Hi, I have been taking Disopyramide (Rhythmodan Retard 250mg) for AF, but have been unable to find any pharmacists with stock for a while now. So the Cardiac Nurse at my Doctor's Surgery has switched me to Bisoprolol. I am about to switch over from the last of my Disopyramide, and start with the Bisoprolol.
I am nervous about the switch, as Disopyramide is an anti-arhythmic (sodium channel blocker?) while (as I understand it) Bisoprolol is a rate control/beta blocker drug.
My resting heart rate is 58 to 63 normally, and lower when asleep, so I am not sure I want my heart rate to go any lower as a result of taking beta blockers.
Has anyone else made the switch from Disopyramide to beta blockers or something else? If so what are you on now and what has your experience been?
Any help/advice very much appreciated.
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Just praying it remains available, as there is no exact like for like replacement for it. AND , I'm advised, only 1 single manufacturer has a licence to supply the UK
Doctors were offering " similar type" medication, but it isn't the same.
Or they were upping the doses of our other existing medications to try and "compensate"
I got my cardiac consultant on board, as I was feeling very unwell without them.
I was fortunate as she brought me into hospital and then was able to prescribe me some from the hospitals remaining stocks, about 2 months worth.
I had to eeak them out till last week, but I definitely felt better for being back on them 🙏
But even the hospital ran out of their emergency supplies by the end of last November.
I am in Wiltshire, so not too far away. It's the Retard version that I have been on, so will try again next week. And yes, it's crazy that medicines like this can run out of supply nationally without any reliable alternative medication. Fingers crossed!
I too was on Disopyramide for 20 years and it is no longer manufacturered much to my disappointment so my cardiologist put me on Propanafol, which I dreaded, but it caused no problems at all so I now take that as well as Bisoporal. God help us all if these drugs go out of manufacture or, do to unforeseen circumstances they become unavailable.
The 150mg has been discontinued but the 100mg is now back in production after several months as like Wardija above it's now back at my pharmacy since yesterday. Yay! What I now do is order 500mg but only take 300mg which works for me so I stockpile. Well you have to as I've had problems with this drug production in the past
Oh you must be on the Retard version. I used to take those twice a day until again production got in the way and I ended up taking 5 x 100mg/day which is when I experimented with reducing which worked for me. Only 28 supply? Youre not in the UK then?
Not really answering your question but my experience of Bisoprolol has been ......... first prescribed when I was initially diagnosed with AF in Jan 2010. Prescribed to be taken in morning. Some months later I experienced the unusual side effect of random, full flow nosebleeds. Initially we were confused because at the same time I was put on Warfarin.
I complained to my GP and she checked her book of magic potions and brews and said ... take it at night. I did this and I've never had a nosebleed since. Never ever ! While at the same time I've stayed on Warfarin until mid November 2023 when my GP wanted me to change to Edoxaban.
I stayed on Bisoprolol until August 2023 when I switched to Nebivolol. I consulted my Surgery Pharmacist and this was her drug of choice for my situation. I explained to her that after all these years on Bisoprolol I was now feeling I was becoming the Zombie from the Land of the Living Dead.
Just for information.My GP suggested that I stop my Clopidogrel and Aspirin, in exchange for Edoxaban. I did a fair bit of scientific research (not Dr Google) and double checked with my Cardiologist.Edoxaban has a higher risk of bleeding and there is no antidote ! It is also significantly cheaper, that's why some GP's are pushing it.
My numerous medications are completely stable, so why rock the boat ? so no, not for me thank you. I gracefully refused.
I guess Edoxaban acts differently on all of us, and even with other drugs a person maybe on. Fer instance ........ I am not on any of the drugs you and others mention here, none at all. Suggesting to me you and others are being treated for medical stuff that doesn't affect me. So maybe Edoxaban will act differently ..... soon find out as last Friday I had blood tests done to establish my 'markers' for future reference while on Edoxaban. That in turn suggests that my Edoxaban is now being closely monitored as indeed my Warfarin was in the past with my INR tests.
I've been taking Disopyramide for nearly 40 years and yes there have been production difficulties but yesterday my pharmacy rang to say they'd finally got some four months after my scrip went in! Luckily I've friends in France who take my scanned scrip in to their pharmacy to get Rythmodan so I've managed to survive up to now. Try again to get it. I take Bisoprolol as well so I wouldn't say one is a substitute for the other.
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