Sotalol

[Guest guest]

Thanks Loretta, for sharing this. I wonder if Sotalol would be that much

different than my two propranolol I take each day. It seems many of us find meds

that work really well for some period of time (some do very well for long

periods of time) and then the meds quit. Very frustrating.

Lil

In a message dated 4/20/2006 6:19:58 PM Pacific Standard Time,

cleaner@... writes:

I originally took 80 mg Sotalol BID and it kept me out of afib for 2 3/4

years. I recently had three episodes in four weeks and was increased to 160 mg

BID by my cardiologist contrary to the opinion of my EP. He would like me

to change to Rhythmol or Tikosyn because I have vagal afib, although I have

done so well with Sotalol that I am afraid to change. I had no side effects

with the 80 mg. but I do notice not being as alert and feeling tired with

doubling the dosage. Beats afib, though!

[Guest guest]

Does anyone here LIKE Sotalol? Because it seems Sotalol, for want

of a

> better word, sucks pretty much across the board. My EP mentioned it

to me in case

> my NSR turns back into afib. (I don't think he will do another

cardiovert

> without putting me on pills.) From my readings here, if and when

I have to go

> on antiarrhythmics ... he can stuff his Sotalol in his back

pocket - sounds

> like some of the others -dofetilide seems pretty popular here -

are better.

> Lil

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lil,

I originally took 80 mg Sotalol BID and it kept me out of afib for 2 3/4 years.

I recently had three episodes in four weeks and was increased to 160 mg BID by

my cardiologist contrary to the opinion of my EP. He would like me to change to

Rhythmol or Tikosyn because I have vagal afib, although I have done so well with

Sotalol that I am afraid to change. I had no side effects with the 80 mg. but

I do notice not being as alert and feeling tired with doubling the dosage.

Beats afib, though!

Loretta

[Guest guest]

At the moment I am doing well on just two propranolol a day, and a half a

digoxin in the am. But if/when the time comes that I flip into afib, I am sure

my EP is going to want to put me on something and it helps to be prepared and

know which medicine seems to work best for most, although it seems something

of a crap shoot, doesn't it since we are all different.

Lil

In a message dated 4/21/2006 7:03:28 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,

david.wicker@... writes:

If i had an attack, a swift 2*60mg would convert me in 3-4 hours

what other meds are you considering?

[Guest guest]

>

> Does anyone here LIKE Sotalol? Because it seems Sotalol, for want

> of a

> > better word, sucks pretty much across the board. My EP mentioned it

> to me in case

> > my NSR turns back into afib. (I don't think he will do another

> cardiovert

> > without putting me on pills.) From my readings here, if and when

> I have to go

> > on antiarrhythmics ... he can stuff his Sotalol in his back

> pocket - sounds

> > like some of the others -dofetilide seems pretty popular here -

> are better.

> > Lil

> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

> Lil,

>

> I originally took 80 mg Sotalol BID and it kept me out of afib for 2

3/4 years. I recently had three episodes in four weeks and was

increased to 160 mg BID by my cardiologist contrary to the opinion of

my EP. He would like me to change to Rhythmol or Tikosyn because I

have vagal afib, although I have done so well with Sotalol that I am

afraid to change. I had no side effects with the 80 mg. but I do

notice not being as alert and feeling tired with doubling the dosage.

Beats afib, though!

>

> Loretta

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sotolol, like other drugs, has side effects. These side effects seem to bother

some people but not others. It has been proven to keep people in normal sinus

rhythm, but like everything, it works for some people (most) but not others.

weeewillie david.wicker@...> wrote:

>

> Does anyone here LIKE Sotalol? Because it seems Sotalol, for want

> of a

> > better word, sucks pretty much across the board. My EP mentioned it

> to me in case

> > my NSR turns back into afib. (I don't think he will do another

> cardiovert

> > without putting me on pills.) From my readings here, if and when

> I have to go

> > on antiarrhythmics ... he can stuff his Sotalol in his back

> pocket - sounds

> > like some of the others -dofetilide seems pretty popular here -

> are better.

> > Lil

> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

> Lil,

>

> I originally took 80 mg Sotalol BID and it kept me out of afib for 2

3/4 years. I recently had three episodes in four weeks and was

increased to 160 mg BID by my cardiologist contrary to the opinion of

my EP. He would like me to change to Rhythmol or Tikosyn because I

have vagal afib, although I have done so well with Sotalol that I am

afraid to change. I had no side effects with the 80 mg. but I do

notice not being as alert and feeling tired with doubling the dosage.

Beats afib, though!

>

> Loretta

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

>I have been on sotalol for 3 1/2 years and it has worked pretty

well. I have not had any bad effects from it. I started out 40/40

to 80/40 to 80/80 to 120/80 to 120/120. Each time I went into afib

my cardio increased the dose. I had an ablation 5 months ago and the

EP has kept me on sotalol. I have had a number of afib events, but

they are very mild and I convert on my own. I hope I will be able to

come off of the meds in the near future.

