So at this point you do or do not have a definitive diagnosis on your arrhythmia? I'm sorry if I don't recall but did you wear a 30-day monitor and capture an episode?

Depending on the BP device used, getting an accurate reading on BP and pulse rate while in an arrhythmia can be hit and miss. Some devices have been proven accurate and some very inaccurate. Have you looked into your BP unit for its report on accuracy? Bottom line of course is that you don't feel well so finding more effective prevention/treatment is what I would press my doctor for.

It's possible that you may need a more prophylactic approach with your Metoprolol. Using it as a preventative may prove to be a more effective treatment. If the Metoprolol is lowering your heart rate that's great but if your symptoms persist regardless then finding a treatment that controls the onset seems like a wise approach. To achieve that an appropriate anti arrhythmic medication would be something to consider. Unfortunately there's no one medication fits all with Afib and some may not be tolerable. If flutter or PACs are triggering Afib in your case then finding a way to reduce the episodes of flutter/PACs would be a very good thing.

Good to hear that things have stabilized for you. We all need to hang in there where this thing is concerned. It's wacked out. BTW: If in doubt get to the ER.

Generally speaking if you have several steady beats in a row then a skip and then several more steady beats you would not be in afib. These sound more like PACs/PVC's. Afib is irregularly irregular meaning you do not have any normal/steady beats in row. It can be tricky at first to tell the difference. I guess I have taken enough pulses and listened to enough heart rates over my years as a nurse to be pretty good at picking out afib from ectopic beats. The only way to know for sure is by an ECG, holter, or event monitor but at the hospital most of the RN's and doctors I work with can be fairly certain just from taking a pulse. Have you worn a holter or event monitor? If not this might be helpful for you. You push a button when you feel the beats, and in some cases write down any corresponding symptoms, and they can later tell you what you actually had at that time. This might clarify for you the difference between afib and ectopic (PACs/PVCs) beats. I hope things are better for you today and that you have returned to NSR.

I know some of you don't know my history since I've been off the board so long.

I had my first full blown afib 10 years ago, but by the time I got to the hospital, I had converted. They told me I was having a panic attack.. Um.. I don't think so.

15 months ago, I was having a couple weeks straight of skipping beats. I went to an EP.. And he put me in a holter monitor. The very next night, I had a violent afib episode WHILE I was wearing the monitor. ( what are the chances of that?!). Heart rate was 220 and BP super high. The started pushing cardizem before they even got me out of the house. I converted in the ambulance.

The EP thought it was all triggered by uncontrolled high BP... And he put me on bystolic. I was fine ( except I get skipping beats a lot) for 15 months and had another violent episode two weeks ago. Ambulance again, but i converted when they got there, but i was shaking and going into shock, so they took me to the hospital.

And then a couple of nights ago, the pulse shot up again, but I took metropropal pill in pocket, and it brought my pulse right down.. But I was still skipping all over the place.

As I'm typing now, I have skipped beats every few minutes.

It's the crazy rise in my pulse that's the worst.

And.. I have two moron wrist BP monitors. I use both of them for better accuracy.

Lol... Auto correct on my ipad. That should read "two Omron" BP cuffs!