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Amiodarone and sleep

higgy52 profile image
17 Replies

Got A F non stop for last 5 years may be more, been on Ramipril, BIsopalol, warfarin, a bout 6 months ago changed Bisopalol to Amiodarone, feal really good working full time, Exercise every day, But don't sleep very well since been on the Amiodarone when i do go sleep just dream all the time .

Any one else the same.

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higgy52
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17 Replies
PeterWh profile image
PeterWh

Have you been checked for sleep apnea?

higgy52 profile image
higgy52 in reply toPeterWh

no was ok till swapped to Amiodarone, cheers

excalibur profile image
excalibur

I was on Amiodarone for about 8 years. I can't recall it causing sleep problems, but I did get periods when I felt my heart was fighting against the Amiodarone resulting in strong palpitations that did leave me awake. Another side effect was deposits in my eye corneas - make sure you get your eyes tested annually and tell your optician you are taking Amiodarone

lance

AnneTS profile image
AnneTS in reply toexcalibur

Are you still on Amiodarone? If not why not? Dosage? My problem is my body constantly overheating. It has been terrible this summer so I am hoping my winter fuel bills might go down as a result!

excalibur profile image
excalibur in reply toAnneTS

I stopped Amoidarone about 4 years ago. It had lead to cornea deposits that were starting to affect my sight. These disappeared once I stopped. I was put on Dronedarone instead but this was unable to keep me in NSR so I have elected to stay in permanent AF as I can live with it without it severely affecting life quality

Amiodarone isn't a long term solution but its a good shirt to medium term fix.

AnneTS profile image
AnneTS in reply toexcalibur

Thank you for your reply Excalibur. I will watch out for my eyes. Unfortunately I have permanent af and after 3 ablations and failed medication regimes I was due to have a 4th ablation or a p&a but at the very last moment the procedure was cancelled and I was put on Amiodarone. Money is very tight in our local NHS and my EP will revisit my situation when I next see him. I am grateful to you for your posting.

PeterWh profile image
PeterWh in reply toAnneTS

My problem is overheating as well and I can get very clammy and sweaty. Fortunately I have a portable air conditioning unit which I bought some years ago in the bedroom and I not only had it on many days but also quite a few nights. I'm in the south. I was told that this is one of the symptoms you can get with AF and it is the body's way of keeping cool and reducing stress on the heart.

Unfortunately last winter I felt the cold terribly which is something that I have never suffered from.

I am in persistent AF taking Bisoprolol, digoxin,warfarin and perindopril. I had the overheating problem and sweating for a few years before AF was diagnosed.

AnneTS profile image
AnneTS in reply toPeterWh

Thank you so much for this info Peter. I will invest in a portable air conditioning unit as well. I am disappointed that you felt cold last winter. I was hoping to save on my winter fuel bills with this heat problem!! I was due to have a 4th ablation or p&a in August but at the very last moment everything was suddenly cancelled and I was put on Amiodarone. Our local NHS funding is under terrible pressure. I suspect Amiodarone is a cheaper answer until my EP sees me in a year's time if I don't have problems in the meantime.

PeterWh profile image
PeterWh in reply toAnneTS

You may be lucky on saving bills!!

daveeb profile image
daveeb

I take bisoprolol and like you my sleep pattern is next to useless. I take sleeping tablets with some minor success.

AnneTS profile image
AnneTS

I believe this is one of the side effects of Amiodarone. I don't have dreams every night and when I do they are not unpleasant. I understand that Amiodarone often causes nightmares so if you don't get bad dreams then that is good. I think Amiodarone definitely shortens my nightly rem sleep.

abihel profile image
abihel

I've had 2 ablations and I am taking amiodarone. I am hoping to come of it in the near future

Salty0987 profile image
Salty0987

Please be sure to have your eyes checked regularly. I was on amiodrone and I developed crystals in my eyes. Could have gone blind. I took melatonin to help me sleep and sometimes a Xanax.

Yack profile image
Yack

I was on Amiodorone for about 4 months, but was taken off it because it was giving me such bad nights - mainly extreme overheating and sweating. I'm now on Antenelol and Diltiazem and get crazy vivid dreams, which I've just come to accept as part of the deal of having my AF under control. Hope you get some better nights soon!

Roony39 profile image
Roony39

Hi I've been on amiodarone since May (2nd cardio version ) at first I had a terrible pulling sensation in my heart , and over heating ,these faded in time but i continued to wake up loads, I mentioned it to my arrhythmia nurse who said another of her patients was having same problem , I've had my dose halved to 100mg and after 6 weeks on half the original dose I finally slept from 11 to 6 on Friday !!!! I'm still in nsr , fingers crossed I stay there !!!!

higgy52 profile image
higgy52

hope to have Ablation soon dont think it will work

LinLan2 profile image
LinLan2

I've been on Amiodarone 200mg, twice a day, for just over two months. My most prominent side effects have been sleeping too lightly, being easily awakened, deep deep REM (per my Fitbit) when I do sleep, and I dream a ton. Other than that lessened stamina which tends to wain throughout the day.

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