How Can Atrial Fibrillation Be Treated?

Hello my dad has gone in to afib for the 3rd time. He is 72 years old with no other significant health problems. The first time it lasted 2 days and resolved on its own. The second time he was cardioverted, and he lasted a year and a half without fib. When he was cardioverted his fib rate was 60-70 s before cardioversion. Now he is back in fib, rate controlled, 60-80 s, and the doctor has started him on betapace and lopressor. His rate has always been controlled, and he does not have high blood pressure. The cardiac meds have not converted him and haven t changed anything except give him possible side effects. We would like to wean off them, he has only been taking them for a few weeks. We ve tried talking to the dr but he says no he has to stay on them but won t give a reason. I don t understand why he is so insistent on keeping him on them because they haven t changed anything and he has never had problems with the rate or blood pressure. I feel like he is ignoring our requests because I m a nurse. He tried to start him on cardizem a year and a half ago when he was in regular rhythm and no high blood pressure. My dad never took it and was fine til now but the dr was mad he didn t start it. He also started him on Lipitor when all his cholesterol levels were normal, and I understand that, and my dad took it for 5 months and felt like he was having side effects and stopped. Dr was upset that he stopped and rechecked his cholesterol levels which now some are abnormal. He had normal cholesterol levels every year and now he has abnormal levels after starting and stopping the Lipitor. Bottom line is he doesn t want to be on any meds except what he absolutely needs, and if they can t show they are helping him he d rather not risk the side effects. I feel like the dr is just throwing the garbage can at him and not listening to our concerns. My dad self monitors his heart rate and blood pressure every day at home to detect problems if they arise. help?