Stopping Amiodarone Because of Side-Effects

[Guitarman666]

Hi all,

just wanted to share this with the group in case anyone else has had a similar experience.

I have been taking Amiodarone since my last(yes, I've had 2!) cardiac arrest in Christmas 2019, with no obvious side-effect apart from burning easily in the sunshine. However, around 6 weeks ago I started to experience frequent bouts of light-headedness and the feeling that both eyes were starting to droop. I also have been feeling very fatigued. I have been off work with these symptoms since then, and haven't driven since August.

I saw a cardiologist on Friday last week, and the good news was that my heart echo showed 'astonishingly good heart function' given my symptoms.

I am going for a routine appointment to the Pacing Clinic today to have my ICD checked, with a few additional checks at the consultants request.

What is concerning me, is that if I get good results from the clinic, the next step is to stop taking Amiodarone as my symptoms could be a long-term side effect of this drug. Given my history, and that amiodarone is the drug that stops me going into cardiac arrest, I am a little nervous.

The phrase, 'if a cardiac arrest happens, your ICD will catch you' hasn't reassured me a whole lot. As I understand it, the other option is to keep taking amiodarone and have to live with these new symptoms.

As I said at the start of this post, I just wondered if anyone had any similar experiences.

Thanks in advance, Frank

[jeanjeannie50]

Taking Amiodarone damaged my thyroid and I'll now have to take medication for life to rectify that. I detest that drug.

Jean

[Becksagogo]

Im with Jean Jeanie. Amioderone is a drug which, whilst it does what it says on the can, left me with a host of side effects. There are alternatives.

I am due to go back to my Consultant next week as my AF has returned after 4 years. I am praying that they don't recommend it.

[CDreamer]

It’s a difficult one. My husband has been on Amiodarone to prevent AF now for about 4 years and he and his doctors have agreed it is his best option. He is lucky in that he hasn’t suffered long term affects - yet - but given his age (88) and although concerned, he has had such an improvement QOL and given the lack of alternative options, will probably continue for life. Obviously he is carefully monitored every 6 months.

Your position is very different and you don’t say what your dose is? Would they titrate you down gradually? My husband is on 100mg/daily which is quite a low maintenance dose so if he had to stop, it wouldn’t be that much of a shock to his system.

Amiodarone has a very long half life so I would imagine will be active in your body for some months after stopping so I imagine you wouldn’t experience any negative affects until your system had cleared the drug completely and that would be a good thing.

It is a very toxic drug and ok if there is no alternative but the affects can be devastating for some people so it’s a matter of risk:benefit assessment and that is best calculated by your cardiologist. Talk to your cardiologist about your concerns.

Hope that helps.