Swelling from meds for AFIB and leaky heart valve

Posted by everinterceding @everinterceding, Oct 28, 2018

I was diagnosed with AFIB in June by my PPP. After seeing a nurse practitioner (who I thought was a cardiologist- which I asked for!), she put me on Losartan, Levothyroxiine, Metoprolol, Furosemide, and Eliquis!!! I swelled up like a balloon. So they put me on a water pill, Lasix which didn't help much. I had been taking Triemterine for my BP which worked very well for me and it is also a water pill. So they switched me to that pill. . . which didn't help much either. So I increased the dosage by 1/2 pill in a.m. and p.m. I got into BIG trouble!! My kidneys developed a type of poison called "carenitine" sp? I spent 10 days in the hospital trying to clear my kidneys up!!! Now I've been told instead of AFIB, I have a "quiver" heart beat. I will address this to my cardiologist's next visit. Has any one else had the same reaction (swelling) when using these meds? Thanks and God bless!

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Martin Jensen, Volunteer Mentor | @predictable | Oct 28, 2018

Dear @everinterceding, I'll not waste a lot of time right now. With a medication load like you have been given, I'd want to have an appointment with my main doctor first thing Monday. I feel like you've been medicated heavily for a wide range of circulatory problems. If you work through a Primary Care Physician, you should consider asking for a referral to a Nephrologist, a kidney doctor, whose expertise is in the role of kidneys in high blood pressure. This doctor also will deal with your carnitine, which is not normally considered a poison, but is a metabolism product in every warm-blooded animal. (Incidentally, Furosemide IS Lasix.) I hope your Cardiologist will also give you an appointment now so you can get a review of the situation with your heart. I'm not thinking that you need urgent or emergency treatment right now -- unless you develop serious symptoms with your heart or kidneys, often indicated by dizziness, fainting, inability to breathe freely. In that case, call 911 to get to a hospital. Martin