A F

I developed this whilst having covid 19. Have been on bisoprolol and apixaban eversince. Now suddenly my heart rate has shot up to over a 100 beats per minute. My gp has told me to increase bisoprolol which i did this morning so am hoping it deals with it. I think it is another tablet she prescribe a month ago which has caused it as nothing significant has happened to cause it.... nothing stress related that is. I feel fragile, tired and a bit wobbly at the moment. Have to keep sitting down its horrible!!!

travelsafar

I developed this whilst having covid 19. Have been on bisoprolol and apixaban eversince. Now suddenly my heart rate has shot up to over a 100 beats per minute. My gp has told me to increase bisoprolol which i did this morning so am hoping it deals with it. I think it is another tablet she prescribe a month ago which has caused it as nothing significant has happened to cause it.... nothing stress related that is. I feel fragile, tired and a bit wobbly at the moment. Have to keep sitting down its horrible!!!

I too recently went into AF, completely out of the blue. .
I felt absolutely dreadful, HR went very high I too felt wobbly, and kept thinking I was going to faint.
Anyway that was 3 weeks ago.
My Heart rate was still not controlled, with original meds I'm SOB climbing the stairs no energy. The wobbly bit is, your Heart rate can not support your BP. Mine was up and down too.
I spoke to my Cardiologist, (I work in Cardiology so I'm very lucky)
He doubled my Beta blocker, so morning and night, plus I'm on Apixaban same day and night, he told me that they could add another medication (Digoxin) but I am booked in for a Cardioversion in 10 days. As I have a structurally normal heart, we are all hoping it will revert back?
I hope the additional meds work, but if not get back ASAP to your GP.
Feel for you

I was diagnosed in 2014 after chemotherapy and have been on Warfarin since then and I self test which takes a lot of the hassle away of having to attend the clinic regularly. I bought the machine and the test strips are available on prescription. My AF does not bother me at all as I don't know whether I am having an episode or not.

I definitely recommend getting a Kardia machine and this was recommended by my cardiologist. They cost about £99. They are the thickness of an After 8 mint about about the size of 3 stamps in a row. They are used in conjunction with an ap on your phone. You put 2 fingers from each hand on the slightly raised pad area. In 30 seconds they take a portable ECG reading which you can then send to doctor/cardiologist if it says you are in middle of AF - it also takes your pulse reading. Very reassuring to have and very informative for your cardiologist as you can take the measurement at the time you are feeling ill and just send the reading to him/her by email.

I had Covid and Pneumonia in July, was on a ventilator for 2 weeks. When I woke up, it turned out I'd had a bilateral (affecting both sides) stroke. I'm almost fully recovered, but I'm on a few tablets now. The consultant thinks I've got AF, got to have a 24-hour tape recorder thing in a couple of weeks.

I'm on Bisoprolol, 2.5mg, Clopidogrel (anticoagulant), Lercanidipine for BP - I was taken off Amlodipine as my feet and legs were so swollen. I'm also on a statin, although my cholesterol is, and has always been 3.2

I've found all this quite frightening, so I'm glad to see that I'm not alone in having AF. I'm 62

OH has AF, and Angina.
First batch of beta blockers reduced pulse until seeing stars, half dose then OK.
Clopidogrel seems to be a good medicine, but we sense a reluctance to prescribe it (Once crossed it off the prescription list!). But at times they still think that the angina, despite an ECG showing a mild heart attack, that much of the time it is indigestion!
Sometimes, I despair of diagnostic abilities!.

I spoke with cardio consulant on Thursday and he is sending me a form to complete to have an ECG and dependant on the results i may have to have the electric shock procedure to put my heart beat back into rhythmn.
My gp also rang me and told me to stay on higher dose of Bisoprolol. Thankfully heart rate is now back to normal rate of between 58 and 62 beats per min after doubling dose for just over a week now. The horrible shaky faint feeling has also gone.

Travelsafar Good to hear you're improving.

I second elasticatedslacks recommendation of the KardiaMobile gadget. When I thought I had AF (paroxysmal, or intermittent), and went to GP, he suggested buying it. The next time I felt a bit funny and thought it might be AF (pulse felt very strange and jumpy) Kardia confirmed "possible atrial fibrillation" and I was able to e-mail trace to GP. When I had appointment with cardiologist, GP had sent him on my readings so he was able to prescribe the appropriate medication (beta blocker and anti-coagulant). When I had proper ECG, of course it was normal, as in between episodes of AF, my heartrate and rhythm is normal. If I hadn't had the KardiaMobile, it would probably have taken much longer to be diagnosed as my AF episodes only last a few hours at a time and might have stopped before getting to hospital. Also saved all the problems of getting to hospital etc.

PS - I don't have any vested interest in promoting the gadget!

On another issue related to AF - has anyone else noticed a connection between it and acid reflux? I had a bad episode of reflux a few nights ago just as I was dropping off to sleep. Had to sit up, take Gaviscon etc, but then noticed my heart felt jumpy. I used my KardiaMobile and confirmed I was in AF. As I was wide awake at this stage, I wondered was there any connection with the acid reflux (GERD). Googled, and found that recent studies had shown higher incidence of AF with people with GERD. The reasons aren't clear, but may have something to do with proximity of oesphagus and atrium of heart and the nerves in the area.

After that I managed to fall asleep again and heart was back to normal in the morning. However, I'll be more careful about what I eat in the evening - normally am, but someone dropped by with a nice chocolate cake and I ate a piece about 9 pm - bad idea!

Why I was put on anti reflux tablets 4 years ago was my old GP didn't know if the palpitations caused acid reflux or acid reflux caused palpitations. I was put on Lansoprazole which worked brilliantly no more Acis reflux. But about 4 months ago had to come off it as my sodium and folic acid levels went to low. Had to have folic acid tablets for 3 months.

Then had to rely on Gaviscon. My GP put me on Esomeprazole for a month worked ok but still need Gaviscon every now and then. Decided not to bother having to have anymore tablets

Then was diagnosed with Paroxysmal Atrial fibrillation. I take Apixaban and Dronedarone and noticed since being on both don't get acid reflux everyday like I used to. If I do Gaviscon soon sorts it out.

I was back and forth to A &E with heart racing luckily after months even after having 24 hr tape which was normal .I was on the machine while it was happening. And got diagnosed. Off to AF clinic this afternoon been going every week since diagnoses this is my 3rd visit. .

It's lovely to finally be diagnosed and get treatment.

Whiff

Why I was put on anti reflux tablets 4 years ago was my old GP didn't know if the palpitations caused acid reflux or acid reflux caused palpitations. I was put on Lansoprazole which worked brilliantly no more Acis reflux. But about 4 months ago had to come off it as my sodium and folic acid levels went to low. Had to have folic acid tablets for 3 months.

Then had to rely on Gaviscon. My GP put me on Esomeprazole for a month worked ok but still need Gaviscon every now and then. Decided not to bother having to have anymore tablets

Then was diagnosed with Paroxysmal Atrial fibrillation. I take Apixaban and Dronedarone and noticed since being on both don't get acid reflux everyday like I used to. If I do Gaviscon soon sorts it out.

I was back and forth to A &E with heart racing luckily after months even after having 24 hr tape which was normal .I was on the machine while it was happening. And got diagnosed. Off to AF clinic this afternoon been going every week since diagnoses this is my 3rd visit. .

It's lovely to finally be diagnosed and get treatment.

Thanks for the update Whiff. Good to know you are getting seen quite quickly in the current climate and things seem to be settling down. I am very impressed you timed an episode whilst you were on the machine. Whenever I have a tape fitted I can guarantee a trouble free 24/48 hours. Keep well.