Multaq Anyone Else Take It (Page 34) (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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I have been taking Multaq for 6 months now with no bad side effects. I also take Xarelto (blood thinner) The Multaq seems to calm down the a-fib. I still have it , but not as often and not nearly as bad as it had been.
Hope this helps

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Four years I didn't know my speed racer episodes with my heart were Afib. My heart would go into Afib maybe once every few months the episodes would only last 10 to 15 minutes at the longest. In March 2012, I had a very frightening experience with my Afib that lasted hours. I believe it was triggered by a couple of glasses of red wine I drank that night. This is when I was diagnosed with Afib and put on Multaq, and it has been a nightmare ever since. In 2011, I was informed that my blood work showed I had RA. Never had any RA symptoms but occasional light morning stiffness in my feet. Less than 30 days on Multag and I was experience significantly increase stiffiness everytime I got up to walk. Also experiencing inflammation in my legs and feet. I ran out of the Multag and the symptoms went away within 24 hours. The doctor's office finally got around to refilling the prescription and I took 2 pill and the symptoms immediately came back. Then I start noticing that out of the blue my body would just gasp for air almost like a breathing spasm. Then this started happening in my sleep, but more aggressively like the multaq was triggering sleep apnea. The gasp were so wild it would jolt me from my sleep. Next, start the GERD/Acid Reflux. I never had GERD before. All I know is that I got the difficulty swallowing, wheezing, bring food back up etc. My doctor didn't want to hear any of it, so I got a new cardiologist and she is worked to safely get me off this drug.
Curently, the stiffiness in my feet is gradually subsiding. My body has almost ceased randomly grasping for air during the day and at night. And the acid reflux is almost completely cease. I had a glass of orange juice this morning.

I feel that my Afib is manageable, and that low dose aspirin will help to stop the real danger (blood clots and stroke)

I know that Multaq is helpful to some but after my experience it really makes me wonder if this drug resolve one problem but creates 20 other problem and I feel the pharmaceutical companies know this.

Those of you who are on this drug, please be careful

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Hi guys. hope your new year started out better than mine.

Unfortunately, after a year and a half (post cardioversion) and a year off of Multaq, my friend came to visit in the middle of the night after an episode of GERD, bloating and diarrhea. I always contended that with me there was a vagal connection - never quite believed by the docs - perhaps now they will listen.

Anyway, a cardioversion yesterday was unsuccessful, so I'm back on Multaq for a trial. I'll let you know how it goes.

I hate this afib - I'm back feeling awful again. After losing all that weight and months of swimming myself into shape, now I feel 20 years older today than last week, and in no way can I swim at this point.

I'm severely bummed and feel all my efforts were a waste.

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Hey Trapper, good to see ya but sorry to hear about your dilemma. It really sucks when it comes on, drains the life right out of you and makes you lose hope.

I had a couple of slight episodes during the holidays, one on Christmas Eve. Eating the wrong foods and stress from the holidays. But now I'm feeling great again and back to normal. Hopefully it will be the same for you and you'll be back to being yourself in no time.

Hang in there Trapper, think positive!

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Hello all saw my cardio doc this week and he wants to get me off Multaq in the future he said it has some bad side effects if taken to long. I'm just happy to hopefully be taken off a few of these meds I feel fine but with all the scary commericals out there about meds it does freak me out. Everyday I see one about Paradaxa which I'm on, hopefully I can come off os it also in the future. My coreg was upped to 25 twice a day hopefully this will aid in my meds being reduced. Coreg is a miracle drug and my cardio was one of the researchers who got his drug on the market Cincinnati Cardio Tri Heath doc I'm so greatful my friend Shelly got me to him the other cardio doc was a whack LOL

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Gary, I'm sure the holidays were the tipping point for me. There's a lot more to it, but not for publication here. I think it was 4 months in coming, following a problematic non-related medical procedure.

My wife and I have now dutifully plowed through 5 seasons of Stargate SG-1 in order, though, so there is some good news :-)

I had almost forgotten how lousy this afib can make you feel, and the meds ad to the misery.

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By the way, the Multaq has not converted me back to NSR - just changed the rate and pattern of the afib.

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Trapper, I hope the rate and pattern change were at least a positive one.

I hate taking meds, I hope they find another way that really works (not more drugs) or better yet, a cure! But I'm going to keep taking it as long as they keep working, it's better than living in misery. Most drugs are or can be dangerous/deadly but then again I can just as easily get killed by a car just crossing the street. Rather have 20 good years than 30 in misery.

Well, at least you had Stargate SG-1 to take your mind off it for awhile!

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Trapper, I did not convert on Multaq until after I had taken it a while and then they did a cardioversion on me and I popped back in with that. I have been on the Multaq since 2009 and I have been in rhythm since 2010. I agree with you that Multaq can make your joints hurt and I would love to get off it. I take 1 and 1/2 pills a day (not on the advice of my doc). I do see the doc in March and I will ask him at that time. I was sorry to hear you were having problems, as you seemed to be doing so well! Good luck and I hope you slip back in again soon! Also, I appreciate you letting us know what is going on. Any information regarding this problem is helpful to all of us. Take care. Gayle

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Yes, Gary - the Cardizem calmed down the rate effectively, but the rhythm is still whacked out even on the Multaq. I thought I had spontaneously converted the other night, but it was short lasting.

