Connect
A-Fib
I am 75 years old. 25 years ago, I was diagnosed with A-Fib. My doctor put me on Propafenone 150mg 3x/day. I have had no A-Fib since then. I had a bad carb accident 4 months ago. My new doctor has added Apixaban 5mg 2x/day and Metoprolol 25mg 2x/day. Do I need all three medications?
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart Rhythm Conditions Support Group.
Connect
@lucyloo
Those questions are best asked to your medical doctors. We on MCC can nor should give you medical advise of what to take or not take just our experiences.
I am not familiar with with Propafenone and it's purpose. But I do know that Metoprolol is given to help reduce PACs and PVCs and a very common prescribed drug. I am not familiar with Apixaban either.
I would be asking your prescriber why, what used for, side affects, contradictions and the "do I need all three medications." We don't have your full medical history, your fill mental health history, nor are you doctors so those medical questions should be answered by your medical providers. If they don't get back to you or don't give you the answers I would suggest seeing a EP elsewhere.
@jc76 @lucyloo apixaban is Eliquis
Could someone send me contact/address for pharmacy in Canada to order Eliquis/apixaban. Thank you
@cdk43
Discount Canada Drugs
discountcanadadrugs.com
1-833-345-0422
About $80 for 200 5mg pills-including shipping.
Use referral code BER-LEO-540 for $20 off your first order.
Maybe the car accident caused a lot of stress.
Stress can affect the way your heart beats-PVC's, AFIB, etc.
Do you monitor yourself for AFIB with a Kardia Mobile, etc.?
Can you feel them? Do they occur regularly?
The Propafenone affects the way your heart beats.
Metoprolol is to reduce blood pressure. It also reduces your heart rate. It can also help with PVC's, etc.
Eliquis/Apixaban is an anti-coagulant to prevent clots in the left Atrial Appendage when you have AFIB. This reduces the chance of a stroke.
An implantable loop recorder (ILR) is a small device implanted under the skin of the chest to continuously monitor heart activity for up to three years. Some doctors will discontinue some drugs if you have this installed.
No one likes taking drugs. There can be side effects!
It is between you and your cardiologist regarding your treatment.
Depending on your history with AF, you may be smarter to take the apixaban (branded as 'Eliquis', which I have been on for eight years now with no worries. NOTE: some cannot tolerate the direct-acting oral anti-coagulants like apixaban and rivaroxaban or dabigatran. You'll have to endure a trial by fire, but for the vast majority it is well tolerated...please keep that in mind...and an open mind).
Once again, depending on your history, and realistically, on your prescribing authority's history as well...maybe that person just feels better knowing you're taking it as a preventative.
Apixaban is a clotting retardant. It does NOT prevent clots; it slows the process of clotting, which is all you really want.
Why apixaban or any of the other DOACs? Because of a little pouch on the extreme upper left of your left atrium. It is known as the 'left atrial appendage', or the LAA for short. If is always poorly flushed with blood, but when fibrillating it is exceedingly poorly flushed with blood. The stale blood left in it between strokes can begin to clot. Eventually, one or more clots can be dislodged from the LAA and travel to places where they will cause you great misery for the rest of your natural life. So, TAKE THE DOAC!!!
Metoprolol I'm not certain I can agree with....IF....you have rare and occasional episodes of AF. If you have them once a week, once a day, that's often enough that your heart could stand a little 'sedative' to keep it from beating too rapidly WHEN you are in AF. Metoprolol is a 'rate control' medication, a beta-blocker, meant to both reduce the force of each contraction and to reduce how often the contractions happen. Again, I don't know if it's a good fit for your case, but I don't know you at all! Your prescribing authority does, and unless you can mount a convincing argument to that person for not taking metoprolol, you're kinda at the behest of that prescription.......aren't you?
Lastly, I am not a physician and have no medical training. So, I would counsel you to read documents on your own published by reputable journals or by trusted experts who publish on these subjects. If you can argue persuasively, then you're on your own, but you'll be running on your own steam....and at your own risk.
Standard operating procedure for and to prevent fib. There are alot more than three.
Good luck not fibbing.