Anyone overdosed on Tikosyn?

[Guest guest]

I was wondering if anyone here has ever taken a double-dose of Tikosyn?

In reading all the package inserts full of dire warnings I wonder if there's a

safety

factor built in so that taking two 500 mcg doses an hour apart might not be as

dangerous as it sounds.

I know everyone's different and there's a lot of variables but quite honestly, I

get

nervous at times because I'm afraid of an accidental overdose. (I have all the

pill cases

lined up by day of the week etc... but I'm on so many different heart meds for

the

cardiomyopathy I sometime take my handful, swallow and then say to myself:

" hmmn, was the Tikosyn in there? " .

Let me know if anyone else has the same experiences or input on this. Thanks.

Jim

[Guest guest]

Hi Jim:

Yes - I have taken more Tikosyn that I should have. I have four of them to take

a day. Two are one color and the other two are a two-tone color. In the

morning I take one of each color and repeat the dosage in the evening. However,

on a couple of occasions, I have mistakenly took two of the same color -

overdosing. Boy~~~~ did I sweat it out? But nothing happened! I'm still here

<g>!

I've also bounced back and forth with times - which I know I shouldn't do. But

sometimes when I'm out (even though I have them in my pocket) I forget - and I

could be as much as an hour late. But again, nothing happened. I'm still here

<g>! During the cooler months, I find it easier, time wise, to take 'em around

9pm - but in the summer, 11:00. The only drawback is the later I take them, the

more I have to get up during the night to go to the bathroom. I wish I could

stop taking any water at all about 7 or 8pm - but it just doesn't work that way.

Cause if I took them at 7 or 8, and I wanted to sleep in the next morning, I

couldn't!

A couple of years ago, all my meds were stolen from my car in Florida - it's a

very long story, but to keep it short, the Orlando Police arranged for me to

pick up Tikosyn at the Orlando Hospital. I also called Pfizer to have them ship

a supply to the Motel I was staying at. I spoke to both the Orlando Pharmacist

and the Pfizer Pharmacist, because I had already missed a dose. Both told me

that if I missed the second dose, I would have to admit myself to the Hospital

in order to get the next dose, and get bak on track. Through many tears, it

all worked out in the end - and I said a few prayer that those miserable thiefs

would get their *kicks* out of taking Dofilide!

I would strongly suggest that if any of you miss a dose - and know, through

circumstances such as above, that you might miss a second dose, get in touch

with your doctor immediately.

Ellen

(NSR on Dofetilide)

**********************

Anyone overdosed on Tikosyn?

I was wondering if anyone here has ever taken a double-dose of Tikosyn?

In reading all the package inserts full of dire warnings I wonder if there's a

safety

factor built in so that taking two 500 mcg doses an hour apart might not be as

dangerous as it sounds.

I know everyone's different and there's a lot of variables but quite honestly,

I get

nervous at times because I'm afraid of an accidental overdose. (I have all the

pill cases

lined up by day of the week etc... but I'm on so many different heart meds for

the

cardiomyopathy I sometime take my handful, swallow and then say to myself:

" hmmn, was the Tikosyn in there? " .

Let me know if anyone else has the same experiences or input on this. Thanks.

Jim

[Guest guest]

HOLY SMOKES, you didn't take five (5) Tikosyn did you?

In response to one of th other posts, it seems like (at least for me) 2 or 3

hours early

or late isn't a big deal, but that all depends (I guess) on one's QT interval,

and

whether or not your close to the limit.

Recently I've had to go on some antibiotics and spent some time on the phone

with

Pfizer talking about which ones I could take and which ones I could not take.

Some

are very dangerous with Tikosyn. Once of the biggest no-no's with Tikosyn are

certain types of anti-fungal drugs.

I feel that I have to be the watch-dog on this one is that my HMO does not

support

my taking of the Tikosyn (although my cardiologist does). They won't pay for it

and it

never shows up on my medical records because it's not on Kaiser's formulary so I

have to always tell them. The only way I got on it in the first place was a

convergence

of circumstances when I got stuck in upstate New York on Sept 11st and I wound

up

in the hospital and my cardio talked them into starting the tikosyn even though

my

HMO wouldn't authorize it... it's a long (and happy ending) story.

anyway, I'd like to know if anyone else has taken a double-dose by accident.

thanks

Jim

PS. I can't figure out why my new MAC can't seem to word-wrap these messages

properly. My IBM had no problem. I'm using Safari Browser

[Guest guest]

Hi Jim and other fellow tikosyn users,

When I first went on tikosyn and forgot my purse with meds in it and

ended up being 3 hrs late to take the med, I almost paniced. Couldn't

be helped, I was 40 mi away from home and had to wait for my mom

cause she was having her post-cateract removal Dr appt. But, I zoomed

too fast back down the interstate to get home to take my tikosyn!

