I have been on amiodarone for most of the last 20 years. I have a heart rhythm problem that killed my mother at age 25 and a sister at age 21. Initially I had problems with sleep and other symptoms until I got used to the drug. Nowadays I have to take care with the sun but have no other symptoms and ensure I have regular blood tests etc. If it were not for amiodarone I would probably not be here today.
View 2 RepliesI have been on amiodarone 200/ day for 2 months after the initial loading doses. I left it because of side effects and want to restart sotalol 160 mg twice a day, the medication I was on before I started amiodarone. My cardiologist told me to start sotalol one week after discontinuing amiodarone. My concern is that the half life of amiodarone is 58 days. This means my body is loaded with amiodarone resulting in continued low heart rate of about 65 bpm and starting sotalol might further lower the heart rate to dangerous levels. Does anybody have a suggestion as to how many days I should wait before I start sotalol.
View 2 RepliesIn 2007, apparently for a prolonged QT I was hospitalized, given 1600 mg amiodarone and then 200 daily.Only one test was made, after five months. Ten months later I had a TSH of 38. A new cardio brought it down to normal in three months with levothyroxine and put me on Rythmol instead of amiodarone..Did the amio wreck my thyroid for life? Ever since, tests have been normal but with FT3 in the 20's. Doctor after doctor for six years have continue the levo never suggesting a T3 med (In guatemala where I live there is no Cytomel).On my own, I have tried levo doses from zero to 150 over two years with no notable change in TSH and T4 test levels but FT3 still below 30). I cannot pinpoint low FT3 symptoms among side effects from Rythmol 150, coreg 6.25, crestor 10, aspirin 100. I have not slept one night through for six years without two or three hour-long sweats/chills, nauseas, dizziness, weakness, fatigue etc.Daytime too. I'm 87 and tired of it. One stent 2010, RCA. Never felt angina or tachycardia. Any way out of this?
View 10 RepliesI have been taking Amiodarone for 2 months now for cardioversion as I have AF. I have been told that it is unlikely to be successful but that I might as well give it a go. So far I have had no problems at all - I take 200mg daily. I will be on it for a maximum of 4 months so my specialist says that I am unlikely to run into problems which he says are usually connected with much longer term use. My message to others is - please don't be afraid of this medicine - it's at least worth a go in the short term to see if you can tolerate it. The chance of getting rid of AF is just too important not to take it. As I say, so far, I am lucky in being able to tolerate it amongst at least 8 other meds which I take. I was very afraid to start with but now I just see it as "another pill to take".
View 1 RepliesI have taking Amiodarone 200mg for about 35 days for my AF .However, I still get irregular occasional especially after taking hot food. The improvement to my condition is marginal. Can anyone advise me if I should continue with Amiodarone. Also,I have been on warfarin for the past 3 years . Due to the interaction of Amiodarone with Warfarin, my doctor has reduced my Warfarin dosage from 4.5 to 3.5 to maintain my INR between 2 to 3.
View 7 RepliesHas anyone been prescribed Amiodarone for Atrial Flutter/Fibrillation. I have been on this for 9 Days and am finding the side effects dreadful . I don't know if I should persevere for a bit longer or see my Dr.to see if there is anything else I can try.
View 4 RepliesMy son has been on amiodarone for four months now following an atrial flutter which required DC Cardioversion. He takes other drugs for his heart such as furosemide, ramipril and warfarin. He seems to have frequent throat infections which lead to flu symptoms (hot and cold shivers, aches and pains) these have forced him to bed for 6 days at a time. We have been told that these are not a side effect by the consultant but we were managing to keep on top of infections before amiodarone with some wonderful natural supplements. I am interested that none of the comments that I have read on this site have really mentioned similar side effects. Has anyone experienced the same? He has been free of atrial flutters and has declined an ablation on the grounds that they cannot guarantee a total success rate.
View 1 Repliesmy TSH was 38 after a year on amiodarone without tests.A second cardio brought this down to normal in three months with levothyroxine,My question: does an excess of amiodarone wreck a thyroid for life, am I on Levo for good?
View 2 Repliesi was put on this awful med, prior in for a Cardioversion , i have never been so ill in my life, it was strong dose, three a day, then two a days for second week then one every day after that. Since the first day I was nauseated,ulcers in my mouth, old sores at the corners of my mouth I lost 1 stone in weight,and couldn't, I persevered, with the Cardioversion at end. I went to get bloods and ECG prior getting the procedure, and I got a phone from the cardiac nurse to say my renal is only about 50 per cent,so cancelled and go to my Dr, I had more bloods, then later in the day I got to say go to the renal ward in hospital, probably for a few days. Might say I had routine bloods taken in April and no problem. Apparently my kidney's function is now at 29 percent. I am now waiting for a biopsy from my kidney!!! It's galling to think I have never drank and never smoked in my life and now this.Strangely they took me off the needs immediately, but theŷ never admit it was the Amiodarone. I am left with probably irreversible renal function, and still have PAF.....
View 2 RepliesI've been on Bisoprolol 10mg for 3 months with no effect on my Paroxysmal AF episodes so was started on Digoxin, now at 187.5mcg also with minimal effect. My Cardiologist and GP are pushing me to take Amiodarone but reading stories of side effects I'm terrified. I live in NZ so don't have the choice of Dronedarone. Have others refused Amiodarone and if so what were they then put on? I feel backed into a corner with not many choices left.
