Side Effects of Amiodione

[bundleblocker]

my cardiologist prescribed this for me today.  I am a runner; how will taking this medication impact my running? I'm already on Warfarin and Metoprolol for afibs.

Thanks!

[claytex]

Dear Bundleblocker:  Guess you have most of the info you wanted by now.. however I will share my experience with amioderone with you.  I am almost 68 and have had bouts of A-fib for 10-12 years.  I have to be shocked back each time I have a bout of it.. in 2006 the doctors put me on Amioderone for 45 days..The first thing is that you have to avoid sunlight or it will damage your skin... and there is a possibility that your skin will turn blue colored...so it limits your sun exposure.... They told me I might look like a muppet.. the doc thought it was funny.. I didnt..the other thing,  after I was on it for 30 days my triglycerides went from 116 to 680 and my HDL went from 42 to 16 both of which you dont want.. bad deal.. ohh my thyroid number got out of bounds also... I discontinued taking it as soon as I found out what it was doing to me... however I am now stuck with triglyerides of about 220 and I have to really work at getting them that low..  my HDL will not get above 30... its been 3 years now.. my endrocronologist says she thinks the damange has been done and that Im stuck with the bad triglyceride and HDL number for the rest of my life.. sorry to tell you this ... but any way thats my experience.. I am now on flecainide.. it makes my knee and hip joints hurt some plus makes me tired but doesnt have quite as bad of side effects as the amioderone.. I ride and exercise bike for about 2 hours a day with pretty good resistance and I have it in my head that it helps my heart rhythm to stay  better...dunno... hope this helps Claytex

[ksig]

Hi, bundleblocker,
I have had AFib for many years and I am really surprised that you were given Amioderone so soon into your history.  There are so many other drugs to take before you have to succumb to this toxic drug.  Please take the time to research this drug before you take it.  There are drugs like Tikosyn, Flecanide, Rythmol or even Multaq that are very effective. Although some of the drugs require you to "load" on the medication in a hospital setting, it is well worth the time. I hope you have a successful race.

ksig

[bundleblocker]

Thanks so much for the warning Gary!  I had no idea it is so toxic to other organs. I will definitely ask the cardiologist about it when I see him on Tuesday and ask about alternative medication.

This one sounds too scary.

[Gary3201]

Amiodarone is a very effective drug The main concern with it is not necessarily the side effects but more so the Toxic side effects that it has on other organs primarily the liver. It should only be a short term drug for that reason and liver function blood tests should be done on a regular basis. The new drug Multaq or dronedarone was developed to have all the benefits of the amiodarone but without the toxic damage to your body. I would highly recommend you discussing this with your cardiologist or EP guy. Amiodarone is most commonly used short term before of after an ablation to help remold the heart and its rhythms. Please research this and don't let them keep you on it as although it may help the heart it causes so much more damage in other areas, and there are so many other alternatives.

best of luck
gary

[bundleblocker]

No, I didn't have to have a hip replacement. The doctor inserted three long pins which I might be able to get rid of after a year or so if they bother me. However, the doc would rather not remove them as I have osteoporosis.

I am very lucky. I broke my hip during a race; thought it was just a severe groin strain, but I had to drop out of the race because of the pain and inability to move the leg normally.

Then ten days later I finally went to the orthopod and x-rays showed the break. I had surgery two days later.

The Amiodarone was the first choice of a rhythm medication for me. Don't know why.The doc just gave me an RX in the office. No mention of having to be hospitalized to implement it.

I have been on Coumadin for about 3 weeks (still going in every week for testing as I'm only at 1.7 so far.  The doc hopes to get me off the Coumadin providing the Amiodarone works well.

I have occasional Afibs, but they were getting more frequent and lasting longer. After a 36 hour episode he said I needed to be on Coumadin.

I have been on Metoprolol for about 6 months and am tolerating it pretty well. Sometimes my BP gets quite low (esp. after running) but other than weird dreams I have no side effects. However, I only take 25 mg daily.

Good luck to your wife. I should think she would be encouraged to exercise after the hip replacement as long as she doesn't overdo it.

[Jerry_NJ]

Wow, hip surgery too.  Did you have a joint replacement?  My wife is looking at such a surgery herself and has some reservations/concerns.  She is not a runner, but would like to continue serious walking/hiking and bike riding (not mountain bike).

Not trying to steal or derail your thread, but the hip surgery hit close to home for me too.

Again, if the Amiodione (are we talking Amiodarone? that's what I think we're talking about, but if not, then I'm talking to the wrong issue) is effective, you should be better able to run.

A couple of other questions:
1) are you in permanent AFib? or are can you hope to run when it isn't active?
2) Amiodarone is according to my doctors implemented in the hospital, at least that's the only why they are willing to let me try it.  

So far I haven't tried it or even Flecaininde, I don't want to go spend the couple of days in the hospital.

Sorry I can't be of more direct help to your question, but maybe all the posts listed againt this subject will bring in more readers, and hopefully help.

[bundleblocker]

Thanks Jerry, that's very encouraging.  The doctor agreed to let me start the medication on Sunday, instead of today. I am entered in a 10K race next Saturday and want to do as well as I can without worrying about side effects.

This will be my first race since my hip surgery in January so I'm cautiously optimistic!

[Jerry_NJ]

If the Amiodione stops the AFib you should be able to run better.... that is if the side effects are not too bad.  

If you are running while in AFib and you take Metoprolol (in any dose over 50 mg) you should be able to run through anything.

Good luck.