I Went Into Atrial Fibrillation

[parallelfish]

Originally Posted by Clydesdale

Those on eliguis… talk to your pharmacist about the discount plan. I think you renew every couple years but my cost dropped 90% per month. You might also be able to sign up online?

One can apply for the program directly from the Eliquis website. Unfortunatly, not eligible if on medicare part D.

[ggdave]

Jeff, no knowledge or experience with this but sending good vibes and positive thoughts your way.

[bigbill]

I had two occurrences in 2016, the second was in my PCP's office. He sent me to a cardiologist who gave me a halter to wear for 72 hours followed by a stress test. Both revealed nothing abnormal. It felt like a fish flopping in my chest. It's been 8 years since I've had any occurrences. Three years ago, VA sent me to a cardiologist who gave me a stress test, again nothing. The only "abnormal" reading was my resting heart rate of 46 bpm.

My mom and her twin sister both have pacemakers because of their low resting heart rate in the upper 30s. They both got pacemakers at age 78 because the doctor thought their heart might stop in their sleep.

[fried bake]

Sorry to hear this and sending best wishes. Afib has changed the way I ride, but it’s not kept me from cycling. Had an ablation but that failed and now on Flecanide and metropolol, plus I quit caffeine and alcohol. Still, have occasional attacks are which are usually triggered by intense efforts and/or heat, so I bought an e-bike for heavy climbing days but I still enjoy analog bikes for less intense efforts.

[paredown]

No personal experience here, but I hope you get it sorted!

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by flying

You may want to ask about Flecainide. Works well for many with both afib & svt.

Some even use it as a pill in the pocket solution.

Also does not limit you while exercising like a beta blocker does

Anyway you might want to read up on it.
Good Luck

Like with any med, check the side effects. I tried Flecanide but couldn't tolerate the side effects, cough and shortness of breath. Same with Diltiazim. I take metoprolol now, no side effects..

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by parallelfish

One can apply for the program from directly from the Eliquis website. Unfortunatly, not eligible if on medicare part D.

For any retired military..TriCare for life plus medicare..my meds are either no cost or very low(like $13 for a 3 month supply of Eliquis)..

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

For any retired military..TriCare for life plus medicare..my meds are either no cost or very low(like $13 for a 3 month supply of Eliquis)..

I'm the same except I have full VA coverage as well. My dad's wife told me how lucky I was to have Tricare and VA. I told her I could make a list of reasons why I have that coverage, and there was no luck involved. If nothing else, some really bad luck.

I was on metoprolol post-MI in early 2012. The MI was on new year's eve. All I wanted to do was nap with my 40 bpm HR. I only took it a month before the cardiologist told me to stop.

I have hypertension which is well managed with candesartan. My son's BP is at the upper end of acceptable for the Marines, but he's a pilot and BP a little high is a benefit.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by bigbill

but he's a pilot and BP a little high is a benefit.

Doesn't need a G-suit?

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by Louis

Doesn't need a G-suit?

He wears one. Having BP at the high end helps as well. He goes to the centrifuge in a few weeks and has been doing "leg day" three times a week all summer to help him handle the G's. He'll either be in a Hornet or F-35. Higher BP and beefy legs keeps more blood to your brain in a high G maneuver.

[flying]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Like with any med, check the side effects. I tried Flecanide but couldn't tolerate the side effects, cough and shortness of breath. Same with Diltiazim. I take metoprolol now, no side effects..

True that

Sometimes when one reads the "common" side effects of drugs they wonder if it is better or not.

One thing I have always done with both supplements & any drugs is log when I start taking them/dosage etc

That way if something does happen in a week etc I know what to look at as a possible cause. I then will stop & see if it clears & sometimes restart to double check

All that aside personally I have had heart issues for 30+ years & like the flecainide as a use as needed med. I have tried metoprolol etc in the past but that seemed like putting a rev limiter on my heart "in case". Even Flecainide when I first started I took 2x a day 50mg but after a few weeks had some backaches etc. But switching to a use as needed works perfectly (for myself)

For myself I do not like the idea of taking various things "in case" I get an episode but instead treat as needed or pill in the pocket approach. My cardiologist agrees

Of course this is just for myself & everyone has possibly a different case.

[nobuseri]

Hope all is well, Jeff. Sending positive energy your way.

[rnhood]

Originally Posted by flying

True that

Sometimes when one reads the "common" side effects of drugs they wonder if it is better or not.

One thing I have always done with both supplements & any drugs is log when I start taking them/dosage etc

That way if something does happen in a week etc I know what to look at as a possible cause. I then will stop & see if it clears & sometimes restart to double check

All that aside personally I have had heart issues for 30+ years & like the flecainide as a use as needed med. I have tried metoprolol etc in the past but that seemed like putting a rev limiter on my heart "in case". Even Flecainide when I first started I took 2x a day 50mg but after a few weeks had some backaches etc. But switching to a use as needed works perfectly (for myself)

For myself I do not like the idea of taking various things "in case" I get an episode but instead treat as needed or pill in the pocket approach. My cardiologist agrees

Of course this is just for myself & everyone has possibly a different case.

Absolutely agree. I had A-fib for 9 years in the early 2000s, and the last couple years of it my cardio doc had me on Flecanaide and Metatoprol. I hated these drugs, so asked for an ablation. The ablation worked, and today I only take a baby aspirin...though not necessarily regularly. I hate taking drugs. I do not take a drug other than a baby aspirin as a preventative measure. If I have a problem, I want the problem fixed. Sittling around taking "preventative" drugs carries higher risks to health than getting the problem resolved with surgery, ablation, or whatever. I do believe doctors way over prescribe drugs.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by rnhood

Absolutely agree. I had A-fib for 9 years in the early 2000s, and the last couple years of it my cardio doc had me on Flecanaide and Metatoprol. I hated these drugs, so asked for an ablation. The ablation worked, and today I only take a baby aspirin...though not necessarily regularly. I hate taking drugs. I do not take a drug other than a baby aspirin as a preventative measure. If I have a problem, I want the problem fixed. Sittling around taking "preventative" drugs carries higher risks to health than getting the problem resolved with surgery, ablation, or whatever. I do believe doctors way over prescribe drugs.

Glad one ablation worked for you but for 'some', like me, after an episode of pulmonary edema, fluid in lungs during a instance of atrial tachycardia/flutter...I'll take some 'prevetative' drugs. I was already in the hospital getting dosing for Tikosyn..If I had been at home, not sure I would have survived. Think 'drowning'....

Sometimes getting the 'problem' resolved, 'fixed', involves taking preventative drugs.

IMHO, YMMV and all that. Good luck to the original poster, Jeff N.

I've had 3 ablations, BTW, since atrial flutter, altho related to A-Fib, can be a tough nut to crack..

[Jeff N.]

I'll get an ablation if it becomes necessary, but I'm going to ask my cardiologist for a low voltage "whack" (cardioversion) before any drugs. I took some metoprolol prescribed from my ER visit but that crap made my BP nose-dive and did nothing for the A-Fib. I also know that the longer you're in this arrhythmia the likelihood of returning to regular sinus rhythm without intervention is reduced to a very low order of probability. A few days ago it felt like it was "trying" but...no go.