Amiodarone

Update on my original post below… …Reading the replies I am now concerned that I am still being prescribed Bisopropol 2.5mg per day. Should I be taking both drugs - I wouldn’t have thought so. I’m due to have a Cardioversion on 5 Nov and Cardiologist seemed to infer the Amiodarone was in preparation for that. I talked to my GP who said to continue taking it and Bisopropol but I’m now feeling that can’t be right….

Looking for input on long term use of the above drug. Reading the leaflet there does seem to be a risk of liver damage and also affecting the Thyroid - I have hypothyroidism. The cardiologist put me on it and advised me to get Thyroid and liver tests before and after taking it to see if the medication is affecting them. I’ve been taking it for 3-4 weeks now but the my GP dragged their feet on this for 3 weeks and are just getting round to doing a test. Anyone’s intel on this drug would be helpful.

[Sally_Scott]

I’ve only heard negative comments around the world about this drug. When I was in hospital the cardiologist tried to get me to take it but I refused and told him there r many other drugs instead of that one bit on flecanide

[Hidden in reply to Sally_Scott]

Thanks for this feedback. I had been picking up on negative experiences re this drug so thought it wise to page the oracles on this Forum. Take with caution (if at all) is what I’m hearing.

[Ads568]

Hi Loafinabout, (great name!)

I don’t think my input is going to help much. My late husband was on Amiodarone for several years with great results & not a single side effect. I was on it for 2 months when I was in severe heart failure & felt dreadful, then developed tremors, so was taken straight off it. It stays in your system for months after stopping though. Would it be possible for you to have a chat with whoever prescribed it, now you’ve had chance to do a bit of research? You could ask them if there are alternatives as you’re concerned about Amiodarone, & see if they feel strongly about it and are able to convince you! Ask them if they would take it! Or if they’d be happy for their parents to take it!

Best wishes

[Hidden in reply to Ads568]

thanks for the compliment re my site name - just how I was feeling at the time😂 Your input re my question was really interesting and sorry your experience wasn’t good. I will definitely go back to the cardiologist who prescribed it and dig deeper!

[Spin-off]

Good morning loafinabout. Maybe things have moved on since you last posted (I hope so) but I thought I’d add my experience of Amiodarone.

 I have had PAF for 15-20 years. Ablations (and cardioversions) have given good respite. The third was in Feb 2020 and I was SR and well until August 2022 taking soltalol (changed to replace bisoprolol) and Apixaban. My AF is always fast and sudden - around 170+ - and has previously only settled with cardioversion and occasionally IV digoxin. I cannot take Flecanide-had a seriously bad reaction. The last bout of AF in mid September was bad though and and only settled finally with Amiodarone in hospital. (I had been on Amiodarone about 12-15 years ago before my first ablation but taken off after 2 years with hyperthyroidism, so I’ve obv always had to avoid it since then.)  Amiodarone is now the only drug on offer to me so I’m reluctantly taking it - 200mg a day and 2.5 bisoprolol. First blood test last week was fine. TSH is rising but within normal range. I’ll have blood tests every month. Cardiologists suspect, and so do I, that I will not be able to stay on Amiodarone for long so it’s likely I'll have pace and ablate. However they have advised to put this off for as long as my body can tolerate the medication.

The combination of Amiodarone and bisoprolol hit me hard for the first few weeks - absolutely no energy and v fatigued- but I started staggering the two rather than taking both together and that seemed to help, I feel better now. I wouldn’t choose Amiodarone at all, there’s no doubt to me it’s toxic, but it’s doing its job. Putting up with the drug risk is worth it if I can avoid AF and A&E! Good luck with everything - hopefully the drug or the cardioversion will restore SR and you’ll soon feel much better. 

[Hidden in reply to Spin-off]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and you are certainly ‘fighting the good fight’ in the AFib battle! I’ve reluctantly come off this medication as I was getting a lot of cramping pain in stomach/liver/spleen area which can be impacted by this medication. I have heard both very good and not so good things about it and if you can tolerate it then it’s an effective treatment. I’m up for a Cardioversion this month so fingers crossed I can maintain normal rythmn thereafter!