-The hospital visit went well today. I had an echocardiogram which was, as I expected, normal.
I then spent some time with a very nice specialist cardiac nurse who grasped the situation straight away, realised how urgent it is to get on top of the depression and accepted the fact that I seem to be ultra-sensitive to medications of one sort or another. She demonstrated this by the fact that last night I took only the tiniest dose of beta-blocker, but my heart rate was very slow indeed.
She was reassuring about the AF, saying that it is not uncommon for the trauma of major surgery to cause this, but it is usually a one-off.
The SVT (the other funny heart rhythm) was less easy to explain, but she said it was reassuring that I am able to find ways of stopping it, even though it is a blessed nuisance when it wakes you from sleep all night. However, she thought that as it settles, I should be able to manage without the beta-blocker and that she would look at a regime of tailing that off whilst introducing the dosulepin gradually.
What was so good was that she cottoned on to the fact that I am desperate to get some ant--depressant treatment on the go - she is going to discuss it all with one of the cardiologists this afternoon and ring me back with his suggestions. I am so glad that she did not say to come back in x weeks or whatever - she realised that I need treating now.
I know that the dosulepin is likely to work for me, but had been concerned by my GP's assertion that it cannot be taken if you have an arrhythmia. It will be good to get a definitive answer to this, so that hopefully I can move forward. Your comment about dosulepin phoenix tallies with mine - I too found that taking it at night gave me side effects the next day, but that, for me, taking it at about 7 - 8pm worked out well - I seemed to sleep through the max side effect period and wake up OK.
So fingers crossed - I will wait and see what she has to say later.
Thank you for all your supportive messages; and special thanks to ethel for finding the time to help me when you have so very much on your plate at present.