Multaq Anyone Else Take It (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 am still on Multaq..400 mg. once a day..also 25 mg. metoprolol twice a day..it is working!!!! no a.fib.since then, almost a month. I now don't know if it is the Multaq or Metoprolol..But am happy and knocking on wood :)

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I have been on Multaq for about 1 month. Only Rythmol and Flecanide worked to control my AFIB, but after 1 year on each they were no longer effective. I have had no side effects from Multaq, but it is expensive & NOT COVERED by Medicare.

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I'll be starting my Multaq tonight. I went from an avid runner/biker/etc. to someone who can't jog for minute. I have exercise induced Atrial Flutter. I feel HORRIBLE even walking up stairs. (Ran a 10K last year in 8:20's.) I'm hoping, hoping, hoping to get back to exercising. Any one out there feel good exercising while on Multaq?

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I started taking Multaq 10 days ago -- 400 mg 2X/day. I am fine during the day but I can sleep 10 hours a night. I am also on 12.5 mg Metropolol and 3-4mg Warfarin daily. My biggest change has been extreme bloating. I thought I had an ulcer -- I have NEVER had bloating/GERD/Acid Reflux or anything like this before. I may see if I can cut the Multaq in half. Otherwise, it is working -- still have irregular beat, but I have to check my pulse to feel it. No more of the rapid heart rate. I have a low pulse (50 resting/63 during the day) anyway and low blood pressure.

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I have had one ablation and it did not work. Have tried every medication there is for afib and nothing works. I have been on Multaq for 2 months. It has worked better than anything I have tried. I still go out of rythm occasionally, but not like before. The one side effect was a skin rash. My doc said to quit the Multaq, but I didn't because it has helped me so much. Has anyone had a problem with skin irritation?

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FYI: My cardiologist told me to stop taking amiodarone for one week before taking Multaq (dronedaraone). I started taking Multaq on 1-1-10 and have tolerated it very well with no apparent side effects except for one thing. Multaq makes my a-fib worse. With in 30 minutes of my first 400mg dose of Multaq my heart went into what felt like a deep solid constant a-fib. A very disturbing feeling for sure. I'm so disappointed especially after all the positive things that I've read about this newly approved drug. I'll go back to my cardiologist on hands and knees on on Monday for help. Thankfully I've still got amiodarone which works adequately for me. Good health! Lon

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Hi Lon, I started Multaq Dec. 1st and the first 2 weeks I was constantly in and out of AF. After that it settled down and I've only had one minor AF since then. Do you think you were on it long enough to level out in your body? I was very upset in the beginning but the doctor assured me it would settle down and it sure did.

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Hello Gregory, I'm glad that Multaq seems to be working well for you. Please leave politics out of this. We are all suffering enough as it is. Good health to you. Lon

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I'm 74 and have been on Multaq 400mg X2 for six months. I stay in normal sinus rhythm almost all the time. I do not feel fatigued or foggy. I also take a Digoxin 0.125 and two Metoprolol tartrate 50mg. My only side effect is occasional eczema patches. I'm very pleased with Multaq and it's easy on my liver.

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CJ, I'm glad you mentioned the eczema and that reducing your dosage cured it. I'm going to ask my cardiologist about the possibility. My 400 mg Multaq keeps me in NSR, but I am annoyed periodically by eczema. Thanks.

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Hello Will,
My cardiologist said that it would be OK to give Flemeton a try. It didn't help my a-fib condition at all. I also tried another natural dietary supplement called Fibratax that seem to help for a few months only. Mutaq makes my a-fib worse. Amiodarone (150mg/day) is the only thing that helps me but only keeps my heart in NSR half of the time. Good health! Lon

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Julie, I also am gaining weight more than I think I should.on Multaq. I have been on it for 6 months.However, I am eating more fat (ie peanut butter) to try to let the multaq get absorbed. The coreg ( which is replacing prior labetalol) that I was also on for bp seems to control my blood sugar. I am pre diabetic, and used to excercise alot to control the blood sugar, but with the Multaq I became too weak to exercise much, but my blood sugar was still under control. My cardiologist says coreg does help control the blood sugar. However, if you don't have high bp, there would be no need to take it just to control the blood sugar.

