Eliquis and AFIB

@kick I see your reasoning, and I support it....for what that might be worth to you. I have seen posts across sites dealing with heart arrhythmias where people state that their BP plummeted, but so did their heart rate. In some cases, to the point of long pauses, like 10 seconds or more with no beats (my hand is up). If we can safely, and reasonably, predict that your claimed '...usually 117/59...' is correct for almost all of the time when you're not active and lifting things or moving quickly, that's not a bad set of numbers...enviable for many of us. But, you won't know if those numbers will fall too far, especially the diastolic 59, unless you agree to do a trial of the metoprolol...which can help if all else is good. Just offering that as a way to not rule out something your cardiologist thinks might be of benefit to you, and who knows, it may help to reduce your anxiety in the long run if you know you have a strong 'team' working for you.

My AF, a progressive disorder, was beginning to pick up speed on its slide toward persistent AF, at which point it becomes more involved to tame and to treat, such as with an ablation. At one point I was up to 150 mg of metoprolol and felt tingling on the back of my neck and felt weird...while driving! !!! Later, when I was in intensive care for recurrent arrhythmia, and had just been re-upped to the 150 mg of metoprolol, the nurse came running into my room only to find me chatting with my wife...unaware. She held her forefingers about ten inches apart and said they had watched my heart pause 'that long' on their monitor. (Gulp!) I stopped metoprolol right then and there and was prescribed amiodarone. But I followed the helpful and concerned internist who actually managed to get ahold of my very busy EP and they agreed that I must cease metoprolol and start amiodarone. So, my long point is that the drug may be helpful, but if you elect to decline to take it, you'll never know. With reasonably monitoring, say every hour for the first coupla days, you may find that you handle the metoprolol well, that it doesn't ash-can your BP, and that you find yourself pleasantly surprised at how well it makes you feel.

I no longer live in the US. The coffee there has stuff added. Where I live in Costa Rica, the coffee is pure and a friend here told me I would have no problem. I was skeptical, but I discovered I can drink one half cup and no problem with about one half of it milk. Cannot do the same with coffee from the US..
When in the US, I used to drink a cup of decaf from Dunkin Donuts which did affect me.
I do not know where else, but when visiting a few years ago, I saw coffee from Costa Rica in Whole Foods.
If you find, I suggest a half a cup and test for a few days. I do eat a bit of dark chocolate, but always with protein, usually a few walnuts or other nuts to balance out any effect from caffeine or sugar.

@lenmayo
I had an episode of AFib on the 25th of November. Was put on Eliquist from Doc in ER. Saw the cardiologist 10 days later and she agreed I should be on it. I have a lot of anxiety over this. I loved my morning coffee which now makes it worse. Can’t shake the anxiety even after deep breathing & yoga.
She suggested metoprolol might help. My blood pressure is usually 117/59. I am worried it will drop to low. Already side effects Eliquist are headaches, light headed, anxious feelings without the metoprolol. Have not had another episode of AFib since the 25th of November. Has anyone experiencing this? If so how do you deal with this?

@lenmayo
I had an episode of AFib on the 25th of November. Was put on Eliquist from Doc in ER. Saw the cardiologist 10 days later and she agreed I should be on it. I have a lot of anxiety over this. I loved my morning coffee which now makes it worse. Can’t shake the anxiety even after deep breathing & yoga.
She suggested metoprolol might help. My blood pressure is usually 117/59. I am worried it will drop to low. Already side effects Eliquist are headaches, light headed, anxious feelings without the metoprolol. Have not had another episode of AFib since the 25th of November. Has anyone experiencing this? If so how do you deal with this?

@rice
Eliquis is a anticoagulant and blood thinner. It is used to prevent blood clots and stroke.
Metoprolol is mostly used too reduce blood pressure but also for heart rhythms.

I am 74 with bradycardia when my doc was trying out different medication for high blood pressure 130/80 had 4 episodes of AFIB the last one I was on metoprolol which he gave me for the afib. That was august 24. I am now on HTCZ and my blood pressure is a constant 117/70. I run 6 miles 3X a week my max heart rate goes up to 190. I go back to the cardiologist in January I was thinking about asking the cardiologist if it was ok to go off the Eliquis