Medication as bad as AF

[Glad80]

After being on flecainide for 17 years it suddenly stopped working .I was prescribed 200 mg Amiodarorone plus 5 mg Bisoprolol

I am finding myself very tired and breathless. I have recently dropped 1.5mg but still feel worn out.What do others think about this? Is there some other medication without these side effect

Thank you

[rosyG]

Have you been on Amiofarone fir long? It’s usually a short term drug as has the side effects you’ve mentioned- and others. Get a review I think

[Glad80 in reply to rosyG]

I have been on it since November only supposed to be short term I think because I haven’t had an AF attack since probable consultant thinks better leaving alone,I can’t cope with side effects much longer thoughThank you for replying

[Peony4575]

I couldn’t cope with bisoprolol at all . Awful tiredness and breathlessness . People have changed to others with a better side effect profile ( I changed to atenolol in order to get off beta blockers altogether and was much better but I think others recommend some of the newer ones ). I couldn’t cope with 1.25mg never mind 5mg

[Glad80 in reply to Peony4575]

Thank you now I know it isn’t just my imagination

[Bigwavedave]

I found Amiodarone a horrible drug. I had to take it for about 10 weeks post open heart surgery where I also had some atrial flutter correcting ablation work done. The surgeon and EP's thinking was to have the Amiodarone do some of the rhythm control "work" whilst the ablation scaring settled down. In fairness, as things are looking good for a clear up of the atrial flutter, I can't criticise the strategy but I was glad to stop taking it about 4 weeks ago.

I was getting headaches, vision disturbances (things suddenly going foggy, generally in one eye and also a blue halo effect) and my skin became really sensitive to even UK spring sunshine. I had noticed that during cardiac rehab, in the last couple of weeks before I came off the Amiodarone that I went backwards on stamina a steadiness of heart rate / breathing when exercising. I had a ECG a few days before coming off it and my "Q-T interval" had lengthened somewhat, which is another common side effect and probably explained the heart rate / breathing under exercise load thing.

[Glad80 in reply to Bigwavedave]

Than you for your reply.I now know it isn’t just me having these horrible side effects

[CDreamer]

I didn’t find one that worked for me for any length of time or came without extreme affects. Bisoprolol was the worst.

[Paulbounce]

Glad wrote

"I was prescribed 200 mg Amiodarorone plus 5 mg Bisoprolol"

Tough call to make. That combo can certainaly make you feel knackered. What to say ?

OK here's my call. It can take a few months for your body to 'adjust' to new med's. When they put me on Bisoprolol it wasn't to bad but sometimes I felt it. If I had to decide (right here and now) I would stick with it and take your doc's advice. You may find when your body adjusts the bad affects pass. I can't promise that.

You wrote

"Is there some other medication without these side effect"

Nope - not that I know of. That doesn't mean I'm right of course.

Good luck with it - maybe sit it out for a few months and see how you feel ?

Paul

PS - I'm not a medic so the above is just from a fellow afibber - it's not medical advice.

[Glad80]

Thank you

[Jajarunner]

I was able to use 100 mg of amiadarone and no betablockers without side effects

[Visigoth]

I am on amiodarone 200mg and after some weird feelings in the first two weeks or so, I feel no significant side effects. When I was put on beta blockers some years ago I felt terrible and couldn’t stay on them. My guess is that the beta blocker is the source of your trouble but I know many have said if you stick with them, you feel better after a while. I would discuss with your cardiologist - it’s worth asking whether you really need the beta blocker as well as the amiodarone.

[cuore]

Amiodarone is the most dangerous of the anti-arrhythmic drugs. You have been already on it for five months. Many got permanent thyroid damage for being on it for less time than that.

Bisoprolol is a beta blocker that gives many patients many debilitating effects.

Instead of Amiodarone, I was placed on Propafenone, also an anti-arrhythmic drug after my third ablation. This drug does have some beta blocker properties. You might want to discuss this drug with your consultant ( obviously another drug too) rather than leaving you with all these symptoms and a vulnerable thyroid. I would question the "better leaving alone" because the comment is bi-focal looking at only what AF is doing, and not also the other part of the body acting up.