Amiodarone for heart rhythm

Amiodarone is THE most powerful anti-arrhythmic medication we have. It does have its drawbacks, as you are no doubt aware. The level of toxicity or thyroid impact that you should spend energy on takes weeks, usually months. Note that the high 'loading' dose is absolutely necessary to get the drug infused in your system and working in your cardiac muscles. After about a full week on 400-800 mg, whatever you were directed to take, you go on a maintenance dose indefinitely, but it can be time-limited as it was in my case. I got it from an apparently failed catheter ablation to stem paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The prescription was to begin tapering for two weeks at the six week mark, and to have been off the drug for at least two weeks before the Holter monitor, which measures heart function, to determine if my heart was still acting up. No sense in masking arrhythmias so that the Holter told the cardiologist I was free of arrhythmia....right? We needed my heart to be 'true', and that meant no 'help'.

Were you not afforded any pamphlets or suggested sites to visit? Also, you should have been provided a schedule or an idea of when you might be asked to go to the lab and get blood drawn, maybe urine collected, etc. as a way of monitoring you.

Thankyou and no I was not given and sites to visit or have any blood draw or urine monitored. I am taking 200 mg twice a day Maybe when I go back in 2 weeks I will be cut back to only 200 once a day Your response is greatly appreciated

Hi, I took was on Amiodarone for almost 10 years and it did end up causing the need to have my thyroid removed. But also due to long term use and my Heart issues got worse it became necessary to have a heart transplant. Not because of the Amiodarone but it became toxic to me and my heart was in such bad shape the combination of the 2 got me a heart even faster.
Now for your question, I was also on Mexiletine a long with the Amiodarone and it was I think more helpful to my condition than the Amiodarone at times. I say this because once a doctor tried to get me off the 2 meds. He took the Mexiletine completely away and reduced the Amiodarone to a lower level. The outcome was my pacemaker difibulator had to shock me over 8 times total until I was rushed to the hospital. They first increased the Amiodarone but I was still have major arithmias and I said why haven't you restarted the Mexiletine? Once they restarted that one my heart calmed down and I started to come out of a very bad day. So maybe ask you doctor about Mexiletine, the other drug I've been on is Lisopril but I got hives with that so I was taken off of it immediately. There was another one but can't remember the name. It started with an s and it was I think more of a AFib drug. It was when my heart was getting bad and my EP was trying anything to keep me going as that's when He referred me to Mayo for an evaluation for transplant. He said it was just in case but actually it was more needed than we realized. My heart got real bad and I was not leaving the hospital until I got a new heart. That when I was put on an IV type Amiodarone called lidocaine. That's when I became toxic and my need for a heart was raised to 1b. In other words I was not leaving the hospital. I hope your issues never get that bad. But maybe mention Mexiletine.

Sotolol?

Yup that's it.

I think that back in 2011 when my A-fib diagnosis, my doctors tried almost every A-fib drug out there. Some would work a week or two and the A-fib would return and I’d be back in the hospital, some would cause other problems. Metoprolol and Sotalol seemed to be the most effective that I took. I took Amiodarone for a couple of weeks and my hair began to fall out. Fortunately I spoke to my doctor immediately and he changed my prescription. I have a bit less hair but I am aware of a gentleman who lost all of his hair before they realized that could be a side effect. All drugs have side effects so I recommend being aware of what is happening with your body and be your own advocate even when a side effect is not listed for that drug: it may very well be a side effect for you!

I took amiodarone for 3 months after a-fib popped up for me after my minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. I started with the "high-loading" dose, but after a couple days my a-fib stopped so I went down to, I think 200mg twice a day. I continued on that until I finished my prescription, ~3 months. I've been pretty much a-fib free since then.
I was also concerned about the side effects, but as gloaming said, those occur after prolonged use so hopefully you don't have to stay on it too long.

Sotalol, Tikosyn, and amiodarone all need a careful loading, and in the former two, often a hospitalization for two days or so until they are sure you can tolerate them. This is dependent on several risk factors for a severe reaction, so not in all cases, especially young, heart not damaged, no other comorbidities.

Woman 74 and my heart was fine till I had a sepsis UTI 3 yrs ago and it affected my heart. That is when the arrythmia started and progress to AFIB That is when I started amiodarone. i know its a dangerous drug and just trying to learn all I can. any information is appreciated

Thank you that is helpful. Ive been on and off for 3 years. It seems stress is the trigger for my AFIB I started at 200 but for this episode he has me on 400. Im hoping I can go back to 200 and then stop it all together until I have another episode. I am not a pill taker. That is the only pill I take. and at 74 I feel very fortunate. I'm just hoping my Thyroid will mellow out and not go any higher.