...question "Amiodarone"

...Hello...Thanks for the words of confidence as I look forward to PV Ablation in january....But I have been put on "Amiodarone" and will be on for about month before ablation and then about two months after...how bad will this be for me in the long term????....Chuck

Hi Chuck,

I was on amiodarone from July through October of this year. I was put on the drug to stop a protracted episode of A-fib that sent me to the ER. I know that amiodarone has a lot of scary side effects but in the short time I was on it, I did not have any problems. I started with a large dose (800 mg/day) and then tapered off to 200 mg/day. I went to another cardiologist and he switched me from amiodarone to Flecainide, which seems to be working well. One thing, I am on Coumadin and the amiodarone trashed my INR, I just could not stabilize my protime while on amiodarone.

Good luck with your ablation,

Marilyn

Chuck: I was on amiodarone for 6 years with no side effects. It keep me in NSR most of the time. I am scheduled for a PV ablation with Dr. Natale in Marcn or April. But Dr. Natale told me I had to be off amiodarone for 5 to 6 months before he could do the ablation...thus I stopped taking it on Oct. 1.
I'm puzzled as to why your Doctor would put you on the drug in preparation for your ablation. Let me know. Thanks.
Mike D.