Earl

Does anyone here LIKE Sotalol? Because it seems Sotalol, for want

> of a

> > better word, sucks pretty much across the board. My EP mentioned

it

> to me in case

> > my NSR turns back into afib. (I don't think he will do another

> cardiovert

> > without putting me on pills.) From my readings here, if and

when

> I have to go

> > on antiarrhythmics ... he can stuff his Sotalol in his back

> pocket - sounds

> > like some of the others -dofetilide seems pretty popular here -

> are better.

> > Lil

> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

> Lil,

>

> I originally took 80 mg Sotalol BID and it kept me out of afib for

2 3/4 years. I recently had three episodes in four weeks and was

increased to 160 mg BID by my cardiologist contrary to the opinion of

my EP. He would like me to change to Rhythmol or Tikosyn because I

have vagal afib, although I have done so well with Sotalol that I am

afraid to change. I had no side effects with the 80 mg. but I do

notice not being as alert and feeling tired with doubling the

dosage. Beats afib, though!

>

> Loretta

>

>

[Guest guest]

I am really getting the impression that people that do with best with Sotalol

are the ones that their doctors change the doses gradually, as was done in

Earl's case below.

Jo Anne

Re: Sotalol

>

>I have been on sotalol for 3 1/2 years and it has worked pretty

well. I have not had any bad effects from it. I started out 40/40

to 80/40 to 80/80 to 120/80 to 120/120. Each time I went into afib

my cardio increased the dose. I had an ablation 5 months ago and the

EP has kept me on sotalol. I have had a number of afib events, but

they are very mild and I convert on my own. I hope I will be able to

come off of the meds in the near future.

Earl

[Guest guest]

I went straight onto 80/80 with Sotalol and had some weird effects for

a month or so which then settled down. It has dampened down the AFib

and made it less noticeable, but I am still in AF one day out of 3 on

average. I've beeing keeping an AF diary, as I have just started on

Atorvastatin as a test to see what sort of an impact it has. I was

surprised I was in AF so much as it hadn't been particularly noticeable.

There is some interesting research just published at

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?

cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16620720&itool=iconabstr&

query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_DocSum

which compares amiodarone and sotalol

Conclusion:

There is no significant difference between amiodarone and sotalol in

converting atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm. However, amiodarone is

more effective in maintenance of sinus rhythm than sotalol. The adverse

reaction of amiodarone on heart is less severe than that of sotalol.

In the study 20% of the sotalol patients got atrial ventricular block

and severe bradycardia and had to be stopped.

Mark

>

> I am really getting the impression that people that do with best with

Sotalol are the ones that their doctors change the doses gradually,

[Guest guest]

Hi

I have taken Sotolol for 9 years and although there are some

unpleasant side effects: Visual disturbance, lack of energy, weight

gain, etc, I do not know how I would have coped without it. When I

was first diagnosed, I was taken off Sotolol and put on Flecainide

alone. That gave me a heart rate of 90 to 100 bpm at rest and no

sleep. I pleaded with my Cardio to put me back on it. He refused. I

went to my GP at my wits end and pleaded with him and he gave it to

me.

I have been pretty good ever since although I do relapse now and

again depending on activity, diet, stress levels etc. But I am back

at work and reasonably active.

Sue

> >

> >I have been on sotalol for 3 1/2 years and it has worked pretty

> well. I have not had any bad effects from it. I started out

40/40

> to 80/40 to 80/80 to 120/80 to 120/120. Each time I went into

afib

> my cardio increased the dose. I had an ablation 5 months ago and

the

> EP has kept me on sotalol. I have had a number of afib events,

but

> they are very mild and I convert on my own. I hope I will be able

to

> come off of the meds in the near future.

>

> Earl

>

> Does anyone here LIKE Sotalol? Because it seems Sotalol, for want

> > of a

> > > better word, sucks pretty much across the board. My EP

mentioned

> it

> > to me in case

> > > my NSR turns back into afib. (I don't think he will do

another

> > cardiovert

> > > without putting me on pills.) From my readings here, if and

> when

> > I have to go

> > > on antiarrhythmics ... he can stuff his Sotalol in his back

> > pocket - sounds

> > > like some of the others -dofetilide seems pretty popular here -

> > are better.

> > > Lil

> > xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

> > Lil,

> >

> > I originally took 80 mg Sotalol BID and it kept me out of afib

for

> 2 3/4 years. I recently had three episodes in four weeks and was

> increased to 160 mg BID by my cardiologist contrary to the opinion

of

> my EP. He would like me to change to Rhythmol or Tikosyn because

I

> have vagal afib, although I have done so well with Sotalol that I

am

> afraid to change. I had no side effects with the 80 mg. but I do

> notice not being as alert and feeling tired with doubling the

> dosage. Beats afib, though!

