AND something else!

[NannyNooNoo]

Following hubby’s bronchial pneumonia in August when ‘they’ discovered lung damage caused by the Amiodarone which was being used for his AF; then investigations into why his left leg doesn’t work properly; he’s now under respiratory specialist as well as heart specialist! AND we’ve got up this morning to a rash on his torso which looks like it might be shingles! 😩😩. He’s on steroids, so he’ll be speaking to GP tomorrow - after which, if it’s confirmed, I’ll speak to mine as I use immune lowering meds for rheumatoid arthritis! shouldn’t wish your life away, I know, but I look forward to a time when we might be on a more even keel! 😂😂

[Kaz747]

I had Shingles last year (diagnosed a few days after a cardioversion for atrial flutter). It was under my left breast so I was never sure if the pain was my heart or the shingles 😃. Then late last year I was put on Amiodarone as a last ditch effort to slow my heart down. I was only on it a couple of months as I had rashes on my torso (similar to shingles) then developed bronchitis and one of the enzymes in my liver spiked so they stopped the drug in January. I had an ablation in March and thankfully I’ve been pretty good since then.

[jeanjeannie50]

It's awful isn't it when we get one ailment after another, you just long for a break from it all! These times usually pass though and then we look back on them and wonder how we came through it all. I hope this troubling period will soon pass for you and your husband.

Another black mark for Amiodarone, with it affecting your husbands lungs. I hate that drug as it damaged my thyroid and I'll now have to take pills for life to rectify that. It's beyond my understanding how doctors can prescribe pills that may help one thing, but cause damage to other organs in our bodies.

Make sure you go to the Yellow Card website and report the lung damage on there as a side effect of Amiodarone. It's so important that the powers that be know what damage drugs can cause. If more people reported on there then we'd have hope of receiving safer medication.

Wishing you both well.

Jean

[NannyNooNoo in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you for your reply. We will go to the yellow card website, once we have all the information from the respiratory consultant and can put everything on there.

[Auriculaire in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I am convinced that those of us on polypharmacy get more ailments anyway as none of the drugs are completely benign and most docs know very little about multiple drug interactions. Clinical trials tend to test one drug at a time -not combos of 3 or 4 or even more. There have been experiments of taking old people off multiple drugs and this has resulted in improved quality of life for most. I have decided to wean off my Nebivolol. I have not had an attack of afib for 13 months now and though I feel better on the Nebivolol than I did on Bisoproplol I would rather just keep it for a PIP. I don't really look on the thyroxine as a drug - rather a hormone my body does not make enough of any more but no body makes Nebivolol or Apixaban!

[Polski in reply to Auriculaire]

Please let us know how much better you feel after coming off Nebivolol, or if it makes no obvious difference. Thank you!

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Auriculaire]

I hadn't thought about the various tablets we take and their cumulative effect. Totally agree with you.

[Crystalbowl]

Hello NannyNooNoo. If it is shingles, your hubby needs to get some Acyclovir, antiviral medication, prescribed. You have to start taking it within 3 days of an attack of shingles starting. I contracted shingles in January this year and am still in a great deal of pain from it. I did get the Acyclovir and took it but it evidently didn’t do the trick for me. It is a ghastly condition and I have no idea how long it is going to take to clear up, I wish him well as he has enough to contend with.

[NannyNooNoo in reply to Crystalbowl]

Thank you for your reply - he's got an appointment with GP on Wednesday

[Crystalbowl in reply to NannyNooNoo]

Sorry, have only just seen your reply. Wednesday is a bit late as it will take him over the 3 day window I think. I know it is hard to get GP appointments at any time never mind at short notice. I was in Madeira when I caught shingles, due to fly home the following day so as I wasn’t sure what it was and had already been hospitalised for something else and flight rebooked, etc. I didn’t do anything about it until I got home. I rang 111 when I got back and saw a doctor in Urgent Treatment at the local hospital who prescribed the Acyclovir and was just within the 3 days. I would advise trying to get it sooner than Wednesday if at all possible. I would also endorse the idea of having the shingles jab yourself if you are eligible (not many people are). I wish I had had it .Good luck!

