Weaning off amiodarone?

[Dogsaregood]

Does anyone have experience with being placed on amiodarone prior to ablation and then being weaned off post-ablation?

I know that you just don't stop it cold...but not sure when / how this usually is done.

I realize that my doctors will provide direction, but no appointment scheduled for another 2 months, and I'd like to know what to expect, or I should reach out sooner to find out?

Thanks, everyone!

[Nakesero]

Hi Dogsaregood,I had Afib diagnosed (by accident) in Feb 22 and along with Edoxaban and Ramipril I was also given Bisoprolol- which I hated as it made me devoid of motivation and deeply depressed. As a result, the Cardiologist wrote to prescribe Amiodarone. This prompted the pharmacist attached to my GP to phone me to strongly advise that I did not take it and to contact the medical secretary to ask for an alternative, in other words, as a complete layperson, I should phone up the Cardiologist and tell them that they shouldn't be prescribing Amiodarone. At the same time I recognised that if I didn't proceed with the medication it would be highly unlikely that they would proceed with an Ablation. Reading about Amiodarone was like reading a manual on how to irreversibly damage all your major organs but I did start the course and was on it for about 7 months with fortunately no noticed consequences. I had the ablation in May 23 and surprisingly was told to stop Amiodarone immediately which I did, again without apparent consequences although I am aware that even after stopping it takes the body a significant amount of time to eradicate all traces.

So, a much longer answer than I intended but that was my experience of Amiodarone and of coming off it but I am also aware from this site of many people with completely different experiences.

Good luck with both the ablation and the withdrawal from the medication, I hope that everything works brilliantly for you.

[CDreamer]

I wasn’t aware you had to titrate down for Amiodarone? It has a very long half life so even if you stopped it would stay in your system for weeks or even months.

My husband has been on maintenance dose of Amiodarone for the last 3 years, full dose prior to that which he has tolerated very well. It is a very toxic drug but it is also the most effective anti arrhythmic and taken short term is often well tolerated, so we were given to understand, born out by OH’s experiences.

Hope all goes well

[opal11uk]

That should be brilliant news and yes, your medics will advise but weaning off is a gradual reduction so no sudden stops of any heart meds unless advised to do so . Good luck x

[BrotherThomas]

When I came off it, I was told to take half a pill for 14 days then stop altogether. I was taking a full dose of 200mg a day. I extended the tail off by taking a quarter pill for a further two weeks. I had no problems with withdrawal effects after stopping.

[BeeBee79]

I was weaned off post-ablation - I think it went down to every other day for a month. It takes about 3 months to leave your system so there were no ill effects except that my AF returned with a vengeance 🥹

[KenRC]

I was on amiodarone prior to my first ablation, my ep told me to stay on it after the ablation which I did for a couple of weeks then stopped. It stays in your system for two to three months so I’m led to believe, so I’m pretty sure it doesn’t need tapering off. 5 years later I was prescribed it again when af recurred. It put me back in sinus rhythm after about a month but I felt lousy taking it and told my ep. He said just take it 3 times a week with a view to stopping it altogether (before I could get an ablation). Anyway I had an ablation & was told to stop taking it straight away. (I had actually been taking it every other day, ie equivalent to 100mg a day as it was easier to remember an even dosage than 3 a week!) So in my case there was no problem stopping it abruptly!

[Karendeena]

I haven't taken amiodarone but taken Sotalol. I had an ablation in March this year andy EP won't take me off meds at the moment. I am seeing him again in December so I will leave it to his expert knowledge. One member of the group titrated the meds following ablation and has since had to increase them, so I would apply caution.

[Thomas45]

I was on Amiodarone for 10 months. It was not successful in reducing occurrence or severity of my AF episodes. I was put on it after going, on my then GP's advice, to A&E when I had an episode. At that time AF had not been diagnosed. The hospital put me on Amiodarone. At the first consultant visit, 10 months later, the consultant said he didn't like Amiodarone, told me to stop immediately, and out me in Flecainide as a regular daily dose The Flecainide worked and I was AF free for 12 years. I was then found to be in persistent, though asymptomatic, AF, so Flecainide stopped. Neither drog was wearing ed. Both were just stopped. I consider my AF to be permanent. It causes no problems.

[donals]

After my ablation the Doctor told me to stop Amiodarone and I have been off the medication for about 2 months and so far no AF, thanks God!