Allergic to meds

[tibetan36]

I’ve had AF for 8 years. My meds have been Eliquis, aspirin, Amioderone and Nebivolol.

6 years on Amioderone and 6 months on Nebivolol.

I recently became severely short of breath. This resulted in two visits to the hospital where on the first visit I was told (after all tests came back negative) that I had anxiety so to go home.

The second visit came a week later when I collapsed in the driveway at home.....off to the hospital where again all tests came back negative. My blood pressure had been a bit low overnight so they decided I had low blood pressure and that’s the problem all along.

I kept saying that it’s not anxiety nor BP problems, it’s something to do with my meds.

I saw my Cardiologist who sent me to nuclear medicine twice for different scans. All came back negative.

A visit to the lung doctor indicated thickening of the lung walls and windpipe.

It turns out I’m allergic to the Amioderone and the Nebivolol.....I knew it however you can’t tell medicos.

Since I’ve been off both my breathing has improved 75%....it takes a few months for Amioderone to leave the body....I don’t want to ever see that med again nor the other one.

I just wish doctors would listen to the patient sometimes..

[etheral]

This is a common side effect of Amiodoron, especially after 6 years. Before being placed on the drug Pulmonary Function Studies are suggested and repeated every 6months.

[tibetan36 in reply to etheral]

Thanks for your reply. I don’t think I had any Pulmonary Function studies done from memory.

[Ianc2]

Good to hear you are off Amiodarone, 6 years is a long time to be using this drug, Stiffening of the walls of the lungs is a known side effect. It has a half life of 3 months, i.e. after 3 months half is still stored in your cells. After 6 months a quarter, and so on. Takes a long time to go.

[tibetan36 in reply to Ianc2]

Thanks Ian....yes I’m aware of the time period for it to leave. I’ve been off it for six weeks now and still using sun protection and taking vitamin D.

I appreciate your advice.

[cuore]

Were you given any reason by your cardiologist why he/she kept you in Amiodarone for six years? Were you not asked at the hospital what drugs you were on? There are other anti-arrhythmic drugs such as Propafenone.

[tibetan36 in reply to cuore]

Thanks for your message.

Unfortunately no other anti arrhythmic drug works for me.

Yes the hospital takes into account my list of meds.

The local hospital is a large one however I don’t trust them at all. They’ve sent me home saying I had anxiety a number of times when I was actually in need of stents....I have four of them.

So I’ve been off the Amioderone now for about six weeks and feeling much better. It’s a wait and see scenario until the drug leaves my body by Feb next year.