Post Ablation-Multaq-Weird Mouth Thing

I didn't quite know how to label this post. So... I'm almost two weeks post ablation with Dr. Natale. All going good. Did have a 5-hr afib episode on day 5 but nothing since.

After the ablation Dr. Natale has put me on Multaq for two months. I've started to have this really weird taste in my mouth. I know a lot of people here have had ablations with Dr. Natale and if he put you on Multaq too I'm wondering if you've experienced this weird mouth taste/feel thing?

I'm really looking forward to coming off the Multaq. Not sure if that's what causing the mouth thing. The other drugs I'm on, Eliquis & Metoprolol, I was on prior to the ablation so I don't think it's those.

Other than that I'm pretty ok feeling physically. Emotionally, I've been a little surprised with my response. Much more profound an experience than I had anticipated. I really hadn't thought at all about how it would affect me emotionally. And I can't really pinpoint exactly 'how' it's affected me emotionally either, but it has. I find myself in deep thought and contemplation about my life and the past and the future. It's hard to explain.

Although a metallic taste isn't a reported side effect of Multaq, a google search shows some people mentioning it.

I had an ablation with Natale last August and was given the same prescription of Multaq for two months. It didn't give me weird side effects, but I didn't like it much. It capped my heart rate and made exercise hard. So at one month I decided to see how stopping it would go. I skipped my morning dose for 3-4 days and nothing happened. So I called Shirley (my TCAI nurse at the time), and chatted with her about it. She said if I felt like trying stopping it to go ahead. I could always resume it if it didn't go well, after all.

So I stopped the Multaq and I've been 100% NSR without it since.

I'm not recommending that you stop the Multaq. Call Curry (or whoever your contact is) and talk about it. Maybe you can stop it in a couple weeks instead of the full two months.

I find your last paragraph intriguing but I don't quite understand what you're trying to explain. Is it a positive, negative or neutral emotional response?

It's neither positive or negative. It's more contemplative. Maybe serious. Yet, I'm also very cheerful and happy to chat when with others, to go places with friends. When I'm alone I like to sit and read or watch tv or sit on my deck and listen to music in my headphones. While doing these things I find that I start to stare off into space and have these deep thoughts. My body feels at peace. My mind goes off into some deep space. I find myself remembering things I haven't thought about in years, things from my childhood, things from my relationships, things from work over the years. They'll just pop up randomly.

Then I think...sheesh! I had a stroke! sheesh! I had my heart burned! It's a big deal!

The average person wouldn't be able to tell I had a stroke or an ablation. But I know. It's deep.

Actually, what you describe sounds kind of nice.

Carey - I appreciate you telling of your experience with Multaq and getting off it sooner. Since a few days ago with the weird mouth feel/taste, I've started to feel yucky. My stomach is not right. It's not acid like, but more gurgle-y. More tired than usual. The weird taste isn't metallic. More plastic. No, more fermented. It's hard to explain. Weird.