It's Norpace! I've been put on Norpace, not Sotolol. I am just wondering how it's effected anyone. Any experiences with it here? It converted me from fib to flutter and I was cardioverted today. So far it's holding with my only side-effect to be really tired. If anyone has any thoughts on Norpace, it would be greatly appreciated -- that's disopyramide. Thanks... - Juliaby Julia - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sorry to post so hastily but I was admitted to MGH today to be put on Sotolol and my doctors switched to Norpace (Disopyramide). I had this drug years ago and didn't like it -- and am mildly freaked out. I have HCM and burned out on Amiodarone. Last year I had an LA cryo maze, MV repair, and LAA resection. All has been great except the AF broke through the maze in July and has been persisteby Julia - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Mike, I took disopyramide for over a year prior to a successful Wolf minimaze in August of 2006. Unlike some other drugs, I never noticed any side effects at all, but I'm not so sure that it ever helped any either. I'd say it's definately worth a try. It does seem to be much better tolerated than some of the other meds, generally speaking. Russby Russ Ward - AFIBBERS FORUM
John, You may find the following excerpt from my first book of interest: "The AFFIRM Trial Cardiologists have long debated whether it is best for persistent afibbers to stay in fibrillation and just take beta or calcium channel blockers to keep their heart rate down (rate control) or whether it is best to attempt to convert them to sinus rhythm and maintain them in sinus rhythm through the useby Hans Larsen - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Erich: I had to look up the actual drugs you are taking from their trade names: cordarone = amiodarone adalat = nifedipine warfarin = warfarin lipitor = atorvastatin rhythmonorm = propafenone betaloc = metoprolol This is quite a mixture of drugs. I don't believe that I have heard of anyone taking all these drugs together. If you use a drug interaction checker such as www.drugs.com you wilby Doug Symonds - AFIBBERS FORUM
Real good section on vagal afib in that article. " Atrial Fibrillation: Symptoms and Treatment Course Number LWN320 Objectives At the end of this course, you will describe 1. causes, 2. risks, 3. symptoms, 4. signs, 5. tests and 6. treatment of AFib. Credit Hours and Fee 3.0 CE Credit Hours with a fee of $24.00 Instructor Rudolf Klimes, PhD (Indiana University), MPH (Johns Hoby PeggyM - AFIBBERS FORUM
Larry, You may also be interested in this excerpt from the June 2003 issue of The AFIB Report: In the May issue I concluded that afibbers who took preventive drugs (antiarrhythmics or beta-blockers) during their first year of afib had significantly more episodes (median = 6) than did those who did not take drugs (median = 2). From this response I further concluded that taking these drugs duringby Hans Larsen - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ask your EP if you can have Disopyramide. Cute little white capsules. I have some in the cupboard here which I must return to the pharmacy!! Kateby Kate - AFIBBERS FORUM
James, the other drug available here in the UK is disopyramide. I was prescribed it but unable to take it because the capsules contain titanium dioxide to which I am allergic. Kateby Kate - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks to you all girls!! How kind of you to take the time to post. My EP says estrogen does interfere with thyroxin uptake - I've always known that - (well, for the last 18 months since I took HRT I've known it) and have thought a few times about dropping the HRT (non-essential) in favour of full benefit from thyroxin (essential). My Free T3 is low which is why he (EP) is taking prby kate - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Jackie I hope you don't mind me asking a specific question directly to you. I take bio-identical HRT as well as thyroxin and tertroxin (T4 and T3 separately). I also take propafenone. The propafeneone "blocks" the T4/T3 so I am going to change to disopyramide which shouldn't block the T4/T3. My EP wants me to come off the bio HRT to give the best possible chance for thby kate - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have a new drug to try which won't "fight" with the thyroxin, disopyramide. I take this for 3 months because my EP wants me to be "well" and at the moment I'm not, I need to balance the thyroid drugs. I have to come off my bio-identical HRT. I am religiously to take my aspirin every day. Then, in February he sees me again and will "map" me and if heby kate - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diana, When I was first diagnosed with Afib my resting heart rate was 45-50 due to many years of endurance training. I was then prescribed 25 mg of atenolol and my heart rate dropped to 30 ! Scary stuff ! The EP who prescribed this is supposedly the "top gun" in my area. I subsequently met with another EP who suggested disopyramide which would require a two nite hospital stay.More scaryby flash - AFIBBERS FORUM
Disopyramide is a very strong drug to start with as a first antiarrhythmic drug and it is hardly used any more. When you reach that point, it might also be a good idea to get into the line for an ablation at a well respected hospital, as the waiting can be longer than a year. The earlier you are ablated the greater the chances of a successful outcome.by Gunnar 62/v/na - AFIBBERS FORUM
just for your info Milk Thistle interacts with flecainide and Rythmol and many others --so be careful. I ended up in the ER after taking the combo...Google it. Ginger interacts as well-see below. A Warning about Milk Thistle and Drug Interactions The seeds of the milk thistle plant are commonly used to protect the liver from damage caused by hepatitis viruses as well as alcohol and other subby susan - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have recently found this bulletin board and follow it with interest. I have familial paroxysmal atrial fibrillation passed on to me by my father and I, in turn, passed it on to our elder daughter. My first cardiologist referred to it as faulty wiring! My first memory of an afib episode was at primary school, probably about 7 yrs of age. I simply said I didn't feel well. I donby June - AFIBBERS FORUM
