anyone on toprol?

[helix139]

I was prescribed this medication after suffering from atrial fibrillation. I've had this before when I consummed too much coffee. Now with this beta blocker my heart doesn't race high at all and the medicine has even worse sides. I'm also to take rythmol to prevent the a-fib from comming back. I'm to see my cardiologist next week after being cardioverted last week (shocked out of a-fib) and I want to come off these meds so I can workout and run like I did before. I was wondering if anyone here is on the same medication?
thanks.

[meatbldr]

What is Atrial fibrilation?

[shortz]

A-fib, or atrial fibrillation, is when the atria sort of quivers instead of beating. A-fib is not really immedately life threatening, but the blood is not pumped properly and blood that is not moving is at risk to clot. THIS is immediately life threatening. Cardioverting someone out of A-fib generally takes diltiazem/cardizem, then are put on other meds to prevent it from happening again, some more aggressive than others. Cardioverting by shocking the patient is a little more uncommon and risky. There is a risk of converting them into other arrythmias like V-tach, which is even worse than A-fib. Sometimes, the new onset of A-fib can be acompanied by tachycardia, which increases the risk of clots too.

[shortz]

Oh, BTW, as for your request to come off, you must be sure to do EVERYTHING your cardiologist tells you to do. Your life can be in danger if you do not listen to him and take yourself off the meds. Hopefully you will get a clean bill of health, but, it isn't reall uncommon for someone with a Hx of A-fib to get it again in the future.

Do you have an irregular heart rate right now? Just curious.

[shortz]

One last thing, how old are you? This isn't something that commonly occurs to someone under the age of 40.

[helix139]

I'm an er nurse 38 years old and work nights. There are 3 other folks I work with my age with the same problem. Electricity is the best way to convert any arrythmia. I feel roids didn't put me into afib as I've been off for close to 8 months. My heart is super sensitive, ie I can eat a meal late night and my heart rate really goes up!
My question was for anyone who has experienced this or are on beta blockers.

[helix139]

I'm normal sinus right now and am all the time until once and a while after working 12 hours and being up for 20+ hours my heart has 2 to 10 irregular beats.

[shortz]

Originally posted by helix139
I'm an er nurse 38 years old and work nights. There are 3 other folks I work with my age with the same problem. Electricity is the best way to convert any arrythmia.

Well, not always. If you are an ER nurse, then you should know that unless you know for SURE that the A-Fib has just kicked in within the last 24 hours, then electricity is an option, but, after that, the possibility of losening up a clot from electricity is pretty likely and therefore, electricity is not always the best option. Anticoagulation drugs and out patient therapy has shown to be the safest course outside of that 24 hou period.

Not to mention, the statement you just made is generally false, Pt's age, history and actual arythmia is gooing to determine what route is used first. I have converted a young woman, 24 years of age, twice without the use of electricity, just to give you an example.

[shortz]

In case you're wondering, the young woman had unstable V-tach and was converted with Amioderone. It took two doses of 150mg each time to convert her.

[helix139]

another pissing contest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HW52]

I did not have that condition, but I had severe anxiety and they put me on toprol for a while. My resting heart rate would jump up to 140 beats per minute when my anxiety was high. Personally I didnt see anysides except it did help control my heart rate when I had panic attacks. I no longer take it though as I am on Lexapro and it has helped me. Good luck --- Hollywood