> >

> > Loretta

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I would be very interested to know the long term effects of this 20% who

developed ventricular block and severe bradycardia as this is what

happened to me. I persevered with sotalol hoping it would work, but the

doctors were so concerned with the problems they found on the holter

monitor, that they admitted me into hospital and stopped sotalol

immediately.

I don't think I would have needed a pacemaker (or at least not yet

anyway) or the afib would not have been so bad. Before treatment I

never had any symptoms prior to the TIA I had, since stopping sotalol I

have had lots of symptoms and tried different drugs. I am very

apprehensive of trying new drugs as I am not sure that the side effects

are because the drug is OK or because it is not OK and is making things

worse.

ine

Re: Sotalol

In the study 20% of the sotalol patients got atrial ventricular block

and severe bradycardia and had to be stopped.

Mark

>

> I am really getting the impression that people that do with best with

Sotalol are the ones that their doctors change the doses gradually,

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send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help

Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or

should be acted upon without consultation with one's physician.

[Guest guest]

Hi,I WAS JUST STARTED ON SOTALOL ABOUT 7 DAYS AGO,i

WENT INTO A-FIB AND WENT TO SEE MY DR.CAN ANYONE TELL

ME WHAT I HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO,ON SOTALOL.FRAN

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I just started on Sotalol today. I am supposed to be having a

cardioversion next week, or the week after.

>

> Hi,I WAS JUST STARTED ON SOTALOL ABOUT 7 DAYS AGO,i

> WENT INTO A-FIB AND WENT TO SEE MY DR.CAN ANYONE TELL

> ME WHAT I HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO,ON SOTALOL.FRAN

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Bradycardia, bronchospasm (if asthmatic), low blood pressure, low blood sugar,

fatigue, weakness. It is recommended that patient's be admitted and monitored

when sotolol is initiated to rule out any significant conduction abnormalities

or arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation which

may occur at the start of therapy. Also need f/u with an ECG in a week to be

sure there's no heart block or prolonged QT syndrome developing

.

Fred Blauer fblauer@...> wrote:

I just started on Sotalol today. I am supposed to be having a

cardioversion next week, or the week after.

>

> Hi,I WAS JUST STARTED ON SOTALOL ABOUT 7 DAYS AGO,i

> WENT INTO A-FIB AND WENT TO SEE MY DR.CAN ANYONE TELL

> ME WHAT I HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO,ON SOTALOL.FRAN

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Fran,

No two persons may respond the same way but sotalol will take your BP

lower along with your pulse; whether that's acceptable for you

probably depends on where you start from. Some other stuff I've

noticed: tiredness, cold hands/feet, and (I think) that the insomnia

I deal with is caused in part by the sotalol. Finally, with several

of my heart medicines over the years (including sotalol), I've found

that adding prunes to the diet can be a marvelous aid to quality of

life!! The flip side for me: it seems to regulate my pulse and keep

me out of A-fib better than anything else I've ever taken.

Just FYI for comparison's sake: I'm on 120 mg BID and have been for

four years; I also take metoprolol 50mg BID.

An earlier response mentioned starting on sotalol in the hospital,

that certainly was the case for me.

Very best to you, Brent

>

> Hi,I WAS JUST STARTED ON SOTALOL ABOUT 7 DAYS AGO,i

> WENT INTO A-FIB AND WENT TO SEE MY DR.CAN ANYONE TELL

> ME WHAT I HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO,ON SOTALOL.FRAN

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Hi! Brent:

I found your statement very interesting: " I've found that adding prunes to

the diet can be a marvelous aid to quality of life!! "

I believe certain food may keep me away from getting into AF, I am still

looking for those foods .

Could you please share some details on how the prunes work for you?

Thank you.

Yi

Brent magnerbn@...> wrote:

Hi Fran,

No two persons may respond the same way but sotalol will take your BP

lower along with your pulse; whether that's acceptable for you

probably depends on where you start from. Some other stuff I've

noticed: tiredness, cold hands/feet, and (I think) that the insomnia

I deal with is caused in part by the sotalol. Finally, with several

of my heart medicines over the years (including sotalol), I've found

that adding prunes to the diet can be a marvelous aid to quality of

life!! The flip side for me: it seems to regulate my pulse and keep

me out of A-fib better than anything else I've ever taken.

Just FYI for comparison's sake: I'm on 120 mg BID and have been for

four years; I also take metoprolol 50mg BID.

An earlier response mentioned starting on sotalol in the hospital,

that certainly was the case for me.

Very best to you, Brent

>

> Hi,I WAS JUST STARTED ON SOTALOL ABOUT 7 DAYS AGO,i

> WENT INTO A-FIB AND WENT TO SEE MY DR.CAN ANYONE TELL

> ME WHAT I HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO,ON SOTALOL.FRAN

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>