Pat, In the past, I had afib severe. Then last year started up again. It was caffeine and only takes less than one half cup coffee from the US. But never took Eliquis, and never will. I have learned to never take meds without investigating the side effects first and end up taking none. I search for the root cause, and do what I can to eliminate that. And if you have GI upset or indigestion, examine what and what combinations you are putting down the hatch. I am 77 this month and have greatly changed little by little what I eat the last 50 years, and rarely have any indigestion, but in the past was doubled over in pain, or full of gas bubbles for hours.
@terrigfield You mention a situation that I have yet to see mentioned in these groups. The process of reversal of Eliqus in an emergency situation. From what I've seen Eliqus is still working 24 hrs after the last dose. What little I have been able to read about the reversal agents available it doesn't sound that readily available and also not that fast acting like the one available for Coumadin. I've gotten to keeping a Quick Clotting kit in my car in hope that I would be able to use it if necessary.
So as good as it is in preventing clots there is another side to it like anything else in life.
@sandw40 What is in your Quick Clotting kit? Is this something you purchased as a 'kit' or did you put it together yourself with medical advice? Thank you.
@windyshores hi
I was put on Bisoprolol at 2.5 and my rate dropped to 50 , which was quite low
So I cut my pill in half and it stayed at 60 but then all of a sudden one morning my Afib kicked in again . The problem with the meds is causing high anxiety , I’m sure there causing the problem
So I was told to go back to 2.5 , because 50 heart rate was ok, as long as it didn’t drop below that
I don’t feel comfortable with that , I have been on Coumadin for 20 years because of a couple clots , I’m not real sure about being on blood thinners either . I totally agree with you on the blood thinners
@lynlaughlin I am a lay person, long time heart issues. Strictly my opinion but I would sure get a second opinion on the recommendation that a "50 heart rate was ok, as long as it didn't drop below that"
Not a recommendation my husband or I have ever been given. Best wishes.
@lynlaughlin I am a lay person, long time heart issues. Strictly my opinion but I would sure get a second opinion on the recommendation that a "50 heart rate was ok, as long as it didn't drop below that"
Not a recommendation my husband or I have ever been given. Best wishes.
@lynlaughlin I am a lay person, long time heart issues. Strictly my opinion but I would sure get a second opinion on the recommendation that a "50 heart rate was ok, as long as it didn't drop below that"
Not a recommendation my husband or I have ever been given. Best wishes.
@moey2720 The demarcation point, officially across the medical training, is that an HR less than 60 BPM meets the definition of 'bradycardia'. But, it's not that cut 'n dried. Anyone who is male, quite fit, rested, and calm, will almost certainly have an HR near 45 BPM, sometimes much lower. When I was a younger buck, and a competitive runner, my resting HR 30 seconds after sprinting up two flights of stairs to sit on our john, the only one we had in the house, was a whopping 38 BPM. If you can believe that. So bradycardia, the official one, is only a problem if there are other things going on and if symptoms suggest the rate needs to be higher than what it reads. I have watched videos from cardiologists who say they need to lower that line to 50 BPM because 60 is too high to start fiddling with a 'low' heart rate. It's the same thing going on with blood pressure and what they feel the maxima and minima for both systolic and diastolic pressures should be in otherwise healthy people.
@moey2720 The demarcation point, officially across the medical training, is that an HR less than 60 BPM meets the definition of 'bradycardia'. But, it's not that cut 'n dried. Anyone who is male, quite fit, rested, and calm, will almost certainly have an HR near 45 BPM, sometimes much lower. When I was a younger buck, and a competitive runner, my resting HR 30 seconds after sprinting up two flights of stairs to sit on our john, the only one we had in the house, was a whopping 38 BPM. If you can believe that. So bradycardia, the official one, is only a problem if there are other things going on and if symptoms suggest the rate needs to be higher than what it reads. I have watched videos from cardiologists who say they need to lower that line to 50 BPM because 60 is too high to start fiddling with a 'low' heart rate. It's the same thing going on with blood pressure and what they feel the maxima and minima for both systolic and diastolic pressures should be in otherwise healthy people.
@gloaming It's my understanding that the significance of bradycardia is generally tied to whether or not the person has symptoms indicating that the bradycardia is associated with a lack of perfusion in the vital organs, such as the brain. If the bradycardia is associated with light-headedness, dizziness, near syncope or syncope ( fainting), shortness of breath or other symptoms, especially when it occurs repeatedly over time, then it's likely to be considered significant. That's the main reason for the cardiac event monitors, not just recording the occurrence of arrhythmias, but also capturing a patient's response to the arrhythmias, ie, the patient indicates when he/she feels those symptoms on the monitor or on a log ( or phone app) and if those symptoms occur at the time of the bradycardia ( or other arrhythmia), they are assumed to be caused by the arrhythmia. And if the patient reports symptoms when the monitor shows no arrhythmia, they assume the heart is off the hook and the symptoms are caused by something else.
