Posted by Carl Plaskett on November 23, 2003 at 13:45:24:
In Reply to: Best drug for a-fib posted by Dave Funderburg on November 22, 2003 at 18:59:49:
Dave & Pat: Your questions are not much different than posing the question:"How long is a piece of string?"
The effectiveness and side effects of each drug are as individual as the afibbers using them. Afibbers have reported good results with intolerable side effects (and vice-versa) with all of the anti-arrhythmic drugs. I don't think there is any magic pill for most afibbers. For many, if not most of us, all the drugs have ultimately increased the severity and frequency of afib episodes, and the side effects have become more pronounced.
I took most of the anti-arrhythmic drugs with the exception of Tikosyn, and after some initial success/relief, they all failed and afib increased.
I did have success with atenolol (Tenormin) lowering my rate, and it did help to hold me out of afib for short periods when I knew I might be exposing myself to MY "triggers" such as a beer, stress, steep walking, eating/drinking wine late, etc., but it also slowed me down and made me sleepy, because it kept my heart rate very low when I used it.