Just finished season 5 - we might take a break for a couple of weeks and try something else. After all, that was about 125 continuous episodes, plus the original movie - all in a row. Some nights we watched several episodes back to back.

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To "Done with Multaq"

I am glad you are off the deadly medication which has so many side effects it ain't funny - some people say they have no side effects at all which is great, however, these side effects and big problems don't necessarily have to start immediately - they can be hidden for years and all of a sudden they just appear out of nowhere.

After all this medication is a cousin of Amiodarone - personally I will stay hunndreds of miles away from either drug. (here she goes again Trapper and Gary will say, they have a bit different opinion on these meds than I do which I respect).

One thing I do not really agree with i if just relying on aspirin to take the K vitamin out of your system - it does not "thin" your blood or has anything to do in taking "K" out of your blood, not sure, have not researched it, it rather works on your platelets - I know as I had a procedure recently when I had to go on Plavix and aspirin at the same time for keeping my platelets "smooth" I was also on Coumadin. I believe I am one of those women who cannot handle all sorts of medications because Plavix gave me all sorts of side effects - I was suppose to be on it for 3 months but only lasted 5 weeks and I said to my doctor that is it can't handle it any longer.

My cousin in Europe was on Antiarrhythmic drug but no blood thinner - my brother and I always wondered how odd it was to have A-Fib and not be on some sort of blood thinner. Until this past Christmas eve she had a blood clot develop in her brain, due to blood pooling, due to silent A-Fib, thank goodness she did not have a stroke. So now she is on their equivalent of Coumadin for ever.

I would definitely check with you doctor on blood thinner I would not chance it. At one point I had A-Fib episodes couple of times a year but I was put on Coumadin at the onset of A-Fib, some thirteen odd years ago. Now I am in chronic A-Fib which I blame for an operation back in 7-2008 when all sorts of drugs were used on me.

Good luck to you "Done with Multaq". There is one blood thinner called Pradaxa if you would be a candidate for that. I believe it is used on people depending on what caused their A-Fib in the first place. Unfortunately I am not a candidate for it.

That's it - I am done for now - you all have a Healthy and Happy New Year.

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Hey Tutsi, I'm not rolling my eyes. I agree with you. I do not want to be on Multaq long term. I've read recently that it is not meant to be a long term solution. However, I was put on it prior to a cardioversion a year and a half ago, and maintained NSR for a year and a half. I've been off of Multaq for a year, with no afib re-occurrence until now.

The thinking is short term use to help the cardioversion be successful, and then come off it again. By itself, it doesn't seem to help me.

One thing I've read recently that is interesting regards how the heart tissue will "model" itself around a condition. In other words, if you are in afib for a long time, the heart will tend to keep itself in afib. The longer you are in NSR, the heart will tend to model itself around NSR, until there is some kind of trigger. Finding the trigger tipping point is my goal. I think I'm on to mine, but I've got to get back into NSR as soon as possible. Last time the afib went on entirely too long prior to the cardioversion, so I think the heart still had a lot of the afib "modeling".

I've got a long list of things to avoid I've now pieced together - we'll see.

This time they put me on the new Xarelto for the temporary anticoagulant, and I'm having none of the dreaded Pradaxa nonsense i had n THAT evil drug.

Good luck!

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Hi Tutsi, We all know Multaq is no miracle drug and I don't think any of us want to be on it. As I just stated in my recent post, I don't like taking drugs and I try to get off them ASAP (or at least lower the dosage). But It's the only way to stay level headed for awhile and not be in misery so I can find a way to get off it and that doesn't happen overnight.

Some of the meds you are taking I fortunately don't need, and some of those same drugs you are taking I cannot take because "for me" they are very dangerous. Obviously you've had a very bad experience with Multaq but that does not make you an authority on who should take it or not, you are not a physician. If someone wants to try it then it's their decision and you should not be using your scare tactics to keep them from trying it. That's ethically wrong and scaring someone away from it can be equally as dangerous as taking it. It may actually save someone's life by keep their heart rate down, but if that same person took your advice they could just as easily die also. Think before you speak. You're failing to look at all the possibilities and only seeing things with tunnel vision.

You "assume" it may have bad effects after taking it for a long time, you don't know this and you should not "assume" something based on your emotions or hearsay. You seem to keep forgetting (or you just don't want to hear it) that any drug taken for a long time can have very bad effects, but then again they may not. You don't know this as fact and should never assume it when advising someone else.

None of us wants to be ill, none of us "want" to be on meds.

We're here to tell of our "own" experiences and sometimes provide "factual" answers, not give out nonfactual advice and play with other people's lives. I know you're trying to help but in reality you may just be hurting others by trying to scare them based your own "personal" experience's. That's just outright wrong and could actually cause someone more serious problems or even their death. But I guess you've never looked at the whole picture and the damage you could possibly do by trying to scare people.

