Amarodium

Appreciate that, , I was all prepared for the Cardioversion, but as I say, I only started Amiodarone 6 weeks ago, and haven't felt well since then, I certainly would be reluctant to use this drug long time. It's strange my bloods were ok last checks, no thyroid or renal problem. I am still hoping the Cardioversion goes as arranged, I'm fed up these frogs jumping out of my chest. Me I add, I have lost quite a lot of weight, I wasn't able to eat for the first two weeks, so all in all, not a drug for me....

It affected my eyes and caused a tremor within three weeks and not long after it caused loss of balance when making small turning movements.

Are you are still on Amarodium , or did you change a different. It's a powerful drug. Thanks for that....

I have been on it twice. Each time I stopped it after having a cardioversion.

Google, The Strange History of Amiodarone.

If taking Warfarin your dosage should be reduced if later prescribed Amiodarone as it affects your INR.

This is a paragraph taken from drug warnings on NIH (National Institutes of Health) an agency of the U.S. Department of Health.

Anticoagulants:

Potentiation of warfarin-type (CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 substrate) anticoagulant response is almost always seen in patients receiving amiodarone and can result in serious or fatal bleeding. Since the concomitant administration of warfarin with amiodarone increases the prothrombin time by 100% after 3 to 4 days, the dose of the anticoagulant should be reduced by one-third to one-half, and prothrombin times should be monitored closely.

Clopidogrel, an inactive thienopyridine prodrug, is metabolized in the liver by CYP3A4 to an active metabolite. A potential interaction between clopidogrel and amiodarone resulting in ineffective inhibition of platelet aggregation has been reported.

 

Yes, your right, my INR levels rose to 3 .5. Clinic reduced my dose to 1 every day, got it checked yesterday, now at a good 2.5... Thanks fir this.

Mine went to 3.9 in a week. I had to research it myself as Assistant Cardiologist had not known nor did the Wafarin nurse at the surgery who was puzzled by my readings for the next three weeks. My GP  did not know and looked at BNF and it does not spell it out. I asked the pharmacist why she did not warn me and she said that all doctors should know. 

I have since been diagnosed with optic neuropathy in my left eye but dont know if Amiodarone caused it. It can be caused by a sudden drop in BP when asleep or a surge in blood sugar. 

A friend had the problem with a large patch of grey skin on his face and neck that went after he stopped taking it. 

The listed side effects from BNF:

nausea, vomiting, taste disturbances, raised serum transaminases (may require dose reduction or withdrawal if accompanied by acute liver disorders), jaundice; bradycardia (see Cautions); pulmonary toxicity (including pneumonitis and fibrosis); tremor, sleep disorders; hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism; reversible corneal microdeposits (sometimes with night glare); phototoxicity, persistent slate-grey skin discoloration (see also notes above), injection-site reactions; less commonly onset or worsening of arrhythmia, conduction disturbances (see Cautions), peripheral neuropathy and myopathy (usually reversible on withdrawal); very rarely chronic liver disease including cirrhosis, sinus arrest, bronchospasm (in patients with severe respiratory failure), ataxia, benign intracranial hypertension, headache, vertigo, epididymo-orchitis, impotence, haemolytic or aplastic anaemia, thrombocytopenia, rash (including exfoliative dermatitis), hypersensitivity including vasculitis, alopecia, impaired vision due to optic neuritis or optic neuropathy (including blindness), anaphylaxis on rapid injection, also hypotension, respiratory distress syndrome, sweating, and hot flushes

Hello further on Amarodion, I am just back from hospital, my renal funcion was reduced by 75 per cent, rushed in to hospital, and almost put on dialalises, but they stopped that awful drug and after one week, my renal funcion started to  come up.Ii had to get a kidney biopsy and. have to go to the clinic to be monitored. I can't tell you how bad I have been  since starting this drug, so be. Everybody be very careful, and get monitored all the time,apparently renal problems are not noted on the side effects, but certainly should be watched carefully.

 

Hi Kathleen, I have been taking Amiodarone since January and it has caused me major thyroid problems , which is apparently the most common side effect. I am now on increasing levels of thyroxine till they get the balance right. I saw the kidney specialist two days ago, since there has been a decline in my kidney function over the last two years. The specialist did not blame the amioderone but said it was linked with the atrial fibrillation and the oxygen not being circulated properly. I was actually pleased to discover that my kidney function has improved significantly since my last test six months ago , which the specialist thought was due to the amioderone controlling the fibrillation. I think this drug should not be demonised. All strong medication has side effects and presumably when a consultant recommends this drug he does so for good reason. The two cardiologists who have treated me have both agreed that I need Amiodarone since it is the best most effective drug available for Atrial fibrillation. A friend who has had major heart surgery refused categorically to take this drug after she read lots of negatives on Google. Her consultant begged her to take it in order to prolong her life but she would not be persuaded. She is currently in a hospice with days to live. And now she has started Amiodarone ! 

This has been really terrible for you. I do hope that your kidney function goes back to normal soon. In some ways it is fortunate that you had an immediate reaction rather than it slowly killing your kidneys.

The effects of this drug are so long term that often people have been taken off it and their later symptoms are not associated with it.

Did you have your cardioversion?

It is supposed to be prescribed for life threatening arrythmias but they are dished out like smarties when other drugs would suffice.

Why is a heart patient in a hospice when cardiology units are the best equipped even at this late stage. What is her earlier cardiac history. Was her AF like mine as a result of her heart surgery?

 

No Derek, they had to cancel because of my renal funcion being so low. I will probably get a clinic appointment  from Cardiologist to go where I go now. I am so glad my kidneys are recovering. I was put on Bisoprolol low dose, so far my pulse is sitting at around 70, and no frogs in my chest !!!! I didn't want to go down the road of beta blocker, but here I am!!! .....

 

I had a lot of problems with bisoprolol as well as most others.

I had a kidney MRI last November and it was OK. I have a kidney cyst that is now 53mm that I am told is harmless but have pain in that area and will be having a Ultrasound scan next month. 

Early days for  bisoprolol , so far no problems , time will tell !!! .