Multaq Anyone Else Take It (Page 31)
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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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Thanks Robert. Did the doctor electrocardioconvert you when you started the Multaq? Thanks.

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Mini maze took care of my atrial fib, but I still have PVC's. The mini maze was done by making only a few small incisions. It did require deflating one lung, but that was no problem. It is worth looking into.

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I was diagnosed with afib in 2009 and used metoprolol for about 14 months. I wasn't very happy with it; I was still getting heart palpitations. I then started using Multaq, I only experienced heart palpitation twice in the 11 months that I was using it. Good Luck!

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I will apologize in advance if this is long winded but I want to be as thorough as possible. I am a male, 36 yrs old and was diagnosed with AFIB about 10 years ago when I was admitted to the hospital and spent about 3 days there before converting. Up until around November of 2009 I did not experience another episode like that one. In November 2009 my heart started fluttering uncontrollably as I sure you all are familiar with and I went to the ER. This lasted for 36 hours and then converted back with Rythmol I believe. I was prescribed Metroprolol 25mg which I took for the past year with mixed results as I was admitted back to the ER about 3-4 times throughout the year with the AFIB and heartrates of >180 BPM. My doctor offered a couple of options, one of which was MULTAQ. He said it hasnt been that effective and was relatively new on the market. I agreed to try it about 2 months ago and have been taking 400mg aday along with 25mg metroprolol. I honestly havent felt this good since prior to Nov. 09. I obviously only been on it for a couple of months but its night and day difference from how I felt before. My heart no longer thumps heavily at night and my pulse have been normal. I have noticed a relatively slow heartbeat on a few occasions but thats it. The only other side effect that has reared its ugly head is the diarhhea a couple of times a week which I am more than happy to live with that trade off. There are alot of people on this board of vastly different ages who are taking various different combinations of medicines with AFIB episodes at both ends of the spectrum. Hopefully I have listed enough info hear to adequately describe my situation. Good luck to all!!!

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I was given Multaq for one week in Dec 2010 prior to the cardio version but it did not work on me because my A-fib has been chronic for over 2.5 yrs now.
For you it might work if you have not been in chronic A-fib or if it has been only a couple of months - that is what I have always heard.
I had side effects from this drug which I wrote about in a prior reply - so check it out before you start on it - doctors will sugar code all of these types of drugs and will not tell you exactly what you might experience afterward -after all this drug is a cousin of Amiodarone.
I was told by doctors that Amiodarone is the drug that might put one back into normal sinc not Multaq.

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I'm curious if anyone here presently using Multaq was able to go into normal sinus rythm without electrocardioversion.

My EP has suggested Multaq followed by cardioversion a week later - I'm wondering if it would be worth the while using Multaq without cardioversion for a period of say 2 months to see if I convert.

I'm in afib essentially all the time but my ventrical pulse maintains at about 70bpm without medication.

Thanks.

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Thanks Jim for the info on Multaq - printed the article to my collection of lots of print-outs - I don't believe seeing the liver damage in the warnings for this drug--but Multaq being a "cousin" of Amiodarone I guess anything is possible.

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thank you Jim for that very informative info you passed on about using Multaq.,will be sure to show this to my DR.

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News that Multaq can cause liver damage ...

Here is the article I read ...

http:/­/­www.huffingtonpost.com/­2011/­01/­14/­liver-damage-may-be-caused-by-heart-drug-_n_809111.html

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Thanks Tutsi for the info, I'm always interested to read about anyone who's been on Multaq, after a year on it I'm sure it's causing my afib every day. If ablation doesn't work for people, what's the answer, just stay on drugs to control it? Quite a sad thought, isn't it? Although I do know several people who've had ablation and been successful with it. Let's hope!

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You have been on AMIODARONE for 3 years??? - Tha is a long time to be on it. My doctors would have put me on it for 2 to 3 months at the longest and then tried electrical cardio version - some times amiodarone itself puts the heart rhythm in sinc - if I were you which I am not - I would have all the possible testing done to find out if the amiodarone could be the cause of some of your problems. Believe me, doctors told me about this drug, it's excellent A-fib med but soooo toxic.

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I was on Multaq for one week 12/21/10 thru 12/28/10 AM
because I had an electric cardio version on the morning of 12/28 - this drug was suppose to bring the A-fib under control - well, it did not happen probably because I have been chronic since 7/2008 after a gall bladder surgery. I had lots of side effects of this drug - high blood pressure, pulse increased and I became breathless very easy, I also had edema in my feet, ankles and legs - had to go on a diuretic furosemide high dose.- I am just about getting more or less back to normalcy how I felt before. I WOULD NOT TAKE THIS DRUG AGAIN AS IT IS SORT OF A COUSIN OF AMIODARONE, which is an excellent A-fib drug but extremely toxic. If you happen to be one of those 25 to 30% of people who have side effects to amiodarone, it is not worth my life to take that either. This drug is not excereted thru your kidneys or liver rather it attaches to your cells - this drug can linger on in ones body for months on end and what I read can cause problems years of stopping it.
I have been on Tiazac, 360 mg a day, and digoxin .125 mcg.
Before going on any other antiarrythmic drugs please do your research or if you do not have a PC have someone else who does do it for you.
What I understand about ablations is that very rarely does it work 100% - in my case, I was told that I might have to have it done two or three times before there are any good results. And even after that I would always have to be on coumadin to prevent strokes. Hope some of this is of help.

