anyone here on this drug which my EP calls the Domestos of AF.
I am trying to hold AF episodes with Flecainide whilst I wait for my pacemaker to be fitted. However, we have grandson’s wedding to attend in Provence in the meantime and Flecainide not really doing it.
Wonder if I could just try Amiodarone for a couple of weeks or if there are lots of strings attached.
Di
Amiodarone has a lot of side effects but I was put on it in January when the flecainide stopped working as effectively. I have just had my Pace and Ablate procedure so I was on it for about 6months. My consultant said he wasn't concerned about short term use like that but there is constant blood monitoring for your thyroid function. I never had any problems and I didn't get AF once in that 6months. Starting it was hard because you have to go through a loading dose regime as it takes time to stabilise the proper therapeutic response. It's a high dose for so long then you reduce. All you can do is be guided by your doctor tbh. I'm not sure if a couple of weeks would be worth it because I would say it took a month to settle down but of course it's different for everyone. It can stay in your body for months so I'm not sure if they would chop and change you like that tbh.
A doctor once told me teh amiodarone does not have side effects, It has effects!. Photosensitivity is one so stay out of sunshine r wear factor fifty and a big hat. Short term use is generally fine so long as you are well monitored. Yes Domestos describes it well and is an old saying in our world.
If you could manage without I would because you don’t know how it will affect you when you start taking it, some people feel very ill on the loading dose.
Hiya,
It is called the domestos of anti-arrhythmics.
I tend to use IV in my clinical practice for ventricular fibrillation and tachycardia.
It is a bit of a chore IV as ideally it needs to be given by a central line.
I do use it occasionally for unstable AF within the emergency arena.
Personally I have been on 200mg Daily for 5 weeks or so for my AF. Pre and now post cardioversion.
A number of points:
Some evidence that it needs to be loaded with initially larger doses then tailored down.
It has a long half life meaning once stopped it takes a long while to get out the system.
It does have significant side effect profiles.
Hopefully this URL will help.
BW
J.
Many thanks I think it will have to be Flecainide until the pace and ablate. Not too long. Di
You take a loading dose for at least 2 weeks. You can't use it as a pill in pocket. I have been on and off it during the past 6 years, currently on it following a DCCV in April. My thyroid is monitored anyway as it was underactive long before the AF. I'm lucky I've had no photosensitive reaction but do have corneal deposits. I'm waiting for valve repair surgery so I'm grateful to have something keeping me in NSR in the meantime as it was not great before the DCCV.
I took it for about a week but had such bad nausea and vomiting which got steadily worse. I was advised to stop it but it took over a week to leave my system.
I was on Amiodarone for 7 months waiting for a third ablation , I was checked via my bloods and all was OK just eye issues; the ablation was cancelled as my EP said the Amiodarone had settled my heart down and didn't wish to risk upsetting things. I was then put on Dronedarone and all good, I was put on Amiodarone originally as Flecainide stopped working but still use it as a PIP and it has worked well on the one occasion I had to use it. I guess it depends on what dosage of Flecainide you are on as it would seem a better move not to switch if possibly avoided I'm sure your consultant should know your safe limits within reason. Anxiety and stress are my main issues with AF as a side note. Hope you enjoy the wedding.
Thanks. I was on 100 x2 Flecainide. Tried 150x2 but eventually even that stopped working. Having daily episodes so taking 200 as a pip. 300 if really bad. Problem is balancing the 24 hours.
Have already turned down pre wedding dinner hosted in Marseille to be able to keep tablets for wedding day. 😢
Hi
Are you still getting episodes of Afib on Dronedarone? I have been put on Amiodarone for 3 months following RF ablation that made my arrythmia worse!
Since I have been taking Amiodarone my heart has ( so far) behaved perfectly with just an extra systole here and there. But I don't want to stay on it so wondered about asking the dr about Dronedarone if I decide to not have another ablation.
Take care.
For the for the first 12 months on Dronedarone I didn't have any AF at all then in April this year I got really stressed over my wife's health and chemo and had my first episode, 3 x 100mg Flecainide as my PIP and as instructed by my EP did the trick in three hours! There is a slight resistance to prescribing Dronedarone as it isn't a licenced drug so the manufactures have the monopoly and that makes it expensive!!! I'm happy on it and if it means not having a 3rd ablation then great.
Thanks for your reply. I didn't realise you could take Flecainide while taking other heart medication - that's interesting. So pleased that is working for you. I will really consider it. I would have thought it might have been licensed - they licensed Amiodarone in Europe for Afib even though it has so many nasty side effects. Take care.
I was tested originally in hospital to make sure I could handle Flecainide whilst also on other drugs ( Sotalol at the time ) , but I guess we are all different and have to be tested. Sorry I didn't mean Dronedarone wasn't licenced and approved , I meant that the original developers have kept it to themselves and haven't allowed it to be manufactured under different brand names. You also take care.
Don't you just hate Big Pharma ! I hope your wife is doing OK.
Take care
Hey there, pace and ablate buddy. As you probably know, I took amioderone for 6yrs with no real problems apart from the sensitivity to sunlight ( which was a biggy for me).Once it stopped working , I stopped taking it and as you know have niw been in permanent AF for 2yrs.
I dont think that amioderone would be your answer, because as others have mentioned, you need loading dose and I dont think it would help quickly enough for the wedding. 😢
I hope you manage to enjoy the wedding. Hopefully both you and I will be feeling a lot better in a couple of months time.
Take care Sue.x
They put my hubby on that in May. No loading dose just straight after a failed 1st ablation. Didn't work NSR for 4 days then complete AF since. Now after 2nd failed ablation they put him on Digoxin and Pradaxar. Took him off Apixabsn because of a clot in his appendage. Also informed might have sleep apnea which apparently causes AF!
Digoxin made me worse.
Oh no! Well hubby has Afib Aflutter and Tachycardia so not sure what worse could be!
Hi Mike here ,regarding amiodarone after my second ablation through the groin I was left to long on the drug and it threw all my thyroid functions sky high and put me back in af again that was about three years ago,I've just recently had a front convergent hybrid ablation which has knocked the hell out of me and was one of the reasons I joined the forum yesterday to ask people about their experiences and recovery info . So I'm tagged up not to be given amiodarone so all I can say is there are strong side effects .
Amiodirone is I think another name for Codorone. I had to be helicopter evacuated in France many years ago for severe afib. Cordorone made me vomit really badly so I avoid it now. Just me probably.
My EP suggested trying amiodarone recently, but I said no. He’d previously said he only prescribes it to “older” patients and I was still too young (lol, 67). But he wanted me to give it a whirl. Just too many potential side-effects for me. This article and chart from the European society of cardiology helped me decide.
Just read about this new drug in development, poyendarone, when I was googling recent advances in AFib. It still needs to go through clinical trials before it gets approval. It is hopeful as it has less side effects but seems to follow the principles of dronedarone. I know this doesn't relate to the question posed but I thought I would share some information about it.
news.nus.edu.sg/new-drug-mo...
biospectrumasia.com/news/34...
Fingers crossed - it is time something new was developed and available as AFib is becoming more and more prevalent and improved options are necessary.
Pam
Good luck if you do try it. Most of us has issues with it. We are all different.
Well that is not too far off I guess I don’t blame you for that. I am getting a cardioversion this coming Friday. Just do what your doctor told you make sure you take your meds and have a great time😊
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