Actually EVERY anti-arrythmic medication should be initiated ALWAYS in the Hospital over a 3 day period- Any Dr. who is willing to start a patient on an anti-arrythmic medication outside of the hospital is suspect of not being very competent & is potentially endangering your life-While torsade de pointes is very rare as a side affect it is often fatal so that all initiation of antiarrythmic mby Jerry - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had a similar experience with vagal based afib. I found that flecainide was the best compromise. Beta blockers are only useful in controlling the rate after I was in afib or prophylactically used prior to vigrous exercise. Sotalol was very bad and slowed the heart excessively. Propafenone also had a beta blocker effect. I am not sure how effective disopyramide is, but it has a number of siby Andy A - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jean Claude, I was on Disopyramide for about three years but 'broke through' Then I was started on Flecainide (Tambocor) plus beta-blocker. I think I maybe near five years on 150 mgms twice daily. I have not had Afib in that time. I am not 'delighted' to be on Flecainide and worry about long term effects of any medication but it has given me back a quality of life that wby Bernie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have been going through hell with Vagal afib because my cardiologist insisted I take beta blockers. The more I took the worst it got. He then put me on flecainide which only began to work when I cut down on beta blockers. Since my epidodes come on at least once a day now he decided that I should try Sotalol but Sotalol is not recomended for Vagal afib so I said no. He now says we will stayby jean claude poulin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello Brian, Thank you for sharing your thoughts on afib and for your suggestion to split the Bulletin Board into two; one for lone afibbers and one for afibbers with underlying heart problems. From day one my focus has been on LONE atrial fibrillation - as the titles of my books clearly indicate. As you point out LONE atrial fibrillation is not life-threatening and this is why I feel it is sby Hans Larsen - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Vagal type like yoursef . Could not tolerate beta blockers;made it worse. Flecainide became pro- arrythmic. Disopyramide kept me under control ,just before first ablation. Its an old drug however it will slow you down, long term you will feel the effects. What about flecanide?? or there are some new drugs on the market. Just had my 2nd ablation , oh after the first Flecainide worked, pill inby Chris H - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jeannie, one quick way to access what people here on this forum have been saying about any particular drug is to put it into the search function. Hans has carefully preserved all posts in the archives, and they are a goldmine of firsthand practical experience and interesting and useful url's. Use of the search function is key to revealing all the information stored here. Also, any post thby PeggyM - AFIBBERS FORUM
Did you discuss Tikosyn with your EP. For a non professional it seems to have the same benefits as Amiodarone, blocking the potassium channel and prolonging the effective refractory period, without most of the nasty side effects of the later. Perhaps you EP has not bothered to get a authorized by the manufacturer to prescribe the drug? Note the print error, should be dofetilide=Tikosyn All Cby Gunnar 62/v/na - AFIBBERS FORUM
I was sent home with Norpace from the ER and got "torsades des pointes" the third night. Be sure to start the drug at the hospital. My pill were extended release pills 250 mg, sold under the label "Durbis retard", (Disopyramide).by Gunnar 61/v/na - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Greg, I respect your view about Sotalol and the use of Hawthorn. I cannot take Sotalol continuously either as my heart rates gets to low and I start to get ectopic even bigeminy. Bit I always convert back to NSR with Sotalol. After having been a regular at the cardioversion department at the hospital, I see it as a step forward to convert back to SNR with Sotalol as a PiP. The problem for me wby Gunnar 61/v/na - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have a special interest in this matter, as I have had "torsades des points" myself, induced by Disopyramide. The QTC is usually printed on the ECG/EKG electrocardiogram. It has nothing to do with an echocardiogram. You can take Flecainide and another drug, if there "is room" for an increased QTC value. I do note remember now what the upper limit is, but you can probably findby Gunnar 61/v/na - AFIBBERS FORUM
I take 40 mg Sotalol and 50 mg Toprol-XL. If I am still in AF after 40 hours I take additional 40 mg of Sotalol. To me the most important thing is to get the heart rate down as it hurts me, but it is Sotalol that make me convert. I have great respect for Sotalol as I got ventricular fibrillation from disopyramide "torsades des pointes" and the prolongation of the refractory period fromby Gunnar 61/v/na - AFIBBERS FORUM
Bobbie, Medications for atrial fib are a peculiar thing, and you don't really know if they are working unless you know your normal state without them. I was medicated for a year and a half following my diagnosis, which was when I learned what atrial fib is. I gradually reached episodes almost daily, and I kind of figured that if it wasn't for the medication, I'd be in atrial fibby Russ mix/36/35(wmm) - AFIBBERS FORUM
I agree perfectly with you PAM. I was sent home with Disopyramide and nearly died from VT fibrillation. I guess that the physicians know how the additive effect of the drug works compared to an isolated single shot as with PIP.by Gunnar v/61/na - AFIBBERS FORUM