Multaq Anyone Else Take It (Page 29) (Top voted first)

Okay I will start off by saying this drug scares me because it has not been out for very long. I have Afrial Fib which is not behaving I can be 70 beats one min and regular and the next I will be at 190 and in atrial fib and flutter. this is my last chance at a med I have tried all the others I usually end up in the ER two or three times a week. I have had one ablation so far. If anyone else takes it please let me know what it is like. I am starting it on Tuesday.

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@ Eddie
What a fabulous detailed response!! I could not have said it better. We are out own advocate! I tried Multaq but it did not work for me. Have since been on Sotolol, no succeess, and am now on Amiodarone (Multaq's older cousin). I am told to give it three full weeks to kick in.

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Hey snappycappy,

I think you meant "@Gary", lol! No biggy, addressing the wrong person on here happens a lot, must be the meds, lol, :)

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Michael,

You are a very young man. Has any of the doctors ever suggested an ablation for you?? At your age it probably would be worthwhile checking into.

There are many places and doctors who do ablations - one such place is Cornell University Hospital New York, NY. I visited this hospital a year ago as I had an appointment with electrophysiologist about an ablation, this doctor performs 4 ablations a week so he has experience. But he said to me that until my hyperactive thyroid is fixed he would not consider an ablation for me because it would not "stick". Normal TSH levels are between 1 and 3 - my TSH levels are slowly creeping up there. Is your thyroid functioning normally?? Have you ever had the TSH blood test?? The lower the number it is called hyperactive and vice versa. My A-Fib probably started when my TSH level was low in 1999, 0.15 but those days doctors did not seem to have paid attention as mine were always low and sometime they reahed the lower level of "range level" but I guess that level is not good enough for ablations. I am obviously seeing an endocrinologist also.

As I am reading this blog and see lots of people on Multaq which after research and my own experience with it I would not touch that drug with a ten foot pole.

And I just read that someone has started on Amiodarone which I would not touch either - I did my own research on it - and it is quite deadly drug and the ill effects might not happen until a few years later. What I have heard and read that it is the last drug doctors would prescribe for an A-fib patient if other drugs have failed. Consequently Multaq if a cousin of Amiodarone.

Good Luck Michael.

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Michael,

One more thing - my mom had it but got it late in life and she has passed away many years ago.

My brother came down with A-fib at a later age and his seems to be different from mine - he is on meds - he feels so good that he can play tennis. So you might say it is genetic somehow - but I believe that has nothing to do whether one can have an ablation or not. At least two electrophysiologists that I have seen when they heard it ran in the family they did not say it cannot be done. My brother lives in Northern Europe as did my mom and me (abt 100 yrs ago) and their meds are somewhat different from ours.

That's it for today. Have a nice evening.

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All drugs have side effects. I was just released from cardiac ICU a few days ago where I was given a variety of different drugs orally, IM and IV, but nothing they gave me worked until, at last, they gave me Amiodarone IV. That was after three waves of painful and scary tightening in my chest and throat. My b/p was the problem; it was staying too low. I was discharged with the "pill in the pocket" approach: Flecanide (3 pills, 2 times 30 minutes apart), and a Metoprol to take with the first three. I am relieved I don't have to take pills every day. Clearly, afib is a serious condition and if I am unable to control my next "attack" with the meds, I will strongly consider ablation or some other procedure.

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Unfortunately many forget to give both sides of the story on medical procedure dangers which makes any "research" one sided and therefore flawed.


Facts From the Mayo Clinic:

Cardiac ablation does carry risks, which include:

-Bleeding at the site where your catheter was inserted.

-Damage to your blood vessels where the catheter may have scraped as it traveled to your heart.

-Puncture of the heart.

-Damage to your heart's electrical system, which could worsen your arrhythmia and require a pacemaker to correct.

-Blood clots, which could lead to a heart attack or stroke.

-Narrowing of the veins that carry blood between your lungs and heart (pulmonary vein stenosis).

-Damage to your kidneys from dye used during the procedure.

-Your risk of having these complications may increase if you have diabetes or kidney disease.


Multaq or Cardiac Ablation, they both have deadly risks. Choosing one over the other is not as simple or easy as some like to make it seem.

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If it works for you, Tikosyn might be a better choice because it is most effective for A-Fib, but without the nasty side effects. Having said that, Tikosyn is not for everyone. People with long QT syndrome must not take it - it can be fatal for those few. Only a fraction of cardiologists and EPs are registered to be able to prescribe it so your cardiologist may not suggest it or want to go there. It must be initiated by a trained and registered physician in a registered hospital facility (3 days and 2 nights) and the pharmacist must also be registered for it. It works well for most and is a Godsend for them.

I will not try Multaq because amiodarone made me go hyper-thyroid about 12 years ago and that can be near fatal is not caught. It is my opinion that amiodarone should not be prescribed for people who are relatively healthy. Amiodarone should only be prescribed for the worst 5-10% of people, with major heart damage, to keep them alive without going to an artificial heart pump - mostly for elderly people with a short time to live.

