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Amiodorone problem

Posted , 4 users are following.

Stokie1
Stokie1

Help

amiodorone started on a dose of 400mg three times daily mistake by hospital 

pharmacy..Now reduced down to. 200mg daily. Side effects are dire. Extreme fatigue, over active brain unable to sleep, head aches,weakness in hands and legs. Given for Atrial fibrillation /flutter.options offered were pace maker

or another ablation.Consultant says I must decide. Anyone had similar experience .

 

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • derek76
    derek76 Stokie1

    Posted

    A friend of mine had a pacemaker fitted and was told that he would still have to take Amiodarane for life. The side effects were so bad that he stopped it. The pacemaker has since done its job for nearly twenty years without any additional medication.  
    • zzappd
      zzappd derek76

      Posted

      A pacemaker doesn't treat afib per se. It can be implanted in conjunction with an av node ablation to treat high heart rates, but you remain in afib. This strategy is one I only employ in very elderly people with absolutely no other options. This method plus amio makes no sense to me
  • zzappd
    zzappd Stokie1

    Posted

    Ablation is a good option especially if you are young (under 65) and healthy. Other medical options include flecainide, propafenone, or sotalol. None of these have the side effects of amio, which is a last line medication
  • ann68675
    ann68675 Stokie1

    Posted

    I can hardly imagine how awful you must have felt on that horrific dose of Amiodarone.  The problem is that the drug has a very long half-life and remains in the system for several months.  The main problem is the damage it can do to the thyroid so HOPEFULLY your consultant will have ensured that your thyroid function is OK - my husband's thyroid was wiped out by amiodarone and no one had checked it. He was advised against having an ablation in that the effect does not last very long and as you have already had an ablation, repeating it would not seem to be a very useful procedure in that the second one would last less time than the first - according to our consultant.  He advised a pacemaker which my husband had fitted more than a year ago and it has been very effective - by which I mean he has been able to live a normal life but only after the thyroid probem had been identified and treated. Very encouraging to hear about Derek76's friend.
    • zzappd
      zzappd ann68675

      Posted

      I'm not sure why a pacemaker would be useful for afib, especially if an av node ablation was not performed concurrently. Even with that, it is the absolute last line of therapy, really only used in the most elderly
  • ann68675
    ann68675 Stokie1

    Posted

    My reply might have been misleading.  My husband did have a  pacemaker fitted but of course he still has AF.  The consultant decided that as he was capable of leading an almost normal life he should carry on as he is for the present as ablation is not without  risk and as you have seen it does not last.
    • zzappd
      zzappd ann68675

      Posted

      Yes, it is not uncommon to treat af with rate controlling meds, and implant a pacer to protect against slow rates. It all depends how symptomatic the af is

    • ann68675
      ann68675 zzappd

      Posted

      Fortunately he does not need rate controlling meds - I say fortunately  because he couldn't tolerate any of them  His BP is and always was normal and any of the meds reduced it to such low levels he could not operate.  His only medication now is thyroxine. 

      This 'solution' was achieved by constantly challenging the various consultants when it was clear to me that the medication was causing more distress than benefit.  I am a medical biochemist and have been invovled with the medical profession all my life so am not afraid to negotiate with them.

    • zzappd
      zzappd ann68675

      Posted

      Can I be honest?  If he's not on rate controlling meds, then I have no idea what a pacemaker would do for AF alone, unless an AVN ablation was done
    • ann68675
      ann68675 zzappd

      Posted

      I don't know enough about the role of pacemakers to answer that but I suspect you have a good point.  I will certainly bring it up with the consultant the next time my husband goes to have the pacemaker checked.
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