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I have been taking it for a few months and it seems to help with the arrhythmias. If a low dose of 100 mg is taken this can be tolerated for years, but you need to check for the damage this drug can do - read the package insert. Not an ideal situation.

I have been taking amiodarone for almost 2 years. The doctor did try to take me off of it after I had taken it for a few months. My condition had improved on the medicine and I was concerned about the side effects. After I had been off of it for 6 weeks to 2 months my condition worsened and I was put back on it. I do feel better on it and so far I have not experienced any of the serious side effects. The doctor checks out everything every 6 months. I do miss getting out in the sun during the warm months.(Don't want to turn blue)

I belive it saved my life. I went into ER with 280 beats/min with 8 people working on me to figure out what was going on and after seeing EKG or Echo (not sure which) it showed I have Left V-Tach. I was in ICU with IV Amiodarone and then sent home with the pill form for a short time. Cardiologist stessed getting off it asap because of negative side effects to the organs. Haven't had to take it since..I had the heart ablation in June of 06.

I was just prescribed Amiodarone for SVTs. I had open heart in March of 2011 for Mitral Valve repair and Maze. The Maze did not solve the SVT and PAC. Five months out my heart is palpatating along with shortness of breath, dizzy spells, chest pain etc. I'm four days in, taking 800 mg per day for seven days then down to 200 mg per day thereafter. Doctor is conducting all of the proper baseline tests, blood work, chest X-ray then three weeks out PFT and Holter. I'm very concerned about the possible side effects and will be hyper vigilant looking for signs. It is too early to tell much, but the palps are gone for now and I feel great.

Hi, I had mitral valve replacement and Maze in August 2010. I was in atrial fib from the third day after surgery until Dec.I had been on Amiodarone for a month prior to surgery but had a bad reaction and had a purple rash break out the week before the surgery,I've had three cardiovesion and numerous meds. The best one for me has been Multaq. Your surgery was not that long ago and I feel it takes a really long time for everything to settle down. It's been a year on August 23 and I finally feel like a human again and not in some fog. Hope that the med works for you and hopefully you will continue to feel well and hopefully get off of it. All those drugs can be toxic' Please stay well continued good heath to you.

Thanks for your post Katy. I sure hope you are right and things settle down. I really don't want to be on Amiodarone long term. I will call my Dr. tomorrow to see if Multaq would be a good alternative for me. I also take 6mg of Coreg, 2.5 mg of Enalapril and 3mg of Warfarin each day. I feel really good and strong, just worried about the toxicity of the Amio... Thanks again, Katy.

Hi agin, it's katy. If you have permanent afib the docs can't prescribe Multaq, but if is flutter or occasionaly afib they can. I would like to see you not to have to take any drug for the long term. My last cardioversion in Feb was for flutter and I haven't had a problem since. I don't think I will be on this multaq for more than a year but we will see. Hope you have good insurance because unfortunately it's the most costlly of the antiarrythmics meds. I have had no side effects whatsoever on this drug. Please stay well and hopefully time will resolve the healing. You were fortunate they could repair your valve. Mine was too far gone to do so, but the new cow valve I have seems to be humming along just fine.

Like BriS, I too was given IV amiodarone when I presented to the ER with SVT. I have been hospitalized many times with SVT and usually adenosine worked, but this time it didn't and amiodarone was given. I eventually converted before needing cardioversion, and went home with an Rx for metaprolol. I have been on the metaprolol ever since (3 years ago) and haven't had another prolonged SVT episode.

Fifteen years ago I had open heart surgery -- double valve replacement and Maze. Two weeks later I had a pacemaker implanted. All of that gave me my life back. About 6 years ago, I went into afib again, which did not respond to anything except amiodarone. I stayed on that for two years, then came off of it. So far so good. The only heart-related med I take now is coumadin, because of my mechanical valves. Amiodarone is a scary drug, but sometimes it is the only alternative. Be well and be strong!