Multaq Anyone Else Take It (Page 37)

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.

REPLY

REPORT

Thanks Gary. I'll keep checking this thread. It's like visiting old friends.

Good luck to you as well.

I've gotta find a good winter pool and exercise regimen. Working on that now.

As my doc said, "you might go afib free for months, maybe years - it may or may not come back - it can have a mind of its own no matter what you do"

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

i have the same question, is it ok to only take half a multaq twice a day?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hi Wilson, Sorry i didn't get back sooner. My AF started immediately after taking a synthroid .075mcg, drinking a glass of orange juice and biking quickyly to catchup to my spouse. The 2nd time it started because of stress and anger. It was 3 days long the second time. I was unable to get help for another 3 days. After Multaq 2 tablets a day I never had another AF event. My stomach and Bladder/kidneys did not like a full dose so i cut it in half (1/2 twice a day) and have had no further trouble barring two short events i caused by over exertion or forgetting the Multaq. I would quit the Synthroid but i get slow and listless without it.
A side benefit of the Multaq is my heart chambers are more fully synchronized (atrial and ventricular) which reduced the pooling of blood in my legs to almost nothing when i exercise. Unless something changes i will try to stay on the reduced dose of Multaq with my doctors consent.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hi beck, I've missed taking my second Multaq many times and there's never been a problem. As you can also see Wilson is having no problems taking half a pill twice a day.

We each have a different physical makeup so what one person experiences with a certain dosage may be different with someone else. Many times getting the right dosage for a person is all a matter of experimentation. If you do try going on a half dose of Multaq twice a day I would recommend that you let your doctor know what you're doing so if something occurs then the doc will know what's going on and what to do.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Thanks Gary, it's just that I have read many times about people having to do their own research, Dr.'s really can't always know someones distinctive reactions to meds. I just don't like the dizzyness I feel. It will come and go. When I do get it, it starts my heart palpitating. Someone told me maybe I could just have anxiety. I think I will discuss that with my Dr. Who knows, that would be great if that was the case.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Becky, yes, you are right, you should do your own research. You can not depend on the doctor to do it for you and there are many that don't or won't bother doing it at all. Most have way too many patients every day to just worry about only one, it's kind of like an assembly line of patients and many problems are not caught. The more you know then the easier it is to communicate things to your doctor so they understand the problem better.

It sounds like the dizziness is the first sign of you going into an Afib episode, which is what it will do since your blood is not circulating properly because of the Afib. I remember when I first got Afib two years ago, when it started the dizziness was frightening and at times I thought I would pass out. I rarely have an episode now but when I do it's usually for 6 or 7 hours and I can still function fairly well but it does make me feel drained of energy. Fortunately the dizziness is not really noticeable any more or not there.

It's also possible it could be an interaction with something else you may be taking or using (but it still sounds more like the start of Afib episode effect from your description). There are many side effects or allergic reactions one particular person may have to a drug that others won't. Discuss it "thoroughly" with your doctor and please keep us updated on how you're doing.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Thanks Greg, should I be taking something for the dizziness? My first episode happened about 3 yrs ago, sadly to say, day after drinking too much at an occasion. Then, 2 yrs later I had another, and 2 weeks later another. This was just 2 months ago. It's been over a month now since last one and started on Multaq.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hello all it has been a long time when I was 49 I had a ejection fraction rate of 39 yesterday I went to the heart doctor had my echo and he has been able to bring me up to a EJ to 54 in a year. I am thrilled these are the meds I'm on Coreq, Pradaxa, BP pill, and a cholesterol pill. I had been started on Multaq be a previous doctor but had been taken off by new heart doctor I signed up with a year ago. I am 51 now.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Have chronic AFIB & have been on Multaq for 2 years now, & have not had any flutter or irregularities at all. Love it. Taking 2 / 400 mg tablets/day.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

its been almost 4 months since my last afib. I dont suggest this but I saw on this blog about someone only taking 1/2 a multag 2xday. I have been doing this for 3 months now and have had no side effects like i used to, dizziness, tired, just not feeling well. told my doctor and he said i should go back to the full doze and if i feel sick again, to go back to the 1/2. Dont know if i should, I'm feeling fine.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Deb, my doctor wanted to put me on Pradaxa instead of the warfarin I am currently on. I read too many bad things about the Pradaxa and there had been some deaths from its use. A friend of mine that works at a hospital said that they had a patient that almost bled out on using this drug. They contacted the cardiologist and he told them he did not know how to control the INR rate. You can not go off of it like you can warfarin when you need surgery. My warfarin cost me .98 and I do not mind going to the clinic every four to six weeks to have my drug levels checked. but I am retired so I do not have to worry about missing work either.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

