Sotalol reduction to get off it?

[Jasperpete]

Hi, I am a new member. 3 months ago I was given Sotalol after having a replacement aortic valve. Surgeon said I can stop this medication now. But after reading the patient info about this med, it said don't stop abruptly. But the surgeon did not suggest a reduction method. When I stopped it and after 2 days I felt that my heart was fluttering or even AF. So I started taking the sotalol again. But on this med I feel dreadful with muscle pains really bad and so fatigued. How can I reduce 40mg in morning and 40 mg in evening to get off of them slowly. ????? I hope someone can help because it is impossible to get doctor appointment, they keep saying there are not any appointments!!! It's like living in a 3rd world country and looks like boat people are more looked after.

[Rubymurray25]

I came off Sotalol after my first ablation, the consultant just said come off it but having read up on it I weaned myself off over a week, but I didn't have a value changed and that must surely be a consultants decision and not a doctors! I am lucky as I have an email for my consultants secretary and have used it a few times. Personally I would hound the hospital to get an call from at least the cardiology nurse. Good luck.

[Jasperpete in reply to Rubymurray25]

Thank you Rubymurray25 . very useful information. At the moment I have a fight on between the surgeons office and the doctor. I'm in the middle and it's very frustrating. So thanks again for your comments.

[Auriculaire in reply to Jasperpete]

You could try reducing each dose by half and see how you feel. Coming off beta blockers is a very individual thing. Some people can stop "cold turkey" with no problems , others can wean off quickly and some have to do a protracted wean to avoid discomfort. Nobody really knows into which category they fall until they try and what's more no GP or consultant knows either.

[Jasperpete in reply to Auriculaire]

Yes I think that you are correct and I am trying a slow reduction. Slower the better probably and I am cutting a 40mg tab into 4 pieces as best I can and trying that. So effectively trying that for 4 days then reduce again and see what happens. Fingers crossed.

[Auriculaire in reply to Jasperpete]

Good luck . You can even go to every other day once comfortably down to the lowest dose the pill chopping will allow.

[Jasperpete in reply to Auriculaire]

Thanks for that, it might be a futile task but until I try it, I won't know. Surgeon thinks that I will probably require an alternative half way through a reduction. This is so scary. I never had AF before my open heart surgery to replace the main aortic valve.

[Auriculaire in reply to Jasperpete]

Do not be scared. You have a good chance that once weaned off the beta blocker you will be fine. Some of us have had afib for years and are here to tell the tale. If he means an alternative beta blocker ask if you can try Nebivolol. Many here including myself have found it easier than Bisoprolol.

[Jasperpete in reply to Auriculaire]

Thanks for the info, I will look into it. AF is all very new to me at the moment and not completely recovered from the replacement valve. But appart from that the op went well. The booster vaccine made me feel dreadful, gave me pains all over my lower body, most concerning.

[Auriculaire in reply to Jasperpete]

Better than pains in the chest! I am not having a booster.

[Jasperpete in reply to Auriculaire]

I'm not having a 4th Jan. Unless I'm tied down. The way it's going that might be so.

[Auriculaire in reply to Jasperpete]

Don't be too sure. The figures from Israel are not looking so good for the boosters - waning even quicker than the original jabs. They are starting to rethink the 4th jab.

[Jasperpete in reply to Auriculaire]

God, when will this end! Is it driven by the new World order?

[Auriculaire in reply to Jasperpete]

One can only hope it is driven by Pharma greed as that is easier to combat.

[Jasperpete in reply to Auriculaire]

Agreed entirely

[RatPurdy]

I asked my cardio to try weaning me off sotalol about a year ago. He recommended a half dose per day for 3 weeks, and then stopping . The day after stopping, pretty much continuous arrhythmia for a week until I lost patience and restarted.

[Jasperpete in reply to RatPurdy]

Did he ever recommend trying an alternative?

[RatPurdy in reply to Jasperpete]

Jasper ....Sotalol was the third type of pill that I had been prescribed (Multaq and Bisopralol were the other two), and it was the pill I responded to best. The others had unwelcome side effects .

[Jasperpete in reply to RatPurdy]

I have only had Sotalol, so it looks as if I have a problem because the side effects of Sotalol are terrible.