Drugs

[Newtoit]

I have been prescribed amiodarone 200 2x 2 weeks 1x 2weeks for post-ablation but did not handle any drugs well especially calcium blockers which it contains before hence the ablation. Have read many bad stories about and have been told that flecainide is maybe not as potent but the best tolerated out of all the antiarrhythmic. Any thoughts?

[BobD Volunteer]

Short term use such as this should not cause any issues and it would be a brave person who goes against their electrophsyiologist.

[Newtoit in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob I read it is pretty toxic and not even approved by FDA here for AFib. Also stays in your system for 45days after discontinuing .

a-fib.com/amiodarone-effect...

Afib info site

[Bambi65]

Ive known only 1 person that took it. It has caused several organs damage which will take over a year to repair. It was prescribed by an old cardiologist. The person changed doctors and ended up at Duke Hospital and was told that she would have died in a few more months had she not got off the amiodarone. Its been about a year since she stopped taking it and she still has problems but is very slowly getting better.

[cuore]

I was prescribed Amiodarone after my first ablation, but I was persistent. Five months later, I had my second ablation, and again was prescribed Amiodarone. Annoyed with the side effects, and conscious I might get thyroid damage,I asked to change to Flecainide which had a different side effect narrative but not to the degree of Amiodarone.

I strongly suspect that I was one of those that got kidney damage ( inefficiently working even down to 41 GFR) during the Amiodarone period. Switching to Flecainide my GFR went back up even to 66 GFR). Now I am taking Propafenone with my kidneys going down to 46 GFR. I see a correlation that I get chronic kidney disease with Amiodarone and Propfenone but not with Flecainide. Today, I am being referred to an internal doctor to figure all this out with the component of high blood pressure added to the mix.

I would run it by your EP why that specific rhythm drug and not one of the others. If I read your post correctly, you are going to be on Amiodarone for only a month which would not be too bad.

[not2worry]

My husband has AF. He was not a good candidate for ablation. He had a 2nd CardioVersion and was put on Amiodarone to maintain his rhythm. The medication requires monitoring and blood work once a month was prescribed. After 3 months his liver started to be affected. The electrophysiologist then recommended at PaceMaker and that resolved the AF. Amiodarone is one of the “dirty” drugs that does work to control AF but as others noted is typically used short term. It’s also a drug that takes a long time to leave your system. If taken short term the throw off time is relatively short. My husband’s blood work was back to normal in a month.

[Opoho]

I was started on amiodarone after a recent cardioversion still left me with episodes of atrial flutter. While I was on the loading dose of 2 x 200 mg tablets a day, I felt a bit unwell, but I’m doing fine now on 1 per day. No more af, cross fingers! Cardiologist will review in March as he’s not keen on long term use, especially at age 79 (another birthday this week!!) I have monthly blood tests and will have annual eye check up next month. Remember that a lot of the time, you only see the unfavorable reviews on forums! Good luck 👍

[Opoho]

By the way, the change was necessary as flecainide had ceased to be effective for me 😊