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I have had AF since 1984 on and off. Am 65 and just started Multaq. Was on Propafenone for years. Over the last 10 years, I've drank less and less and finally realized that there's a direct correlation to any amount of alcohol for me (not true of everyone). I stopped drinking at all about 6 mos. ago. I still had two episodes of AF after that but I believe it's because the Propafenone is no longer effective.

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How did the mini maze work for controlling your afib

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I have afib I recently was converted 1.5 month ago . I have been taking multaq 2 times a day. this week I misssed one dosage,but did not double up as specified by my pharmacist. I just went into arythmia . by continuing with multaq at the prescribed correct dosage ,do you think I may get out of afib without a cardio conversion

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MULTAQ doesn't work for me. I am a 70 year old man with a 10 year history of A-Fib. I started with RHYTHMOL which did nothing, then spent about 3 years on AMIODARONE before tending towards hyperthyroidism. My EP then put me on MULTAQ. Besides persistent episodes of A-Fib, I am experiencing unusual aches and pains in my back and knees, sleeplessness, and the inability to exercise strenuously to work up a sweat. I don't know tha there is any other recourse other than ablation which terrifies me. Someone did mention vitamin and mineral supplements as being of some help. Has anyone had experience with vitamin B-6, magnesium, etc.?

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Just got home 1-4-11, from Cleveland Clinic. The cardiologist said he never recommends Multaq, it doesn't work. That was his comment. We went for a second opinion, and trust their view. Have been off Multaq, but when mentioning medicine tried he said he wasn't surprised it didn't work. This is for your information, ask your doctor.

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I have had A-Fib since Dec 1999--it went away for almost two yrs. It re-surfaced around fall of 2001--I was put on some diltiazem or was it cardisem--for some time it worked-then it did no longer do it's job-I was given Tiazac which originates from Canada and have been on that for maybe 7-8 yrs-it controlled the A-fib great until I had gall bladder surgery 7/2008-then holy hell broke out --I became Chronic A-Fib as well as developed high blood pressure--
Had a cardio version 6/2010 did not work out--then I was put on MULTAQ on 12/21/10 was told it would put my heart in sinc--I took it until 12/29 when I had the scheduled cardio version and obviously it did not work-since I have been in chronic A-Fib since 7/2008 I knew 99% it would not work. I was hoping it would work.
MULTAQ DID NOT AGREE WITH ME - MY PULSE WENT ALL OVER THE PLACE HIGH, MY FEET AND ANKLES SWELLED LIKE CRAZY AND I ALSO HAD WHEEZING SO CONSEQUENTLY I WILL NEVER TAKE THIS DRUG AGAIN NOR WOULD I RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE. You must have gotten answers since your write up was back in 2009.
Thev we talked about amiadorone, the most effective a-fib drug and also the most toxic and deadly. I did my research and I do not think I would ever take that drug.
It is too deadly.
Only option I have is to get the ablation which might have to be repeated the 2nd time or maybe the third time.
Before you take any of these antiarrythmic drugs please do you research--because there are couple of them that I know of which could turn the a-fib into ventricular fibrillation and then one is done in abt 5 minutes.
And of course there is also the pace-maker in which case they burn some node--I understand some people had had it done, it does not cure the a-fib but the pulse don't go haywire. Hope this is of some help. I am 76 yrs old. Happy New Year 2011!!

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hAVE BEEN ON MULTAQ FOR 2 MONTHS. NSR IS USUAL FOR ME. I HAVE PERIODIC AF ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH LASTING 20 MINS. UP TO TWO HOURS BEFORE GOING BACK INTO NSR. I EXPERIENCE DRY COUGH/SCRATCHY THROAT. I REALLY LIKE MULTAQ. MUCH BETTER THAN DILTIAZEM AND DIGOXIN. I ALSO STARTED THE NEW PRADAXA TO REPLACE THE WARFARIN. LOVE STOPPING THE MONTHLY INR/PROTIME REQUIREMENT. OVERALL I ENCOURAGE ANY OF YOU TO TRY MULTAQ IF YOU ARE ABLE/INCLINED. I WAITED ALMOST A YEAR SINCE APPROVAL TO TRY IT AND WISH I HADN'T PUT IT OFF. MERRY CHRITMAS TO ALL OF YOU.

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I have been taking Multaq (400 mg twice daily) for a year. It worked well for me until a couple of months ago, am now in A-Fib nearly every day and sometimes 2-3 times per day. Am on the waiting list for ablation, but that may be 2 or 3 months from now. Since I have been taking Multaq, I have developed acid reflux (now on a med for that), have developed red pin-like rash on my feet and and get hand, foot and leg cramps regularly. It almost seems as if the Multaq is now causing me to go into A-Fib. Any thoughts from anyone would be appreciated.

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