Nervous to stop amiodarone, two months post-ablation

[KootenayTrails]

July 31st I will be two months post-ablation with zero arrythmias since, after frequent paroxysmal AF prior. I am to stop taking my 200mg daily amiodarone on July 31st. (Started temporarily two months prior and two months post-ablation). My question is for those of you who have done the same. Did your AF return soon after stopping amiodarone, did you stay AF-free, or somewhere inbetween? It has been so awesome having my life back and I absolutely want to be drug-free again except for apixiban, but I’m realizing I’m apprehensive to stop amiodarone now!

[BobD Volunteer]

I would be far more worried about taking it for any longer but do understand the feelings. It will take quite a while for this nasty drug to clear your system anyway so the sooner you start the better.

[KootenayTrails in reply to BobD]

Yes, true. Thanks

[Hidden]

Totally agree with Bob but totally understand your apprehension. Some members have taken Amiodarone long term and have coped quite well but the side effects can be quite serious so best advice has to be to follow the instructions provided by your Doctor. I can also understand why you asked the question but suggest you bear in mind the following thinking. Forums tend to attract more bad news than good. If someone in your position stopped Ammo and remained in NSR they are likely to have moved on and enjoying life without contributing much (if anything) to the forum. Those who have been less fortunate might still be around so the chances are negative responses would outweigh positive ones by a fairly high degree and this is unlikely to be helpful to you at the moment. Also, at 2 months post ablation, even with Ammo still in your system you will still be well within the blanking period, so even if you did experience a blip, it doesn’t mean the ablation has failed. Personally, I have never had to take Ammo but if it was prescribed, I wouldn’t stay on it a day longer than I had to….good luck 👍

[KootenayTrails in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the reassurance. Yeah it’s nasty stuff, though my experience has been no side effects and it greatly reduced my AFib burden so that I could tolerate AF daily prior to ablation. Can’t imagine going back to AF without it I guess. EP did say that if I get even one AF episode during the blanking period, they’ll increase the amiodarone. Praying I stay AF-free without it.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to KootenayTrails]

To my mind Amiodarone is pure poison. It didn't stop my AF attacks and damaged my thyroid and I'll now have to take medicine for life to rectify that.

[KootenayTrails in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Sorry to hear that, that’s rough. Yep regular bloodwork, ECG’s and lung scans is routine now because of those nasty side effects for some people (by my EP team anyways).

[Ppiman]

From what I have read, low doses of amiodarone given short term are considered safe and a very effective and useful drug. I expect your doctor is using it to keep your heart arrhythmia free while the ablation scars settle and heal. This seems to be a part of some centres' protocols. Whether you will have some small issues once it's stopped, who knows, but keeping the heart free of arrhythmias while the blanking period completes has been shown to be the best way to keep the heart AF free for longer.

Hope for the best and follow our cardio'/ EP's advice is all we can do.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Steve

[KootenayTrails in reply to Ppiman]

Yes that is my EP’s plan. Thanks, very good advice.

[rubyred]

hiya, I was also on Amidarone. I had my ablation last year in 2022.

I stopped Amidarone 6 weeks afterwards.

My cardiologist explained to me that when you stop it you just stop the tablets but even though you have stopped them it takes some time for all of the built up Amidarone to leave your body so although it sounds like it s a full withdrawal it isn’t.

I can’t remember exactly how long it takes to fully leave your cells.

When you start s taking it if you recall you took week one a much higher dose then week 2 was still high but not as high as week one. Week theee was the standard dose. That was to build it up into your system so stopping also allows it to leave your system slowly.

I’m sure you will be absolutely fine. You can’t stay on Amidarone for long term as it can cause other issues.

If your cardiologist says it’s ok to stop after your ablation then I would stop as recommended.

😊

[KootenayTrails in reply to rubyred]

Yes, I definitely will do as he says. Thanks for the reassurance. Hope you are still AF free!

[Ducky2003]

It'll probably take 6 months + to totally leave your system so won't be like other drugs while effect disappear after a few hours. 😊.

[ddtnmphs]

I was on Amiodarone for two months before cryoablation. It stopped my afib after the first month. In Sept 2022, I went in for my procedure. I had no afib at time of ablation. Post procedure, I haven't had any other afib episodes. I asked the doctor to take me off of Amio after a month post procedure and he ok'd it. It's been about nine months since I stopped taking it and haven't had any afib so far. Knock wood.

[KootenayTrails in reply to ddtnmphs]

Good to hear, thanks. And may you continue AF-free!

[kocoach]

Hello, I've been on amiodarone for six years 200mg once daily and my EP will not let me get off of it and he said if I stopped it on my own it wouldn't be good. I'm in afib as I write this post since this morning after four and a half days affib free, HR went up to 148 but just rode it out now settled in at 90s. Luckily I've had no complications with it yet. My resting HR is 48-50s. Just wanted you to know that some of us on long term amiodarone use are still fine and ticking right along. Have a Blessed Day.

[localad]

i stopped it immediately after my ablation.

I was loathe to start it 2 months before!

[KootenayTrails]

Did you? And so far so good without it? I also was loathe to start it, but no QOL with daily AF, fainting etc and other meds didn’t work, so didn’t feel I had a choice. Another 10 days and I’m done.