View 20 RepliesI post this to alert anyone checking these boards about the dangers of amiodarone. My father was given this drug for a minor arrhythmia, while he was hospitalized with bronchitis. It killed him in just 4 weeks as a result of sudden, irreversible pulmonary toxicity. If you or anyone you love is taking this drug, you need to know just how dangerous it is. The pharmaceutical companies have dodged responsibility for its many toxic effects for years, and doctors are woefully ignorant of its potential life-threatening complications. By doing an internet search under "amiodarone toxicity" you can find a wealth of information and a vast support system of people determined to stop this drug from killing anyone else.
View 3 RepliesIm 15 and 1/2 and my penis size has been the same for like 6years and it hasn't grown at all My size is 1" plz help because this problem has overwhelmed me for years and im tired of it.
View 2 RepliesI am 32 years old and I have 1 child and for awhile i have been trying to get another and i have not been able to conceive ...I should start by telling you that i have been on yasmin for 9 years and i stop taking them for awhile to get pregnant but nothing happened so because of not taking the yasmin my period became off balance and i was put back on them by my doctor. i also had a surgery couple years ago called an umbilical hernia, can this be the cause why i am unable to have another child ? I would like to have another child before I am 40 what should I do ?
View 3 RepliesI am a 17 year old teenage male. I am not overweight (I'm 5"8 and like 145 pounds which is around average for my height) but my doctor apparently told my parents that I have a high cholesterol level of around 140 which has gotten my parents pretty freaked out. However, my parents tend to freak out about alot of things, so I just wanted to know if I'm really high for someone my age and weight, and if this means I'm at high risk of a heart attack. Does anyone know how cholesterol works for teenagers?
View 3 RepliesI am 32 years old and my BP 150/90 is it necessary to take medicine to control BP? plz suggest how could i control it without taking medicine.
View 5 RepliesI have read a lot of entries about this drug, and I do agree with many that at first it did its job. To pout you in the picture I have been on 225 mg for 25 years now and like some have been very apprehensive about stopping due to extreme withdrawal.
Yes some may criticise my deciding to go cold turkey, but I do feel that venlafaxine is like any addictive drug with one exception, it is fear of withdrawal that stops many from even trying. I am now on my 5th day and yes the symptoms are shocking in more ways than one (srry bout pun). My reason to decide is simple.. Do I need venlafaxine anymore? Simple answer No! I just got to the comfort and routine of taking it every day. Don't get me wrong cold turkey is not necessarily the right way unless you have an iron constitution, and willpower. I am no expert so please do not take all I say as gospel.
Whilst the withdrawal is bad at the moment, I have noticed a clarity in my mind growing as time goes by, it almost as if I a getting part of myself back and it is no longer negative or suicidal as of many years ago that I lost to venlafaxine (My faith is a big part of this too.).
So what is happening this early in cold turkey? Brain zaps like mad I also have slight nausea, I have decided to consult my GP to request some anti withdrawal medicine I am aware that this prob will not stop the zaps etc but poss offer a cushion. Maybe I am stubborn but I will not do the weaning off method, I have stopped illegal drugs and alcohol without weaning off, and even though venlafaxine is legal, for myself would be like having dope or a drink to solve the problems, but in fact I consider doing that a step backwards. I would be very interested in any one especially who did cold turkey to share what they found out with me, and of course any other comments you may have.
I am 37 years old and have had 6 miscarriages in the last 5 years, I do not currently have any children. I have had testing done and have been told that all tests were normal. All miscarriages have been before 10 weeks and all of them except one were after having seen a heartbeat on ultrasound. I'm just looking to see if anyone has been successful after having this many miscarriages or more. I'm just looking for some hope as I'm not getting any younger but don't want to give up on my dreams of a family.
View 5 RepliesLet me introduce myself as a 57 year old male living in Minnesota. We are currently experiencing one of the longest sub-zero cold spells in my memory. 55 days below zero degrees F already this winter. Yes it is very COLD.
Twenty five years ago, in my early 30's, my fingers began blanching white while carrying items during summertime. I was frightened when several visits to the doc hadn't helped. Carpal tunnel syndrome was ruled out. At that point a neurologist asked if I was a smoker. Yes I was, two pack-a-day. He looked at me very pointedly and told me I'd better quit smoking ASAP. I was crushed, I had tried many times to quit cigs to no avail. I looked down at my white fingertips and bluish toes and decided to quit then and there. That was my last cigarette. Sept 1989. Miraculously, I never saw a white finger tip or blue toe again.
Twenty five years later my left hand has been suddenly reminding me that there is still an issue. Two or three fingers remain cooler than the others and will empty of blood when carrying parcels, or squeezed. Slowly the pink returns. I do not smoke. Hopefully that will keep the symptoms limited.
Someone had posted that what affected you in youth is probably gonna come back to haunt you later in life.
Young people with raynaud's; Quit smoking! Don't move to arctic climates, either.
I was diagnosed with a heart murmur just under a year ago, could this be a cause of my BP being so high? I am active pretty much everyday doing at least 2-4 hours of exercise a day and eat a reasonable diet.
View 11 RepliesI'm probably going to have TNR less than two years after PNR. It would be nice to hear some success stories to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel! Are you happy you did it? Are you able to continue a somewhat active lifestyle? Are you pain-free?
I'm sure for those of us that are trying to overcome post surgical issues, a dose of positive news would be most beneficial.
Im psychologically addicted to diphenhydramine since 4 years now...Anyone has been or currently addicted to this stuff? It seems to be an extremely rare addiction..
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