Antiarrhythmic medication withdrawal?

I was told to stop the Multaq on April 24,2014 which I did. There was no "weening off" process. The last couple of days My body becomes "jittery" inside; It is a feeling of being nervous.

Could it be possible I am having some Multaq withdrawal? I have been on Multaq since Sept.2013 except for the 4 days before my ablation surgery on Feb. 27.

I have stopped nothing except the Antiarrhythmic medication Multaq.

5 mg Valium a day as needed.
20 mg Prozac daily
15 mg Prevacid a day
60 cc shot of Testosterone Cypionate every 10 days. Testosterone is low due to schedule two narcotics.
.5 mg Arimidex 2x a week to keep Estrogen levels in check. T shots can cause rise in Estrogen.

100 mg Metoprolol ER 1x a day
25 mg HydroDiuril fluid pill 1x a day every 2 days.
Neurontin 900mg a day (for Neuropathic pain IC/CPPS)
800 mg of Magnesium daily . Different types
81 mg aspirin 1X a day. Heart Doctor order due to stent installed in Jan. 2012.
2.5 mg Eliquis 2X a day

Miralax 1x a day for constipation issues. I have tried so many different methods for Constipation since 2008. Fiber is in my diet but to much Fiber really Constipates me.




25 mg/hcr Fentanyl.patch changed every 2 days

1st ablation done Feb. 27, 2014 for Long term persistent AFIB Dr. Natale
2nd Ablation done June 16,2016 Dr. Natale LAA isolated

Hi Smackman,

That jittery nervous feeling could well be from adrenal insufficiency and/or thyroid dysfunction either of which could also be triggered, in part or in whole, by a 'poly-pharmacy' effect due to a sudden change in your multiple daily drugs protocol. Perhaps not just a specific 'withdrawal' effect to the specific drug Multaq, but to a the sudden change in your complex milieu of biochemicals, most of which drugs on the list seem to have some individual impact on subjective sensations and experiences such as mood changes, energy level changes and increases or decreases in anxiety level or feelings of pain and discomfort.

When you have a number of drugs that can have a variable impact on your energy and anxiety as well as pain sensations, it can be hard to pin it all on one drug.

Even though the effect may have happened when starting or stopping said drug. It may not have been so pronounced a side effect when that drug was taken alone or with just a few drugs. This is especially true when multiple drugs are taken in a backdrop of a preexisting adrenal/thyroid dysfunction as is do often the case in people our age.

My sense is that a large percentage of commonly prescribed drugs are give to address and suppress signs and symptoms docs see everyday in their office but make no connection at all with poorly functioning endocrine status and gradual decline in our key endogenous hormones, peptides and nutrient co-factors that are at the foundation of so many of these chronic conditions surrounding the aging process.

And Smackman, I recall you had some if these similar jittery anxious feelings when you first started Multaq as well, so possibly this is a kind of rebound effect from abruptly stopping within the mix of some of the other psycho-active and sensate pharmaceuticals on your list?

At some point, as we've discussed, getting a thorough work up by a skilled functional medicine MD could be a great next step for you to potentially help get more to the bottom of at least a couple if the long time issues that have plaques you unfortunately, and see if replacing some of your endogenous biochemistry that has declined or gone missing in recent years might not help you feel a lot better in general and could perhaps help whittle down the list of meds.

I know how challenging it can be to sort out what is causing what once we get above having even just a couple psychoactive meds on board. My disabled sister at in point was on 27 drugs, many of them very powerful, before she was able to cut the number in half with the help if a more enlightened Primary care MD and a dedicated pharmacologist working together.

The improvement in her demeanor, mental clarity, much lower anxiety and depression and increased ability to enjoy life, as limited as it has been since she's been bedridden the last 4 years, has been remarkable! The impact of all that combined poly-pharmacy was as obvious after the big reduction in number of drugs she was on, as it was impossible to sort out before systematically determining what she really needed and how much of her on-going issues where at least in part being further aggravated by all the various drugs intended originally to address some of those very symptoms.

It can be a tough deal to sort out and if unaddressed hormonal dysfunction is a major contributor to the whole soup, it can be very tough to wean off of those drugs that were originally prescribed to try to suppress such symptoms yet now, in combination, may only be exacerbating the very symptoms they were intended to help.

Anyway, hopefully as the Multaq further clears out of your system Snackman the added jitteriness will subside but do consider starting the search for a skilled and board certified functional or integrative medicine MD some where within traveling distance from you as well as part of your long term restoration plan. Its good timing now that things are moving along fine after your ablation in Austin.

