Help

Hello... I have a ICD and I just went through ablation surgery and my doctors switched my meds from bisoporal to amiodarone. Sine I have been on the new drug I have benn experiencing shortness of breath, dizzy spells and panic attacks. Has anyone experienced any of the symptoms? If so what did you do?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

9 Comments

Beta Blockers

by SMITTY - 2014-02-25 06:02:21


Hey Derf,

Both of theses are from a class of medicine called beta blocker and either can cause the symptoms you list. Some worse than others. Then talk to you doctor.

You need to read the literature that shows the side effects of these medicines that you should have gotten and see what it has to say. By having read the literature before talking to the doctor you will be in a better position to talk to him and understand what he tells you.

If you don't have the literature with the information go to Google and ask for the side effects of these medicines.

Good luck,

Smitty

Amiodarone Sucks

by conchfm - 2014-02-25 07:02:49

I was on amiodarone for almost 3 years.
It was just last month that my doctors took me off of it and now I'm on Tikosyn.
For 3 years I lived with shortness of breath, always dizzy, lightheaded feelings, and panic attacks.
It has now been 1 month on new med without any side effects! I forgot want it felt like to be normal.

Amiodarone

by Bostonstrong - 2014-02-25 07:02:52

Is an anti arrhythmic, not a beta blocker but has activity similar to beta blockers on the SA and AV nodes.
Most pharmacies attach several pages of information about your meds to your prescriptions.

Was the bisoprolol tapered off?

by SaraTB - 2014-02-25 09:02:48

Because beta blockers are supposed to be gradually reduced in dosage, to taper off, not just suddenly stopped, to prevent withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms might be withdrawal from the beta blocker. I think you should definitely see your doctor, having read the literature from the pharmacy about both, and discuss your symptoms.

I Stand Corrected

by SMITTY - 2014-02-25 11:02:10


Hi Derf,

I stand corrected. As Bostonstrong points out amiodarone is not a beta blocker, although its actions on the heart are similar to those of beta blockers in that it slows the heart rate and is used to correct abnormal rhythms of the heart. (It is an antiarrhythmic medication.) Although amiodarone has many side effects, some of which are severe and potentially fatal, it has been successful in treating many arrhythmias when other antiarrhythmic drugs have failed. Amiodarone is considered a "broad spectrum" antiarrhythmic medication, that is, it has multiple and complex effects on the electrical activity of the heart which is responsible for the heart's rhythm. Among its most important electrical effects are: amiodarone

The article I got my information from for my comment included amiodarone in its list of beta blockers. Knowing I am likely to include an error in my comment is my reason for usually recommending the question be given to a doctor.

Be all that as it may, I guess it is time to take my shingle down as I've started to do several time previously.

Smitty

Amiodarone

by golden_snitch - 2014-02-26 03:02:24

Amiodarone is a multi-channel blocker, so it has a little bit of everything. It's not a betablocker per se, but it does have an effect on the beta receptors as well as on other channels.

How long have you been on it, Derf? It needs a while to reach a certain level in your blood that's why you take high dosages in the first one to three weeks, and then reduce the dosage. Side effects are likely to appear during that "loading dose" phase, but might very well disappear afterwards. I have very often had drug side effects in the first couple of days which then went away. So, depending on how long you've already been on it, I'd suggest that you hang in there for a little longer.

Amiodarone is a really, really effective drug and it is safe, if you follow the protocol and have your thyroid, eyes, lungs, blood checked regularly. Did you get a full check-up before or shortly after you started it? If not, you should do that, because otherwise it will be difficult to compare later results with what your situation was before the Amiodarone. It's actually one of the oldest antiarrhythmic drugs out there, and therefore it is very well known and studied. There's hardly any other antiarrhythmic drug about which the doctors know as much as about Amiodarone.

Best wishes

Inga

Amiodarone is an odd...

by donr - 2014-02-26 08:02:50

....duck in one respect that has NOT been mentioned. It is readily stored in body fat everywhere in the body, including organs - like the liver.

Since the fat absorbs it like a sponge, they give a "Loading Dose" to kick start you while the fat is absorbing all the drug in the blood stream. The loading dose is sign9ificantly higher than the maintenance therapeutic concentration you will need long term.

Getting rid of the drug after you stop taking the drug is a long process. It is strictly detoxified in the LIVER, NOT the kidneys, so it is a slow job clearing it out. Remember that all the drug stored in the body's fat has to be cleared.

Since it doesn't just get cleared from the urine, it takes a looooong time to absorb all of it from the body's fat, haul it into the liver, have it transformed & then get rid of the waste products.

There measure of rate for removal of a drug from the body is called a "Half Life." That is defined as the length of time it takes the body to detox & excrete 50% of the concentration in the body. For Amiodarone, the Half Life ranges from 25 -100 days, w/ the average being 58 days. Usually, it takes about 5 half lives to rid the body of all but an insignificant concentration. 5X58=290 days is a looooong time to wait for the body to rid itself of a med.

TO get below the concentration most likely to cause a side effect, you must be at or below the concentration for a therapeutically effective concentration - that's USUALLY 2 half lives left - or about 170 days AFTER stopping the med.

It is a slow process because of all the med stored in the fat. Takes a loooong time to scarf up all that stored in fat, move it to the liver for detox, then hauling it off for disposal.

Donr

Hi..

by Derf - 2014-02-26 09:02:11

Thank you everyone.

I have been on the amiodarone for 2months now. 200mg a day... Some days are better than others and mornings are the tuff.

I am also on a high blood pressure pill Valsartan 40 mg a day.

Going for therapy for the panic attacks and reading books on how to cope.

Once again thanks I really appreciate everyone's time. I love they feedback

Dear Smitty,

by jeanlancour - 2014-02-26 12:02:40

Don't take your shingle down, I always enjoy your comments and posts. You are a nessary person of importance here. Jean

You know you're wired when...

You have an excuse for gaining an extra ounce or two.

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