Ask the doctor

Is sotalol making me tired and heavier?

Q. When I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation four years ago, my doctor put me on a calcium-channel blocker. A year or so later, after I had angioplasty and got a stent, my doctor switched me to twice-a-day sotalol. Now I feel tired all the time and have gained weight, even though I feel like I am eating less. Can this be from the sotalol?

A. Sotalol (Betapace) is a dual-action drug. It is commonly used to control atrial fibrillation, but it also acts like a beta blocker, and so is sometimes used to lower blood pressure.