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Flecainide - does it affect your balance?

jennydog profile image
10 Replies

For some weeks prior to my ablation I was taking 1x100 mg Flecainide . My balance seemed to be deteriorating. If I turned quickly I had to steady myself and the steps in my garden had to be negotiated with extreme care. One day a friend asked me if there was something wrong with my balance as she thought that I was unsteady. I started to think that I had something awful wrong with me.

Loo made reference to balance once and when I met Caromia she did too. Is it just us? A definite link to Flecainide would be very reassuring.

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jennydog
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10 Replies
Loo53 profile image
Loo53

Yes it did with me Jennydog and my eyes went funny if I looked to the right or left I was dizzy, nearly fell under a car on the way to work. Mentioned this to Gupta and he reduced my dose to 200mgs but I even found that intolerable and stuck with the 100. Also I noticed even a week after the GA I was walking like I was drunk slightly wavering along the road. Could be either dear !

Rellim296 profile image
Rellim296

I've been taking flecainide and have a poor sense of balance - but I had been falling over long before I took flecainide. I am worse than I used to be. I find it very difficult to walk steadily in darkness and need a handrail to negotiate the stairs if there is hardly any light. Fine in daytime!

dedeottie profile image
dedeottie

Yes I am slightly unsteady and when I turn my head I feel slightly dizzy enough to make me feel slightly nauseous. I am better if I wear tinted glasses. This all started with an increase to flecanide dose. It is one of the side effects listed. X

dedeottie profile image
dedeottie

Yes I am slightly unsteady and when I turn my head I feel slightly dizzy enough to make me feel slightly nauseous. I am better if I wear tinted glasses. This all started with an increase to flecanide dose. It is one of the side effects listed. X

MammaCass profile image
MammaCass

I haven't noticed any difference with my balance while taking Flec, but I do have Mineires syndrome so my balance has always been a bit suspect

Hi Jennydog, I'm on 200mg/day and I haven't noticed any change.

my flecanide was stopped with immediate effect when 24 hr holter showed my heart was pausing up to 70 times a day for up to 8 seconds. Would run it past a doc if i were you i thought i was having dizzy/vague moments.

jan-ran profile image
jan-ran

I too think my balance has been affected. I seem to stagger a bit sometimes in the house, or walking out. However, I still line dance , and that involves a lot of turning, which I do quite easily. I also find that I'm even steadier when I dance on my toes! That's very puzzling and inexplicable. Maybe the focus is different. I don't concentrate on keeping balance when I'm just pootling around, but I certainly do when dancing!

Lindabob profile image
Lindabob

Me too felt really weird, off balance, spaced out, quite scary really. My GP took me off them straight away. A few weeks later my cardiologist adjusted dose and I was put back on them. 9 days later my doc took me off them again... Same reason. Yes they do affect balance.

jennydog profile image
jennydog

Thank you all for your responses. Flecainide has been good for me after 4 beta blockers. I have had no side effects except for the balance problem. I did not link it originally and I was starting to worry that there was something else wrong. I feel very reassured now.

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