Solatol

[Grace4291]

It appears flec may not be working. Cardo us suggesting I try solatol. I'm afraid of side effects. Does it work. Can u share ur experience with this drug.

[BobD Volunteer]

Sotalol is a strange drug being part rhythm and part rate control is is not normally used in UK except by a few consultant. There are reasons for this. Since I have never taken it I can';t comment on side effects.

[jennydog]

It did nothing for me and I cannot recall any side effects. I was later given bisoprolol and flecainide, both of which do their job for me.

[CDreamer]

I refused this drug when my cardio suggested it because of the risks i believe it posed. I was supported by an eminent EP speaker at the 2013 AF conference. Qualify that by saying - unsuitable for treatment of lone AF because of the risk of inducing Ventricular Arrythmia in a minority of patients.

I then changed my cardiologist and saw an EP.

[Finvola]

The only way you will know for sure is by personal experience. It didn't agree with me at all (caused very rapid runs of tach after only four days' use) but, once I saw as EP, he prescribed Flecainide and Bisoprolol which did work.

[Basia12]

Hi grace ,I've been on Sotalol since May last year and it really suits me. I too was concerned about going on it -I was scared actually and resisted going on it for a few mths , but I'd had a horrible reaction to Fecanaide and the EP thought Sotalol would really benefit me , he said that out of 70 people 70% would see an improvement on sotalol ,eventually I caved in as I felt so poorly and it really improved my symptoms . They say you don't get the anti arythmic value of sotalol unless you take 240 mg daily but I take half this and feel it controls my arrithmia I was started very slowly on it -40mg twice a day for 2 weeks then up 40 mg weekly and had an ecg check and they didn't think I needed more than this dose . It gas worked for me were flec , bisoprolol and digoxin have not .

[icklebud99]

Grace 4291. Sotalol did work well on its own for me and I had no side effects but when I mentioned that the NICE guidelines didn't recommend using Sotalol in England (I'm in Scotland) my Cardiologist changed it to Flecainide and Bisoprolol.

[Mike11]

I tried sotalol before my ablation and all it did was crash my BP - take it very carefully at first - half a tablet first time maybe

[Hidden]

You don't say how much Flec you are taking. I started on 100mg/day and still had 9 episodes in month. I went up to 200mg/day, a medium dose, and it stopped it completely.

[Grace4291 in reply to Hidden]

I went from 50 x2 for 14 months and today increased to 100x2. Still have small episodes.

[Hidden in reply to Grace4291]

Mmmm..Flec can only do so much, maybe you should look at a supplement Mg taurate.

[Clarrie]

I take Sotalalol as Flecainide didn't suit me. I take 80 mg twice daily and can take an extra 80 mg if I have an attack of AF. My heart rate never goes above 120 when having an attack on the Sotalol and attacks last about 12 hours whereas were 24 hours or more when on Flecainide.

[Grace4291 in reply to Clarrie]

My eposides on flec usually go away in less than two hours,if I take an extra hundredth but do return sometimes in 12 hours, so I have a 100 left I can take. Then hope hope it goes away for awhile

[sleeksheep]

I was on Sotalol for three years @80mg day , terrible drug , made me feel exhausted and not any use for Heart rhythm just slowed it down. Was switched to Flecainide and its all good now ( after a cardioversion ), my specialist wondered why I was put on Sot. as he regards it as not a good heart drug.

I would agree with what Basia says , what works for someone may not work for another.

[RexH in reply to sleeksheep]

I had the same thing, my heart when it was not in AF would be around 48-54, and the sotalol made a very slow heart rate , went grey and was in serious trouble after one tablet. After this they decided no medication straight to ablation. So no good if you have very slow heart rate.

[NiceNana]

I was prescribed Sotalol by the cardiologist at my local hospital and it made things worse - more frequent attacks. I wasn't happy and so asked my GP to refer me to an EP. I've been great since my ablation 14 months ago.

[stix]

Sotolo is doing a great job for me, when first diagnosed I was put on Bisopralol, which never really got control of my condition, so was advised to change to Sotolol, I had one major AF attack during change from one drug to the other, but touching wood I have not had a single episode since.

That was June last year, I monitor HR and BP morning and night everyday because it will lower your BP considerably.

My average is around 111/63 and HR 59 but docs all say that's fine.