Has anyone had an experience with an anti-depressant/anxiety medication that does not trigger afib?

Hello,
Firsly, excuse me if my english is not very good, and also for my long post. As I have posted before on this forum, I am 71 years old. Since sometime last year I started feeling anxious with no apparent reason. I was retired, had a good marriage and good children and my life was perfectly fine. As the feeling did not improve I finally I went to my GP doctor who prescribed me the SSRI medication Sertaline (Zoloft) 50 mg. The doctor advised that since it takes time for the drug to be effective (up to 6 weeks) to take in the meantime Klonopin in the amount that I need in order to reduce the anxiety. Six weeks past and it did not help. I probably should have tried to up the dose of the Zoloft, but I just stopped taking it. Some time afterwards I returned to my doctor and she suggested I start taking Escitalopram 10 mg. In the leaflet for this drug it was noted among other warnings that it may not be suitable for patients who suffer from arrythmia of the heart. I mentioned it to the doctor but she disregarded it. After some weeks of taking this drug, the episodes of afib started to be so common and bad that my doctor told me to discontinue the Escitalopram. Unfortunately by this time the afib, which prior to the Escitalopram happened rarely and did not bother me, now was happening quite often. Sometimes every day. My panic soared. I was so miserable. I saw two cardiologists and both recommended cryoablation. On April 26 this year I had the ablation and started to be on Eliquis (Apixaban) as an anticoagulant.
For me the side effects of Eliquis were intolerable. The most intolerable thing was the extreme fatigue and exhaustion I felt. I could not do anything but sit on the coatch and be miserable. I also felt blurred vision and increased insomnia. I knew the culprit was the Eliquis, because I took on top of it only levothyroxin for the thyroid for many years with no problem My EP wanted me to take the Eliquis for 3 months. But after 7 weeks he agreed that I stop taking it. My CHADS score is zero. Now I am exactly a week after discontinuing Eliquis, but the feeling of exhaustion is still full on. Everyday mostly in the evening I experience a rise in the feeling of anxiousness and depression. I am feelingl I am at the end of my rope.
Since I was taking Eliquis for 7 weeks, I do not know how long will it take for its side effects ( especially the exhaustion) to subside. If ever they will. Can someone tell me his or her experience with it. I am still in the blanking period. During it I had 4 to 5 episodes of afib. The 2 first ones were hard on me and lasted 5 to 7 hours each. The last 2 were much easier and lasted much less (maybe half an hour).
Right now my dilemma is should I wait and see if the exhaustion diminishes in time along with the feelings of anxiety and depression that accompany it, or should I listen to my family that wants me to see a psychiatrist that will prescribe me with anti-anxiety/depression medication. Following my bad experience with the Escitalopram, I am scared of this SSRI drugs. First of all they may trigger my afib, and secondly, most of the time before you start to feel better with the drug, you feel worse. More anxiety and depression. So, what is your advise? As I am only a week without Eliquis, should I give it some more time to leave my system and see what happens, or should I see the psychiatrist for an SSRI tablet. Have any of you had an experience with an anti-anxiety/depression SSRI that did not trigger afib and did not have difficult side effects. I cannot handle more difficulties than I currently have. Lately there was not a day in which I felt so bad physically and emotionally that I was just sitting helplessly and crying. My friends advise me to go out of the house and see people in order not to so concentrated on my sufferings, but I do not have the energy to do it.
Any advice and help would be appreciated.
Leah

I am 60 years old and I take 20 mg of Prozac daily without issue. It takes up to 8 weeks for a SSRI to really start working. I would stay away from the Benzodiazepines like Klonopin as they are Highly addictive and heck to get off of.
No SSRI has cause AFIB. I also take Eliquis and it does not affect me and I am on 2.5 mg of Eliquis 2x a day for life due to LAA isolation on 2nd Afib Ablation.
Good Luck. Prozac was a life saver for me. It has allowed me to cut way back on Klonopin which I am slowly tapering off. It is a difficult drug to stop.

Also, I tried many Herbal, Holistic pills for depression/Anxiety and ZERO worked.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/2018 08:30PM by smackman.

Sorry you have to go through all this, Leah. While i can't advise i wonder what your sugar metabolism (blood glucose levels) are like? Normal? Not fluctuating a lot?