An ablation with the necessary follow up is going to run about $100,000.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I'm a 50 yr old male. Was diagnosed with Afib in Sept. 2009. I'm very active, 5'10/250. I was a constant 235 before this all started. I was into Mtn biking, road bike riding plus working out. No family history of heart disease. They tried cardio version unsuccessfully. They put me on metoprolol, 100mg twice a day and amiodarone twice a day. After 7 months I was taken off the amiodarone and stayed with the metoprolol. The amiodarone converted me back to sinus rhythm. 15 months later I go in for an echocardiogram and am back in Afib. They then keep me on the metoprolol and put me on multaq. I'm told mutaq is better for my age. I take 400 mg twice a day and have no side effects. Been on the metoprolol and multaq since. Fast forward to fall 2013. I get a 2nd opinion. My new cardiologist definitely is different. Taking a proactive attitude as going in and out of Afib is not what I want for a quality of life. I think everyone should do their research and then choose what's best for them. I'm actually in the hospital as a write this recovering from my 1st ablation 12 hrs ago. Other than lying on your back forever, and getting a shave, where you just normally don't shave :) it was a very unobtrusive surgery. I was told they are keeping me on metoprolol and taking me off multaq, adding flecainide 50 mg twice a day and rivaroxaban, 20 mg once a day. I will be evaluated as my recovery goes. As everyone, I'm hoping this will be my one and only ablation. I do understand 30% of the time I could be one that needs another. The only thing that bothers me is being on these meds for the rest of my life. They have to take a lot out of our kidneys and liver filtering what we put in our bodies. I am young and my quality of life here on out is what I'm looking for.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

My doctor agreed for me to keep taking the 1/2 multaq tab 2 times daily after i gave him the same report as you. I have been on the half dose for a year and it is much better for my health and stamina and only two brief episodes when i overexerted or forgot it altogether. I am thinking about trying 1/2 tab each day; but only if the doctor agrees.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Bill, I'm glad to hear that. I was wondering if I am putting myself at risk but I feel fine. It's been 5 months since my last episode with the 1/2 tab 2xday. I'm also on Xarelto which I like becasue it's so small and don't need frequent follow ups. Best part is with the Xarelto savings card from the mfg. and my insureance, I only pay $10.00 a month for it

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I am on multaq 400mg xdaily,can't no longer afford it; checking in with a Canadian pharmacy, it is much cheaper; how can I trust if I am getting the same drug. Please advise, my heart is number one in my life. Thanks.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

go the the mfg website, great discount voucher you can use at any pharmacy.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I was on Multaq for 4+ years. It worked great. The best drug of all I have been on. But after 4+ years it became in effective.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Finngirl, I have been on Multaq for four years and it is no longer working for me. I saw my electro physiologist yesterday. He told me there was another ryythmic drug he could use but you have to go to the hospital for three days to be monitored if you switch meds. I decided I wanted a better quality of life and am tired of all these drugs. I have paroxysmal A Fib. He told me that is harder on the body than chronic A Fib because of it going in and out instead of it being constant with chronic A Fib which your body gets use to it. He also stated you had a higher risk of stroke with Paroxysmal A Fib especially if you take Warfarin which I am currently on. He switched me to Eliquis. We decided on the ablation route for me. Scheduled for early December. He is already booked four months out already. Dr. Wharton for those who live in South Carolina, practices at the Medical University of SC in Charleston. He does the Radio Frequency procedure with an 85% success rate versus the other types of procedures with lower percentages.. I will turn 65 in November and will have Medicare plus commercial insurance. He told me without any insurance the cost would be around $110,000 for the procedure. I chose December so my Medicare would be in effect and I would not have to pay so much out of pocket. As with any procedure there are risks involved, he told me a chance of having a stroke is less than 1%. Well currently with A Fib you have five times greater chance of having a stroke. So the odds with the ablation look pretty promising to me. It is an individual choice for everyone. I will update everyone after I have the procedure done. For now I am staying on the Multaq, I have only had two A Fib episodes this month. So I am going to try to hang in with the Multaq until I have the procedure done. Good luck and God Bless everyone.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

SCMEE MAW
Thank you for your answer. I have had two ablations, last one before I was put on Multaq. That ablation almost killed me, internal bleeding in the cardiac sack, lungs. This became total emergency. Now, since Mu;ltaq does not work, I am back on Amiodarone (Pacerone). I can not stay on this very long. The drug called Tikasyn is the one you have to be hospitalized for 3 days. That has been mentioned to me, but it does not always work. Also AV node ablation with pacemaker....that totally scared me! This would be the last resort. Wires to your heart are cut, so that you do not feel the AF. One would be totally dependent on the Pacemaker. I live in Tucson, Az. there is a Heart Hosp. in Austin, Texas where they specialize in difficult cases like mine. However, another ablation could be done also here. I am thinking of going back to Sotalol, it did not work totally, but may be they can add something else with it.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

How long does it take Multaq to get into your system and actually work? I started taking it this morning and it has been...

2 REPLIES

I just started taking Multaq and was told to stop taking Ranexa why? What happens when you take both ? The Ranexa was wo...

2 REPLIES

I was diagnozed in Feb with a-fib. Started taking Multaq at that time. So far I have refused Coumadin. Have had some min...

4 REPLIES

Can 1,000 MG of acetaminophen cause elevated pulse rate while patient is taking 400 MG of Multaq twice daily? ## Multaq ...

2 REPLIES

Atere 3 months of Multaq, I began to run dangerously high potassium levels, not low! Any other similar experiences? ## I...

3 REPLIES

Does the tiredness go away after being on Multaq awhile or does the tiredness continue? ## Multaq made me tired for abou...

19 REPLIES

I have been taking Multaq for almost 5 months. Yes it helps, maybe to much, I am exhausted it keeps me so low and irregu...

19 REPLIES

Are there any coupons available for Multaq tablets? I've just been prescribed this drug, which is very expensive. Th...

17 REPLIES

Has anyone else experienced notably increased shortness of breath attributed to Multaq? ## Multaq contains the active in...

10 REPLIES

I was started on Multaq after ablation got my heart to beat normally. I has previously been in Afib 62% of every day. Th...

7 REPLIES