Guest guest Posted September 6, 2001 Report Share Posted September 6, 2001 Oliver, Been on sotalol for about a year now, and doing fine. NO side effects, and did not quiver and die from torsades des pointes. I've been on amiordoran too, and will tell you that sotalol is not even close to the damage caused by the amiordoran. Sotalol is keeping me in sinus most of the time, and have had only a couple of breaks to a-fib, and they lasted only about 26 to 30 hours. A lot less in terms on the other drugs, that I've taken that have kept me in a-fib for several days in a row. Its true that each person responds differently to drugs, and their type and drug requiem. You have to be the one that decides. I use to hear terrible stories, and read every thing that I could get my hands on, but after talking to an old doctor one nite on the cardiology ward, he said to listen to your self, and trust in the judgement that has gotten through life to this point.-No one person knows it all. and each person, although not really trying to, will tell you all about something in their own way, and put their own twist on it. Some that write or tell you all about it, have never even taken it. Maybe not good advice, but advice. I'm glad to this point that I tried sotalol. Hope that you find something that works for you. There may come a time when sotalol does not work for me, and I have to find something new, but for now, its working fine. Walt-- Original Message ----- From: Oliver To: AFIBsupport Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 3:15 AM Subject: Re: Sotalol ** Dear Thank you for your comprehensive reply, it is very helpful and will certainly help me to rationalise. I especially liked the reference to Torsades des pointes - if you don't die in the first couple of days you should be okay!! ;o)) I think this medication will join Amiodarone on my 'not to be touched with a barge-pole' list of drugs. LOL Kind regards, Oliver ** Re: Sotalol > In a message dated 9/5/2001 2:16:32 PM Pacific Daylight Time, > oh@... writes: > > << He prescribed a beta-blocker - Sotalol - 40 mgs x twice daily! Does anyone > have knowledge of this drug. The side-affects look horrendous and having > beaten a benzodiazepine problem less than 12 months ago, I am reluctant to > go back on mood altering medication. >> > > Oliver, > I am sorry that your hopes of cure through ablation were dashed. When my > doctor wanted to prescribed Sotalol for me two years ago, I did some research > on the drug and conducted an informal survey on the Internet through the Maze > Board and also through sci.med.cardiology. Out of about 50 respondents only > four said that Sotalol had worked for them. One of those was a man named > Wendt (I think) who has taken Sotalol for more than a year now. He > has had no side effects and has stayed in sinus. (You could probably get his > e-mail address on the Maze Afib Board, I think, or I could find it for you.) > Most other respondents complained that Sotalol caused depression, numbness > and tingling in extremities, dizziness, too slow heart rate, and headaches. > (Sotalol is not a mood altering drug. My cardiologist said that it is like a > beta blocker but with electrophysiological effects.) > > None of these effects seemed insurmountable to me, but I was more concerned > about the potential of Sotalol to cause Torsades Des Pointes, a dangerous > rhythm. However, my doctor told me that statistics show that this rhythm > will occur within the first two to four days if at all. For this reason one > should be hospitalized to start Sotalol so that emergency measures may be > instituted if dangerous rhythms occur. If Torsades does not occur initially, > it is unlikely to occur later. Most people with whom I have corresponded > have not have serious problems with Sotalol but have stopped the drug because > it wasn't effective. > > I would not be as afraid now to take Sotalol as I was when my doctor > initially suggested it. If I were having problems with my afib, I might > consider trying it, but my new cardiologist said that he would want to give > me Flecainide rather than Sotalol if I needed a drug from that class because > Sotalol is much more effective with men than with women. > > Whatever you decide, I wish you good luck. > in Seattle > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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