I think my sugar level is OK.

Thanks, smackman, for your reply.

I have decided to see a psychiatrist and get an SSRI tablet. I get an anxiety spell that lasts a few hours almost every evening.
As I mentioned in my post, Escitalopram did trigger afib episodes for me, so I am anxious about it.
I had an ablation almost two months ago, but i am not totally free of afib yet.
I know that it takes 4 to 8 weeks before the SSRI tablet starts to make you feel better. I also know that until it starts helping, it often causes an elevation in anxiety/ depression symptoms. This is also scary. Did you experience it? and how did you cope with it?

smackman,

Did you start with the Prozac after the ablation you went through, or while you still were having afib episodes from time to time?
Did the ablation (2nd one) free you from afib?
I am asking all these question to see if the Prozac for you had no effect on the frequency and magnitude of the afib episodes. Because as I said this is a major concern for me.

Thanks
Leah

Leah - You're wise to ask the question about those who have afib and the effect of Prozac. Most likely, it's an individualized response depending on what else is going on in the body but still is, as you say...a major concern.

Do some online reading about the book by Psychologist, Ann Blake Tracey titled Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? The Rest of the Story on the New SSRI Antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lovan, Luvox, Etc.)
as well as an update review at this link [www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

The original book from 1994 is a well-written examination of the pros and cons. Some people do well and many more do not...so be sure you are aware of all the details/pitfalls, etc if you choose to use. There are several herbals that have been mentioned as viable options.

Here's one recent study on adverse effects -
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

This is not a topic I've researched extensively but I did hear the introductory lecture by when Dr. Tracy's book was released and only recently revisited the topic when a friend's son was prescribed Prozac and was weighing the downside so I brought up the her work, the book and the updates for his consideration.

Best to you,
Jackie

Thanks, Jackie.

Leah, I was given klonopin by the shrink before ablation because i would not be able to get to sleep because i seemed to have afib at night. It did calm me down and i still am on it today 1/2 mg morning and evening. I have not increased it at all and that was before 2005. I at one time used prozac and i guess it helped some but didn't like the way it made me feel so i went off it and never came back to it. ablation in 2008 with Dr. Lin at Univ. Of Pa did help with afib. I also take levothyroxine because of thyroid surgery. I do try however to continue on with life i play golf and go places i want to. I am 72 and i am do not have the energy i had in younger years. I hope you find your answer but i guess mine was trial and error in some ways. I still have some anxiety and carry around Xanax .25 if it gets real bad but rarely take that. Best to you hope you find peace

Thank yoy, Steve, for your reply.
While you were taking Prozac, did you notice if it had an effect on your afib episodes? Either a good effect, a bad effect or no effect?
I understand that you still have afib episodes. How often? and how do you cope with them? Have you considered another ablation?
If you did not like Prozac, you could have tried another SSRI pill. I have started Zoloft 50 mg four days ago. I do so hope that it will have a good effect on me. Fingers crossed!
All the best to you.
Leah

Prozac had no ill effects on my AFIB. None; zilch. I actually started Prozac after my 2nd Ablation to cut down on benzodiazepines like Klonopin which is helpful but extremely addicting and extremely hard to get off of.
Sorry for the late post. My wife has me busy traveling since her retirement 2 years ago.

Years ago, before a-fib, I took Paxil for some major work stressors, and it took about 4 weeks to kick in.
Taking it felt as if it "evened me out" -- there were no highs or lows, and I felt that I had flat affect. After the job stressors settled down (years later!), and under doctor's supervision, I was weaned off of it over a period of about 6 weeks.

Currently, about two or three times a year, I take xanax. I don't take it very often, and I tend to take half a tablet.
I was diagnosed with a-fib last July--I landed in the hospital (and overnight there, too) until the a-fib was resolved with a beta-blocker.

Once, earlier this year, I took a whole tablet and that really calmed down my anxiety BUT I wouldn't dare drive or anything like that as it really made me feel off!

From experience, taking half a tablet works for me, and I'm able to drive safely and it doesn't seem to trigger a-fib (so far, knock wood).

Everyone's body chemistry is different and of course YMMV. What works for any of us might not work for you so it's important to get info, do some research, and ask a lot of questions, as you are doing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2018 03:57AM by SueChef.