I can see where it might be more difficult to figure out if a bradycardia in an athletic person is a physiologic response to the athletic activity over time, or is pathological. I'd guess if that low heart rate drops further over time, and is causing symptoms of bradycardia, that'd be time to take it more seriously. I'd also figure that if the heart rate doesn't rise in proportion to the person's activity, leaving them symptomatic and unable to complete the activity, that's a big clue about a problem going on.
I'm hardly an athlete, but I went through progressively symptomatic bradycardia for something over two years before my doctor paid much attention to it. Part of the reason for that length of time was my fault, I'm the Queen of Denial and I minimized the problem to my family and tried to ignore it. The docs told me as long as I wasn't symptomatic and my heart rate continued to rise appropriately with activity, it was ok, and with a heart rate that spends most of its time in the 40s and low 50's I think that's pretty much the criteria for just watching and waiting instead of any intervention. For me it was after that when the symptoms became more severe and the heart rate even lower and I was diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome and received a pacemaker.
As we all know, each case is individual and results vary, but that's my experience.
As for blood pressure, I'm an old hen ( 78) and have had high blood pressure since I was a spring chicken. It's hereditary, my father had the same thing as did a couple of my siblings ( who have passed away now) and I see some of the kids are fighting high blood pressure as well. I was a little taken aback when they lowered the pressure readings in their labeling of hypertension, I mean I was HAPPY when I got readings of 135/85, anything under 140/90 was good for me and I had to fight to get that all too often. Fortunately ( and realistically) I see that my PCP has my blood pressure goal as less than 140/90, which is better for me for any number of reasons.
I no longer live in the US. The coffee there has stuff added. Where I live in Costa Rica, the coffee is pure and a friend here told me I would have no problem. I was skeptical, but I discovered I can drink one half cup and no problem with about one half of it milk. Cannot do the same with coffee from the US..
When in the US, I used to drink a cup of decaf from Dunkin Donuts which did affect me.
I do not know where else, but when visiting a few years ago, I saw coffee from Costa Rica in Whole Foods.
If you find, I suggest a half a cup and test for a few days. I do eat a bit of dark chocolate, but always with protein, usually a few walnuts or other nuts to balance out any effect from caffeine or sugar.
and what is your age? what is your diet? do you walk or do mild exercise daily? do you consume foods or drinks or meds with stimulants? Do you have a high sugar and high in dairy, meat? do you eat fresh fruits and veggies daily and whole grains versus refines and processed foods?
Those are important points, but there are other things to consider that are equally important, if not even more so.
It is not helpful for any of us to be sanctimonious nor to berate others decisions, especially when we know nothing about the full medical history and conditions of anyone posting here.
@sandw40 What is in your Quick Clotting kit? Is this something you purchased as a 'kit' or did you put it together yourself with medical advice? Thank you.
@moey2720 It's simply a powder based product I purchased on Amazon in case the need arose for that "accident" we never expect to happen. There are different brand names but I purchased "BleedStop" because of price and what I though would be useful. It's basically a powder in a packet that you can rip open and apply to the wound while applying pressure. Have only used it once while in the workshop and not really a major cut but just to see how to use it and it did form a clotting or stop of blood flow fairly quickly. I think it was around $15 - 20 for a small 4 packet kit. Guess the main thing is it worked as compared to just a bandage. have 2 packets in the car and the rest at home.
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@lynlaughlin , I think what they usually do is give you a lower dose , my specialist is going to call me Friday, I will let you know what he says
@lindy9 Are you able to drink decaffeinated coffee or tea with no problem? OR have you just taken decaf/caffeine away completely? Thanks.
@sandw40 What is in your Quick Clotting kit? Is this something you purchased as a 'kit' or did you put it together yourself with medical advice? Thank you.
@lynlaughlin I am a lay person, long time heart issues. Strictly my opinion but I would sure get a second opinion on the recommendation that a "50 heart rate was ok, as long as it didn't drop below that"
Not a recommendation my husband or I have ever been given. Best wishes.