I know I come on harsh but I tell things like they are. I'd would say it the same way even to my own doctor, it doesn't matter what kind of sheepskin is on the wall, so don't take this personally.

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Hi Gary,

I make it short. My apologies to you because you took it very personally - and besides I did not tell this individual what to do - I suggested she'd check with her doctor on a blood thinner.

I have done my research on Amiodarone as well as Multaq if I ever find my print out I shall put the link on this blog.

One good thing is that you cannot get any of these drugs without a script unless one orders them on line. without a script, but that certainly would be crazy without consulting their doctor. I guess anything is possible to get on line now-a-days.

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HI Tutsi,

No need to apologize, I just tend to get carried away a lot on many subjects. I sometimes I let passion take over when I write something I'm concerned about. But again, it was not meant in a personal way. I've told many a doctor (and others) off face to face for not acting professionally or not giving me the proper attention. So don't be too concerned about my sometimes overzealous rants :)

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Just wanted to post that I had an unsuccessful electocardioversion 2 weeks ago.

They decided to try again, put me on Multaq for about a week prior, and continuing after, and it was successful, and I'm back in nice, slow NSR. Whether the Multaq was the true reason or not remains to be seen, but the evidence points to it. For sustained, long term use, I'm still not convinced, but for this purpose, perhaps it is indeed a good thing.

I'm not sure how long the doc wants me to remain on it, but I think I know my triggers now, and will avoid them like the plague, if at all possible.

After all, I went a year and a half without an episode since the last cardioversion (and one year off of Multaq). Certain things over the holiday probably created a tipping point.

I wonder if anyone else has had this same experience, or did the Multaq itself convert you?

Trapper

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Trapper, I did not stay converted until after I had been on Multaq awhile. In 2010 they converted me after I had been on Multaq and I am still in rhythm. I am still on Multaq, but I see the doc in March and I will see what they say about getting off it. I also think magnesium helps one stay in, so I take that everyday. I had been out of rhythm from fall of 2008 and I was getting worse. They put me on Multaq,but I did not convert on that alone. I am happy to hear that you are back in and I hope it stays that way for you. Good luck with your heart and please keep us filled in what what is going on.

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Thanks Gayle. That was my experience for both cardioversions. The Multaq alone did not do it, but the two together worked.

I found an interesting read on Magnesium a while back that said it was only effective on certain types of afib. I'll see if I can find it again. It makes sense, as magnesium is a natural calcium channel blocker, so in theory, it should be similar in effect to cardizem, given for rate control.

My main objections from my last round of the Multaq were:

Low pulse rate, as low as the lower 50s at times. One time it dropped to 48.
Feeling Tired and spacey all of the time.
Weird sleep patterns.

All of the above made it difficult for me to get any exercise.

I also suspect it might be what had adversly affected my glaucoma, cataracts, and a retina problem the last time I was on it. The timing of those events corresponded to the time I had been on Multaq. The opthamologists are keeping track of me now that I'm on it again. This is circumstantial evidence, perhaps, of an involvement, but it's worth noting. There is nothing in the available literature regarding eye problem "side effects" that we've found yet, however.

Were you ever able to pinpoint the triggers for your afib episodes?

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Trapper, I too, had a very low pulse rate in the beginning and that does make you tired. They put me on a small dose of amlodipine besylate which raised my pulse rate to the point that I run about 60 now. There are days I feel very well and other days I am just sluggish, however, at my age I am even happy to be sluggish!

In the beginning I noticed what I felt might be afib, but I just ignored it. Then one day I was going to take a girl friend to the hospital early in the morning. I was worried about over sleeping and I could not go to sleep.
I decided to have a couple of glasses of wine to make me sleepy and it worked. However, when I was carrying her bag to my car in the morning I could feel that something was wrong. I did not see the doctor for about a week and then I found out that I was out.
They put me on medicines that did not work, and many of them I could not tolerate.

In August of 2009 they put me on Multaq but I was afraid of it and I was only taking one a day. Later in the year I went on a larger dose, but I still did not convert.
In the spring of 2010 they decided to cardiovert me again and see if it would take. They put me in the hospital for 2 1/2 days and ran all kinds of tests and got me very dehydrated with big doses of lasix. The attending doc at that time said that dehydration helps when you cardiovert. It worked! And, I have been in ever since.Regarding the eyes, I do have problems. I feel they are getting worse, but I have never related it to Multaq. I have a retina issue, but I think that started before the Multaq. I do have cataracts as well, but not too badly. If you find out anything more in regard to the eyes, please post it!

I am happy that you posted back to the group, as it helps all of us to know about different cases. I hope you continue to stay in rhythm and hopefully they will find a cure for this sometime soon.

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Trapper,
I posted a reply but they say it has to be reviewed. The last time they reviewed one, it did not show up for a few days, so please be patient. When it comes in, it may be a few replies down. Hopefully, what I had to say has some relevance. Take care.

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