Regarding this medication - Anyone else having this problem in their their area? I've been told by pharmacies it is not available & no date when it will be (worcestershire) seems there are productiom issues.
I will be contacting my gp & cardiologist. As I dont think?? it shouldn be stopped except under supervision + can take months to leave the system.
I have a feeling I maybe put back on Bisoporal which was not as effective as Amiodarone.
Anyone else having this problem in their area?
Out of interest - If for a different reason you were given a different medication what was it please & did you have to stop Amiodarone for a while before taking new medication?
One chemist told me Amiodarone is available in liquid form but due to costs probably won't be given as alternative.
Your replies will be welcome
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Gowers
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.Many years ago I has been taking Amiodarone for about 18 months and was then switched over to Disopyramide ( supply issues with this now...) . I was told just to switch over. I was not given any instructions to taper off.
I work in healthcare. You can thank all the Brexiteers for medication shortages. Dronedarone is a possible alternative to amiodarone. It is less toxic, but not always as effective as amiodarone. Also, bisoprolol is not a substitute for amiodarone.
It seems that when anti arrhythmia drugs become unavailable, for whatever reason , then Bisoprolol seems to be the drug which is suggested instead . I've found this when my drug Disopyramide became unobtainable.
I had this with Disopyramide, having taken it for 20 years and that was down to a manufacturing problem to was put on to Propanafol, didn't like the idea of the change but have no alternative other than to change, thank goodness there are alternatives and to be honest I find this quite a worry because I hear there are quite a few vital drugs that are proving hard to source.
Yes, my husband is about to run out and no knowledge of when supplies will be available.
It’s a real concern.
I know when this happened with other drugs for another condition our charity representatives campaigned directly to the Health Minister so we were able to access imports - but that was way before Brexit!
It is very worrying because unless we have direct access to an EP, how do we get the change of drug? GP’s won’t normally prescribe antiarrythmics.
I was directed to the Heart Failure specialist nurse once they realised after over a year that I was actually in per,A/F.......they had been testing me for Asthma and other breathing symptoms when in fact I was in heart failure, my heart caused my symptoms. i.e. breathless, dizzy and cough and I have to say she was marvellous. She worked directly under my Cardiologist so verified everything with him, she increased my heart drugs, prescribed a diuretic and monitored me over a 6 week period with me recording each morning my heart rate, BP, weight due to fluid retention etc., until finally back in sinus and pacemaker keeping me paced at 60rpm, she also sort his advice when I was unable to source Disopyramide and he in turn recommended Propanafol which the nurse then prescribed, so she was monitoring my drugs, so my advice would be, contact your cardiologists secretary who will report to her boss or specialist nurse technician and go from there. Good luck x
I had a repeat prescription about 10 days ago and my Amiodarone was supplied. I have had past issues with Ad Cal tablets and Monopost eye drops. Apparently, there's only one manufacturer of Monopost in the World so if there's a hiccup with supply, it tends to be major.You need to speak to your EP as to what can be prescribed instead as Amiodarone tends to be the last in the line of drugs so I'm guessing they'll have to switch to something less effective.
Hope there's not an ongoing issue or I'll be in the same boat and can't take Flecanide or Soltalol.
I'm in Worcester area but, just found out QE pharmacy has them in stock - being a large hospital where my consultant is based I will try & get paper copy to them. Thanks for the information. Think you got your last prescription just before there was issues with production
hi there I live in East Sussex no issues with supply that know of.Dangerous to stop it I have massive AF attacks if I stop taking.Yes speak to your Gp surgery they should know.
This is a worry. I’ve had no problems to date in Wiltshire but am due to get a repeat prescription very soon so am crossing my fingers! I’ll be devastated if I can’t get amiodarone - it changed my life and I don’t want to go back to life without it!
For the last 12 months my husband has had to collect 3 monthly supplies of Amiodorone from the hospital Pharmacy (prescribed by Consultant) as they centralised supplies due to shortages at individual Pharmacies. He has just been transferred back to local Pharmacy for future supplies.
Amiodarone has a very long half life(this is the time it take for 50% of a dose to be eliminated by the body) It can take weeks to be totally cleared from your body...so have to be careful interactions with other medicines. You should be checked regularly for thyroid, liver and lungs...amiodarone can cause side effects which you may be aware of.
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