What are the side effects of this drug. Is it better than other beta blockers??
Sotorol: What are the side effects of... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Sotorol
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southkorea
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BobDVolunteer
Never taken it as it used to be out of favour but it has anti arrhythmic as well as beta blocking affects.
Bob, why is it out of favour? My EP favours it and seems to think it's a wonder drug. I have been on it for 5 years albeit at a low dose since my ablation.
I said "it used to be out of favour" . That was back along when I had AF which as you know is not since 2008. It used to be called a "dirty drug" whatever that means.
Not sure either but would love to know, any ideas?
Thank you . Most people seem to do well with it.
I assume we are talking about Sotolol ? I'm taking it 40mg in morning and 40mg in the evening, does the job for me, no side effects, whereas my previous experiences with Bisoprolol and Nebivolol left me exhausted.
Mind you, having just concluded my latest consultation with my Cardiac Consultant he was happy, however, he did change my BP medication to Losartan from Ramipril.
You may find with more replies yet to come, that (as to whether it is better than other beta blockers ) as with many medications, it will all vary according to the patient.
John
been on Sotolol for about 4 years and so far no problems, went from 40mg twice a day to 80mg twice a day....tried bisoprophol and it made me very tired and lethargic , dont know how long the sotalol takes to give full effect but my episodes of past 9 months have decreased and dont last as long . Will probably end up having an 8 hour special now i have said that. Good luck
Thank you! Anything which decreases the number of episodes of AF is a real bonus !!
I'm on 160mg twice daily dose of Sotolol and so far it's the only one that seems to keep the lid on my AF most of the time. I have a slower HR because of it but I'm fine with that plus feeling cold. I'm happy with it. Bisoprolol/digoxin combination on the hand was diabolical - caused me more problems than it was worth - that's my experience.
Thank you . It seems to work for you!
It's a beta blocker and potassium channel blocker - an anti arrythmic. I have been on it for 5 years albeit a lower dose since my ablation in March 2024. I have digestive issues and sleep disturbances which I attribute to the Sotalol. I just put up with it.
I remember from your last post about wanting to come off ut you said you were on Apixaban as well. The digestive issues might be due to that. Several people here (myself included) get digestive issues with Apixaban.
What do you do about it? Do you put up with it? I get wind and constipation followed by loose motions (forgive the detail)
I take half the dose. I can tolerate that. When I get an afib attack I immediately take the full dose for a few days till the side effects become intolerable then go to 3/4 for another few days. My worst side effect is awful lower back pain. I think on the full dose I also get the same symptoms as you but it's hard to tell as I have had a colectomy which left me with erratic bowels.
Thank you. Do you have fewer Af issues now ?
I haven't had any AF episodes that I am aware of since my ablation in March 2024 🤞
Great!!
I’ve been on sotalol for a couple of years with no problems.
Thank you
I managed to get transferred from Amiodarone which had significant side effects to Sotalol and have noticed no significant side effects with a dose of 80mg twice daily over several years. while it had kept me in NSR.
Brilliant!
Thank You!
Hello, thought I would add my experience as I had terrible side effects from Sotolol.
The worst were the Nightmares it caused and at 57 it was not fun.
Many people seem to use this with no problems, once I switched medication things got better within 5-7 days from the best of my memory.
Hope this helps.
JP
Thank you! It obviously did not suit you!
Sotolol can have a side effect extending the QT interval, which can be dangerous. I have taken Sotolol for 20 years with no outward effects but my QT interval is lengthening. Because of this I have just switched to Bisoprolol. The switch has been a bumpy ride with ectopy and breakthrough AF. I may switch back !!
Anyone here had any experiences in switching beta blocker in or out of Sotalol ?
My EP used to love Sotalol but other Cardio's seem to prefer Bisoprolol or other BB's.
Thank you. What is a QT interval. Did you have fewer episodes on Sotolol?
The QT interval on an electrocardiogram (ECG) represents the time it takes for the ventricles (lower heart chambers) to contract and recover. It's measured from the beginning of the QRS complex to the end of the T wave, representing the total time for ventricular depolarization and repolarization. A prolonged QT interval can increase the risk of dangerous heart rhythms and even sudden cardiac death - so says Google! I had my 4th ablation in October last year having suffered from AF for 20 years. Sotalol success/failure was linked to ablation success/failure so not easy to answer your second Q. I did not have side effects on Sotalol (apart from QT) so it was an easy drug to live with!
Thank you for such a comprehensive explanation!
I’ve been on Sotalol for at least 15 years. I was first given it for SVT, then when I developed AFib, they kept me on it, but upped the dose. I haven’t had any problems with it, except when I first went on it, it made me dizzy, but they lowered the dose and I was ok then. I had an ablation 19 months ago and was told to slowly stop it at the beginning of this year, but my blood pressure rose to high levels and I ha couldn’t tolerate the blood pressure medication they gave me, so I was put back on Sotalol. Just 40mg twice a day, which is the lowest dose, I think. It does lower your blood pressure, so they should have known that if they took me off it, my blood pressure could rise, particularly as I’d been on it so long. It does react with quite a lot of drugs, so I keep a copy on my phone, of all the drug reactions with Sotalol, that you can get from the N.I.C.E. Website and I can check it, if I’m given any new drug, or over the counter medication.
Thank you for writing to me. Very useful information!
You’re welcome. Hope you get on ok with the Sotalol..