I try to take the med at 9:30am/pm, but like Ellen, if I'm not home,

I forget to take it at the proper time.

I felt a few faint starts of PACs the other day when I was 3 hrs late

taking the tikosyn, so that was a big reminder!!

Like all of you, I have had times that I could not remember if I had

taken the med or not. At that time I was checking off a calendar

twice a day and I'd write down when I started a new bottle. Many a

time I had to count the pills in the 3 month supply bottle and count

the pills in my pill box in purse and try to figure out from the

calendar how many pills I'd taken to figure out if I'd taken a dose

or not! I never was too secure with that method.

Now, after taking a pill on Sat night, I take out 14 tikosyn for the

week ahead and put them in a separate bottle to start anew on Sunday.

That way, I can figure out more easily if I have taken a pill or not.

This might work for some of you, too.

I've never taken one past 3.5 hrs late. But, I'd be very scared to

take it after 6 hours if I missed it. And, I'd be even more scared to

think I took a double dose (1000mcg at a time!!) cause of how it can

elongate that QT and cause death!

Hope we can all figure out a way that makes things easier for all of

us to remember our miracle drug, tikosyn!

> I was wondering if anyone here has ever taken a double-dose of

Tikosyn?

>(snip)

Let me know if anyone else has the same experiences or input on this.

Thanks.

>

> Jim

[Guest guest]

> ...The only drawback is the later I take them (tikosyn), the more I

have to get up during the night to go to the bathroom. I wish I

could stop taking any water at all about 7 or 8pm - but it just

doesn't work that way. Cause if I took them at 7 or 8, and I wanted

to sleep in the next morning, I couldn't!

Ellen, do they act as a diuretic?

Or do you have to take them with a lot of water?

[Guest guest]

I'm not on tikosyn, but do have problems remembering to take my meds on

occasion. Taking meds becomes routine, and I'd find myself wondering " did I

take the coumadin or not. " My wife solved that for me by buying something

called phamadose. It has a slot for each day of the week and each slot is

divided into separate compartment for morning, noon, evening, and bedtime. I

just load up a weeks worth of meds Sunday morning. Doesn't help me remember,

but at least its really easy to see if I took a dose or not and get the dosage

right. Wouldn't be without it.

Ed

[Guest guest]

No - as far as I know Tikosyn does not act as a diuretic; however my Primary

Care Physician told me that I should always take at least 6 to 7 oz of water

with all medication; and that much water after 8pm has me up a couple of times

during the night.

Ellen

(NSR on Dofetilide/Tikosyn)

*******************************

----- Original Message -----

From: trudyjhagain

Ellen, do they act as a diuretic? Or do you have to take them with a lot of

water?

******************

[Guest guest]

Hi when I was on this drug it cam in white capsules all the same for he various

strengths. I inadvertently took double the dose

by mistake. for about a week.. I did not seem to have any side effects except

when I went to the my EP he went white.

The dangerous bit was the torsade du point but as long as my Qt was ok it was

fine. it was on the border line.. I went back to the right dose and carried on..

C

ps that was about three years ago and I am still here//

o - as far as I know Tikosyn does not act as a diuretic; however my Primary Care

Physician told me that I should always take at least 6 to 7 oz of water with all

medication; and that much water after 8pm has me up a couple of times during the

night.

Ellen

(NSR on Dofetilide/Tikosyn)

*

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[Guest guest]

I had to LOL, Ed.

That phamadose is a good idea, but then one has to be able to

remember what day of the week it is!!

All the days run together for me a lot and I have to really think

what is the day and date!

Sorry, couldn't resist, but my laughter is actually about true

situations we (I) experience.

Cheryl

(snip)

My wife solved that for me by buying something called phamadose.

(snip)

Doesn't help me remember, but at least its really easy to see if I

took a dose or not and get the dosage right. Wouldn't be without it.

> Ed