Going off a Medication tomorrow---NERVOUS

[MaryLL]

My cardiologist has me going off my propafenone tomorrow and I'm a nervous wreck. I had a cryoablation in February and have had 2 hair-raising a-fib incidents since where my blood pressure went to 50/30. I am really nervous about going off the propafenone tomorrow. I'll be wearing a heart monitor and live in a large city (Seattle) with lots of aid cars, but still. Last Saturday I was cardioverted in an Aid car on a busy street after I started turning blue because of low BP.
I feel like I'm jumping off a high board and heights scare me!
Anyone else done this and survived?
thanks,
MaryLL

[Jerry_NJ]

Try to put the frightening episodes out of your mind, yes hard to do.

I say this as I have been a long term (years at a time) user of Propafenone (up to 225 mg three times a day) to hold me in normal sinus rhythm following electrocardioversion of my AFib. Neither work for me any longer, I have never had an ablation.  

It seems we can react very differently to medication changes.  My cardiologist seems to have no trouble experimenting on my dose level with sudden change.  For example when I stop taking Propafenone (and I no longer take it) i would go from 675 mg a day to zero, no symptom reaction I could detect.  I have also change my beta blocker (metoprolol) may as much as 100 mg in a 24 hour period without any symptom changes other than a change in HR and Blood Pressure - and dizziness when increasing, feeling better when lowering.  

May not be much you can relate to here, just a testimony that does change/stop of heart rhythm medications don't bother some of us much and I think part of that my be believing the change isn't going to bother us...mental.  Too, I have mild symptoms from my AFib, go figer.  Maybe my brain is too slow to notice : (

[MaryLL]

Thank you for sharing your experience and your encouragement. Yes, I think we can get PTSD from all the "crisis" of aid cars, ambulances, hospitalizations, etc from having a-fib. I live in a big city (Seattle) and I have a plan for both work and home. My husband drives me to the hospital or if it's bad, an ambulance is called. At work, several coworkers are aware and will drive me to the hospital or call an ambulance.
I'll still be on my metaprolol and my warfarin, so hopefully, I won't go into afib. I was okay with it until that horrifying episode last Saturday.
Let me know what you decide to do with your Norpace, as I'd like to hear how you're doing.
Again thank you for your caring post.
You're in my thoughts and prayers too!
MaryLL

[DeltaDawn23]

Please see my post, "to discontinue arrythmia drug or not."  I don't blame you with your recent history for being concerned. You're probably feeling some post traumatic stress from your experinece.   Propafenone is a beta blocker, right?  I wonder if your doctor would let you taper off?  Also, maybe you could have a plan in place if you start having problems?  I'm sure that would give you a feeling of having a "safety net."  The propfafenone will make your bp drop, I  had to take mine in 1/4 increments, always keeping tabs on my bp and heart rate.  I could never tolerate an entire pill, even at a low dose.

I am feeling the same about getting off my Norpace, because I had 2 very bad hospital ER episodes with Afib, and have been free of it for the year I've been on Norpace.  I'm still mulling over whether to get off of it.  My EP wants me to, saying the drug has side effects and I shouldn't be on it if I don't need it.

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, good luck.