Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

I would like to wean off 25mg Metoprolol ER Succnate 1 X / day. I am 77 yr. female and had never taken any medication/s until Jan 26 2022. I hate the way I feel. I may ask my doctor about Bystolic (supposed to not have the side effects of Metoprolol), but what I would really like is getting off medication altogether. Has anyone tried Beetroot supplements as an alternative to prescription drugs?

Hi, I'm Polly. I'm 58 yrs old and I began with tachycardia in 2018. At my Dr visit, my heart rate was around 150 bpm. Was then referred to my cardiologist. A cardiac work up completed with normal results. Continued to experience episodes of tachycardia. F/U with cardiologist, the plan was to insert an implantable loop recorder to detect continous heart rhythm. This cardiac devise revealed the dx of Inappropriate sinus tachycardia. Have been on 3 beta blockers to help manage tachycardia but have been experiencing sob, chest pains, fatigue along with other symptoms. My cardiologist has recommended a calcium channel blocker to take 2x/day. Has anyone been diagnosed with IST?

Hi, although I have had heart palpitations most of my life, checked a few times over the years with Holter monitors and diagnosed as benign, I was diagnosed with AFib in January this year (2022). Beginning in December, I had 3 AFib events that lasted 1, 5 and 7 hours, respectively, then one that lasted 2 hours while on the Holter monitor that diagnosed the condition, and recently one event that lasted 55 minutes while on 50mg Flecainide twice daily and 25 mg metoprolol once daily. While that so far is the extent of my longer-lasting AFib events, this diagnosis has kind of shifted me from being a very aerobically active, outdoorsy man of 75 years young on no meds to a confused, fearful, incapacitated old man. Of course, i am enormously grateful for my good health into my senior years, and I realize that this new challenge in my life is a shock that will take getting used to. But I do find myself in constant fear that my next heartbeat will turn into the wildly irregular and racing heart of an AFib event. Nights are the worst as I wake up several times at night with a too-fast pulse that turns out, I think, to be from anxiety rather than AFib. The biggest problem for me so far with trying to get a grip on this is total confusion, uncertainty, and doubt because there is so much information and there are so many different opinions out there about the wide variety of medications and other treatments for AFib. That’s why I am truly pleased to have found this Mayo Clinic Connect. I am looking forward to learning more from all of you about this condition by reading about your experiences and asking any questions I come up with as time goes on. Thank you!

Well, I had my 1st Afib encounter in 2015 when I was 63. It was so scary. I went to the ER and spent the night. Left the next day on 100mg Flecanide. Also learned I had severe tricuspid valve regurgitation. So, we left Florida and headed home. Went to Mayo Clinic, in Rochester. That was all 7 years ago. I just had open heart surgery for that tricuspid valve and mitral valve repair. I have put all my trust in Mayo. Afib is no fun. I am in it all the time but the meds are helping keep the heart beat
at a decent rate. So try not to be too overly concerned. However, that is being said by one of the biggest worriers ever!!😉

Hi bjanderson, thanks for the useful and encouraging feedback. Sounds like you have been through some challenges with the open heart surgery and all. But it also sounds like you are doing well with the help of the meds. Glad to hear it. Thanks again.

@riverpark have you been able to identify any triggers? I stopped eating after 5pm and that has helped my paroxysmal afib. I also take magnesium and drink low sodium V8 for potassium. My afib is also paroxysmal and I land in the ER when it happens, but it happens once a year or less. I use diltiazem ONLY when I have afib, and feel lucky to avoid any meds otherwise, so far. Are you on a blood thinner?

All I can say it afib is very worrisome for me pschologically just what the heart does not need. It is indeed comfusing with all the options. Each case is different. I have had it for years with no symptoms until the last few years. I travel but close to home fearful of going very far away as I ddi. Had two ablations...with some success but no cure in my case...on meds...blood thinner...palpitations are"scary"but so far not life threatening although they feel as if they are when they are occurring....Recently went to ER but okey. Pacemaker in view as also have slow heartbeat..Hard to know what todo.

In my life, I have had 5 AFib episodes from December to recently, so I envy your having just one per year or so. Do you have other arrhythmia or palpitations regularly? Like PVCs and very short runs of super ventricular tachycardia? I always did and lived okay with them until these horrifying long-lasting bouts of AFib. I believe my single trigger is anxiety, so I am aggressively trying to mitigate that with meditation and such, no anxiety drugs, strongly considering therapy. (Would love to hear anybody’s comments on anxiety’s role in their AFib!) I also take magnesium and eat plenty of bananas. Because of my other kinds of arrhythmia, cardiologist does not recommend pill in pocket idea like you use with diltiazim. I do hope to find a way to reduce meds to your level of frequency if possible, though. I am otherwise in very good health at 75, so cardiologist recommends I do not take a blood thinner because the risk associated with the blood thinner outweighs my risk of stroke.

I identify 100 percent with your comments, not knowing what to do!

I can only imagine what it is like to suddenly start having these episodes. My first one happened after flying to help one of my kids with a medical crisis so it was flying + sudafed + deydration + stress and focus on kid not self.

@riverpark does your heart rate go way up? Mine goes above 180 so I have pretty clear symptoms for ambulance call. I have had PVC's and very short runs of tachycardia but not to the point of being very bothersome since menopause.

I am impressed that your doc did not put you on blood thinners. Most docs just automatically put us on them. My doc kept pressuring me to go on an anticoagulant, but the hospital doc said not to worry about it. Confusing! Ultimately the cardiologist told me the CHADS2 scoring had changed and they had been overmedicating people, and agreed on no blood thinners- for now.

Last summer I had my longest episode at 7 hours. They did an echocardiogram to check for clots and one Heparin shot which is routine. I read that there are now studies supporting short term anticoagulation (like for one month) after an episode. I have inquired about that and was glad to see that study, hope it becomes practice.

I do tai chi and it really helps and is also enjoyable. The anxiety of anticipating another episode must be tough. At this point I swear I can feel something coming and believe it or not, it helps me prevent afib by 1) quickly sitting up straight and 2) taking an anti-gas supplement

The way you suddenly started having relatively frequent episodes is mysterious. Did anything change in your life or health or meds? I hope you find answers. Afib, PVC's and tachycardia are not dangerous but they are scary.

Last summer the EMT's kept remarking on how calm I was, given the symptoms . It really has sunk in that I am not in danger. And the chest sensations have become familiar, unfortunately!