Multaq

I have switched back to my original EP while I wait for the appt with Natale. He is concerned about the high Percentage of SVT and ectopics. He wants to try a lower dose of Multaq (200 twice a day) and see what happens. Anyone have experience with Multaq? Side effects? Concerns? Thanks!

I have been one of the "lucky" ones because Multaq has worked really well for me. After 15 plus years of only 2-3 afib outbreaks/year I broke my ankle playing tennis and the adrenalin rush threw me into afib without the usually good response to liquid magnesium which had converted me all those previous years. Multaq stopped afib cold. I had an ablation two months later and went back on Multaq during the first six months and when I stopped, I did have a minimal return of afib. My Duke EP and I decided that I should go back on this relatively mild medication with few side effects (I have none) and when it stops working, I expect to have a tune up ablation then. My EP said many people do not respond so I should count my blessings, which I am!!! I am 72 and play competitive (for 72!) tennis and all has been well.

I hope you might be fortunate as well!

Karin

I have been taking Multaq 400 for about 4.5 months, and it has been working well for me to this point. If it works for you, it is one of the safer ones to take. I haven't noticed any side effects from it to this point. I have an appointment tomorrow and will probably be stopping it as well as a few others. Hoping it goes well, but I am nervous about stopping it.

Thanks for the responses. One of my many anxieties is that so many of the other meds have been pro-arrhythmic and made my Atrial Tachycardia worse. Norpace doubled my episodes, as did Rhythmol. Flecainide and Diltiazem had intolerable side effects. Metoprolol stopped working. On and on. I have become more than a little bit jaded. From what I have read, people who have pro-arrhythmic affects of the anti-arrhythmics, have a tendency to have the same effects from different ones as well. We will see. I am cautiously optimistic.....

I was on Multaq twice. Once while in full-bloom afib and a second time following my ablation with Natale. It was ineffective against my afib, which is no surprise because it's kind of a "mild" antiarrhythmic and my afib wasn't mild at all. However, it worked very well for me following the ablation, which is kind of what you might expect since all Natale was looking for was a mild effect to keep my heart calmed down. `The best thing about it is it's very low on side effects. I had none and that's true of most other people I've heard from who've been on it. I wouldn't hesitate to take it again if I needed it.

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Carey
I was on Multaq twice. Once while in full-bloom afib and a second time following my ablation with Natale. It was ineffective against my afib, which is no surprise because it's kind of a "mild" antiarrhythmic and my afib wasn't mild at all. However, it worked very well for me following the ablation, which is kind of what you might expect since all Natale was looking for was a mild effect to keep my heart calmed down. `The best thing about it is it's very low on side effects. I had none and that's true of most other people I've heard from who've been on it. I wouldn't hesitate to take it again if I needed it.

Interesting. multaq didn't do a thing for me pre-ablation, maybe it would be useful now

I was on Multaq from 2017 until late 2021 when I went out of NSR. My cardiologist warned me of the black box warning for old farts like me so I stopped on my own. I tolerated the medication well, no side affects at all. Dr. Natale did third ablation in Feb '22 and implanted Watchman; I've been fine ever since. He had cautioned me in fall of '17 that afib might return and if it did I was a good candidate for the Watchman. LAA was absolute mess when he did my first ablation in 2016. Third ablation and Watchman were just a speed bump in the road of life -- no big deal.