Guest guest Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 Hi all, I've been reading the posts on amiodarone here and elsewhere with great interest and thought I would weigh in. I had my 3rd AF episode about 2 weeks ago - while attending a conference in Disneyland of all places - and the facility I was sent to started me on sotalol. I had been on toprol xl then. I began to have problems a week later, lots of PVCs, insomnia, coughing spasms, dyspnea.. On Wed. my cardio took me off sotalol. On Thur, in addition to renewed PVCs, I also had brief SVTs. Now she wants me to start on amiodarone. She claims the toxicity problems can be monitored and that it has worked well for her patients. I have strongly resisted. The other option is rhythmol. Does anyone have any experience with this drug? Does it require inpatient loading? What problems might occur? How effective is it? What beta-blockers work well with it? I am also considering Maze or ablation, having read all the wonderful things about Dr. Gillinov, Dr. Natale & Dr. McCarthy at CC. However, my cardio claims because I have scar tissue that it would not be an option. Is that necessarily so? My LA is enlarged as well - a result of childhood RHD & MS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 , I wonder about your trying dofetilide, just because a number of people here have reported good results with it, and I haven't heard of anyone who, having gotten thru the initial few days okay, later had to go off it because of side effects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 >Lopressor & Toprol are the same thing, metoprolol, just different brands. Toprol XL is a time release version of metoprolol, I am not sure about Lopressor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 In a message dated 5/9/2004 2:54:31 PM Central Daylight Time, ohsobooko-afib3135@... writes: The other option is rhythmol. Does anyone have any experience with this drug? Does it require inpatient loading? What problems might occur? How effective is it? What beta-blockers work well with it? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rythmol, also called propafenone, is of the same type antiarythmic as flecanide. Neither is given to patients with heart disease. I was on rythmol for about a year. I think it may have made matters worse for me but different drugs work differently for different people. Sorry for all the different's. I was extremely dizzy for a couple of days when I stood up but got over it. Did your Dr discuss dofetilide? It seems to work very well for some of us. I take 150mg of amiodarone and have fair success with it . I have been taking it since April, 2002 with no problems yet. I have a liver test every 6 mo's and thyroid and lung tests once every year. How do you feel when in afib? If you feel OK many Dr's prefer to go the rate control route. If you don't tolerate afib well they normaly try the rate control drugs before recomending an ablation. I hope this helps Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 Seymour, Has your doc considered dofetilide? You might get better, safer results than with Amiodarone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 Seymour, Has your doc considered dofetilide? You might get better, safer results than with Amiodarone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 Rhythmol and side effects I have had Afib since 1950's while I was in the Navy. At that time they could not diagnose the problem nd thankfully the episodes were few and far between until 1988. In 1988 afib became chronic and I was on Rythmol until 2003 when I was diagnosed with mild to moderate CAD. Rythmol is contra-indicated with CAD and might also not be appropriate with other heart conditions. Each person seems to have their own response to both the condition and any medication. For myself I found Rythmol well tolerated and very effective. I wish I was still on it, as after going through most of what is available I found myself on Amiodarone also. I seem to be tolerating this med well having been on it since Mar 2004. However I still have some breakthroughs for short periods usually in the early morning while asleep. I know of the side effects but not everyone gets them and if you are monitored closely they are for the most part usually reversible. For me this option is better than rate control and I am waiting for further developments before I consider ablation. I am hopeful that my dose of Amiodarone well be reduced shortly as the dosage and length of use helps to determine how likely side effects are to occur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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