Amiodarone

My dad was on Amiodarone for about 4 years. He was an extremely active man who was very fit and had never spent an overnight stay in the hospital. He was 88 years old and windsurfed until he was 86! After he began the Amiodarone, he began experiencing numbness in his feet that moved up his legs until he was not able to walk anymore. The doctors didn't know what to do with him and told him he had neuropathy but left him on Amiodarone for his atrial fibrillation.

Eventually, he was admitted to hospital because he had trouble breathing. Around his lungs was fluid, and they drained the fluid but a doctor prescribed a beta blocker which caused him to stop breathing. After twelve days in hospital, he died.

My advice would be to stay away from this drug!! I think it actually very definitely contributed to my dad's deteriorating health and ultimate death - instead of helping him at all!!

My dad was on Amiodarone for about 4 years. He was an extremely active man who was very fit and had never spent an overnight stay in the hospital. He was 88 years old and windsurfed until he was 86! After he began the Amiodarone, he began experiencing numbness in his feet that moved up his legs until he was not able to walk anymore. The doctors didn't know what to do with him and told him he had neuropathy but left him on Amiodarone for his atrial fibrillation.

Eventually, he was admitted to hospital because he had trouble breathing. Around his lungs was fluid, and they drained the fluid but a doctor prescribed a beta blocker which caused him to stop breathing. After twelve days in hospital, he died.

My advice would be to stay away from this drug!! I think it actually very definitely contributed to my dad's deteriorating health and ultimate death - instead of helping him at all!!

weakness and numbness in finges & nose

I am 72 years old. I have always been very physical my entire life. I've been a runner for many years, a skier, backpacker and a mountain climber. My legs have always been very strong, large because of the physical activity.

Over the period of about three years, since beginning amiodarone, I've lost well over 50% of my leg strength. My legs are now skinny as are my arms. I have serious heart conditions including a left bundle block, congestive heart failure and an ejection fraction of around 15.

I still am able to do almost everythings I used to do, but I get tired easily. I can run short distances - until I run out of wind.

I've had a heart attack about 30 years ago, I've had a five way bypass 15 years ago and I've had two ventrecular tacacardias (sp) I also have an on board defibrulator that I've had for about five years. I just returned from a week in Hawaii with my son and grand son. on that trip I walked probably 20 miles all in total.

My doctor says I'm a walking mearicle. When I started taking small doses of Amiodarone, I was missing two heart beats out of ten. My defibrulator has saved my life once during a short run/walk I was taking four years ago.

Can anyone answer this question: Is there any way I can restore the lost muscle while still taking Amiodarone?

Leon Berthiaume Lakewood Washington

Yes mutitaq! cousin drug to amiodarone with less side effects!

My husband died of a brain anurysm in Sept. I thought it was the warafin. Blood thinner that caused his blood to be so thin the dr could not stop the bleed. Now i see that Aminodarone interacts with Warafin and INCREASES the rist of bleeding and it can be fatal. Can it be the combination of meds that did it?

What is amiodarone?

Amiodarone is an anti-arrhythmic medication which aids patients suffering from life-threatening ventricular and supraventricular rhythm disorders. This medication is applied in the case of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. Although amiodarone was discovered in 1961, it wasn't approved for medical applications till 1985, in the United States.

http://www.heart-consult.com/articles/142/what-amiodarone

I have had a defibulator since may 07, in june I was shocked 8 times,while on solitalol(probable spelled wrong). I am now on amiodarone, I not had an ,episode since,  but I feel terrible most days, my doctor seems to think im okay after many tests.  I experience headaches, dizziness, upset stomach, the feeling of shortness of breath in my riight chest.my dosageis 400 milligrams a day.I also take coreg, micardis, pottasium,plavix,and zocor.Is this common?or am I giving amiodarone a bad rap.my doctor did mention cuttingme down to 200 mil a day after i take one more  breathing Does anyone have these issues. if so I would appreciate hearing from you.

I would like to know if anyone knows another drug in same catagory as amiadarone, but with less side effects?