Amiodarone? Hmmm....
WHY did your Doc (which one?) put you on Amiodarone?
MANY of us experienced intermittent A-Fib (Atrial Fibrilation) following our surgeries. Usually that stopped after several weeks or it was able to be controlled by other means.
Have you read the Information Sheet for Amiodarone?
That is the SLEDGE HAMMER of Anti-arrhythmic medications and is intended to be used as the medication of LAST RESORT. Some surgeons / cardiologists like to use it because it is so effective. IMHO, they are being LAZY and taking the Easy Way out for THEM.
Some Doc's counter that it works well and in Lower Doses and for Short Term use, it (usually) is not dangerous. Just be sure that someone is monitoring you for early signs of damage to your eyes and lungs.
Several of us have found that SOTALOL (generic form of BetaPace) controls A-Fib without all the potentially DANGEROUS side effects of high dose or long term use of Amiodarone.
Note also that Amiodarone has a very long Half Life. This means that it takes MONTHS (maybe even a year) for it to completely leave your body after it is discontinued!
I recommend that you educate yourself about the side effects of Amiodarone and then have a SERIOUS discussion with whoever put you on that drug about safer alternatives. You can find information on Amiodarone by doing a SEARCH on VR.com, Google "Amiodarone" for links to drug information sites, or ask your Pharmacist.
FWIW, I told my Cardiologist that I would only consider taking Amiodarone after ALL other options have failed. As it turned out, a SMALL dose of SOTALOL works FINE for ME.
'AL Capshaw'
