Last day of Amioderone!

[Jason]

I took my last amioderone pill this morning; Yay! I was on it for a month to the day, and hope that I don't need it again. From what I understand, the drug stays in your system for anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. I am looking forward to it getting out of my system, but at the same time a little fearful of where my heart rate will go and if it will stay in rhythm. When I went on the amioderone, my heart rate dropped quite a bit, hanging in the fifties at rest. It also stopped the A-Flutter very effectively, I think. Anyway, I am happy to be done with it, but a little nervous about the next step. Wish me a nice, regular heartbeat.

 

[Rosebud54]

Jason, keeping you in my thoughts for a nice regular heart beat. I took that stuff for 2 weeks, I didn't feel any different, but I've read nightmare stories about it.

Carol

 

[Jason]

Thanks, Carol. I believe that the amioderone did indeed slow my heart rate effectively, taking resting heart rate from low 70's to low 50's. I THINK it stopped the atrial flutter I was having as well, although that also could have been coincidence with the timing of the pills. In any case, I am cautiously optimistic to be off of the pills!

 

[bdryer]

Jason

Congrats on getting off "Satins drug". After a 1 month course this drug will be in your system for a very long time. You are dealing with a long 1/2 life.

I spoke with my pharmacist to find out what my 1/2 life would be for a 20 day course. I was told that after 26 days, 50% of the drug will be in my cells. After the next 26 days, 25% of the drug will be in my cells. After the 3rd 26 days 12.5% of the drug will be in my cells and so on.

Amiodarone penetrates the bodies cells. Excreting the drug is dependent on the ongoing dying and shedding of your bodies cells, which is in the millions every day. Hence the long 1/2 life. Because of this you must protect yourself. My skin now burns very easily as I eliminate the drug. Wear a hat, cover up and dawn sun glasses!

My cardiologist said the AFIB can be controlled with Metoprolol should it return. I'm presently on 200 mg per day. He has cleared me to > the Metoprolol by 50 mg up to double the 200 mg per day or 400 mg. I would suggest you talk to your cardiologist and formulate a plan for the potential return of AFIB so you do not end up in emerg, going through another loading phase of Amiodarone. Also mention Multaq as an alternative which is elementally the same as Amiodarone without the Iodine.

Good luck, but be carful over the next 3 months or so because of the 1/2 life.

 

[epstns]

Jason - I'll be having a similar conversation with my cardio soon - I hope. Coming out of the hospital they put me on both metoprolol and amiodarone. I'm hoping to lost the amiodarone, and my cardio says he would switch me to multaq if the effects are still needed after my next pacemaker interrogation.

Good luck and keep us posted on how withdrawal goes.

 

[neil]

hi jason...i was on it 3 month......sorted my af out.was worried like you when i came off, but3 yrs later its still beating loverly and regular......apart from the odd skip when i see a nice nurse ha ha

 

[Jason]

Thanks, Neil. I hope that I, like you, don't have any issues with coming off of the amioderone. Sounds like I should come to your area; the scenery sounds nice!

 

[hook]

For what its worth, I had terrible afib that started about three weeks out of surgery. Because of other issues the amio was the big gun I needed to get things back in line. It worked and I was on it for 3 months. I had to ask to get off it, but I did and my rythm has been fine for months.

good luck

 

[epstns]

Todd - Thanks for sharing. Your story gives me hope that I can get off the amio, too. Won't find out until another few weeks. Been on the stuff since beginning of March, too.

 

[hook]

Just my 2 cents, I think the high dosage of fish oil I take helped with my afib. I got my doc to prescribe me 4mg of Laveza a day. It just so happens they have a trial at Vanderbilt that is studying just that, and the effectie dose for this study is 4mg per day.

 

[Jason]

Thanks, for the input, Todd. I take fish oil every day, but haven't heard of Laveza. Is this concentrated fish oil?

 

[Jeri]

Well I am real tired of this a-fib.....it returned 90 min ago after leaving me alone for 24 hours. I am on Ami 200 mg twice and the Coumadin of course. I just hope that I can come off of it in 3 more weeks and stay off of it. I am staying positive and praying for it but what will be ...is it!! I feel hopeful after reading everyone's post. It will be 2 weeks tomorrow since I got my tissue valve. I still have to find my daughter's email that spelled out what I got...lol. I know it's horse tissue. Good luck Jason with coming the Ami. You as everyone else are in my prayers.
Jeri

 

[Jason]

Jeri, had you come off of the Ami after your surgery, and recently restarted it? At two weeks out from surgery, this is where I had my bouts of A-flutter. I had been off of the amioderone from surgery for 1 week at that point, and had to go a higher dose to get the drug active in my system (400mg 2X daily for five days). After that I was on 200mg daily. While building up my system on the third day of the elevated dosage, I had my last bout of A-flutter, lasting 12 hours. Once I was fully medicated and on a daily 200mg dose, I was fine and haven't had any flutter since. I have now been off the amio for a week and half, and from my INR checks it is definitely coming out of my system somewhat. Still no flutter, so I am hopeful that mine was just the normal, post surgery flutter. I hope yours proves to be the same!