Amiodarone for elevated heartbeat????

[liona]

I talked with Dr. Sherrid a few hours ago. I had the first alcohol ablation at St. Lukes' NYC on May 29th. Over the last few days, I began the same pattern of elevated heartbeat I had before the surgery---- Beat rising to about 110 during the night, Take 100mg of Metropolol in the am and wait an hour for the beat to descend to 60 or so. OK for 4-5 hours and then the same accelerated heartbeat.

Dr. Sherrid suggested I should try Amiodarone 2 50 mg a day. I said OK. Then I remembered reading about all the side effects, which frankly scare me. I already am terriably sunlight and heat sensitive. I've had 3 years of terriable optic neuritis after a head injury, the idea of getting it again is enough to give me nightmares.

Have any of you had good experiences with this drug??? I am wondering whether I should pick up the perscription or not, but I guess I have to try the drug to know if it would help me or not---------

[Lisa Salberg]

Before you start on the meds talk to the doctor about your vision problems, this may be a major factor that he needs to know about.

Ask all your questions and make sure you are making the best choice for YOU.
Be well,
Lisa

[liona]

I don't have any vision problem. I had my 3 year problem 19 years ago when I fell and cracked my skull. It is just a bad nightmarish memory. I can't see that it has any significance now----

I'm more interested to see if people in the forum have had positive experiences with this drug.

[Chuck B]

Liona,
I take 250 mg per day(split up) and have been on that dose for a little over 2 years. Its helped tremendously with my rhythm problems and was the only anti arrythmic that was not pro arrythmic for me. My side effects include visual halos and some sleep disturbance also balance problems which have deminished somewhat. I get checked every 3 months for thyroid, liver function and yearly for pulmonary function. My liver enzymes are elevated and this may be the amio affecting my liver. I asked the experts panel at the HCM meeting what one does who is on amio and is having serious side effects and has failed other antiarrythmics - they didn't have an answer! I am going to try lowering the dose in the near future - I understand that at lower doses , amio is much less toxic...

[liona]

ctbarnes--

Dr. Sherrid suggested I start at 50 mg of amiodarone 2 times per day--not 250!!! So I guess if that small a dose works for me, I shouldn't be as concerned about side effects! Thank you for your input.

[Lisa Salberg]

Even if it was 20 yrs ago - Amio can have serious effects on your vision - even cause blindness - please check with the doctor on this.
50mg is rather low and I am not sure about its theraputic value at that level?
I will do some checking.
Lisa

[Glen Beamish]

Hi Liona, I am taking 200 mg a day of Amio and have for over a year now.
I also go every 3 months for a liver function test and all is OK so far. I am more sensitive to the sun and I recently found a sunblock rated at 70 so I use it. I golf a lot and don't have a problem using a good sunblock.
Other than the sensitivity to sun I don't have any other side effects.
For me the drug works great and so far is a postive experience.

[Sarah]

The April 22 (21?) Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine had a whole article on the blindness and amio connection. There is a 2% chance of going blind on it --regardless of dose. That may or may not include simple vision disturbances AND I would think that your chances are much higher if you already have had problems.

Amiodarone is not like any other heart medication. It is absorbed by every cell in your body, pretty much. Let's say you take it and decide to stop --it will be in your system for 100 days --that is over three months! And the side effects will continue during that time, but lessening.

The article went on to say that amio is actually only approved by the FDA as a drug of LAST RESORT. It was never designed to be used as much or as early as it has been.

Yes, lots of people have done well and not had any problems, my mom included. However, I would certainly try sotalol and a few others before I went to amio.

My two cents.

S