tikosyn ineffective

[redeye001]

Hi, I am a 60 year old mail with persistant afib. after 4 days in the hospital for the drug tikosyn initialization I was discharged today. about an hour after being discharged and about an hour after taking my tikosyn dosage I am now in full blown afib for the last 10 hours. I am at a loss as to what to do aside from going to the ER but I have decided to withdraw from the tikosyn and i haven't even been on it a week but it seems ineffective in my case, I can't contact my EP until after the weekend. does anyone have any thoughts as to what I should do? Being in the hospital was a nightmare and I hate to go back.

[redeye001]

I am still in afib for the last 72 hours since being released from the hospital and have been on the tikosyn for the last 6 days now. I would have to say that it is not working for me as I have still not converted to NSR. this is becoming extremely depressing for me as I was hoping that it would at least convert me back to NSR within 12-18 hours of the initial start of the episode. before being admitted to the hospital for the tikosyn the longest my episodes were lasting were 48 hours and I was only taking 100mg daily of metoprolol and 5 mg of warfarin. I will speak to my EP today via his nurse and see if I can try pacerone again until we can schedule the ablation. I seemed to have gotten the best results from the pacerone as far as duration and intervals of episodes. the fatigue and lack of enthusiasm to do any activity while in AFseems to be testing my sanity.

[Jerry_NJ]

I strongly recommend you continue your prescribed dose of medication until you can talk with your doctor and he tells you otherwise.  It is very unwise for a patient to change medication dose level or start/stop without agreement from their doctor.

As the Tikosyn is a very strong medication, I believe you have to be very careful to follow medical advice.

[gwanda]

I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN I AM PRETTY HEALTHY EXCEPT FOR THE BOUTS OF AFIB THE BAD PART IS YOU DONT KNOW WHEN IT WILL HIT AND PEOPLE WHO DONT HAVE IT DONT REALLY UNDERSTAND. I AM THINKING ABOUT HAVING IT AGAIN IT WASNT THAT BAD THE FIRST TIME I STAYED IN RYTHUM BETTER THAN HE THOUGHT I WOULD THE FIRST FEW DAYS DID YOU GO IN AND OUT OF RYTHUM AFTER ABLATION? DID YOU HAVE TO WARFRIN OR CUMNIN I DID FOR 3 MONTHS AND I ALSO HAD TO KEEP TAKING BETAPACE I CANT UNDERSTAND THAT DOC SAID HE WANTED ME TO STAY IN RYTHUM 6 MONTHS PERFECT THEN WE WOULD TAKE ME OFF MEDS BUT YOU ARE GOING TO STAY IN RYTHUM IF YOUR ON MEDS DIDNT EVEN GET TO SEE IF I COULDVE DONE WITHOUT MEDS AND I THINK WHEN YOU USE THEM THEN YOUR HEART DEPENDS ON THEM ITS ADDICTIVE TO THE HEART. GWANDA

[redeye001]

hi and thanks for the reply. I had catheter ablation about 2 years ago. It greatly reduced the intervals and duration of the afib episodes but only for about 6 months. I agree that a repeat procedure is the next step. I spoke to my EP and he said that my last ekg in afib showed the arrythmia was on the right side and he ablated the left side so he wants to ablate the right side this time and touch up the left side. I will schedule it as there is nothing left to try and all chemical treatment has failed in my case. right now the cycle is 3 days of afib followed by 2 days of sinus rhythm. it's definitely progressing to permanent afib. my heart goes out to all the people suffering from this condition and I hope that some day medical science will make a breakthrough for treatment that can convert the heart back to sinus rhythm permanently.

[gwanda]

i had a catherer heart ablation done have they mentioned that to you its not bad but mine only half helped i need another i think it takes two to get it all im on betapace 140 in the day and 120 at night. i still have a few break throughs and i take inderal 10 at a time until it stops. they mentioned tikosyn to me but i had heard where it didnt help a lot of people ask your doctor about a heart cahterer ablation    gwanda