I;ve been put on Bisoprolol 1.25 for AF

I read your post with great interest, I always take mine first thing in the morning and before food basically because when I was in hospital with AF they gave me it before breakfast, tomorrow I will be taking it after breakfast, like you say, you feel like you have been hit by a truck, that is exactly how they make me feel. Thanks.

I cannot understand why 1.25mg affects some of us quite badly but you find a massive dose manageable.

I have been taking 1.25mg again for the past three weeks and and am back with the Zombies yet my GP describes it as almost a homeopathic dose.

Hospitals do the drug rounds at their convenience not at the best time for taking the medication. I doubt if hospital nurses realise the side effects people suffer from as you tend to just be there for a few days. 

I also wonder how I am still functioning on 10 mgs. Bisop and 10mgs of Ramipril ! Quite often, always in the mornings, I feel so ropey I decide I will definately speak to my GP about reducing the Bisoprolol but as the day goes on I feel better and by mid afternoon I am fine. I still manage to dog walk, shop etc. in the mornings,  its just that every now and then I feel awful, cant describe it. Some days, I have no side effects at all except that I cant rush anywhere, legs feel heavy. The only thing that keeps me from the doctors is that I am afraid of rocking the boat. This medication has kept me away from hospital for about 18 months with no problems to speak of and I think I have largely just got used to it. Compared with the side effects of statins this is a walk in the park ! They certainly went in the bin. I hope Derek, you have got somewhere and are feeling better.

On Saturday I went out and soon felt light headed as on other days after being in a shop for a while. I then had about half an hour standing in the bank and felt worse. I could not after coming out find anywhere to sit down. Then half an hour going round Sainsbury's. Found a seat for a quarter of an hour when we came out before going home. So I started taking it at night and felt slightly better on Sunday.

On Monday I went out and felt OK when standing around at an outdoor event for an hour and then two twenty minute waits for busses on the way home.

Emboldenred I went to the races on Tuesday and felt better than for a long time and was out for six hours and came home richer:-)

  

Hi Bess, Lankylass here, Just gone back into AF after 'successful CV' back in October. I was on 5mg of biso but have been put back on 10mg split into morning and evening. I was on this amount before I had the CV for 4 months. You are right, some days you feel ok and can walk and some days you are totally wiped out. My worst feeling was the breathlessness which I have never felt in my life before, that was during the warm summer weather, just awful. The cardiologists view of this drug is very strange. I spoke to mine about the tiredness and lethargy and he seemed really surprised, yet he is a very eminent cardiologist with a very good track record. It's very odd indeed, even when these side effects are written on the packet!!! Oddly enough during the last 7 months I have been in sinus rhythm I have been on 5mg of bis and warfarin, I have been fine, no tiredness to speak of, just a bit difficult when walking in a strong wind or when it's cold. Well, hope that you keep well and good luck. 

I have been taking mine at night for 3 months now and feel much better for doing so. 

 

Trouble is that most of the meds are meant to taken in the morning to deal with our conditions when we are active.

Derek, what a result, more comfortable with the medication and a win into the bargain ! I wish I could take my Bisop at night but the pharmacists have told me to take the Bisop in the morning and the Ramipril at night to minimise the side effects (of the Ramipril). Talk  about  being between a rock and a hard place! I hope you are still feeling better,I had a sudden dizzy spell after standing at the sink the other day, hate it and as for supermarkets, I have to get in and out as quickly as possible. Take care.

Hi Lankylass, its so good that you are keeping so well, I have my fingers crossed for you that this continues. It sounds as though you have hit on a dose that suits you. You are right about cardiologists and I wish they would try taking this stuff! The cardiac specialist nurse groaned when she saw the increasing regime I had been put on and warned me that a lot of people cant tolerate this. I have never been able to drop this feeling of anxiety since my original collapse and heart damage due to abnormal heart pumping action (arteries clear) and I wonder whether other people feel this way ? Am I just a wimp ?! If others have a philosophy that might help I would be so grateful. Any ideas Lankylass ? Keep smiling and thankyou for your support.

Hi Bess

I found your comment very interesting. I too get dizzy when stood at the sink (or ironing board) why is that? I'm quite newly diagnosed. Also I too have a problem with supermarkets. Highly stacked shelves, bright lights, lots of people, noise etc. Why is that? Thank you