Has anyone tried disopyramide?

[nikita7]

My doctor just changed my Flecainide and Emconcor to disopyramine (Rhythmodan).

Does anyone know it is safe?

[Beancounter Volunteer]

Hi Nikita

This is a new one to me, but it's another of the rhythm control drugs such as Flecanaide and Sotolol, Amiodarone, and Dronedarone. All of them are very powerful drugs and do have some potential side effects and you will probably find your doctor will monitor you fairly closely, certainly at first, but are they safe?. Well yes properly prescribed and well monitored, then all of these drugs are safe. They couldn't be prescribed otherwise. Follow the instructions carefully, and I am sure you'll be fine.

Be well

Ian

[nikita7 in reply to Beancounter]

Hi, Thank you for your reply. Indeed, all these drugs have so many side effects. But I have been taking Flecainide for many years and fortunately it gave me very few side effects. That is way I am reluctant to start this med but Flecainide just isn't helping me anymore.

Nikita

[nikita7 in reply to Beancounter]

Hi, Thank you for your reply. Indeed, all these drugs have so many side effects. But I have been taking Flecainide for many years and fortunately it gave me very few side effects. That is way I am reluctant to start this med but Flecainide just isn't helping me anymore.

Nikita

[Hidden]

Hi Nikita,

Yes, I'm on Disopyramide but only started 3 days ago! I've been prescribed 250mg twice a day, but for the first two days I've only taken one (my own decision no medical advice), and will be taking my first evening pill in about 10 minutes. So 2 a day from now.

I feel normal at the moment and have felt less heart wobbles today, especially after eating. But it might be just a good day, too early to judge yet.

I've tried Flecainide which gave me mild palpitations, and also Propafenone which made me depressed. Having said that, a different brand of Propafenone did not make me feel depressed and it worked. So if Disopyramide doesn't work for me, I'm going to try the one brand of Propafenone again.

Re is it safe, I just started a thread last week asking the same thing because I'd read it was associated with hypothetical sudden death and was difficult to get in the US. But I can't see my EP putting me on it if he was overly concerned or if people had actually suffered sudden death because of it.

I'll post in the next few days let you know how I'm getting on.

Best wishes

Koll

PS. Can I ask, why did your doc change your drugs? And was it your GP, cardio or EP?

[nikita7 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, thank you for your answer. I've just had my second ablation two weeks ago. Currently I feel pretty awful. I had a new episode of AF that lasted 24 hours two days ago. And so many PAC that prevents me of doing practical anything. I called my EP and told him that Flecainide isn't helping me much at all, just like after the first one. So this time he decided to switch to Disopyramide and see if it can bring me some relief.

Thank you for keeping me posted. I appreciate it a lot.

[nikita7 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, thank you for your answer. I've just had my second ablation two weeks ago. Currently I feel pretty awful. I had a new episode of AF that lasted 24 hours two days ago. And so many PAC that prevents me of doing practical anything. I called my EP and told him that Flecainide isn't helping me much at all, just like after the first one. So this time he decided to switch to Disopyramide and see if it can bring me some relief.

Thank you for keeping me posted. I appreciate it a lot.

[Hidden]

Hi Nikita --- I have alot of experience with Disopyramide , I responded to Koll's query about this earlier in the week -- you may like to look this up .

Basically I was prescribed Diso. for 12 years ( following 18 months on Amiodarone ) from 1996 & it really suited me. No side effects apart from a dry mouth & tendency to urinary retention -- hardly a problem & due i believe to its anti cholinergic effects. I was forced to stop the drug in 2008 as distribution of the drug in the UK was halted.

Cardios I have spoken to about this drug both in London & my local hospital told me that they do not prescribe this drug now. However times change & it is obviously back in favour with some.

I should be interested to hear how you get on .

Sandra

[Hidden]

Hi again Nikita

Just reporting back. Been on Disopyramide now for 5 days or so. It's certainly working but not completely for me. Don't think I have AF by the way, or maybe I have a bit, mine are ectopics we think, not sure yet. I've got a slightly dry mouth, have had a bit of a stomach pain, but only slight, and nauseous but again only very mild. My water-works have changed a bit, have to go when I need to! Overall, no problems really.

For the first couple of days, the Disopyramide didn't do anything and I still had heart wobbles. But now it is doing something. I still get wobbles after eating and when lying down but they seem dulled, but still there. So I'd say it's working about 65%.

Have you started yet? How you getting on?

Koll

[nikita7 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Koll,

Thank you for the update!

Well, I started reading about it on the net and noticed that it has some interactions with other meds. Since I am taking Plaquenil I wondered if it is dangerous to take them simultaneously. So I called my EP and he reassured me that I can take both together. He really wants me to take it and stop the Apocard. He wants me to start taking 250 mg immediately but not sure about that yet. I rather start with a lower dose. I will start Friday evening because I want to be sure that I am not alone the first time or don't have to got to work.

My ectopic beats are also worse when going to bed or bending forward, ...

I hope the Disopyramide will help you further down the ectopic/ AF free road!

Nikita

[Hidden]

A few more days on now and I actually have a normal pulse that I can take by holding my wrist. That's the first time I have had a normal pulse since I joined this forum 6 months' ago. And I'm ticking over at about 80 bpm resting, normal for me. I feel stronger and fitter, and I'm not getting puffed out doing small things.

Still got a bit of nausea though, but not a lot.

Hooray!

Koll

[dedeottie in reply to Hidden]

That is good news.fingers crossed that it continues for you. X

[nikita7 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Koll, I am about to start my disopyramide for the first time. I am going to take 250 mg LA now and tomorrow morning again 250 mg. Truth be told, I am a bit scared but more confident after reading your posts. I am 23 days post ablation and still having problems with lying down, empty stomach, ... Hope this is going to work!

Nikita

[Hidden in reply to nikita7]

Still going well here. I can even sleep on my left side now, and just feel a steady beat. I was scared taking the first one as well, just kept on saying to myself that my EP, who's a senior one, would never have prescribed it for me if he wasn't happy about it and to be honest, I was more scared by my irregular heart beat.

It took about 3-5 days to have any real effect. Still get a bit of a upper stomach feeling (can't describe it as pain) an hour or two after taking a pill. Waterworks seem to be back to normal.

Hope it works for you

Koll