Greetings,

This is my first post. Beginning in about 2014 I began to have wild sensations in my heart. Hard to describe, but felt like I was going up and over the top in a rollercoaster… while reading a book or other mild activities.
Saw a cardiologist…he put a heart monitor on me. Nothing happened. Looked completely normal. I felt foolish. Yet, off and on thru the years ever since I would have these increasingly worrisome sensations….I was sure my heart was racing. Yet, time and time again..heart monitor showed nothing. Days would go by, then it would happen again. Cannot tell you the number of doctors that smiled, patted me on the head and sent me home.

So…I went to the doc 3 weeks ago. With actually other issues, but also made a point to tell the doc about these sensations that seemed to be happening more often. You guessed it..heart monitor showed nothing.

I bought one of those finger monitors for heart rate. Decided I would find out for myself if it was real. And sure enough, I saw this happen on that little screen. Sitting reading a book my heart suddenly took off…from 68 to 172 in just a few seconds. It lasted about 4 minutes before back to 70.

I brought it with my to the doc…wanted to test it against the device they have in the office….I had an “episode” right in front of the Doc! EKG caught all of it. Now for the first time I was diagnosed with Afib. Never realized that the heart racing like that was Afib.

Well…now, Doc wants me on eliquis. Did you know that stuff is $600 A MONTH! I have Medicare part D…it covers only $100 the first month…then I will have to pay $175 per month till I hit the wall at $5200..after that I will pay full price till January. So..this is looking like a serious budget issue …..for the rest of my life? Because I have drug insurance (lousy as it is) I do not quality for any discounts of coupons from eliquis.

Can anyone give me some advice? I have a hard time believing this is an emergency since I have been dealing with this for 9 years, and been poo pooed by so many docs that whole time. Can I have Afib and not ever have this escalate? I am taking metoprolol now..it seems to have stopped it for now. I know the risk of blood clots is serious…but I cannot pay for eliquis for longer than about 6 months. Is there a alternative that is much cheaper but effective? Is there a drug plan out there that will really cut total cost by at least half?