Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

To lowering heart rate, I walk. I do 10,000 steps a day. That mean 3 times 15 minutes walk. Morning, after lunch at day time, and sunset time 15 minutes. This controls my heart pulse rate, and blood pressure. After morning walk I take the two meds, than test pressure and pulse with a micro-life tester, than both test looks good. I repeat at sunset the walk the meds and the test. I quit drinking beer ( : ( ) but its ok. Limit coffee (morning) and wine (at night after dinner) to small cup ie glass works for me...

What is the name of the other beta blocker where you feel better?

Have been on metropolol for awhile and just want to sleep (50 mg er succ) twice a day if cut down heart pounds. Also ondiltiizam 60 mg twice a day and digoxin once a day. Feel like a zombie.

@healthytoday
It is Atenolol, I take the same dose, 25 mg, but there are no side effects. One of the worst side effects with Metoprolol was very vivid dreams. They were not nightmares but dreams where I was extremely busy, I used to wake up tired from all of the dreaming activity. I was also anxious because I had not slept well. Sounds unusual, but the vivid dreams are listed as a side effect on the drug's website. Not so with the Atenolol, though. Much better, feel more relaxed. Might be worth a try, if your doctor is agreeable.

Here are some websites listing the side effects of Metoprolol. I had many of these.

https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-8814/metoprolol-succinate-oral/details/list-sideeffects
https://www.drugs.com/sfx/metoprolol-side-effects.html
https://www.rxlist.com/toprol-xl-side-effects-drug-center.htm

Any opinions on taking Eliquis verse baby aspirin?

For blood thinners. For what purpose

Afib, stroke prevention.

Can anyone tell me how long Afib has been around, seems like it’s becoming very prevalent, I wonder why?

@healthytoday, I was diagnosed with A-fib four years ago. My cardiologist prescribed Coumadin as my anticoagulant medication for preventing clots from forming in my heart and invading my brain, causing a stroke. At the time of the diagnosis, I had been on baby aspirins for several years, and my cardiologist recommended that I drop that practice -- worried, he said, that it would cause excess bleeding in combination with the other medication. A good friend is also an A-fib patient, taking Coumadin and baby aspirin; his cardiologist found variables in his circulatory system, including his heart and kidneys, that indicated the aspirin would be helpful.

Neither he nor I have or offer any opinions about aspirin versus anticoagulant. Factors involved are numerous, subtle, and technical -- so much so that we don't make recommendations to anybody. And we restrict our decisive discussions about this to those that we have with our respective medical teams.

Some people consider Coumadin to be its own problem, requiring regular blood tests to make sure of stable coagulation at low-threat levels. I don't share that concern, but only for myself. I don't recommend Coumadin therapy for anybody else, although I do defend it with associates whose cardiologists have recommended it to them. As to Coumadin versus Eliquis, I point out that there is a ready antidote for Coumadin (for use in case of a wound or hemorrhage or intestinal or urethral bleeding), but not for Eliquis, and that makes the choice between the two a primary subject for thorough discussion with a doctor prescribing Eliquis. I'm sorry that this response is so lengthy, but the issues are complex and many and require physician guidance rather than informal opinions of nonprofessionals. Martin