I had my first encounter with AF in September of 2013. I was put on Biosoporol and Warfarin unti I had a cardioversion in february the following year.
All has been well, until a few nights ago when I woke the morning after and found that I had gone back into AF.
I have been on a low dose of Biosoporol (1.25mg) since the procedure. I also cut my alcohol intake to 2-3 drinks per week and kept exercising as I have always done.
I took myself to the local A&E department and was wired up which confirmed what I already knew. They didn't seem overally concerned that I was in AF and holding a heart rate of 80/90 bpm and told I was in controlled AF. I was then discharged and booked into my local GP later that morning.
The appointment didn't yield much movement apart from a referal to a specialist which would take approx 4 weeks.
He left me on my dose of Biosoporol and toldme to get back intouch if I felt any changes in the symptoms.
I have a feeling of been left in the dark, and as well as been quite worried that it all comes across a bit relaxed by the system when I myself am really worried!!!! Is it just me?
Has anybody felt similar?
Call me a silly worrying fool but its just the way I feel.
I have considered paying for a private consultation, which will happen a lot quicker, just to try get myself a piece of mind.
I remember the feeling Adrian, trying to get on with your life with no light at the end of the tunnel. I'm very sorry to hear you are back in AF again and you are not alone in being worried. I felt like that for months..... it's the thing we all dread, these awful symptoms coming back.
It seems the way of a lot of AF patients.as I have been told by two consultants, AF is not life threatening (apart from stroke, which you have covered) it is a very big nuisance. It is a horrible chronic problem that we feel in dread of. I have had it since 2012 and have gone through various stages and seriousness of it. Read all you can,read the AF association website and know the parameters of heart rate, mine at the moment is regularly 110' and the maximum dose of the drugs. I have been, pretty much, medicating myself through 'pill in the pocket'. Good luck!
It must be very worrying for you having been well on meds for so long, I don't think the clinicans realise what waiting does to people. I was diagnosed this year in April and am on Bisoporol1.25mg I was supposed to go to see nurses to be put on Warfarin then my doctor changed his mind and referred me to cardiologist I do not go until the end of August thankfully my episodes are few at the moment but last up to 8 hours when they do start. I think all AF patients can understand your concern, I hope you get sorted soon.
Hi Adrian, thanks for sharing your situation and I hope you're feeeling more relaxed! Did the hospital give you anything to get you back in sinus rhythm? or did they just say to stay on the medication you are already on? Going by what you've said if I'm correct, your last episode was some time ago! How many episodes have you had in the last year? I ask because it doesn't seem like you've had many and if you haven't that seems like a very good thing! Really hope you get back to sinus rhythm asap! Jay
sorry to hear of your situation. Have the Cardiac dept. not looked at the possible causes of your AF? They would normally have a good look at how the heart is performing with various tests and proceedures. If there is an underlying problem then I am told you will struggle to stay in sinus until that is put right.
In my case, an angiogram was eventually advised and two restricted arteries were found. I had cardioversion before this and it lasted 2 weeks max. Although I could not say so acurately, like some seem to, when I reverted to AF.
So I am due to have 2 stents fitted to get the blood flow to the heart sorted and hope to get some energy back. Fortunately I have had no pain and nothad an attack or stroke but do rattle with quite q few pills though.
Doctor has referred me to the specialist as I believe they want to try control it with medication, rather than putting me back on warfarin and going for another cardio version.
Hi Adrian, I have just had an e-mail from Jessie, she included your post as you have a similar situation to mine, I think I have spoken to you before? You must be gutted, I was in May when after being sinus rhythm for 7 months after a cardioversion, (in October) I felt those tell tale palpitaiton when I woke up and as you say, went to A and E where they confirmed I was back in AF. You are correct about the very relaxed approac to this, I was 'having kitten's and they just wired be up to ECG and took BP and Heart Rate and sort of left me in a cubicle for ages. I had rung my GP before going to A and E and he said that there was a good chance they might cardiovert me again that very day, no such luck, No-ne even mentioned it, I had to stay in overnight and when again I mentioned a cardioversion in the morning they said it wasn't possible, hence the long wait to see the cardiologist, the echocardiagram and then another cardioversion, my second, set for 20th August. I am hoping it is successful but I haven't yet heard of anyone who has been lucky with this procedure past a couple of years. Perhaps they are out there but not reading our postings!! Anyone out there with a successful cardioversion......anyone at all??? Are you down for an ablation? I must admit for every success story there are equally those who have had problems and I am a bit of a scaredy pants where that is concerned. Hope that you feel better Adrian and be assured that there are a lot of us in that same boat!! Cheers.
If I were in your shoes I'd be monitoring my BP morning and evening and if it's varying widely ring your GP or ask for a phone consultation - keep a note of it. I wouldn't go for a private consultation, but instead find out who you've been referred to, make yourself known to their secretary or Outpatient Booking system, say you'd be willing to take a cancellation etc. etc. I don't believe in queue jumping but by doing this you would save them wasting an appointment which would otherwise be left empty.
I think everyone with AF has shared your experience and feels that they're put out to dry. I do wish there could be some acknowledgement of what a debilitating condition this is and that there was more research into how it can be better cured or resolved instead of being told you've just got to live with it. It's quite hard to live a normal life when you're not sure how you're going to feel the next day, week or month.
It sounds like you had the same experience as I did. They just didn't keep me in and sent me home after I had sat in a and e wired up like you and not told a great deal. They even gave me asprin which the doctor told me later that mornng this wasnt done anymore????????
im not down for ablation or cardio version until I have had my consultation with the specialist.
I don't really suffer any symptoms and my blood pressure is usually good when checked.
I will take your advice and find out who I have been referred to.
I get pretty up and down how I feel and try to keep positive but its hard overall. Its difficult to explain to someone just how it feels physically and mentally.
thanks for your response
its helped me already talking to people in the same position as me.
Hi I am new to this Forum, diagnosed in 2013 and like you did not want to wait for NHS so I had a private consultation which happened very quickly!!!
My problem is not the AF but the medication, I take bisoprolol, flecanide,clopidogerel and Losartan. I just get used to taking one and they add another.
I now feel sick, have headaches, very tired and I feel so down.
to me the cure is worse than the Afib. Has anyone else felt like this. I am normally a "get up and go" person not a misery which I seem to be now!!!!
Sympathise totally : last year the effect of bisoprolol alone (5 mg) made me feel really bad, depressed, dizzy, cold... and I do wonder whether the Doctors or the drug companies do sufficient research to try and tailor the dose to the patient. Have you fed back to either your GP or your Consultant how this cocktail is making you feel.
Do let us know how you get on : I was so bad my husband told me to cut the dose in half which I didn't do but eventually they did decrease my dose which is 1.25 mg bisoprolol twinned with 50 mg flecainide a.m. and flecainide on its own p.m. but like you I still feel slightly apathetic and have lost the get up and go I used to have.
I did raise this during a Pharmacy review last week but she didn't make any comment. We just read through the A4 size page of side effects of the drug which doesn't make great reading and its good to share on this website everyone's experiences of them.
Take care and like the rest of us hope they soon find a different solution to our AF problem.
Thank you for your thoughts. I am havng a bad day today I feel so disappointed . I was doing well on Bisoprolol and flecainaide (although difficult when i first took them) The new medication has been added because it appears that asprin is not being prescribed anymore?
I am having a review at the Pharmacy this week, Tuesday I am having a 24hr ECG monitor fitted, so then i will TRY to get an appt with Cardiologist, but as you know they are not happy if you question them.