Guest guest Posted May 20, 2002 Report Share Posted May 20, 2002 Hi Mike, 44 is pretty low. Is this your resting pulse? It would probably be a good idea to let your doctor know. Is she/he a cardiologist? Sounds like you might benefit from a cardiology workup, or have you already had one done? Also, are you taking something to thin your blood, such as an aspirin a day? There are lots of different ways to treat paroxysmal af -- sometimes you have to look around a bit to find the right doctor and the right treatment for your specific, individual needs. Good to have you on board. Welcome! Sandy USA Atenolol My name is Mike and I was just recently diagnosed with paraxysmol af. I am in the military and have been getting pretty much no help from the military docs. I had an episode on Sat. and had to stay the night in a hospital. The next day the doctor (civilian) told me to take 200mg of atenolol a day, 100 at breakfast and 100 at dinner. I am so completely drained of any energy and my pulse is 44, is that ok? Because it seems awful low to me. I also can't stop fixating on things. I'll just look and look at one thing and when I go to look away, I just keep on staring at it. At least I'm finally getting help from somebody...anybody. I complained to the military for 5 years about my heart, and it took me passing out in the middle of the street for them to start paying attention....what little it has been. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2002 Report Share Posted May 20, 2002 Hi Mike I think that you should speak to your Dr again about the dosage. It may be that this is right for you, and your Dr will know more than me. However, I am of the understanding that atenolol is one of those drugs that stays in the system for 24 hours, so really you only need one dose a day, although some people like to split it. It seems strange to start someone off on 200mg daily. When I was put on atenolol after being on 120mg sotalol twice a day, they started me at 50mg atenolol with the thought to increase it as it came to light what or how much it was controlling. A pulse rate of 44 does sound a bit low, especially if you are finding it even difficult to look away from things. Do you happen to know what your resting HR was before you took atenolol? Another thing to find out is what is your BP. Atenolol can lower BP and if you have low BP it may be just too much for you. Good luck Fran Atenolol > My name is Mike and I was just recently diagnosed with paraxysmol > af. I am in the military and have been getting pretty much no help > from the military docs. > > I had an episode on Sat. and had to stay the night in a hospital. > The next day the doctor (civilian) told me to take 200mg of atenolol > a day, 100 at breakfast and 100 at dinner. I am so completely > drained of any energy and my pulse is 44, is that ok? Because it > seems awful low to me. I also can't stop fixating on things. I'll > just look and look at one thing and when I go to look away, I just > keep on staring at it. At least I'm finally getting help from > somebody...anybody. I complained to the military for 5 years about > my heart, and it took me passing out in the middle of the street for > them to start paying attention....what little it has been. > > Mike > > > > Web Page - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport > FAQ - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/files/Administrative/faq.htm > For more information: http://www.dialsolutions.com/af > Unsubscribe: AFIBsupport-unsubscribe > List owner: AFIBsupport-owner > For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email, > send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help > > Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should be acted upon without consultation with one's physician. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2002 Report Share Posted May 20, 2002 Just looked up the usual dosing for atenolol. Fran DOSAGE AND DIRECTIONS FOR USE: Atenolol Hypertension: In the treatment of hypertension atenolol is given by mouth in a dose of 50 - 100 mg daily as a single dose, although 50 mg daily is generally adequate. The full effect is usually evident within 1 - 2 weeks. Angina Pectoris: The usual dose for angina pectoris is 50 - 100 mg daily given as a single dose or in divided doses. Although up to 200 mg daily has been given for angina pectoris, additional benefit is not usually obtained from higher doses of atenolol. When control is achieved after emergency treatment of cardiac arrhythmias with IV injection of atenolol, maintenance doses of 50 - 100 mg daily may be given by mouth. Reduced doses may be required in patients with impaired renal function, as follows. When creatinine clearance is 15 to 35 mL per minute suggested doses are 50 mg daily by mouth or 10 mg once every two days intravenously. When creatinine clearance is less than 15 mL per minute suggested doses are 25 mg daily or 50 mg on alternate days by mouth or 10 mg once every four days intravenously. Atenolol > My name is Mike and I was just recently diagnosed with paraxysmol > af. I am in the military and have been getting pretty much no help > from the military docs. > > I had an episode on Sat. and had to stay the night in a hospital. > The next day the doctor (civilian) told me to take 200mg of atenolol > a day, 100 at breakfast and 100 at dinner. I am so completely > drained of any energy and my pulse is 44, is that ok? Because it > seems awful low to me. I also can't stop fixating on things. I'll > just look and look at one thing and when I go to look away, I just > keep on staring at it. At least I'm finally getting help from > somebody...anybody. I complained to the military for 5 years about > my heart, and it took me passing out in the middle of the street for > them to start paying attention....what little it has been. > > Mike > > > > Web Page - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport > FAQ - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/files/Administrative/faq.htm > For more information: http://www.dialsolutions.com/af > Unsubscribe: AFIBsupport-unsubscribe > List owner: AFIBsupport-owner > For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email, > send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help > > Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should be acted upon without consultation with one's physician. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2002 Report Share Posted May 20, 2002 In a message dated 5/20/2002 4:22:05 PM Pacific Daylight Time, james@... writes: << The sensible approach may well be to try other meds first if you have vagal AF but please don't assume betablockers and vagal AF is always a bad idea. >> and Mike, I agree that beta blockers are not always a bad idea for vagal afib. I have taken Atenolol for twelve years, and although it doesn't prevent afib, it certainly makes it livable for me. My afib is mixed but primarily vagal. Mike, you are probably feeling bad because your body is adjusting to a higher than normal dose. I think I wrote you on the Maze Board and said that each time my dose of Atenolol was raised, 25 to 50 to 100 to 150, I felt horrible for about two to four months. At times I have had a pulse of 54 on 150 mg. daily. I can't imagine starting on 200 m.g. I think I would have felt like a complete slug, judging by what a 50 m.g. increment did to me It does take a while to adjust to Atenolol, but I agree with others who are suggesting that you see a cardiologist and find out about the Atenolol and if you need Coumadin. My cardiologist told me that it is not uncommon to prescribe 200 or 250 m.g. of Atenolol daily when I expressed concern about the amount I am taking. Probably the best solution is for you to get a second or third opinion as to whether the side effects of Atenolol are acceptable for you. Good luck. in sinus in Seattle (Day 13) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2002 Report Share Posted May 20, 2002 Hi, Mike, They should do an echocardiogram and treadmill test to rule out underlying heart disease. 200 mg of a beta blocker like atenolol is a heck of a lot. Most people start at 25 or 50 mg. On the other hand, most people don't pass out, so I am wondering if you have another arrhythmia going on, like super ventricular tachycardia (SVT). They can put you in a 30 day monitor to find out, depending on how often you have episodes. I have briefly had SVT. My doc said it can make people pass out, but that you will regain consciousness by yourself, so if that is what is going on, you don't need to worry about not recovering. However it would be dangerous if you were driving, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2002 Report Share Posted May 20, 2002 p.s. Mike, it occurs to me that since you are in the military, you may be in excellent physical shape. People in excellent physical shape tend to have vagal afib, while sloths like myself tend to have adrenergic afib. If your heart stuff tends to come on at rest or sleeping vs. when stressed or exercising, you probably have vagal. In vagal afib, slowing the heart down with a beta blocker is the wrong thing to do, as the problem is it is already too slow. There is a web site with info about vagal afib including meds for it at http://www.vagalafibportal.fsnet.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2002 Report Share Posted May 20, 2002 Hi Mike - I had a similar problem on a differnt beta blocker - I felt like a walking zombie! I'd tell the docs anyway but if you feel like you've given it a good try I'd ask them to try another med - there are many out there and not all are beta blockers - which can be a problem for some people. Note also that just becasue one beta blocker turns you into a zombie does not mean that they all will. I hope you find the right med for you -- D (33, Leeds, UK) vagal AF for 24 hours every 16 days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2002 Report Share Posted May 20, 2002 Hi, I know I've said this before here and I may well be the exception to the rule but I have finally settled on a beta blocker even though my AF is vagal (though not formerly diagnosed as vagal by the Docs) I can see the reasons why slowing the heart rate down in NSR is not such a bright idea if you have vagal AF but I'm sure you all can appreciate slowing it down when you are in AF is! The sensible approach may well be to try other meds first if you have vagal AF but please don't assume betablockers and vagal AF is always a bad idea. This is a crazy illness with many peculiar solutions. The solution I've found, with the help of my doctors, is to have a pretty small dose when I beating normally but double or triple the dose when I'm in AF to keep the heart rate down. It's not ideal and I am by no means happy but I have yet to try a better option. All the best -- D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 2002 Report Share Posted May 22, 2002 Mike, You might also ask (demand?) a neurological consultation. Fixed staring can also have a neurological cause, something other than straight fatique from AFIB. Good luck! (snip) I also can't stop fixating on things. I'll > just look and look at one thing and when I go to look away, I just > keep on staring at it. At least I'm finally getting help from > somebody...anybody. I complained to the military for 5 years about > my heart, and it took me passing out in the middle of the street for > them to start paying attention....what little it has been. > > Mike " We must be the change we wish to see in the world " - Gandhi Barbara Tinker International Center The Concord Consortium 37 Thoreau St. Concord MA 01742 Work Phone: Work Fax: http://www.concord.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 2002 Report Share Posted May 22, 2002 I have to report that after 14 days in sinus I went into afib at 5:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, but the afib seemed to be caused by what appeared to be the mother of all stomach viruses. After 30 hours in afib, I am now back in sinus, even though I threw up numerous times after taking my Atenolol and Verapamil. I should never have gone to work this morning, but I finally had to leave work early due to inability to concentrate and extreme illness: aching, chills, the whole flu bag. I decided to stop at my cardiologist's office on the way home to ask his nurse what I should do about the Atenolol and Verapamil if I continued to be unable to keep even water in my stomach. After taking my pulse and blood pressure, she proclaimed that I was in sinus and that my blood pressure was low (98/70) which would indicate that some of the Atenolol and Verapamil was absorbed. (I tend to have higher blood pressure without medication.) She said I should not retake the dose that probably came up, at least in part, but could go ahead and take my next dose at the usual time if my stomach settled. Toxicity could be a problem if I took too much, according to her, but I will have to ask the doctor about that because I was initially given the choice of taking my Atenolol in a 100 m.g pill in the morning and a 50 m.g. pill in evening. I chose splitting the 150 into three doses because that seems to work better for me. She said that some people routinely forget to take their meds for a whole day with no problem, but I said I want to stay in sinus and never miss my meds. Anyway, my stomach seems to be settling now, thank God, and so I guess the question has become unimportant. My main concern was what I would do if the vomiting went on for a day or more. How would I get adequate doses of the Atenolol and Verapamil? I asked if they could be given by injection, but she responded that this wouldn't work. That's another thing I will ask the doctor about. I thought I would bring this up in case any of you are ever in this situation and don't know what to do about the meds. It's better to be prepared ahead of time with information so that you won't be freaking out as I was doing this morning. Have any of you ever been in this situation? back in sinus in Seattle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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