Multaq is amiodarone's little cousin and does have a number of advocates for whom it works well. My EP has decided not to recommend or prescribe it unless a patient knows the very severe but low probability risks and still insists.

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I know all of you have been waiting with held breath for me to reappear (LOL)!

I tapered off Multaq completely, and have been off of it for about 3 weeks now. I am sleeping much better. I wanted to see if it was the multaq that was making me so blessed cold all of the time, but darn if the weather didn't warm up so much that I cannot tell. I also do have more energy - probably from sleeping better. Still no afib, and an ekg this week looked quote: "Like a swiss watch".

Eddie, I don't know whether or not Multaq helped me keep in NSR after a cardioversion, or whether it is from other steps I've taken. It does indeed seem to work for some and not for others. The good thing about trying it before having any surgical procedure is that YOU CAN ALWAYS STOP TAKING IT if you keep a close eye on things, and a problem starts. I think Multaq is on of those drugs - some others might not be as easy to stop before damage occurs.

With an ablation, if something goes wrong, you might not be so lucky, and may end up with a permanent problem. The conservative approach is probably the best route to take unless it doesn't work. Start first with some simple lifestyle changes, like losing weight, exercising and avoiding large doses of caffeine and cutting out alcohol. Having said that, there are plenty of in shape athletes who develop AFIB, so we are in good company, and lifestyle is not the only answer for many, especially with a genetic predisposition.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

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I agree. But let's be honest. If you're a coffee drinker, going with caffeine is really tough. I miss my wine, too, but I'm doing better with giving that up than I am with caffeine. Still, I don't ever want to go through what I went through in the CICU ever again if I can help it.

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Going without coffee is a challenge. I did it gradually over time to avoid the headaches and withdrawal symptoms. I went 90, 80 ,70, 60% and so on over a period of 6-8 months and that works. Having said that I am now a coffee snob and I use a combo of 3 different decaf beans to get the taste I like and grind them a pot at a time.

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Like you, Steve, I've been grinding both decaf and regular and using two scoops each in the mornings. Still, I'm like a narcoleptic by mid afternoon. Nonetheless, I think we all need to be HONEST about what we imbibe and re-examine our over-attachment to food & beverages that for us are triggers. I'd rather go clean on those than imbibe pharmaceuticals every day.

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Hey Steve and Deborah. I hear you loud and clear. I'm not a huge caffeine drinker, but really need/like one cup of coffee in the morning, and some tea mid day to keep hopping around. Moderation is the key, I'm sure.

Decaf coffee - what's the point?
No alcohol beer - what's the point?
Fat free, sugar free ice cream - what's the point? (although I have found a brand that is both sugar free and either fat free or very low fat that I actually like)
Live on roots and twigs - what's the point?

I suspect the afib connected mechanism of too much alcohol or caffeine comes more from magnesium or potassium depletion than from a direct effect.

Caffeine doesn't seem to bother some afib patients - others it does. Multaq works for some, others it doesn't. Some people can drink like a fish and live to be 110. Some people smell rubbing alcohol and develop fatty liver. Some people derive all of their calories from prime rib and barbecue and have the lipid profiles of vegetarian athletes. Some athletes have total cholesterol levels higher than 300 pound sedentary goldfish.. Anticoagulants save some peoples lives - others are destroyed by them. Eggs are good for you. Eggs are bad for you. High carbs/low protein diet. Hi protein/low carbs diet. Good fats/Bad fats, except on Tuesdays. Eat more fish, but don't eat fish because of the mercury. Eat plenty of green veggies for your AMD, unless you are on warfarin, and it's winter in Peru. Go blind from your anticoagulant, but at least you won't get a stroke, unless you get a brain bleed. Take your Multaq, the greatest thing since green eggs and ham - but wait - new studies show it's useless and dangerous. Take your statins, until they make you so brain dead you can't remember where you left the bottle, and are too weak to walk to where you finally remember you left it (but they keep your NUMBERS good). Eat this - not that. Don't ever eat in a restaurant - they are part of the conspiracy to keep us fat. Exercise is good for you. Exercise can change your heart tissue making you prone to afib.

Use aspartame instead of sugar - wait - aspartame has been linked to every disease known to man.

Diet drinks make you fat

It's all a big mystery designed to show us we really know very little about anything . . . . . I'm 'bout to stop thinking about it all and spend most of my time watching M*A*S*H reruns and let what happens happen.

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Trapper, you've said it all. Enjoy your guilty pleasures!

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a couple of clarifications: I never said no alcohol. Alcohol in moderation is usually tolerable by most a-fibbers. God knows I love my beers and wines. Alcohol in moderation is not a heart stimulant or irritant, but illegal drugs, prescription stimulants, caffeine, decongestants and MSG certainly are. I try to stay away from sugars and sweetners, but for other reasons. And I do believe in getting plenty of potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc.

