Afib medication

This past weekend I was admitted to the hospital with afib.  I was given DiltiazemCD  which seemed to help.  Then the cardiologist told me he wanted to try Tambocor to attemt to bring my heart into Cardioversion.  He said if that didn't work, they would need to shock my heart.  Luckily the tambocor brought my heart back into normal rhythm within about an hour.

My question is this.  I have been reading much about both Tambocor and DiltiazemCD and have become very scared. I read that first Tambocor is a risky drug.  Secondly I read that Tambocor taken along with DiltiazemCD is addictive to the heart ( ? ) and must be monitored closely.  I was simply sent home and told to go back to normal activity.

I am very afraid that because I have no medical insurance ( it was canceled because of a claimed pre-existing condition )  I have been given the bums rush by these doctors.  I was told I will have to take these medications for the rest of my life.  I do have a follow up visit next week.  Also they mentioned possibly giving me a stress test.

I have always had a history of PVC's and panic attacks.  However the Cardiologist said this had nothing with my Afib.  I have only had one other incidence of Afib that lasted more than a minute or two.  That was almost ten years ago,and happened after a night of drinking.  I have only had slight flutters mostly when startled or angered, since then.

Are these medications normally prescribed?  Do I need to have a serious discussion with the Cardiologist?  I am having much anxiety over this.

Thankd

[Jerry_NJ]

My experience for drugs for AFib that are less expensive and effective generics are a Beta Blocker called Metoprolol and if that doesn't handle the problem (it also lowers the HR and BP, which can be problematic is you HR and/or BP are already low), maybe an  anti-arrhythmia drug call Propafenone.  The latter is still expensive I recall, I no longer take it.  What I'd look for is the chance to give Metoprolol SR (Slow release, need only one a day) in a low dose (to me this is 50 mg or less, to minimize side effects) and an aspirin.  Anyone with episodes of AFib should take some anti-clot prevention steps.  Aspirin is the lest severe and the least, by far, cost-wise.

Good luck

[azrael13]

I have taken Tambocor, and I will tell you now, It will be a cold day in hell before i allow any doctor to put me back on it.  I had a really bad reaction to it, that nearly killed me.  I am not saying that this could be your case, you may do very well with it.  But for me, it wasn't.  I now take Propranolol 20 mg tabs and Clonazepam 0.5 mg tabs twice a day to control my heart.  I've taken them now for 4 years, and knock on wood, they have worked.

And yes have that talk with the doctor, and if you don't like what he says, PLEASE find another one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[naddour]

im 29 years old..had atrial fibrillation a couple of times and both times it was back to sinus with the shock...its painless and after that simple procedure, im back to my normal life. I get A.F from certain drugs that cause tachycardia and sometimes from a full bloated stomach. If i can avoid these things, im usually ok. But just incase i get it, the shock is not scary at all...it's better than living on those drugs for good.It's a half hr procedure...Good luck...u'll be fine:)