Comment from: Jo, 65-74 Female (Patient)Published: June 26
I developed atrial fibrillation in November of 2005. I had three ablations. It lasted about nine to 10 months for each. I was on amiodarone for almost three years, but the side effects were bad. I have been on Cardizem LA (300 mg) now. I am also on metoprolol (75 mg) and have no energy and no breath. I have been told my mitral valve is leaking, but I have not received the results of tests that were taken here in town or in Chicago. It is most frustrating because I cannot walk across the house without panting. My heart hurts, and I am really depressed.
Comment from: 55-64 Female (Patient)Published: June 05
I wore the kings heart monitor. At the beginning my blood pressure was 150 and pulse 166, then another reading was 168 and pulse 150. The heart monitor people called an ambulance. Results: Fluttering; sinus rhythm; tachycardia; PVC; atrial fibrillation and heart out of rhythm. The heart doctor put me on Diltiazem 180mg twice a day; Coumadin 5mg every other day and 2.5 the other days; amiodarone 200mg a day. The last AF, I got very week and felt like fainting, so that's when he upped my medicine. I was getting very sick at my stomach with the amiodarone so now I only take a half. Now my feet and ankles are swelling and has been for awhile; my heart doctor didn't seem concerned, but I am very concerned. I will call. I have read that Diltiazem can cause legs to swell. If I still have AFib in 6 months, my doctor wants to do the TEE and I'm a little concerned about that. I had rheumatic fever as a child and prolapse mitral valve.
Comment from: YamaBlonde, 55-64 Female (Patient)Published: June 05
My 1st AF episode was, just prior to an upcoming (very) stressful event. I had only a few episodes over several years, at one point more than 2 years between episodes. Then I had 5, longer-lasting episodes within 7 weeks. I was a wreck, mostly from fear.
I had an aortic valve replacement in January, hoping it would stop the AF (doctors told me it was unrelated), which it was not. I was, at one point however, without any AF for 10 months, so docs took me off warfarin. An AF episode happened 3 months after discontinuing blood thinners, and back on warfarin. I am now taking a beta blocker. With more frequent AF now (only 1 week between some episodes), my beta blocker has been doubled. I am terrified of ablation, but I guess that will be the next option. I was taking amiodarone for 7 months, prior to the valve replacement, but doctors say it isn't a long term solution.
Comment from: Jim, 55-64 Male (Patient)Published: March 24
I have been recently diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. I have had bouts with it before on two separate occasions within the last 10 years. Anyhow, I had to have a stent put in; my one artery was 100% blocked. I feel pretty good except on occasion my heart rate will speed up for no apparent reason. When this happens, I feel a little light-headed and sick to my stomach. It has no certain pattern. It can go on and off all day or not happen at all for three to four days. I am currently on Plavix, Lopressor, Zocor, and aspirin and temporarily on prednisone. I don't know whether these symptoms are coming from the medicines or from my heart. My doctor says my heart is in great shape. I wore a holster for the weekend, and it showed an increase in heart rate, a few extra beats, but no signs of true atrial fibrillation.
Comment from: 75 or over Male (Patient)Published: March 24
My atrial fibrillation medication is Betapace. When I was taking 80 mg of this medication twice a day, my heart rate was too slow, around 45 beats per minute. They did a cardio version and changed my medication to 40 mg, twice a day. At first, the heart rate was fine, around 60 beats per minute. After three months, it started to increase to 70 beats per minute, and now it is around 85 beats per minute. I asked if they could split the dosage to 60 mg, twice a day. They said that that dosage was not available. Now they are considering ablation.
Comment from: Jo, 55-64 Female (Caregiver)Published: November 14
My dad was currently diagnosed w/ atrial fib a month ago. They did several tests to confirm it. They did echo, cardiac stress test, dobutamine stress test, x-ray, and EKG. My dad is currently taking Coumadin/Warfarin, Digoxin, Cozaar, and Metoprolol. With Coumadin/Warfarin, the pharmacist or your doctor must play around w/ the dosage. It's a very tricky medicine. It requires that you have no more than a level 2-3 of Coumadin in your body. If you have more than level 3, like my dad did, you will have constant stomach cramps and diarrhea that lasted more than 3 days and no diarrhea medicine can stop it. If you are on Coumadin, be ready to take blood test every week for the first month until they find out the perfect intake dosage of warfarin for your body. Afterward, it became easier. Just be patient with your doctor/pharmacist when it comes to finding the right dosage for your body.
Now, the doc is thinking of doing cardioversion on his heart and increasing the # of time he has to take cozaar. The doc felt that by increasing the # of cozaar intake, it will help ease my dad's heart muscle from having to work so hard and at the same controlling his high blood pressure. I checked w/ 2 of my relatives who happenned to be a doctor and an RN and they confirmed it that the procedures are necessary.
If you are not sure of the procedures or the medicines or even your symptoms, go for a 2nd or even 3rd opinion. Go to the internet and do your own research. But most importantly, find that right doctor for you.
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I developed atrial fibrillation in November of 2005. I had three ablations. It lasted about nine to 10 months for each. I was on amiodarone for almost three years, but the side effects were bad. I have been on Cardizem LA (300 mg) now. I am also on metoprolol (75 mg) and have no energy and no breath. I have been told my mitral valve is leaking, but I have not received the results of tests that were taken here in town or in Chicago. It is most frustrating because I cannot walk across the house without panting. My heart hurts, and I am really depressed.
Related Reading: atrial fibrillation | amiodarone | metoprolol