[Bolander in reply to Crystalbowl]

I emphasise the need to get Acyclovir without delay if it is shingles. I was fortunate in getting it in time and it definitely helped to reduce the severity of the symptoms. It's a nasty condition and now immunisation is available check with your GP if it's advisable in your case if you had chickenpox in the past.

[NannyNooNoo in reply to Bolander]

Thankyou - it’s already too late, as he tells me the rash started last Thursday 🙄🙄. Men, eh?!

[muffin31]

I am so sorry to hear of the problems your husband is having (and yourself) and hope you feel better soon. I wonder if you could tell me how long your husband has been taking amiodarone. My husband has been taking it since he had a heart attack and developed AF after stents were put in. The possible risks have been explained to him and he has now to make a decision whether to come off it or continue taking it. Ablation is not an option and according to the cardiologist there is no easy answer as coming off the the amiodarone also carries a risk. We are tempted to opt for continuing the amiodarone as he seems to be doing ok at the moment. He has been taking it for 12 months, had all recommended tests after 6 months and will be having them again next week. We know that the longer you are on it the bigger the risks. All good wishes to you and your husband for a return to better health0

[NannyNooNoo in reply to muffin31]

Hi Muffin, thankyou for replying. He was on Amiodarone for just over 2 years. We were advised of the risks, though they didn't go into any details with regard to possible lung damage, and apparently that's quite a low risk. However, I'm not sure if he would agree to taking it, if he knew then what he knows now - hindsight's a wonderful thing! It amazes me that they don't seem to do any sort of tests for lung damage whilst taking Amiodarone, in the same way that they do regular tests for thyroid etc. It's a difficult decision for you both to make, and I wish you well in whatever you decide x

[dave205]

Side effects associated with use of Amiodarone, include the following:

Increased liver AST or ALT levels

Low blood pressure (hypotension)

Dizziness

Headache

Feeling unwell (malaise)

Abnormal gait/problems with coordination

Fatigue

Impaired memory

Involuntary movement

Sleep disturbances

Sensitivity to sunlight

Hypothyroidism

Constipation

Loss of appetite

Congestive heart failure (CHF)

Slow heart rate

AV block

SA node dysfunction

Hyperthyroidism

Hepatitis and cirrhosis

Visual disturbances

Optic neuritis

Other side effects of amiodarone include:

Corneal microdeposits

Demyelinating polyneuropathy

Postmarketing side effects of amiodarone reported include:

Hypersensitivity: Anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reaction (including shock), skin swelling, hives

Pulmonary: Eosinophilic pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome/ARDS (in postoperative setting), bronchospasm, possibly fatal respiratory disorders (including distress, failure, arrest, and ARDS), bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (possibly fatal), fever, shortness of breath, cough, coughing up blood, wheezing, hypoxia, pulmonary infiltrates and/or mass, pulmonary alveolar hemorrhage, pleural effusion, pleuritis

Gastrointestinal: Hepatitis, cholestatic hepatitis, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, dry mouth

Nephrology: Renal impairment, renal insufficiency, acute renal failure

Neurology: Pseudotumor cerebri, parkinsonian symptoms, such as restlessness and slow movement (sometimes reversible with discontinuation of therapy)

Endocrine: syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), thyroid nodules/thyroid cancer

Dermatology: Toxic epidermal necrolysis (sometimes fatal), erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, exfoliative dermatitis, drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), eczema, skin cancer, vasculitis, itching, bullous dermatitis

Hematology: Hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia, pancytopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis, granuloma

Musculoskeletal: Muscle disease, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, demyelinating polyneuropathy

Psychiatric: Hallucination, confusion, disorientation, delirium

Genitourinary: Epididymitis, impotence

[Auriculaire in reply to dave205]

Why don't they just put poison on the packets?

[NannyNooNoo]

GP confirmed shingles and prescribed Aciclovir - with all the pills he’s taking, he won’t be needing any dinner 😂😂!