Posted by caroline on September 6, 2001, at 12:33:19
In reply to Re: PLEASE can you help - Cam, Sunnely, anyone » caroline , posted by Sunnely on September 5, 2001, at 19:47:59
Sunnely, hi,
>How long have you been on Anafranil?<
-For about eighteen months this time.>Other than what you mentioned, are you taking other medications or herbs?<
-Just zopiclone (Zimovane/Imovane 23mg per day)>Have you had any previous episodes of passing out?<
-No, never>Do you have any heart condition?<
-No>Have you had an electrocardiogram (ECG) prior to and during treatment of Anafranil?<
-No, I'm in the UK and you don't get monitored.
>You are particularly prone to "torsades" if your ECG shows "prolongation of QTc" interval especially while on Anafranil. Being on Anafranil and your recent episode of passing out, I believe an ECG should be done<- I did ask could I have one and the GP said no need.
As I'm still getting a lot of pain and breathlessness - when I am 30, totally fit, usually hyper-active, have never in my life been able to sleep without drugs knocking me out before now (due to my AS), and now I find I sleep late on weekend mornings, when I'd usually be up and hyper by six am - I have booked another appointment with a GP (earliest I could get was 3 weeks from now) when I will ask again can I have an ECG. I am told the waiting list, even if my GP agrees to a referral, will be between nine months and a year.
Can I help myself by putting extra energy in? Like glucose tabs, coke, extra high sugar foods?
And by lying down to rest when I'm feeling breathless and doing so is feasible?I really don't want to do myself any long-term damage.
Thanks so much for replying to my post and for the advice.
Yours gratefully,
Caroline
>
> > Hi, I use 75mg anafranil + 75mg remeron to help me live with Aspergers.
> >
> > I was prescribed a course of pseudoephedrine by a GP to clear up a sinus infection. I took the prescription to a pharmacist, who said it could be dangerous in interaction with the anafranil. I asked the GP and they said they knew of no such danger, so I took it.
> >
> > One night after I'd been on it for seven days, I was in bed when suddenly my heart started racing and then I passed out, when i came to I was gasping for breath and it was still racing and i passed out again. This cycle went on for about twenty minutes and then i passed out and didn't awake until my alarm went off in the morning.
> >
> > I tried to get up to get ready for work but i had crushing pain in my chest and down my left arm, i also felt breathless and dizzy whenever i tried to stand up. In the end i went back to bed and slept through the day. I couldn't think what was wrong with me. The next day, my friend took me to see a GP and i explained all my symptoms and what the pharmacist had told me about possible tacchycardial ventricular arrhythmias, but my doctor said that as far as she knew there was no such dangerous interaction between the two drugs. She thought i'd maybe had an allergic reaction to the pseudoephidrine and that i'd feel better in a couple of days.
> >
> > All that week, i couldn't stand up at all, i slept through every day; the second week i could stand up for short periods but not without a lot of chest pain. It is now 8 weeks on and i've been back at work five weeks but i still get a lot of chest pain, breathlessness and feel tired alot.
> >
> > Is this a known interaction?
> > Have I experienced the tachycardial ventricular arrhythmia the pharmacist warned me about?
> > If so, what can i do to help myself?
> >
> > I'm sorry this post is so long, I really am, but I'm really frightened and I would appreciate any information/advice anyone has on the subject.
> >
> > Thanks so much in advance,
> >
> > Caroline
poster:caroline
thread:77865
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010902/msgs/78009.html