Food poisoning & now a-fib

Any tips to get back to normal HR? A-fib started May 10, 1 day after I was in ER out of town for diarrhea/vomiting. That has settled down. Spent 2 days in local hospital and got out yesterday and they excused me with my HR still anywhere from 80 to 115 bpm. I feel ok. As of March 15, began taking 25 mg. Metoprolol Tartrate while weining off Sotalol. So now taking 80 mg. Sotalol with the MT. The hospital I don't really trust for several other reasons. They pushed me up to 50 MT along with the 80 mg. Sotalol and then on a paper they gave me it says I should not take Sotalol with Metoprolol Tartrate. MT worked for me as discussed earlier as it has a sedative effect and I had no A-fibs 1996-2001. They changed my med to Toprol XL. Pacemaker installed in 2002 and my Sotalol 80 mg 2 x a day. Then got up to 160 and 120 a day. All doc would do is push up Sotalol amounts, when I later realized some meds give me a-fib (astelin spray and Lexapro among them) I am afraid to take the 50 mg of Metoprolol Tartrate with the 80 mg. Sotalol. Course this is the weekend. I assume waiting til Monday early a.m. for appointment with cardiologist is ok. Any advice would be appreciated. I basically feel ok. Thanks. No fainting, pains, etc.

6 Comments

Which doctor should I call?

by Eperr - 2010-05-15 09:05:52

Should I call the heart doctor at the hospital? Or my newish personal heart doctor? The instructions they gave me at the hospital said "To verify dosage." They had listed 50 mg. Metoprolol Tartrate.

Thanks so much.

I looked again

by Eperr - 2010-05-15 09:05:53

I looked again at the sheet of medications and see that the 50 mg. Metoprolol Tartrate is verified, even though the sheet they gave me said not to take it with Sotalol. But since I don't have a BP problem and am also taking Coumadin, I'll be fine. Thanks.

Eperr ~ ~

by Carolyn65 - 2010-05-15 10:05:49

I have good luck in calling my local phamacy & asking to speak with a pharmacist. They can answer every question I have re: meds. Sometimes, I have even had to call a pharmacy which I did not use and they were happy to answer if I could mix certain meds. with each other. This way, I did not have to wait precious, worried times waiting for a Dr/Nurse to call me back.

Of course, your Dr./Nurse will always be your final professional to consult with, but the pharmacists seems to know as much as my Dr's. Office can tell me.

Hope they get this straightened out soon.

Let us know,
Carolyn G. in TEXAS ~ Still Blundering Across TEXAS ~

MEDS?

by SMITTY - 2010-05-15 11:05:16

In lieu of finding the doctor to talk to try the pharmacist. I'm pretty sure they could tell you if you are safe to take the two medicines for a couple of days until you can talk to the doctor.

Smitty

Dosage

by Eperr - 2010-05-15 11:05:25

Thanks to both of you. I will call the Doctor I will see Monday. He doesn't even know I was in the hospital, but my St. Jude pacemaker reading was/will be sent to him.

Calling the pharmacy is a good idea as well. Our local pharmacists are so very helpful. Thanks to both of you!

Thanks

by Eperr - 2010-05-27 01:05:20

Thanks for the help and encouragement. When I did go to the cardiologist - he said to stick with the increased med (50 mg. Metoprolol Tartrate) and the older Sotalol at 80 mg and after a month to work off the Sotalol.
Food poisoning is no fun. Important to stress getting electrolytes in the hospital if one has this, to avoid a-fib.

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