PIP stands for pill in pocket and is someetimes used for drugs taken occasionally when event occur. Here in UK and Europe Amiodarone is the drug of last resort so used sparingly most commonly to assist cardioversions to hold NSR . Again, Amiodarone is not a drug anybody wants to take long term which I would describe as more than three months due to its toxicity unless regularchecks are made on thyroid and lung functions. I'm guessing you are also on an anticoagulant for the foreseable future . Many of us never intend to stop such treatment although once the healing is over (three to six months maybe nine) any AF related drugs are often terminated.
Leading up to my last ablation I was taking Atenolol and Digoxin and stayed on both for a little while after the ablation. I’m now on 1/2 Atenolol tablet at night and if I have a lot of ectopics or tachycardia I take a full tablet.
I was on Amioderone as well prior to my last ablation which, as Bob says, is a drug of last resort. It helped slow my heart down but affected my liver, lungs and skin so I came off it after 2 months.
I am no EP but after my catheter ablation which was described as very successful I was taken off Amiodarone (200mg per day). Rivaroxaban stopped 6 months later. The only medication I was left on was Bisoprolol 2.5mg per day as a preventative measure. No problems since.
The fact that you are still on Amiodarone suggests you still have AF - has your EP given you a full report on the success of the ablation and a follow up echocardiogram?
Sorry but it is not appropriate for me to tell you what an echocardiogram will tell you. But please ask your EP or consultant specialist what is the current situation of your condition.
I had an ablation last June. I was put on amiodarone at Christmas2018 after a bout of persistant a fib which only stopped after cardioversion. I was kept on the drug until my check up in October 2019. It kept me in rhythm and I had no side effects. I had been very worried and scared by all the negative reports I had read about it on this web site, but was monitored by my GP throughout, and am very grateful that it worked as well as it did. It may be a drug of last resort, but all drugs have their side effects and we are not all affected by all of them.
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