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Atrial fibrillation and fast heart rate , side effects of bisoprolol and amioderone

Posted , 13 users are following.

Startreknewf
Startreknewf

I am so pleased to have found this site and hope to get some useful advice from fellow sufferers of atrial fibrillation and fast heart rate. Last August I was so concerned about being breathless that I saw an out of hours GP who said it was asthma and gave me antibiotics and steroids . I finished the courses of both with no difference in how I felt so was given two more courses of steroids (done by my GP over the phone) . By November I was no better and saw my doctor who said my heart rate was 155 beats a minute and there was also an arrythmia .An ECG followed and I was sent at once to hospital where further tests were done over the next three days as an in patient. Atrial fib and fast heart rate were again diagnosed and I was started on Diltiazem and warfarin treatment. The swelling in my legs was a real problem in the weeks following so my GP cut the Diltiazem dose in half. The cardiologist said that in six weeks they would do a Cardioversion which happened in mid December so would continue on the Diltiazem and Warfarin . I was also taking Valsartan Hydrochlorothiaxide 160mg daily for my BP ( long term for years) . Unfortunately the Cardioversion failed so I have just seen the cardiologist who has changed my medication four days ago from Diltiazem to  beta blocker Bisoprolol ( 2.5mg twice  a day ) and amioderone , an anti arrhythmic drug , (200mg three times a day for one week, then two daily for a week, then one daily from then on). I also take Warfarin and Valsartan . He didn't talk about the impact or side effects of these new drugs, and was dismissive of my concerns about amioderone saying it took years for side effects to be a problem. He said they will not be doing another Cardioversion but will control my problems with the medication. However, my breathlessness is worse , I feel so tired, my chest and whole body feels heavy and weighed down and even a short walk or climbing up stairs is a major undertaking - not easy when I have dogs to walk . I already have a substantial weight problem and am seeing a kidney specialist next week since my GP is concerned about recent kidney function tests. Frankly , I am not surprised since all this medication must be affecting the kidneys. I desperately need some informed advice about how to get my life back. An added complication is that I am judging dogs at Crufts in March and can't see how I will manage that when I will need to be on my feet for hours going over dogs. I appreciate the fact that treatment can not be immediate and am very grateful that it's free here in the UK but need someone to take an overview and coordinate the effects of the medication and choices I may have . 

0 likes, 38 replies

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  • charles67285
    charles67285 Startreknewf

    Posted

    It must be 6 weeks since having the pacemaker fitted, what a difference it hands made, I feel stronger everyday and take my dog long walks around an lake twice a day, something a few weeks ago would have been unheard of,

    I think part of this new strength is being off beta blockers part having a pacemaker

    beta blockers are in my opinion a deadly drug for making excessive weakness to the whole body.

     I was on amiodarone only for four months! specialist said the must not be taken long term.

    So now off beta blockers,amiodarone,and Rivaroxaban as it made my nose bleed each day,on a different anticoagulant now and all seems well.

    • Merryl
      Merryl charles67285

      Posted

      Hi, I agree that beta blockers make you feel weak. I was put on bisoprolol and felt very weak, and months later I came off them and was put on flecanaide which was just as bad. I was diagnosed with A-fib 4 months ago and they also found I had postural hypotension, blood pressure was 80/40 while in the hospital, and I nearly passed out. Looking back and going by my symptoms, I have had postural hypotension for a long time but going on the meds made it worse.

      Charles, I am now on Rivaroxiban and been taking it for 4 months. How long was you on it before you started to have nose bleeds and was it bad? I am now waiting to see a cardiologist about possible ablation. Have you had this done? 

      Glad to hear you are now doing well.        

    • Stokie1
      Stokie1 charles67285

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply it's always good to hear how someone else

      has found the Pace Maker helped  just waiting to hear when.

  • charles67285
    charles67285 Startreknewf

    Posted

    I was on Rivaroxaban for about about 3-4months before the nose bleeds started,  I said to the private specialist that I cannot go on like this. So he put me on  predaxa

    which he said I s a lower dose and I take 2 capsules a day that seems to have done the trick.

    As far as ablation is concerned it is nothing to worry about at all  you may as well forget about it.

    I was given a sedative and they go into your groin and push this fine wire up your artery to the heart, in my case they knocked out two electric impulses in my heart and got those replaced by the pacemaker, I am 77.  Now and feel about 50 it is truly amazing what they have done for me.

     

    • Merryl
      Merryl charles67285

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. I am on 20mg Rivaroxiban one a day. What dose was you on? I would prefer to be on a lower dose. In my local surgery they mostly give warfarin but I told the consultant at the hospital I don't want to go on it so he put me on Riva. 

      I had an angiogram 4 years ago and I suppose the ablation is similar. I hope I will be feeling a lot better if I get to have it done.

      Could you tell me who decides for you to have the ablation a cardiologist or the electrophysiologist?   

    • charles67285
      charles67285 Merryl

      Posted

      I was on  the same dose of rivaroxaban, after having nose bleeds everyday

      the cardiologist put me on predaxa,   no problems now, he said was a lower dose than rivaroxaban, ablation ? I never felt a thing, dont even remember them doing it.

      It was this cardiologist who said it needed a ablation as well as pacemaker, cannot say how pleased I am now at 77 I thought it was the process of ageing,but now I feel years younger.

      BtW I refused to go on warferin all that mucking about every week to get it checked, Predaxa and rivaroxaban are both anticoagulents and are just as good as warferin

  • Startreknewf
    Startreknewf

    Posted

    I thought you would be interested in the latest developments in my treatment. I saw a new consultant in Glenfield Hospital Leicester , which is a noted centre for Cardiac treatment. I liked him far more than the previous chap since he was easy to talk to and was happy to outline what further treatment he wished to offer. First, he was happy for me to stay on the Amioderone short term since he said it was the best anti arrhythmic  drug but he wished me to start on digoxin as well. He explained that it takes 10 weeks for the Amioderone to get into your system . He wants to do another Cardioversion ( the first attempt in Burton hospital in December failed) shortly and I am going in a couple of weeks for a pre assessment Cardioversion appointment at Glenfield. All being well he said we will then have a window of opportunity to perhaps go down the pacemaker route after a simple ablation is performed. The drugs do seem to have slowed my heart rate down and the arrthymia is I think improved but I will know more when I have the next ECG. However, the Amioderone is causing me problems . I have suffered from Psoriasis for 50 years and have received a lot of hospital treatments including light therapy, methotrexate and ointments . For the last 6 months of last year the Psoriasis virtually disappeared which was amazing. But suddenly it has appeared with a vengeance , worse than I ever remember it. I saw my dermatologist last week who told me that beta blockers accentuate psoriasis but so does amioderone. I can't believe that the Bisoprolol , which I only took for 3 days in January and reacted so badly that my GP stopped me taking it ,is the cause. But Amioderone does impact the skin and apparently research has shown a correlation between this drug and a worsening of Psoriasis.  Also,I don't know if anyone else can comment on this,I am sleeping badly. It takes me ages to get to sleep, and I dream very vividly most nights. It's extremely weird. 
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