Hello all..I am new to the forum and pretty new to AFib having just been diagnosed in the ER 4/8/17. Tests also showed AFib with flutter and SVT. Doc put me on Multaq and Eliquis. All's been great and under control with no side effects of the meds....until this past week. I developed a bad itchy rash around my ankles, moving up my legs, then onto my hands and arms. There is also some slight swelling in my ankles, mainly towards the end of each day. Being a holiday weekend, I couldn't get in to see my doc so this morning I went to Outpatient/Urgent Care affiliated with the local hospital. Having done some research, I know a big side effect of both Multaq and Eliquis is a rash. My only question is that I had absolutely no negative reaction to either of these drugs when I first went on them, so it seemed very strange to me that I would be getting this awful rash and delayed reaction 6 weeks later. Has this happened to anyone else? The APN I saw this morning put me on Prednosone for 5 days, as well as a heavy duty cream. If the condition clears up then it was some form of contact dermatitis or allergic reaction to something. If the steroid doesn't work then it could very well be a delayed side effect of one or both of my cardiac meds. I will call my CARIN doc in the morning to see if I can move up my appt from next week to this week. Hopefully so. Again, wondering if anyone has had such a delayed reaction to their AFib drug??
I'd also like to respond to the fellow afibber, who was asking about sea sickness remedies. I just returned from a 15 day cruise but prior to going I was concerned about motion sickness and my primary doc recommended only the Sea Bands and neither the patch nor the Dramamine. The wrist bans were wonderful but they have to be placed exactly at the right spot on the wrist otherwise they won't work. Just follow the directions for placement and hopefully they'll work for you. Some people have better results with either the patch or the drug. Luckily, both the long oversees plane ride, as well as the ship, weren't too bad.
Also, want to share something new I learned. While cruising, I caught a cold and went to the ship's medical center to ask for Coricidin HBP, which I was use to taking before being diagnosed with AFib etc. I've had high blood pressure for many years and it's always been under control and this brand of Coricidin usually worked for me without any fear of wrecking havoc with the blood pressure. I took it and for two days and had palpitations plus slight shortness of breath so I knew I was in trouble. My cold symptoms got much worse, adding a fever and sore throat, so back down to the ship's medical center I went and this time saw the doc on board. We discussed my AFib and he said I should never take Coricidin HBP. It's fine for anyone with just high blood pressure, but it has other components in the formula that have a negative effect and cause problems if the person has any additional heart issues. Thus the reason for all the palpitations I was having. So, hopefully, my new found info will help someone else. The doc put me on a z-pak antibiotic...such a wonder drug...and I was good as new within 24 hrs. Looks like plain extra strength Tylenol will be the helper for future colds.
