronederone, what it said was exactly what you found, that in cases of Permanent AF, which both of us suffer from, it must not be used in any circumstances!! Anyway, how are you? I have the echocardiagram and the 24 hour ECG this Thursday. Hopefully it won't be long until I hear from my cardiologist about the cardioversion. I usually go on holiday in September but haven't booked yet, I got a last minute deal last year and had a lovely week in Greece. Have you flown since you developed AF?? I must admit to being rather worried about it, I don't like flying anyway but I have noticed that over excitement certainly increases slightly the irregular rhythm, think that's what happened at my 'wedding' last week. I seem to be reasonably ok with the bisoprolol, however I do notice a slight, 'bubbliness' in my chest, that's the only way I can describe it, every now and again. I went to the warfarin clinic today, my blood was 2.3, they want to see me again in three weeks time so that's ok by me. Well, I hope you are well and I will let you know how things go. Cheers, xx
  • eddie16
    eddie16 lankylass

    Posted

    DronedaroneFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDronedarone

    Dronedarone (development codename SR33589 and marketed as Multaq) is a drug by Sanofi-Aventis, mainly for the indication of cardiac arrhythmias. It was approved by the FDA on July 2, 2009. It was recommended as an alternative to amiodarone for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter in people whose hearts have either returned to normal rhythm or who undergo drug therapy or electric shock treatment i.e. direct current cardioversion (DCCV) to maintain normal rhythm.[2]

  • thomahawk
    thomahawk lankylass

    Posted

    Hi, I developed AF after a heart attack and having a stent fitted.

    I had done a fair bit in the garden and was OK for 2 days afterwards but on the third day I was exhausted then felt very lightheaded/ faint.

    I am not sure whether to do enough excercise to keep fit or do as little as possible

  • david_84553
    david_84553 lankylass

    Posted

    Sorry not used this site before. I developed Af over a year ago and I've now been diagnosed with pirixomal AF I'm only 34 and take 1.25 bisoprolol in a morning and 1.25 at night. I all so take citalopram for anxiety cause by worring like hell over my condition I'm scared I'm going to die and it's ruining my life. I get cold and clammy sweats if I do any kind of excersise or even taking the bins out etc. My cardiologist useless and doctors no better please and advice would be greatly appreciated
    • jess101
      jess101 david_84553

      Posted

      I remember the terror David..... I thought I was going to die too, several times! The good news is that you won't die but what you do need is the right treatment, finding meds to help you get your life back. Ask your GP/Cardiologist about a Cathetar Ablation or a stronger tablet (Bisoprolol didn't help me but Flecainide did).  It's a horrible condition as we on this Forum all know and can sympathise especially with you being so young.
    • david_84553
      david_84553 jess101

      Posted

      Tried flecainide had one dose which put me in hospital got palpitations and went pale blue lips etc.gone back to bisoprolol. Thank you for your reply
  • david12326
    david12326 lankylass

    Posted

    Hello lankylass.  I have been reading your articles and replies with much interest as I have suffered from AF for years.  Recently though, it has changed and I now find that I am suffering from almost permanent dropping of heartbeats but in a regular pattern. Sometimes my heart will beat twice or three times and then drop a beat.  This may go on for an hour.  Recently, I have had very long sessions - up to 2 hours of my heart dropping beats after every beat. i.e.  my pulse rate is about 35 bpm but when I had an ECG it showed that there dropped beats in between.  This happens especially at night and is quite exhausting and worrying and sometimes goes on for most of the night.  I would be interested to know if anyone else has had this problem too.  At present I am on Bisoprolol 2.5.
    • lankylass
      lankylass david12326

      Posted

      Hi David, You sound like you are in Paroxismal AF, the sort that comes and goes, a lot of people seem to get this in the early hours of the morning. I used to get something similar before I had the 'big' AF episode in June. I never went to the docs with it, I now regret doing that as he may have given me something to help. You say that this has happened recently? I wonder if anything has happened to 'kick' this off. Sometimes a change of tablet or even stress, anxiety can do this. What did your doctor say? At the moment I am on 5mg of bisoprolol. I had a cardioversion back in October and up to now (crossing fingers) it has worked and I am back in sinus/normal rhythm. However, when I was in AF I had horrible episodes of 'bumpy heart' with missed beats and allsorts. Even with the bisoprolol the heart would speed up, then I was on 10mg. I still get the odd palpitation and have to keep checking my pulse to see if it's still regular. I would go back to your GP, something must have triggered this off if you have been ok for years. It may be nothing to worry about, in fact when I was being discharged from coronary care I did ask the cardiologist about palpitations, he just said that a lot of people get those missed beats and there was nothing to worry about. Good luck. 
    • david_84553
      david_84553 lankylass

      Posted

      Thank you for replying I found since being finished at work due to health and being off I do feel a lot better. It's only when I do things like move my caravan or move furniture about etc or even after bathing my child. Instead of getting hot and sweaty I get cold and clammy. My cardiologist scared me off having an ablation which he knows I suffer with anxiety so obviously the bad thing that could happen makes me worry a million times worse. Upto 14 months ago I was doing everything from climbing mountains biking 100 miles walking etc. Now I get out of breath if I walk up the stairs.
    • david12326
      david12326 lankylass

      Posted

      Hello again Lankylass,

      Thank yoiu so much for your reply.  It is always a relief in a way, when someone gives a helpful answer and understands what and how one feels.  I am going to have a blood test this week as I have started a course of Ramipril for high blood pressure and the doc wants to make sure that it is working correctly.  Hopefully it will sort itself out shortly.  Thank you.

  • emma68890
    emma68890 lankylass

    Posted

    Hi guys.

    I haven't been diagnosed with afib yet but I have extra beats in my top ventricles.. but every so often my heart like feels like it's flip flopping and then absolutely pounds which sends me dizzy and shake and cold. Does this sound like afib? I'm 24 and so depressed with this I don't want to die. I want to live my life sad

    • david_84553
      david_84553 emma68890

      Posted

      Bless you I feel like we're in the same boat. I found taking citalopram for the anxiety caused by my af issues made me about 85% better but the worry still there. I really hate the cold sweats as well
    • lankylass
      lankylass emma68890

      Posted

      Hi Emma, Have you actually been to see your GP yet? There are medications you can take to stop this happening. It does sound like AF but on the other hand some people do get extra 'ectopic' beats, you do need to get your symptoms verified and then you can be treated. AF is not nice but it is not life threatening and with the correct treatment is liveable with. Believe me a lot of people on this site have all been there and also found comfort in the support of others. Take a friend with you to the docs, you may find it is not as bad as it seems, and stop worrying, that can make things worse. Good luck. 
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