NO AFIB FOR 4 YEARS and still taking medicine.

All was well until I had a colonoscopy last November. During it my BP dropped to 40/27 and my heart rate to 30 bpm. I felt OK during it but they were panicking giving me water and pumping drugs into me.

They said it was either due to dehydration, the sedative or that the probe had stimulated my vagal nerve. 

After a couple of days I became concious of a rapid and irregular heart beat. I had an ECG a few days later that confirmed AF, The cardiologist said that the probe stimulating the vagal nerve was the most likely cause. He said that I need not take amiodarone as a beta blocker would suffice along with warfarin. In January another cardiologist knowing of my previous amiodarone problems insisted that i take it or I would not get the cardioversion.

Once again the amiodarone disturbed my equilibrium. After having a cardioversion on March 21st I went back into sinus rhythm and was told that in view of my slow heart rate I should stop the beta blocker but continue the amiodarone. I have stayed in sinus rhythm buy stopped the amiodarone after about a month. The warfarin is again giving me painful weight bearing joints.

Like you I have a slow heart rate, usually in the 40's but can be as low as 36 in the morning. 

What we're struggling with here is not dissimilar.  Excruciating and fluctuating mid back pain, sent 44 year old female to the emergency department.  All tests normal.  ECG done at the time was normal. She was given iv morphine for the pain.  No diagnosis.  Sent home.  On the way home, she vomited.  Vomited more after getting home - 3 or 4 times.  Fell asleep for an hour and half.  Awoke, vomited.  Was in high tachycardia - 203 bpm, and heart rhythm was beyond description.  Back to the emergency room.

ECG showed afib.  Blood tests were again normal.  CT scan normal.  IV diltiazem attempted for chemical cardioversion.  It didn't work, so she received electro cardioversion which put her in sinus rhythm.  Monitored for an hour after the procedure and sent home.  Told to take 81 mg of aspirin a day.

A holter monitorwas worn for one week, showing PVCs only. Then, 5 days later, a cardiologist started Eliquis, 100 mg 2x per day because she had had the electrocardioversion. Told to take it for 30 days then stop it, and resume 81 mg aspirin 2x a day for life.  An echocardiogram showed a never-before diagnosed mild heart murmur, (mitral valve regurgitation). 

Needless to say, there will be another consultation, but if, as some suggest, there is a vagal nerve issue that is solely responsible, then how long does a patient take any medication at all, whether aspirin at 81 mg x 2, or 325 mg., or something like Eliquis, or whatever.

On drugs dot com the indications for use for MULTAQ, used to control heart rhythm, are "Use: To reduce the risk of cardiovascular hospitalization in patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL), with a recent episode of AF/AFL and associated cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., age greater than 70 years, hypertension, diabetes, prior cerebrovascular accident, left atrial diameter 50 mm or more, or left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] less than 40%), who are in sinus rhythm or who will be cardioverted."

I don't think you mentioned how often you saw the cardiologist.  In this case, the cardiologist prescribed the 81 mg of aspirin 2x a day and said, "I'll see you in two years."  There are words here that I cannot print.  So, is it just a matter of covering liability?  If you get more answers - if anyone gets more, and better answers - it would be good to hear them.  This is hell.

If you don't have A-fib then you shouldn't be taking either Metoprolol OR Coumadin (Warfarin).

If a holter monitor test is done regularaly -- maybe every 6 mos. to a year, and it doesn't show any afib, I would request my doc to take me off the meds.  And if he says no, ask him why not?  

Hi Eddie. I have the same questions about long term medicine. I had an incident with A Flutter a couple of months ago. I have always been healthy, until a few years ago when I started drinking enough Beer to float a battle ship. Thank God for the Medical community and medicine to help folks(Even igmo's that drink to much). BUT, I can't help but feel that as a whole, "the ones I've spoken with anyway", would like to keep me on meds the rest of my life whether I need them or not.

I am thinking about weaning down a little at a time after a few more months and just watch carefully how my Heart reacts to it. Please let me(Us)know how you are doing, and what you find out as you deal with this. Many Thanks. Norm in Texas

Hi Eddie,

I am 59 and had my first episode of afib a year and a half ago. At the ER they gave me diltiazin and I went back into sinus rhthym. Then they gave me diltiazin in pill form until I saw a cardiologist; but after two days I stopped bc I was very bloated. Since I had no other heart disease or risk factors, like yrself, they gave me a "pill in a pocket, (again diltiazin despite my reaction)," to take whenever my paroxysmal afib started up. (One doctor took me aside on one of these earlier visits and told me privately that with my naturally lowish pressure, it would be more dangerous for me to have my b.p. go too low, than to be in afib.

I had a few more episodes that year but never took the meds ; my heart would go back to normal on its own. I also have never been on blood thinner, which was my insistence.

I have not had afib for 8 months and take no meds whatsoever. My doc has told me Im her only patient not on meds

As for whether or not I have been in afib without a rapid heartbeat and not been aware of it, when I had the afib episides I was symptomatic and would get queasy for about a half minute when it was coming on. I have not had this symptom for the 8 months and ck my pulse daily and it has been in the late 60s to mid 70s. I don't recommend doing what I've done for everybody, because like yourself, my heart has no other problems,but this one size fits all approach is wrong, in my opinion. I weighed the risks of not taking thinner w the risks of taking it and they were even (and very small.) My body never does well on any meds and I prefer to eat garlic, ginger, tumeric and drink green tea and chamomile as natural blood thinners. Interestingly, as a young woman I could not handle caffeine, esp coffee and wound up several times in the ER with bad palpitations 40 years before the afib. But now I drink green tea without any problems at all. I also don't drink over 2 per day. In addition I do eat magnesium rich foods such as almonds, canned mackerel and black beans. Wishing you and others good health and the continued courage to question and expect rational and intelligent answers.