Breathless since taking Amiodarone

I am unsure of my mother’s diagnosis (she will not ask her doctors!) but she was a very fit 85-year-old who just prior to having a pacemaker fitted, in January, was able to walk two miles a day and dig her garden. I believe she may have ventricular arrhythmia as well as atrial fibrillation, but I am unsure. Her pulse was very slow and irregular prior to the pacemaker and now it’s a steady 61 beats a minute.

She has been on Amiodarone (and warfarin) since January. She soon felt unwell, with various side-effects, including swollen ankles and tremors. She also burns very easily and has to avoid sunlight. The most worrying symptom, three weeks after starting the drug, has been shortness of breath. Her GP believes she has fibrosis. Her cardiologist has said he will leave a decision up to the GP as to whether she should discontinue the drug. The GP, understandably, says the decision is up to the cardiologist. Also, she made an error when taking the loading dose in the initial two weeks and when I checked she had taken 14 pills instead of 37. She has spoken to her GP and the cardiologist, neither knows whether this will matter!

My mum is too frightened to stop the drug, even though she is unwell and breathless. Can anyone advise me please, I am so very worried. My mum was one of the fittest people I knew before being prescribed this drug.

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