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The day after my last post I decided to cut my dose in half myself. This was just yesterday -- I took half a 400 mg pill a.m. and p.m., always with food. I also am eating activia. It's only been a day, but the bloating is gone! I am not concerned about cutting the dose. I am still on a low Metrop at night and Wafarin. The afib is really an aggravation, but not life threatening if you are on a blood thinner. I have never had it bad enough to go the ER, though and I am sorry for those of you who have! This bloating started so soon after I started taking Multaq that I'm sure it is the cause. I will post in a week to let you know how it's going. Also trying to switch from Warfarin to Pradaxa (which is a new blood thinner than does NOT require IRN testing) but until my ins covers it, it is about $200!! a month. Best to you all and thank you for sharing your experiences.

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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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Just back from my cardiologist and I am off Multaq!! Based upon the liver toxicity forcing them to be removed, a serious issue! We are switching to a rate control strategy versus a rhythm control path, as it seems most rhythm control drugs suck, in both my cardiologist's and my own words. I'll post in a month to see how our rate control strategy is working out.

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that sounds like something that may help i dont go into full blown afibb but have small attacks esp if i am stressed out it seems i wish i could get my heart rhythm back to normal again i dont have high blood pressure so that is a good thing i know that people with hp pressure have to be careful what they take and what is that procedure u are talking about i am new to all this and dont know much about this

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Hi Vaino, it has been a while since I wrote in this blog and will not be writing too often. It seems everyone is happy with Multaq regardless of what the outcome is in years to come. I am concentrating on my Thyroid - TSH results - I am still overactive (after that RAI, "radioactive iodine drink back on 4/7/11) latest result was 0.05 - hopefully in a while it'll start the climb to 1. The normal should be between 1-3 - I have noticed in my heart rate-it's been OK and not all over the place as it was prior to the RAI.
Like I said before I would not touch Multaq with a ten foot pole or any of the other Antiarrhythmic drugs.
I never realized that overactive thyroid has so much to do especially with A-Fib. It also has a lot to do with other cells in your body. I am glad that those two electrophysiologists pointed that to me and told me until my thyroid is fixed it does not pay to do the ablation because it will not work.
It is hot here in Connecticut about 34 in Celsius and tomorrow is going to be even hotter and more humid.
Have a great Juhannus!!

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i, too, have asked my doc many questions re:multaq. he assured me that the danger lies with folks who have or who have had heart failure. i have been on it for a about a month, side effect of being tired about 2 hours after taking pill is lessening. i will have the results of a holter monitor this week to see if there has been improvement - will let you know.

thanks, all, for your replies and information. i am still interested in the comment about a future change - no ablation or pills. anyone have more info?

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Just curious, do you all take Magnesium supplements? I went off the Multaq completely and have had very minimal episodes. I take Magnesium and CoQ10 every day now.

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Thanks Steve you are very knowledgable and it is much appreciated. I have cut out all caffiiene, salt, carbs and really wattch what I eat. I did drink two beers the other night at a benefit. Doctor said I could have a couple every now and then. As far as illegal drugs I totally agree that would be a no no for us heart patients.
Last night I ran into a hear a heart patient who shares my new cardio doc. He told me he worried for about the first two years and then got over it and learned how to deal with it. He is now 15 years into his condition nd having a blast in everything he does. He also assured me the heart doctor we have at Good Sam in Cincinnati is one of the best in a 600 mile radius, amazing how some information can go a long way and help your mind. It was so refreshing speaking to him I wish we had in person heart support groups in Cincinnati. I also appreciate this site, this is real people in real time. I had be scanning the internet like a wild person and there is so much negative out there alot of it dayed in 2009 and no new news on the complainers it makes me wonder why. God bless.

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