drugs prescribed...

[cloudster]

A close friend was just prescribed Amiodarone for his afib...anyone experience with this?

[jeanjeannie50]

Yes, it damaged my thyroid and I'll now have to take meds for life to correct that. I was putting my extreme tiredness down to AF.

Someone I know took it for, not sure now if it was 8 or 10 years, during that time he had no blood tests at all. He was really cross when he found out he should have been monitored. All checks showed he was fine though.

I think it's ok to take it for very short periods pre an ablation or cardioversion.

Jean

[JoDogBlue]

I was on it for 9 months before a cardioversion and then for 3 months afterwards, a year in total. My consultant didn't want me on it any longer than that due to the issues it can cause. I struggled with extreme sun sensitivity and disturbed sleep which I just accepted. Some people are fine but you do need to get periodic thyroid tests regardless. I think it can affect eyes and lungs in some people. In my case it did help me stay in a normal rhythm after the cardioversion, so swings and roundabouts.

[opal11uk]

Yes, quite a hard hitting drug which didn't suit me, mainly because I didn't like the contraindications and asked to go on to something else. I personally would not take this drug, bad enough taking the ones I do lol

[30912]

Yes, for about six months which wasn't a good experience with nightmares and shaking and quite a toxic drug apparently. Flecainide was the way to go for me.

[Ppiman]

I was about to be given amiodarone for persistent fast atrial flutter in 2019, but my ablation came in time. I gather it is called a "Class III" anti arrhythmic because it is to be given only when other treatments have failed or cannot be used for safety reasons. It is clearly highly effective, and is used as a life saving treatment in hospitals, but needs careful monitoring owing to its potential toxicity. Outside of its emergency hospital use, it would only be given if needed and when other, safer, alternatives were not suitable.

Given this background, there is, however, a very comforting and well-conducted online study which shows, in low doses, that it can be a safe treatment. If you search for "low dose amiodarone safety" you will easily find this study.

Steve

[Desanthony]

Do you know why they are being prescribed amiodorone? Is it to help with either a cardioversion or ablation as I was prescribed it? I had to take it for 3 months 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after the cardioversion - which like all the other cardioversions i had was successful. I had full blood tests every month so that if there were any bad side effects the amiodorone could be stopped. It was only at the end of the course that they found a .2 increase in my thyroid count but this reverted to normal within the first month after stopping the amiodorone. This was the only side effect I had and didn't have any problems with my skin burning in sunshine - lucky, because we were having a hot summer at the time I took it and I was building and painting my shed so out all day and every day!

It is the nature of side effects that not every one gets all of the side effects listed some get none at all, some get one or two mildly others get one badly and some just can't use that medication at all and you will not know until you start taking the medication which of those you will be. This is why we are given blood tests whilst on the amiodorone.

If your friend is wary of taking amiodorone then they should discuss this and any possible other medications they could take that could give them the same benefit with the prescribing Dr.

[colourblue]

I was once told it's considered a 'dirty' drug. My Optician was surprised that my Consultant had put me on it as it can cause eyesight problems. I took it for about 9 months, but it was affecting kidney function. I gradually weaned myself off it as it was worrying me so much. I am now on Bisoprolol & Apixaban.

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

I understand one can take it for a short period.

It interferes with Thyroid function or if taking thyroxine.

cheri JOY. 75 (NZ)

[Sweetmelody]

Please see my response and those of others to Monomono1234. There is clearly a love-hate relationship with amiodarone. I detest it, but it helped me. Four to six weeks was my limit, after reading up on it. My EP agreed to my stopping it at four weeks. Amiodarone helped me, but I never want to take it again. I felt worse on amiodarone than I did when in Aflutter and tachycardia pre-ablation. But now all’s well…