@ltb7 Ah, with that added shared information, thanks, you could be thinking correctly all along. The calcium channel blocker might be putting you into bradycardia, although the technically accepted upper limit for bradycardia is a pretty hefty 59 BPM. Most adults in good health, heart working well, reasonably fit for their age, will have a resting/sleeping HR well below that, 45-53 BPM. Technically in bradycardia, but try telling your heart that!

If you can, tell your EP directly that you don't want to take the diltiazem as you suspect it is counterproductive at this point. He may agree, but he may emphatically disagree....which puts you in a bind. Whatever the case, you have lost nothing by inquiring first, maybe getting him to take you seriously for once, and if you simply cannot go against his prescription, continue to take it as prescribed. After all, ya hafta work with the guy...for a while anyway. Hopefully....only a while longer. 😀

@ltb7
Hi- I can relate to some of what you’re experiencing. I had very minor afib episodes for several years. I was always super fatigued and lightheaded with it but it would resolve within hours. I was very active tho older than you and retired since an episode of many PEs and an infarct of my RLL 3years ago. Worked hard to recover from that. Then in December I had afib for 11 days w severe shortness of breath, presyncopal, weakness, wicked indigestion and couldn’t eat much at one time due to nausea- nonfunctional with activity. Comfortable only if I sat with my feet up. A shocking change in functional level. Hospitalized a couple of times. Cardioversion helped but afib recurred with all the symptoms if hr went over 115 which it did if I walked across the house.ugh.
In NSR since an ablation but I still notice that mid sternum sense of pressure and discomfort along with a real intolerance to activity- B/P v low, 80s/50s, hr goes up, feel SOB etc. I’m not on any meds other than Eliquis, a statin & those for preexisting (and worsened) GERD and midodrine which has helped keep B/P at a safe level. I am improving over time. Takes longer to get depleted and I recover more quickly but if I’d still been working, I never could have kept a job. I do see occasional folks on line saying that their ablation recovery took months. So even tho some people are up and running in a week or so not everyone is. Not us. I have a wonderful pcp who’s been v methodical checking every possible issue but it all seems to be a v slow recovery at this point.
Hopefully you will find improvement over time and a more supportive care team. It doesn’t seem reasonable for them to be as dismissive as they sound from your description. Hugs

@ltb7
It is tough to get the right answers sometimes. I feel for you. I recently have started having heart problems, diagnosed with bradycardia and have to wait til August to see a cardiologist. It is so frustrating!
But I have started having constant dull aching pain along my back. It's not heart or lung related. I finally figured out that it is gastritis. Something, probably meds, have weakened my stomach lining. Doc has put me on Omeprazole for acid reflux (which I didn't have any symptoms like that) but research through AI (since doctors are so limited in what they can actually do) has given me a specific diet to do for 2 weeks. It is supposed to help me to reset my issue. It is very strict diet... Very bland, very boring but I am hoping to see results. I hope you find relief. Best wishes!