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Hello all, I'm a 45-yr old Air Force Major (Male) recently diagn...

Posted at 6:41 AM on Jul 20, 2008 by jimm3, #32556
Hello all, I'm a 45-yr old Air Force Major (Male) recently diagnosed with asymptomatic chronic Atrial Fibrillation (As in I have it and was walking around not knowing it). When I went to see the cardiologist, my B.P. was only 120 / 74 (Which, until they changed the rules, used to be normal)and he puts me on Diovan 80mg once a day plus Coumadin 5mg. Well the Diovan almost made me faint and I had numbness in both arms, plus a funky rash, kind of like chicken pox showing up on my arms and thighs. I went online and read horror stories of Diovan so I stopped taking it immediately (I had only taken four doses and never had any horrible symptoms until after I took the meds!). Then the Dr. put me on an Event Monitor and it showed I was indeed in A-fib all the time, plus at night, my heart was racing briefly to 200 a minute while I was sound asleep. So he puts me on Toprol XL 100mg once a day. Immediately I had trouble sleeping (Which I never had before, ever!) with crazy dreams and tossing/turning. My B.P. dropped to 88/65 and my fibrillating heart rate was 64!!! I was so mad because I actually felt better before the meds. I found this site and saw what everyone was posting and immediately took myself off the Toprol XL. The day after stopping the Toprol I had slight chest pains (Like angina or gas bubble) but they went away on their own. I slept fine the next night. I'm having an Electro-Cardiversion done on the 21st July to see if I can stop the A-fib and get in normal rhythm. I know the Dr. is going to be mad at me for stopping the Diovan and Toprol, but I'm sorry, I'm convinced there is a better way to beat all this (Namely exercise and eating right). Being in the service means you have to be Mr. Physical and Mental "perfect" all the time. I cannot afford to be diagnosed with depression in my line of work! Thanks to all on this website and I wish you the best. PS. for those who think I'm being ignorant of my medication, I have a nice fat insurance policy and Power of attorney for my wife and kid in the event I keel over!!! I may be medication intolerant but at least I took care of my family.
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Reply about 1 year ago on Jul 22, 2008 by vanessa74, #10350

I am very sorry for what you have had to deal with. 100mg is a high dose to be started on - could you possibly lower it to 50mg or 25mg and see if you have less side effects. At least to keep your heart from racing until you can get the procedure done?

BTW I am 34 female and have been on Toprol for over 5 years - with many negative side effects, being on a lower dose did help with this somewhat but I was not getting proper B/P control - I am being weaned off and over to Diovan HCT -- I hate these HBP meds :(

Best of luck to you.....

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Reply about 1 year ago on Nov 04, 2008 by shemeantwell, #14151

Hi There. I, too, have episodes of atrial fibrillation and PVCs and PACs, very annoying heart rhythms. Do yourself a HUGE favor - buy yourself a bottle of OMEGA 3 Fish Oil (sold in a health food store) 1,000 milligrams take 3 per day (spread out over the day). I have no further problems after one month!! I have been symptom free for over a year. But careful if you are on Coumadin, as Omega 3 can thin the blood a tad. I am not invested in this product or selling anything - but I take what Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz take and that is the Nordic Natural products. Give it a try - it worked for me,. but doctors don't recognize natural remedies. Again, if you are on Coumadin - eventually you may cut back on your Coumadin as Omega 3 is also a blood thinner. This is why we need to keep our oceans pure and pristine - we depend on them and the life they support. I am only writing because I know the misery of heart rhythms.

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Reply about 1 year ago on Nov 04, 2008 by shemeantwell, #14152

P.S. Any cardiologist who would put a person with a low blood pressure like yours on Diovan is a real dunce! 120/74 is textbook and perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would get a second opinion STAT!

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