Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

Hi, my name is Zollie, 63 years old sports man who never thought have an atrial fibrillation problem. However when I was a kid in the community pools the older people warned us not to hand around deep in the hot water pool, cause its the source of the high heart beat. You think we listen? Here I am after 3 decades of excitement in a soccer goal, with a lots of stress some time, the diagnosis was devastating. I went for a simple upper reportorial track infection for about 2 years ago, than the doc wanted to check me in to the hospital, cause one of the peptide went ballistic. The doc said it's not your lung or a flu I think of, it's the heart. So it was. The docs knew it right away I was AFIB. Atrial Fibrillation the pulse was up and down. At sleep the heart beat pulse went to 160 or slowed down to 40, the blood pressure was up and down. Finding this out the docs suggested the ablation procedure. Before I tried to go through an electro pulse sync what some times controls the pulse. It did not work with me. Ablation procedure goes through the groin vanes up to the heart and like a tune up on cars, synchronize the heart beat.
Since that my pulse and pressure chart what I check every day with my MicroLife tester (Walmart) smooth and steady. I am still taking two meds recommended from hospital One Flecainide one Carvedilol morning and one each at night. So the pulse steady and this nightmare AFIB does not come back. I avoid stress and sleep well nothing jumps me out of the bed unexpectedly, turning off the phone too. So good so far a one and half year later of the ablation.

Hi, my name is Zollie, 63 years old sports man who never thought have an atrial fibrillation problem. However when I was a kid in the community pools the older people warned us not to hand around deep in the hot water pool, cause its the source of the high heart beat. You think we listen? Here I am after 3 decades of excitement in a soccer goal, with a lots of stress some time, the diagnosis was devastating. I went for a simple upper reportorial track infection for about 2 years ago, than the doc wanted to check me in to the hospital, cause one of the peptide went ballistic. The doc said it's not your lung or a flu I think of, it's the heart. So it was. The docs knew it right away I was AFIB. Atrial Fibrillation the pulse was up and down. At sleep the heart beat pulse went to 160 or slowed down to 40, the blood pressure was up and down. Finding this out the docs suggested the ablation procedure. Before I tried to go through an electro pulse sync what some times controls the pulse. It did not work with me. Ablation procedure goes through the groin vanes up to the heart and like a tune up on cars, synchronize the heart beat.
Since that my pulse and pressure chart what I check every day with my MicroLife tester (Walmart) smooth and steady. I am still taking two meds recommended from hospital One Flecainide one Carvedilol morning and one each at night. So the pulse steady and this nightmare AFIB does not come back. I avoid stress and sleep well nothing jumps me out of the bed unexpectedly, turning off the phone too. So good so far a one and half year later of the ablation.

Make sure to NEVER take any stimulants of any kind. They send my heart into AFib. Coffee, tea, coke, energy drinks, chocolate, alcohol, dental meds, cold remedies, cigarette smoke and...sugar! Except for sugar (which I succumb to on occasion in cookies or ice cream), I am very strict about keeping away from these things. And the older one gets, the more likely one is to flip back into AFib.
I have a friend who also suffers from AFib and he would rather be on drugs (beta blockers) and still drink wine etc.. That is NOT for me!...unless meds are necessary of course. I was on Sotacor for 2 years and with daily, aerobic exercise, I was able to slowly (always slowly) wean myself off them with the cardiologist's encouragement. Good luck!

Make sure to NEVER take any stimulants of any kind. They send my heart into AFib. Coffee, tea, coke, energy drinks, chocolate, alcohol, dental meds, cold remedies, cigarette smoke and...sugar! Except for sugar (which I succumb to on occasion in cookies or ice cream), I am very strict about keeping away from these things. And the older one gets, the more likely one is to flip back into AFib.
I have a friend who also suffers from AFib and he would rather be on drugs (beta blockers) and still drink wine etc.. That is NOT for me!...unless meds are necessary of course. I was on Sotacor for 2 years and with daily, aerobic exercise, I was able to slowly (always slowly) wean myself off them with the cardiologist's encouragement. Good luck!

I am not sure who to ask this question, but has anyone gained a significant amount of weight while on heart medications. I, too, am/was a very active man of 71 years. Since I started taking metoprolol and verapamil, I have gained 7-8 lbs. in about a 7 month period of time. I have been told by my cardiologist not to do any strenuous exercise, snow removal, etc. So, my inactivity could be a part of the problem. Could the weight gain be contributed to a different issue? I don't see the heart specialist I have been referred to for another couple of weeks. To remind others, my problems include apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with ventricular tachycardia. I have had all the tests. Any thoughts?

Hi @scardycat,

I moved your message about metoprolol and Zoloft back to this discussion, since you’ve posted in this thread and you can reconnect with fellow members.
It takes time to adjust to some beta-blockers and your doctor might have to adjust the dosage. Are you still experiencing fatigue?

Its actually getter no better but I still am having breakthrough pacs, Zoloft has helped tame the anxiety, thanks.

Hello @scardycat

I also had problems with Metoprolol. My cardiologist switched me to another beta blocker. I take it mid-day. I feel much better. Lots of people have problems with Metoprolol. Have you discussed this with your doctor?