@moey2720 Thank you so much, I will take your advice, take care
@moey2720 The demarcation point, officially across the medical training, is that an HR less than 60 BPM meets the definition of 'bradycardia'. But, it's not that cut 'n dried. Anyone who is male, quite fit, rested, and calm, will almost certainly have an HR near 45 BPM, sometimes much lower. When I was a younger buck, and a competitive runner, my resting HR 30 seconds after sprinting up two flights of stairs to sit on our john, the only one we had in the house, was a whopping 38 BPM. If you can believe that. So bradycardia, the official one, is only a problem if there are other things going on and if symptoms suggest the rate needs to be higher than what it reads. I have watched videos from cardiologists who say they need to lower that line to 50 BPM because 60 is too high to start fiddling with a 'low' heart rate. It's the same thing going on with blood pressure and what they feel the maxima and minima for both systolic and diastolic pressures should be in otherwise healthy people.
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1 Reaction@gloaming It's my understanding that the significance of bradycardia is generally tied to whether or not the person has symptoms indicating that the bradycardia is associated with a lack of perfusion in the vital organs, such as the brain. If the bradycardia is associated with light-headedness, dizziness, near syncope or syncope ( fainting), shortness of breath or other symptoms, especially when it occurs repeatedly over time, then it's likely to be considered significant. That's the main reason for the cardiac event monitors, not just recording the occurrence of arrhythmias, but also capturing a patient's response to the arrhythmias, ie, the patient indicates when he/she feels those symptoms on the monitor or on a log ( or phone app) and if those symptoms occur at the time of the bradycardia ( or other arrhythmia), they are assumed to be caused by the arrhythmia. And if the patient reports symptoms when the monitor shows no arrhythmia, they assume the heart is off the hook and the symptoms are caused by something else.
I can see where it might be more difficult to figure out if a bradycardia in an athletic person is a physiologic response to the athletic activity over time, or is pathological. I'd guess if that low heart rate drops further over time, and is causing symptoms of bradycardia, that'd be time to take it more seriously. I'd also figure that if the heart rate doesn't rise in proportion to the person's activity, leaving them symptomatic and unable to complete the activity, that's a big clue about a problem going on.
I'm hardly an athlete, but I went through progressively symptomatic bradycardia for something over two years before my doctor paid much attention to it. Part of the reason for that length of time was my fault, I'm the Queen of Denial and I minimized the problem to my family and tried to ignore it. The docs told me as long as I wasn't symptomatic and my heart rate continued to rise appropriately with activity, it was ok, and with a heart rate that spends most of its time in the 40s and low 50's I think that's pretty much the criteria for just watching and waiting instead of any intervention. For me it was after that when the symptoms became more severe and the heart rate even lower and I was diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome and received a pacemaker.
As we all know, each case is individual and results vary, but that's my experience.
As for blood pressure, I'm an old hen ( 78) and have had high blood pressure since I was a spring chicken. It's hereditary, my father had the same thing as did a couple of my siblings ( who have passed away now) and I see some of the kids are fighting high blood pressure as well. I was a little taken aback when they lowered the pressure readings in their labeling of hypertension, I mean I was HAPPY when I got readings of 135/85, anything under 140/90 was good for me and I had to fight to get that all too often. Fortunately ( and realistically) I see that my PCP has my blood pressure goal as less than 140/90, which is better for me for any number of reasons.
I no longer live in the US. The coffee there has stuff added. Where I live in Costa Rica, the coffee is pure and a friend here told me I would have no problem. I was skeptical, but I discovered I can drink one half cup and no problem with about one half of it milk. Cannot do the same with coffee from the US..
When in the US, I used to drink a cup of decaf from Dunkin Donuts which did affect me.
I do not know where else, but when visiting a few years ago, I saw coffee from Costa Rica in Whole Foods.
If you find, I suggest a half a cup and test for a few days. I do eat a bit of dark chocolate, but always with protein, usually a few walnuts or other nuts to balance out any effect from caffeine or sugar.
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1 Reaction@lindy9
Those are important points, but there are other things to consider that are equally important, if not even more so.
It is not helpful for any of us to be sanctimonious nor to berate others decisions, especially when we know nothing about the full medical history and conditions of anyone posting here.
@moey2720 It's simply a powder based product I purchased on Amazon in case the need arose for that "accident" we never expect to happen. There are different brand names but I purchased "BleedStop" because of price and what I though would be useful. It's basically a powder in a packet that you can rip open and apply to the wound while applying pressure. Have only used it once while in the workshop and not really a major cut but just to see how to use it and it did form a clotting or stop of blood flow fairly quickly. I think it was around $15 - 20 for a small 4 packet kit. Guess the main thing is it worked as compared to just a bandage. have 2 packets in the car and the rest at home.
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