I meant to say wait to start the tikosyn lol

Tikosyn is the best drug out there, also one of the more expensive. It has less side-effects then any of the other drugs do. My problem is my QT intervale goes nuts on any of the medications. I have to tell you....if my heart paused and I passed out I would panic I think. You do sound like a prime candidate for a pacemaker, and not because of the A-fib, because it won't cure it, but it will keep the episodes where you pass out from happening. Good luck.

thanks! I havent had afib for over a month now - that is why I wonder if the tikosyn is necessary.

When I started on a pacemaker years ago, it was programmed to an algorythm that caused it to speed up for a couple of minutes at the first missed beat. It seems that for many afibers, a missed beat (which we all have) is an opportunity for afid to do its ugly thing. This algorythm worked great for a couple of years and then it stopped doing any good.

It doesn't work with everyone but it might be worth a try. It seems that itreatment for afib are always a matter of trial and error.....

I finally had an AV node ablation (last resort) and am now pacemaker dependent. The afib still tires me but I feel so much better and don't faint like I used to.

The only med that ever worked for me was Verapamil which I took only during episodes but then after several years it stopped working. All the others meds made my afib worse. I don't remember if I ever took Tikosyn.

I am no MD but I wonder since you still have episodes only every few months months if it might be better to use something you don't have to take all the time? Since afib is often progressive and since meds don't slow it down, you might want to wait tif and ill it gets worse.

oops, typo alert! I of course meant to write "you might want to wait till and if....."

That is exactly what I am thinking - wait until it gets more frequent.