Still Battling Amio

[FinalyFree]

I am virtually worthless. I know my mind has been poisioned by the knowledge I have of this drug, but what I can't ignore is the way I feel now. I'm so much worse off now than I was in full blown A-Fib. And it's destroying just about every aspect of my life.

For those you who have taken it, does it honestly get any better? I realize it has a huge half-life and will take forever to get out of my body, but do you ever get used to it? Is it possible to wake up one morning and say "Hmm I don't feel like complete and utter crap today, I think I'll take a shower?"

[BlueDevil]

I know how easy it is to be influenced by too much information regarding medications and side effects. I've reached a point where I don't research any new medication I'm prescribed until I've given it a chance to work.

I think it took me the better part of 2 weeks to get over the hump of adjusting to this medication. During that period of time I had a constant low-level headache and nausea to go with it, and I was somewhat lethargic. I was able to work, but I simply didn't feel my best, and I didn't feel much like eating.

I don't know how long you've been taking the amiodarone, but if you feel your problems with it aren't improving, definitely talk to your doctor about it.

[Glen Beamish]

I took Amio for about 3 years and was taken off it last September.
During the 3 years I can say it didn't really affect my day to day function other than stop my A-fib. I have been off it for 10 months now and still can't say that my day to day function is any better except I have A-fib a lot now.
The reason I had to stop Amio was it affected my Thyroid, but other than that I don't think it made me feel like crap or anything else.

[Sarah]

My mom has been on amio for twenty years now and she doesn't seem to have a problem with it. Frankly, it is a total mystery to me, but there it is.

If you don't acclimate soon, talk to your doctor.

S

[Chuck B]

I have been on it 6 years. For me it was pretty rough during the initial loading stage2 - 3 months but got better with time. I had v tach and it was the only drug that has been able to control the arrythmias to a managable level. I am down to 175 mg. Initial loading was in the 1000mg range to 800 to 600 to 300 and finally to 200 mg for years - now at 175 and holding. It seems like everyone handles drugs differently. Sotalol was horrible for me and amio was much easier for me to tolerate. It has some very nasty known side effects of which I am tested for every 3 to 6 months. So far for me are the vision halos and some blueing of the skin on my face, but otherwise ok. There is a new drug on the horizon now being tested for a fib. It is similar to amio but with less side effects. I believe it is called Dronedarone. Hang in there.....