Cheers!
Shannon

Shannon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Smackman,
>
> That jittery nervous feeling could well be from
> adrenal insufficiency and/or thyroid dysfunction
> either of which could also be triggered, in part
> or in whole, by a 'poly-pharmacy' effect due to a
> sudden change in your multiple daily drugs
> protocol. Perhaps not just a specific 'withdrawal'
> effect to the specific drug Multaq, but to a the
> sudden change in your complex milieu of
> biochemicals, most of which drugs on the list seem
> to have some individual impact on subjective
> sensations and experiences such as mood changes,
> energy level changes and increases or decreases in
> anxiety level or feelings of pain and discomfort.
>
> When you have a number of drugs that can have a
> variable impact on your energy and anxiety as well
> as pain sensations, it can be hard to pin it all
> on one drug.
>
> Even though the effect may have happened when
> starting or stopping said drug. It may not have
> been so pronounced a side effect when that drug
> was taken alone or with just a few drugs. This is
> especially true when multiple drugs are taken in a
> backdrop of a preexisting adrenal/thyroid
> dysfunction as is do often the case in people our
> age.
>
> My sense is that a large percentage of commonly
> prescribed drugs are give to address and suppress
> signs and symptoms docs see everyday in their
> office but make no connection at all with poorly
> functioning endocrine status and gradual decline
> in our key endogenous hormones, peptides and
> nutrient co-factors that are at the foundation of
> so many of these chronic conditions surrounding
> the aging process.
>
> And Smackman, I recall you had some if these
> similar jittery anxious feelings when you first
> started Multaq as well, so possibly this is a kind
> of rebound effect from abruptly stopping within
> the mix of some of the other psycho-active and
> sensate pharmaceuticals on your list?
>
> At some point, as we've discussed, getting a
> thorough work up by a skilled functional medicine
> MD could be a great next step for you to
> potentially help get more to the bottom of at
> least a couple if the long time issues that have
> plaques you unfortunately, and see if replacing
> some of your endogenous biochemistry that has
> declined or gone missing in recent years might not
> help you feel a lot better in general and could
> perhaps help whittle down the list of meds.
>
> I know how challenging it can be to sort out what
> is causing what once we get above having even just
> a couple psychoactive meds on board. My disabled
> sister at in point was on 27 drugs, many of them
> very powerful, before she was able to cut the
> number in half with the help if a more enlightened
> Primary care MD and a dedicated pharmacologist
> working together.
>
> The improvement in her demeanor, mental clarity,
> much lower anxiety and depression and increased
> ability to enjoy life, as limited as it has been
> since she's been bedridden the last 4 years, has
> been remarkable! The impact of all that combined
> poly-pharmacy was as obvious after the big
> reduction in number of drugs she was on, as it was
> impossible to sort out before systematically
> determining what she really needed and how much of
> her on-going issues where at least in part being
> further aggravated by all the various drugs
> intended originally to address some of those very
> symptoms.
>
> It can be a tough deal to sort out and if
> unaddressed hormonal dysfunction is a major
> contributor to the whole soup, it can be very
> tough to wean off of those drugs that were
> originally prescribed to try to suppress such
> symptoms yet now, in combination, may only be
> exacerbating the very symptoms they were intended
> to help.
>
> Anyway, hopefully as the Multaq further clears out
> of your system Snackman the added jitteriness will
> subside but do consider starting the search for a
> skilled and board certified functional or
> integrative medicine MD some where within
> traveling distance from you as well as part of
> your long term restoration plan. Its good timing
> now that things are moving along fine after your
> ablation in Austin.
>
> Cheers!
> Shannon

I agree with you but how/where would I find such a board certified functional or
integrative medicine MD? I live in zip code 71260.

I am 30 miles from Monroe,LA;100 miles from Shreveport,LA; approx. 170 miles form Little Rock Arkansas; 160 miles from Jackson,Mississippi; 280 miles from Batom Rouge,Louisiana; 350 miles from New Orleans Louisiana; 300 miles from Dallas Texas. Dallas,Plano oe Frisco Texas would work well for me.

If someone knows of a good board certified functional or board certified functional or intergrative medicine MD within a 300 mile parameter of area code 71260 I would love to go. I have a daughter who lives in Frisco, Texas which is 20 miles north of Dallas,TX.
Where I live, I have no idea what to look for.

5 mg Valium a day as needed.
20 mg Prozac daily
15 mg Prevacid a day
60 cc shot of Testosterone Cypionate every 10 days. Testosterone is low due to schedule two narcotics.
.5 mg Arimidex 2x a week to keep Estrogen levels in check. T shots can cause rise in Estrogen.

100 mg Metoprolol ER 1x a day
25 mg HydroDiuril fluid pill 1x a day every 2 days.
Neurontin 900mg a day (for Neuropathic pain IC/CPPS)
800 mg of Magnesium daily . Different types
81 mg aspirin 1X a day. Heart Doctor order due to stent installed in Jan. 2012.
2.5 mg Eliquis 2X a day

Miralax 1x a day for constipation issues. I have tried so many different methods for Constipation since 2008. Fiber is in my diet but to much Fiber really Constipates me.




25 mg/hcr Fentanyl.patch changed every 2 days

1st ablation done Feb. 27, 2014 for Long term persistent AFIB Dr. Natale
2nd Ablation done June 16,2016 Dr. Natale LAA isolated

Will see what I can find out from some of my sources Smackman but will take me a while after being gone a the last couple weeks and have a lot to catch up with.
Shannon