Amiodarone Side Effects

[liz222]

Started on Amiodarone 10 days ago and have been suffering from nausea,sore stomach, lack of appetite. I have lost 4 pounds in a week. I have now got a dry cough and feel really tired. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

[BobD Volunteer]

The cough may well be a side effect so go see you doctor again. Please do not rely on advice from this forum as we are not medically trained. Check the info sheet with your tablets for the other symptoms.

[DavDug]

liz222

Hi! Liz,

I can only give my story.

I was put on Diltiazem (Calcium Channel Blocker) after suffering two bouts of SVT (supra ventricular tachycardia) and two ambulance trips to hospital. This was two weeks after my first Ablation in March. I have suffered with AF for seven years. With Nabivolol (betablocker) and Dabigatran (anti coagulant) being taken the Diltiazem was replaced two weeks later with Amiodarone. Having taken it for 4 days I was really poorly with sickness and diarrhoea and started to turn a 'Lighter Shade of Pale': YELLOW actually.

Having 'phoned the ward from which I had just left the Doctor put me back on Diltiazem a much milder drug. This was maintained until the second ablation at the beginning of September. Sinus rhythm has been maintained since then.

I have noticed several people that have run into problems with Amiodarone on this web site. I would say go back to your Doctor and ask to be referred to an EP (electrophysiologist). You do not say what other drugs or anticoagulants you are on and whether you have AF?

Dave.

[Hidden]

Hello Liz

I was in AF all the time for over a year. My cardiologist/EP put me on amiodarone ready for a second CV and the side effects were like yours BUT during week 3 my AF stopped😀 And went back to NSR. Had echo to confirm so no cv now. I hope yours does the same... And think about all that hard work putting the pounds back on😊😊😊😊

[Hidden]

Hi Liz; in rare cases amiodarone and dronedarone can affect the liver or lungs; it had a serious affect on my lungs. Before you started amiodarone you should have a blood test to determine liver function and further blood tests in accordance with the instructions that came with amiodarone. If you pass dark urine, amiodarone may be adversely affecting your liver so you need to see your GP as soon as you can. Amiodarone and dronedarone can cause a light non-productive cough that may pass off without a problem, but ask your GP to check whether there are crackles when you breathe - you may be able to hear them yourself - and to check your blood oxygen (SpO2). If there are "Velcro crackles" as they are known, you need a chest x-ray. That may reveal consolidation in a lung and, if that happens they may diagnose community acquired pneumonia (infection of the lungs). If amiodarone or dronedarone has caused pulmonary toxicity / cryptogenic organising pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs), being treated with antibiotics for community acquired pneumonia will have no effect. That happened to me on two admissions and on the second admission I was told; "we don't know what you have and we are running out of drugs to treat it". On the third admission it was correctly diagnosed but I had to argue against being sedated and sent to the ICU as my blood oxygen was 78% and not recovering. Since then, prednisolone on a tapering dose has (hopefully) put an end to relapses.

If you have "Velcro crackles" you must see your GP as soon as possible. If your GP / clinicians have difficulty with the diagnosis, ask them to contact the North Bristol Lung Centre (0117 414 6338) at Southmead Hospital who dealt with my case on the third admission. As I've written here before, without their care and that of the nurses on ward 27B I wouldn't be here.

In summary as Bob says, go and see your GP without delay. I wish you well.