Insomnia, side-effect of amiodarone?

[Rainfern]

OK, I’ve had all the warnings about the major side effects of this medication. So this enquiry is specific to having had no more than 3 to 5 hours sleep a night for the past week. Three hours last night, I’m feeling exhausted. Has anyone else been affected by amiodarone in this way or for that matter with any other medication? Thank you and hope you’re all doing okay.

[Loafinabout]

I could not tolerate Amiodarone despite also taking gastro-resistant medication. I no longer take it and reverted to Nebivolol. Sleeplessness became a problem too.

[Rainfern in reply to Loafinabout]

Thanks Loafin, so far no other side effects apart from salty iodine taste in mouth and actually slept 8 hours last night!

[Dippy22]

I was started on Amiodarone last Tuesday. To date I’ve slept very well since (apart from one night spent in A&E!). But! I take three drops of CBD oil (4,000), plus L-Theanine (without lemon balm) one hour before bed, which knocks me out cold.

I’m barely one week into starting the Amiodarone and still on the “loading dose”. I understand it has to “build”, so I’ll watch this space with interest.

[Rainfern in reply to Dippy22]

Thanks Dippy i’ve only been on the amiodarone for a couple of weeks myself. Thank you for the tip for CBD oil and L- Thianine - I shall look this up. I’m heartened to have slept well last night but sleep has often been a problem for me. Good luck with the amiodarone and hope you don’t get any bad side-effects!

[Dippy22 in reply to Rainfern]

Can I ask what dosage instructions you were given? I’m on three times a day for a week, then twice a day for a week, then one a day going forward. Just curious as the cardiologist I spoke to yesterday said it was a THREE week build-up/loading dose. He seemed a bit confused when I said what my instructions were.

Also! When I said I hadn’t had any side effects yet, he replied, “You’re still in the loading dose phase, so it’s early days yet”. 😟

He said he doesn’t want me on it very long, and then it can take up to three months to clear out if your system and that’s the stage when problems can arise. It’s going to be an interesting summer - “out of direct sunlight!”

After I answered you this morning I got a call from the hospital to book me in for my first ablation on the 15th June! That’s months sooner than I expected. 😀🤞

[Rainfern in reply to Dippy22]

I’m on 200mg Amiodorone just once a day, it wasn’t suggested I need to change dose any time.

That’s brilliant news that you’ve been booked in for an ablation! We have quite a long waiting list here, so the amiodarone is a bit of a stopgap. Meanwhile they will try another cardio version as the first one only lasted a week. I have persistent AF at quite a low level and don’t get all the scary heart racing issues associated with paroxysmal AF. However, I am quite symptomatic, so that’s why they are going to all this trouble with me!

Wishing you good luck and will look out for further postings on your progress.

[Dippy22 in reply to Rainfern]

Ah, I was going to say how strange we’re on different dose pathways, but then my PAF is heavy duty right now - approx two episodes per week, lasting anywhere between 2-4 days with a HR of around 150-160. It’s getting steadily worse and I’m getting more and more breathless and tired as it goes on. I’ve put myself into A&E this week - once after a 4-day episode and the other on Friday because I was concerned I’d started the Amiodarone on Tuesday, but the PAF had broken through, as I called it. Reassured that the drug will take time to build and it’s to be expected. I’ve got an ostensibly healthy heart and no other health issues, so the cardiologist said he doesn’t want me on it any longer than absolutely necessary. Apparently he went back to his secretary on Saturday and asked if she had any cancellations as he wants me in ASAP. My other issue is I haven’t tolerated any of the other drugs and there’s no where to go from here.

Fingers crossed he’s good at doing it! 🤞

[Rainfern in reply to Dippy22]

I think there’s somewhere you can look up the credentials of cardiologists. You need a specialist EP cardiologist (Electrophysiologist) who deals with the electrics rather than the plumbing! And ask plenty of questions. It sounds like you’ve got someone really good to move you forward with ablation and the technology they use has moved forward so much in the past year or two. I first met my EP at a public talk he gave on all the latest advancements in treating arrhythmias in February, a couple of months after I got my diagnosis. I hate being on this amiodorone so hope it won’t be for long.

[Dippy22 in reply to Rainfern]

I suspect my new one is young and fresh out of training, which from my experience is a good thing. Whilst possibly not too experienced with procedures, they do tend to be up to date with the new advances, and enthusiastic about their subject. He’s a nice guy and when he found out I was in the hospital on Saturday he made the effort to come and see me in person - and watch the ECG monitor while he was there. That went very well and he was anxious to get me sorted asap and off the Amiodarone. 😄

[Dippy22 in reply to Rainfern]

Oh Jo, I’ve just read your bio and see you’re in the South West! I’m in Plymouth. 😀

Ps I checked your bio, because we get a lot of people from the US on here and they seem to have quite different systems to our good old NHS.

[Rainfern in reply to Dippy22]

A good few of us SW folk here I think - I'm Exeter area 😀

[Rainfern]

Are you practicing breathing techniques and relaxation between bouts of AF? The Balance app is very good.

[KootenayTrails]

Yes I also had terrible insomnia my first two weeks on amiodarone. I’ve been on it a month now, and down to the 200mg once daily holding dose …. no sleeping issues unless AFib or ectopics/palpitations now. No other side effects either.

[Rainfern in reply to KootenayTrails]

This gives me hope, thank you. Had 3.5 hours sleep again last night. The heart keeps me awake at times, but this feels like my body is saying rise and shine all night! Hopefully it’ll settle down - the worst thing we can do for sleep is to worry about it. Good luck and hope the amiodorone works for you.