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Mexiletine – A Cure For Abnormal Heart rhythm
What is Mexiletine?
Mexiletine is also the same as the brand name medication Mexitil.
Mexiletine is used for aiding in reducing the impact of an irregular heartbeat. Mexiletine is a bit different from other drugs which help aid in regulating a heartbeat, this is because Mexiletine blocks specific electrical signals in the heart which leads to stabilization of the initial heartbeat.
What else can Mexiletine help with?
Mexiletine is also believed to be beneficial in treating a diabetes condition which is inflicted by nerve damage caused by the diabetes condition itself. This problem is known as diabetic neuropathy.
How is Mexiletine taken?
Mexiletine is a pill which you swallow and is recommended to be taken 3 times a day spaced out between 8 hours per dosage. But with some individuals they find Mexiletine to be just as effective taking only two doses 12 hours apart, it just depends on the individual.
Traditionally during the beginning of taking Mexiletine you can expect to be hospitalized for a short time. This way the doctors can watch you closely for the effectiveness of the drug and to protect you from any adverse risks which may occur in a first time user. During this time you can expect to be in the hospital 2 to 3 days maybe even longer depending on your individual circumstances.
What are the side effects of taking Mexiletine?
Being Mexiletine is a drug which affects the heart rate suddenly stopping the medication without consulting your doctor first can cause serious even life threatening side effects which may overall worsen your original condition before you began taking Mexiletine. Because of this you should never quit taking Mexiletine or any kind of heart rhythm drug without consulting your doctor before hand.
Other common side effects of taking Mexiletine consist of the following;
UN-controllable shaking, rash, swelling of hands, disorientated vision, headache, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking, nausea, vomiting, and changes in appetite.
Not so common side effects which are potentially more harmful when taking Mexiletine are;
An extreme sense of feeling tired, bleeding and bruising for no apparent reason, yellowing of the skin and eyes, symptoms similar to the flue, a lack of energy when you would usually have energy, and also a more irregular heartbeat.
Who should not take Mexiletine?
People who have experienced allergies to other types of medicines used for improving heart rhythm should consult a doctor before using Mexiletine for the chance that the two drugs may have common ingredients which could be what you are allergic to.
People with heart problems such as heart failure, stroke, low blood pressure, low heart beat, liver disease and seizures should not take Mexiletine for risk of worsening the condition possibly even to a fatal extent.
People who smoke should also not use Mexiletine although people with heart problems should not be smoking due to the risk of worsening their condition. Which is why smoking cigarettes makes Mexiletine less effective and would be a waste of time trying.