If I didn't have all the scar tissue problems in my left atrium and pulmonary veins from previous ablations, I would be certainly be taking dofetilide (Tikosyn). I do believe it is the safest and best antiarrhythmic for people who do not have long QT syndrome. But not many hospitals, Cardiologists and EPs are trained and registered to prescribe and start you on it, as is specially required, so dofetilide (Tikosyn) usually gets no mention or endorsement by local heart specialists. If you make the startup without problems, it is very safe. A-fibbers should know that, because dofetilide is the most effective antiarrhythmic other than amiodarone, but without all the negative side effects of most other antiarrhythmics. I am not in the business and own no stake, but want a-fibbers to know this.

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Hi Steve. I speak with my tongue planted firmly in my cheek after years of conflicting advice. As we all see from this message board, people are SO different in their responses to meds, surgery and "guilty pleasures". I was not refering to you in my comment about no alcohol. A mere 20 minutes of internet search will reveal a dozen different opinions, from equally reputable sources, regarding what to do or not do, or what to eat and not eat. Even physicians in the same practice can give completely different opinions as to what to do or not do. Once within 20 minutes, I had one cardiologist tell me to strictly avoid exercise, and another tell me to get lots of vigorous exercise.

The other day when the big overblown red meat scare was butchered (pardon the pun) by the news media, I read a report that many Americans are missing some vital amino acids and other nutrients by avoiding red meats for "their health".

I consider many statistically based "reports" nonsense. Statistically, you could say that the rise in afib worldwide is caused by global warming, and conversely, you can also show by statistics that global warming is caused by the rise in afib cases. Sure this is pure nonsense, but some of the conclusions based on statistics I've seen cause me to just shake my head in wonder at the stretch needed to make the cause/effect connection.

Do what works for you! There are things i used to enjoy that I've given up because of personal preference and research, and I feel that is best thing for me - but that's just for me.

It amazes me that my wife eats cereal and milk and feels energized for the day, yet I eat cereal and milk and immediately feel so tired I want to go back to sleep. We metabolize carbs very differently.

I've wondered about MSG or other similar triggers myself. One for me might be chocolate. There are lots of things I would need to add back into my diet to see if I would get a trigger. I eat a pretty plain, mostly vegs and fish/chicken diet now, so one day I might start adding things back in to see if I get a trigger. Don't know if i want to chance it or not.

Thanks for the tip about Tikosyn. I'll ask my ecp about it if I should need afib help again. Sorry you've had such a rough go of it with meds.

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Trapper: i agree on that. It is strange that I do like dark chocolate and it seems to have no effect on my heart. And the doctors all tell you to avoid it. I can not tell any difference between eating dark chocolate every day and skipping it for a few days. Y'all can tell I am an addict as i buy it in 3 lb bags of Giradelli 60% Dark Chacolate Chips from Sams. It last me a while but I do proabably buy one a month. Life and my decaf coffee seem to be a lot better with it ;-)

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I am on Multaq after being on Amiodorone following a Cardiac Ablation on Mar 1, 2012. Amiodorone. I had 9 side effects including shortness of breath. I told my EP. He switched to Multaq. No side effects but it is not working for me. A fIb episodes every 2-2.5 days . note: it is better than the deadly amiodorone which failed to control me with episdes every 1-2 days. I wonder if there is anything else I can take.

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Dear Busycloud,
My heart really goes out to you. Every other day -- and that, AFTER an ablation? Holy cow.
When I was in the CICU, nothing worked BUT amiodarone. My b/p is too low to take meds every day, so I'm on Flecainide and Metoprol AS NEEDED.
Just for the sake of your sanity you might want to consider finding a good yoga instructor for deep breathing and calming postures. It's not a cure, but it's good for your soul. Wishing you well...

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What seems to have worked for me is twofold:

I take magnesium supplements. Before my cardioversion, they calmed the afib down - didn't eliminate it, but I could tell a definite change in the character of it. I also made a dramatic change in my diet to help eliminate any esophageal and stomach problems causing bloating and reflux.

After the cardioversion, I was on Multaq and continued the magnesium and dietary changes. Since, I've dropped back on the Multaq dosage, and have now stopped it altogether, and continue in NSR.

Magnesium deficiency is generally not tested for, yet some research studies I've read say low magnesium is one of the prime causes of afib in many people.

As is obvious from many people's experiences here, what works for some does not work for others.

Steve, on a different note, I thought of you this weekend when a story popped up on Yahoo news about how dark chocolate has a very positive effect on heart health, similar to statins.

My chocolate trigger seems to come more from the reflux potential of it. My afib episodes had always seems to have been tied to reflux and stomach upsets and bloating, and vagally induced. Fortunately, that has all calmed down, hence my reluctance to start back on chocolate or other things that trigger the reflux or other stomach issues.

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Oh my lord, I must be psychic

iceagenow.info/2012/03/study-blames-obesity-rising-co2-levels

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