Medication doesnt seem to be working

I have been diognosed with a Leaky Heart valve and ectopic heart beats. I am having trouble sleeping at night due to waking up breathless. I am sleeping propped up on 4 pillows but still having trouble. I also feel weak and tired and my pulse rate goes down as low as 39. I have been given several different tablets to control the Arrythmia but nothing seems to be working. I cannot walk anywhere without feeling ill and faint. I am about to try Amiodaone but am getting very worried. The side affects seem horrendous and if they dont work what then? I am struggling to carry on working, but as I live alone I cannot afford not to!
Can someone please advise?

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

It sounds like you need to see a good cardiologist.  I am not saying that you don't have a good one, but you need to see someone that can assess how to best treat these problems.  Depending on the your age, other risk factor and the degree of leaking, the treatments vary from advising surgery to using medications.  It sounds like you also have atrial fibrillation --- that is usually why amiodarone is used in situations like this.

I can't really offer any general advice unfortunately.  You need to sit down with a doctor to review your medications, other health conditions, and decide what needs to be done next.

I hope this helps.

[sar49]

Thank you for your advice. I dont feel my Doctor or Consultant are listening to me. They certainly have poor communication skills! Will talk to my doctor next week when I start the new pills.

[heart2]

I can tell you that knowing your doctor is listening to you is as important as having confidence in their abilities.  I went to numerous cardiologists over the past 5 yrs.  I went to some of the most renowned in the field of general and invasive cardiology...they weren't listening to me.  I finally got a general cardiologist who wouldn't stop until she figured out what was causing my symptoms.  She isn't "top cardiologist of the year" but, for me, she's the best cardiologist for my life.  Find someone who will listen to you.  It can make all the difference in the world.  Good luck to you.

[sar49]

Thank you, I have picked up the new pills today so I shall see what happens now.

[sar49]

I tok the new pills ( Amiodarone) for 2 weeks and felt even worse on them. Saw my Consultant yesterday who said he had run out of ideas of how to treat me! he agreed that the pills are not working. I am now on a 6 week waiting list for an aniogramme to see if there is anything else wrong. I have told him i get stabbing pains around my heart too. i have decieded to come off the meds until then as they are causing too many side affects. I am losing all hope of getting better now and I am only 49!