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Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group
Welcome to the Heart Rhythm Conditions group on Mayo Clinic Connect.
Did you know that the average heart beats 100,000 times a day? Millions of people live with heart rhythm problems (heart arrhythmias) which occur when the electrical impulses that coordinate heartbeats don't work properly. Let's connect with each other; we can share stories and learn about coping with the challenges, and living well with abnormal heart rhythms. I invite you to follow the group. Simply click the +FOLLOW icon on the group landing page.
I'm Kanaaz (@kanaazpereira), and I'm the moderator of this group. When you post to this group, chances are you'll also be greeted by volunteer patient Mentors and fellow members. Learn more about Moderators and Mentors on Connect.
Let's chat. Why not start by introducing yourself?
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@wendyann56 Have you seen a pulmonologist? How is your adiposity (percentage of body fat)? Does your spine support your head and thorax well.....or do you have the early stages of a 'dowager's hump?' Do you habitually slump when you sit? Have you been tested for allergens formally? Are your bowels moving at least once a day (this may look like a very odd question, but some bowels are 'lazy' and only expel their contents after days of buildup. Naturally, there is volume to consider, and it's all sharing the same enclosure...your abdominal cavity)?
@wendyann56
@oldgolfer9
I am a 75 year old. I was found to have Afib last Nov. Then I was found with a bad Aortic valve when they tried to shock my heart back into rhythm which did not succeed. Had a TAVR done 12/29/2025. Dizzy spells and short-term memory loss since. Pacemaker placed since, every test known done since, ablation and watchman placed this week. Heart not in Afib now. Praying this all works. Six months of torture has been awful. On Eliquis since beginning! Any advice is appreciated.
PAf for over 10 years
Flecainide as PIP and Bisoprolol usually helped
when arrhythmia onset.
But 2 days ago didn’t . Went to ER , where with 24 hr IV Amiodoron heart rate stabilized to normal.
Prescribed - stop Flecainide and start Amiodoron.
No arrhythmia or tachycardia so far but feel sick,( tired, weak exhausted!!)
Perhaps stronger Amiodoron helped to convert , but for everyday day it feels “too much”
https://www.drugs.com/tips/amiodarone-patient-tips
Amiodarone is a highly effective AAD (anti-arrhythmic drug). It has its downsides, and the patient should be informed about them before prescribing it.
Amiodarone is all that works for some....a few. For the rest of us, myself included, I was only on it for a short term, often less than three months.
The gold standard of care for atrial fibrillation (AF) is catheter ablation. The method the electrophysiologist uses is not quite so important as that person's experience and skill-set. Catheter ablation works most effectively and most easily in the early stages of AF. It sounds like you're on the cusp of moving from 'paroxysmal' to 'persistent' stage, meaning your AF is progressing. Best to consult an EP right away and get on his 'to do' list.
I am an 81-year-old male who had two stents placed in the LAD 4 years ago and last year had a pacemaker implanted after syncope episodes, one lasting 7 to 8 minutes due to sinus node electrical problems. It has been determined that I have NSVT and was placed on 25 mg metoprolol.Due to some reoccurring light-headedness my cardiologist and electrophysiologist discussed and recommended an increase to 50 mg of metoprolol thinking that the nsvt was the contributing cause of lightheadedness. I have always exercised anaerobicly and aerobicly and my heart itself is good in my ejection fraction good, just the electrical issues. Has anyone experienced anything similar and if so, what medications are you taking, what do you recommend and so forth.
@chuckiepoo1 I am not schooled on NSVT, but I do know what metoprolol is for and can do that is undesired. Metoprolol is a beta blocker meant to both nub the force of each contraction and to increase the refractory period between beats....meaning make the heart beat more slowly. The idea for incipient hypertension, which is what metoprolol is occasionally prescribed for, is to take the strain off the heart muscles and its large proximal vessels, but also of the eyes and kidneys, as other examples. You want BP strictly controlled when it begins to rise, say with age. (Lots of revision in that field, BP in the aged). Then, if/when a heart begins to experience bouts of tachyarrhythmia, the drug also limits, or is intended to limit, the high rate, especially for those with RVR (rapid ventricular response).
You need to find a cardiologist who can assess you fully, or a new one if you don't like/trust the advice of one you're currently seeing. That authority can properly advise you about medications, changes to medications, and dosage alterations when it seems right to do that. We do not provide medical advice, only some anecdotal sharing and caring.
@gloaming thank you for your answer and insight.
@chuckiepoo1
I would have a loop recorder implanted so you and your doctors don’t have to guess if your light-headedness is being caused by bouts of NSVT or the now increased dosage of metoprolol.
In my experience, metoprolol caused dizziness and increased the likelihood of a fall as a result. It also made me very tired. I tried many different meds until I landed on a calcium channel blocker called Verapamil slow release capsules for the purpose of slowing my heart rate.
The Medtronic loop recorder I have is quite small and easily placed under the skin after the area is numbed by injection. Out patient procedure. Your every heartbeat can be monitored for any irregularities and your physicians can then make your care decisions based on hard facts.
Good luck.