Muscle weakness…afib meds?

Yes, sarcopenia afflicts all of us eventually. But your statin might be the main culprit...if it's just weakness or some pain that makes using your muscles less appealing and that you therefore do less with them. So can inactivity, insufficient protein in the diet, or the wrong kind for your person, other dietary misses like enzymes and minerals, diseases, maybe insufficient vitamins, notably D3 (anyone who spends most of the day indoors or who lives north of the 40th //el is likely to have low levels. Consult a physician, but folks at MedCram on YouTube suggest that 4000-5000 IU of D3 should be taken daily for most otherwise healthy adults. Again, not without running it past your GP first.

I'm not medically trained, so please don't go running out into the street shouting 'Eureka!' I'm just guessing, and probably not very accurately or comprehensively. If you haven't had a full annual medical in several years, now would be a great time.

Finally, I blamed the loss of my mojo when I was formally diagnosed and had to commence 25 mg of metoprolol daily on that drug. My cardiologist shook his head and said, 'Don't blame metoprolol for a lack of energy. And don't lose your cardiac fitness either.' I'm not convinced. I have never been the same since commencing both atorvastatin and metoprolol, but neither has my heart! It's wonky now, and it's permanent. I'm currently three years in NSR after two ablations (the first was in the sad statistic that 25% of first ablations are unsuccessful in stemming the arrythmia). I can run long enough to get my heart, at 73 years of age, up to 145, but I never sustain it; it's a run/walk for me to recover, then repeat for several km. I don't want to play with fire.

Yes Im also fit 66 year old lost a lot of muscle mass due to Afib Meds was bench pressing 95 lbs dumbbells now only 70 Lbs,

Yes it makes your legs feel heavy and seemingly harder for each step plus out of breath

I have been on Eliquis for the past 3.5 years to treat paroxysmal Afib. During the past year my muscle strength has decreased so that when I use the muscles I have pain in my back, legs and feet. Available medical information states that blood thinners do cause muscle weakness. Is there a definitive way/test to pinpoint muscle eakness caused by blood thinners

I am a 92 yr old female - diagnosed about 4 yrs ago with Afib. I am taking Eliquis AND sotalol plus Losartan'. I really notice extreme weakness now - I guess I should be content with loss of strength at my age but I wish I could feel a little better. Any suggestions? Thanks

Racklucy ....I will not do it for you. I suggest you Google the side effects of each med you are taking. And understand that not everyone who has a problem, bit or small, will take the time or effort to report it, so consider that the complaints are many times more.

An next time, do it before paying or swallowing. Also, read the ingredients for every food. Hint, an apple does not need a list. I am 77 yrs old and take no meds and had afib in the past.

@twessel Even off Eliquis for three months the side effects are still there. My search results side effects I was having came up with Eliquus and thus on this site. I'm no longer a 10 on pain level and no longer have vertigo and think daily better. Still have an uneven gait and indigestion problems, but with time it does seem to get better. I had a saddle pulmonary embolism and thus the Eliquis. It did its job removing existing clots after the major one was removed. my guess is that it also removes other tissue along the way. My job is to work on building muscle again and in the meantime be thanking I'm alive.

@gloaming - Agree. I've been on Eliquis and Metoprolol for almost 4 years. I couldn't make sense of my low energy (which leads to less exercise, which leads to less muscle strength) until recently when the pharmacist, who takes a beta blocker for other reasons, called it "the beta blocker blues." I wasn't imagining it, it wasn't just because I was getting old. I was tested for B12 and Iron levels and both were found low so I'm now on those supplements. But what else to do about low energy still illudes me.

@gloaming I sure can relate to everything you are saying about meds. I have a second ablation coming up. Hoping for the best.

I’m a reasonably fit 73 yr old female. I exercise daily and have since I was 30 yrs old. Since starting Afib meds (Eliquis/Metoprolol) I still exercise but feel I am struggling with workouts that used to be only mildly challenging. It feels somewhat comforting that others are validating my experience with meds. My doc just says ‘that’s not a side effect’. Going in for a second ablation 1/31, hoping for success so I can decrease meds. Good luck to you!