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AFIB and Amiodarone

Posted , 4 users are following.

TMNA
TMNA

I checked out the Amiodarone forum, and it was scary. How many of you have had your vision affected by this "toxic" drug?  I reduced my mom's dosage to 100 mg/ daily (1/2 of a 200 mg tablet).  Her cardiologist wasn't thrilled but added, "better than nothing."  I would even stop that, if I could, but I'm not being given more info than that it increases stroke risk. She takes this with a baby asprin.  My question  is to ask if anyone has reduced or eliminate Amiodarone without an further incidence of AFIB. My mom was diagnosed in the spring.... had cardioversion... and has been on Amiodarone ever since. Now that she is down to 100, can I cut it down, further??? Maybe 100 every othe day?  Yes, it's the side effects that scare me...... 

 

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  • moira23432
    moira23432 TMNA

    Posted

    Hi,  I was given amiodarone after a 2nd cardioversion,  at night on the 1st day after I went to bed it felt as if my heart was moving around in my chest scared me to bits, I was also on warfarin and no one told me that the warfarin dosage should be reduced by half when you start using this drug I only found that out on this site and some others on the computer.   After the second day I was totally stressed out and crying and on going to my doctor found out I was having a really bad reaction to the amiodarone,  I was told to stop it immediately,  I was told that it is classed as a black drug only used as a last resort!   I would suggest that due to the side effects that this drug has there must be something else that they could give your Mum.   Just wonder if the cardiologists would take this themselves.  This happened
    • simon56380
      simon56380 moira23432

      Posted

      I I took it as a last resort. Was on it for only a few months. It did the trick and dug me out of the hole that I was in. It's pretty effective when used short term like this. I had no side effects from it. 

    • TMNA
      TMNA moira23432

      Posted

      I'm really thinking of just stopping it. She is at the doctor(s) so frequently, they could just pick up the A-Fib, if it ever were to return.   Thank you so much. 

    • TMNA
      TMNA simon56380

      Posted

      How long ago was this? How long have you been off it? Also, do you take a blood thinner, as well?

       

    • simon56380
      simon56380 TMNA

      Posted

      It was Mid Jan to early June 2014 I took Amioderone. Have been taking Apixaban for a thinner since I was first diagnosed in Dec 2014, but am of it since last week
    • TMNA
      TMNA simon56380

      Posted

      Really good to know. Thank you. And am so glad you are doing well. 
    • simon56380
      simon56380

      Posted

      Sorry, that should've been Jan to June 2015.(oops!😦wink

    • derek76
      derek76 moira23432

      Posted

      I had that problem with warfarin as well when amiodarone was added to my meds. I has to suss out the reasons myself as evidently the assistant cardiology registrar did not know. Nor were the INR nurses at the surgery. It was also news to my GP as BNF does not really spell it out.  
  • derek76
    derek76 TMNA

    Posted

    Did her cardioversion work and is she still in NSR? Amiodione is the most effective drug for AF and is dispensed nowadays like Smarties but it is supposed only to be prescribed for life threatening conditions.

    It affected my eyes within weeks of starting it. First with floaters and then with fuzzy blurred vision that the eye clinic said was due to it causing a cloudy film over the eye. My cataracts that I had been told were years from needing to be done had worsened to the stage where they offered the procedure now.

    It also affected me in several other ways and caused loss of eqilibrium making small turning movements as in the kitchen and shower dangerous.

    Apart from the cataracts the symptoms went after stopping it.

    For more information you can Google 'the history of amiodarone'    

     

    • TMNA
      TMNA derek76

      Posted

      I think I am going to stop it..... she definitely is walking a lot worse....  she says she gets dizzy and has to hold onto furniture to get from one end of the room to the other.
    • derek76
      derek76 TMNA

      Posted

      That was what I had to do,
    • TMNA
      TMNA derek76

      Posted

      She never had afib until the one episode that had me take her to the er. Since then, he meds got changed (stopped labetalol -- got put on amiodarone and eliquis). Had cardioversion done. She also has kidney failure, and is one tiny step away from dialysis.   Her kidneys were holding steady until all this started.
    • derek76
      derek76 TMNA

      Posted

      You really need to see your kidney consultant,
    • TMNA
      TMNA derek76

      Posted

      I agree -- we have an appointment today.... and i'm taking related articles/studies with me. 

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