Heart rhythm symptoms and conditions

I recently posted on July 20th under Toprol XL side effects (45-yr old Male, USAF) and at the time was scheduled for a Cardio-version procedure for Chronic Atrial Fibrillation.
The procedure was successful and I am now on Betapace 160mg twice a day to maintain sinus rhythm. The drug took a little getting used to for the first few doses, but now has settled into my system pretty well. I did experience extreme fatigue, some light-headedness, a little blurry vision (Not bad, just when trying to read really small print in magazines and stuff) and general "weak" feeling for about two days. Now (4-days after Cardio-version) I am feeling very decent and have my energy level back.
I have one of those, Homedics Wrist based Heart/B.P. monitor cuffs and I've been crusing in normal beats with great B.P. on the Betapace. In my previous posting I explained that I'm pretty drug intolerant, but so far the Betapace has been amazing! I am not on Betapace AF, just Betapace Regular. Hopefully, I can stay in normal rhythm for a long time, but we'll see I guess.
I would recommend folks with Heart Rhythm issues like A-fib try Betapace, if their Doctor says it is an option. Oh, I have also been sleeping like a baby on this stuff, which is wonderful.

I started taking Toprol XL after being diagnosed with SVT back in May of 2003. I was only in my late 20's & was very trusting, at the time. I was recently sent to a cardiologist because I was having horrible chest pain & the Toprol XL 50 MG wasn't working at keeping the heart rate down. The GP put me on a double dose as well as Cardizem to help with the chest pain & rapid heart rate. I was already on Lanoxin 0.5MG, the highest dose allowed. The cardiologist took me off of the Cardizem right away because he said that is was too stressful for the heart to be on that much heart medicine. I went though several tests & was told by the cardiologist that I didn't have SVT & that this was actually Postural Tachycardia (POTS) & Neurocardiogenic Syncope. I was taken off of Lanoxin, but kept on Toprol XL 100 MG. He put me on lots of salt & water to increase my blood volume which would help my blood pressure when standing. That was in June of 2007. All went pretty good, I thought, until January 18, 2008 when I was working. My heart rate went up to 136 just standing or walking across a room. I called the doctor & talked to a nurse who suggested that I take another 1/2 of a Toprol. I did that & felt better for awhile, but it was short lived. I had been having chest pain, rapid heart rate, fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, short term memory problems, rapid weight gain, hair loss, cold extremities, & other things I can't think of right now for what seemed like forever. My gynecologist & my cardiologist first thought that I had thyroid problems, but all tests have come back negative. They then thought that maybe it was from the birth control pills that I had been on for the ovarian cysts. I was changed from one medicine to another & at first I thought that was what was wrong. I am now certain that all of the problems that I have been having were & are a result of the Toprol XL. I was even told that all the problems were "psychiatric in nature". I know that that isn't it at all! I have never had anxiety problems & the GP now thinks that's all that is wrong with me & wants me to go on Zoloft. I tried it, but became so ill that after one pill, I quit. I now plan on weaning myself off of the Toprol XL without the GP's knowledge or consent. The cardiologist was planning on weaning me off at some time in the future, but I am starting without him knowing it at the time. I'll just tell him when I see him next month. Thanks everyone for alerting me to the facts about this medicine. If I had known then what I do now, I'd have never consented to starting it in the first place. My only question is, are some of the "side effects" going to be a permanent thing for me or will they eventually go away? Any advice would be welcome! Thanks again!

My diagnosis for needing this med was taccycardia, irregular heart beat, and now very slightly evalated blood pressure (that seems to bother me more than the DR says it should )I have been trying to find a new drug that doesn't interfer with my COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease...in other words trouble breathing) Most of the heart meds add to your symptoms causing thick phlegm to build up, or wheezing. Most of the side effects for Betaxolol did go away eventually. I had horrible anxiety that seemed to ache from the inside out - that has finally dissipated. Itching & irritability also went away. I don't sleep well on this med at all - find my self waking in the middle of the nite and can't get back to sleep. To reduce the breathing problems this med causes for my lung condition I have tried taking the drug every other day and I experience my heart bouncing around in my chest, squeezed throat, serious trouble breathing cause my lungs don't work when my heart rhythm is wacky. Of course nothing shows up on the 30 day Event Heart Monitor they put me on so I might as well talk to the moon. Boy would I love to hear from anyone with asthma, COPD, emphysema, etc that needs BP meds and what works for them!

I just want to say that I was on YAZ for 1 1/2 years and I had absolutely no problems with it. In fact, YAZ was one of two birth control pills that I was on that didn't make me sick, out of five. Yes, sometimes I have anxiety, I'm depressed, bitchy, etc, but it is because I am Bi-polar and have been diagnosed for years now. I hate to sound insensitive, but maybe some of you ladies are just crazy like me. Also, birth control pills pump hormones into your body, and hello, what do hormones do... they can make us a little irrational, bitchy, depressed, etc. YAZ is not that much different than any other birth control.

I just went on Yasmin, because my insurance covers it better than YAZ. I will keep everyone posted, but I'm not too worried.

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Go get blood work done and have everything checked... especially your magnesium. I was having really bad palpitations and it turns out my magnesium was dangerously low (magnesium is an important mineral for your muscles, regulates heart rhythm). You may be depleting your body of minerals because of the diuretic in Yasmin, but go get your blood work done to make sure that's what is going on. I don't know what effexor is.

I am no longer on Yasmin and have an appointment next week for my magnesium levels. BTW- I feel great, I take a magnesium oxide tablet every morning for now.

Maxide (generic) lowered my blood pressure to below normal. It caused me to be weak and experience rapid heart rhythm. I felt as though I had been running when I was sitting still. It was great for my swelling, but do they insist on medicating us rather than telling us what is really wrong???

Yea, ive taken this drug off and on for sinus infections for a couple of years. I wonder if this drug wasnt responsible in part for my sudden arythmia (untimely heart rhythm) and tachycardia (heartbeat over 100 bpm)... but on to the side effects ive gotten over the years. Basically ive noticed a feeling in my upper stomach like if i had almost acidic Gas or something, I get to feeling semi lightheaded and disoriented, Tired yet at the same time hyper which is odd.. like my mind is willing but my body isnt. Overall I feel malaise (feeling of slight illness)... think im dieing sometimes when on it! Heart Palpatations (when the heart is a little slow and then speeds up to catch up pumping a larger volume of blood through at once which is basically what it feels like... something hitting your heart from within). Anyway overall the drug is aweful... I took one today hoping it wouldnt hurt me too bad so i could get rid of my Ear Effusion(middle ear fluid), and my sinus blockage. I would suggest a reevaluation as well, I thought i was the only one getting all of these side effects for years until today. Go figure.

I was given Ultracet yesterday for pain relief from carpal and cubital tunnel. The side effects were as follows: headache, chest pain with erratic heart rate (not good as I have WPWS and take medication to regulate my heart rhythm) stomach cramps and was not able sleep. My doctor wants me to take this med for the next two weeks at which time I am to have surgery on my right arm and hand. This is a contradiction to the 5 day rule. I took 2 pills over the course of 12 hours. I won't take it again and I'm calling my doctor this morning!!!