I would like to hear from those of you that are taking this medication or have taken it for Atrail Fib. I may go on this medication and want some advice from all. Thank you and any response will be apprecaited. - gle

I would like to hear from those of you that are taking this medication or have taken it for Atrail Fib. I may go on this medication and want some advice from all. Thank you and any response will be apprecaited. - gle
Ahhhhh, I think you mean amiodarone. Am I right?

It is a good medication, though not the first line of treatment for atrial fibrillation (once again, I speak from my location Ontario, Canada). With atrial fibrillation there are two problems

#1. The heart is often beating very quickly
#2. The heart is beating irregularly

The problem with atrial fibrillation is mostly because it increases the risk of stroke greatly....so we want to treat it...how do we do that? Well, there's a couple of things you have to think about:

At least conceptually, you want to not only make the heart beat at a regular pace, but also you want to have it beating regularly; however, studies have shown that the you don't necessarily have to treat the irregular beating, but only the rate to reduce the stroke risk. So normally they will put a person in afib on a beta blocker to reduce the heart rate.

You CAN try to treat both of the problems, and that is usually done with amiodarone. The problem with it is that it has a lot of side-effects, most notably with causing scarring in the lungs if used for a long time. It also has a very high concentration of iodine in it, so it CAN be rough on the kidneys and the thyroid as well.

Did the doctor do any pulmonary testing on you before s/he put you on the amio?

I am presently not using it. I am taking Rythmol and have been for five years. My rate is well controlled. I had an ablation and pacemaker installed with the rates set at 60 and 120 in 1998. I have had af since the late seventies. My new doctor suggested Ameriderone (spelling is terrible!), but my EP stated the same long term side effects as you did.

I am waking up in the morning feeling a quivering sensation on left side of my sternum. I am assuming this is the AF. I normally don't know when it is occurring any more because of the ablation. Anyway, when I stand up it seems to go away.

Thanks for the information. I think I will remain on the Rythmol. Correct me if I am wrong. At one time I was on 650 mg of Inderal before the ablation. It help for one week and I began feeling it again. With this ablation and pacemaker I never feel it except as I stated. Another doctor a few years ago suggested Betapace, but I think I read where it is basically inderal or a beta blocker. - gle

According to the Cleveland Clinic there is suppose to be a new drug out , within the next year. To sort of replace ameidrone with less side effects.

What a username! ha! I will look into it. I don't like to take a new medication until it has been out for awhile. Look what happen to those that jumped on viagra. - gle

What happened to those that jumped on viagra? Are you alluding to the fact it was originally supposed to be a cardiac drug?

No, not at all! I was trying to convery that many men died before it was discovered that those taking nitro glyscerin tablets had a sudden drop in blood pressure. Also they have found that alpha? used to treat enlarged prostate is also dangerous as well as men with high blood pressure. The Blood pressure could suddenly drop and cause sudden death. The interaction of medications or conditions often are not known until the drug has been on the market for a few years.- gle

No, not at all. I was trying to convery that many men died from taking viagra before it was found that those on nitro glycerin, alph? (used to treat enlarged prostate), and some men with very high blood pressure could cause sudden death. This was not found in the trials before being release to the public. Some drugs may have dangerous side effects to interactions that don't show up right away. - gle