Flecanaide

Hi

Has anyone taking or taken this drug - 100mg twice daily, had any side-effects? I have been on it with other drugs since September; and although l have had no AF, l have never felt well.

[dedeottie]

I have been on a higher dose than you. I feel a bit out of it and visual disturbances on 300 mg a day but not much A.F. for which I am very grateful. You may find the side effects become less the longer you take it.x

[Hidden in reply to dedeottie]

Thanks for that. G P writing to Consultant for his take on it. So strange - one day you are fine and the next not so. So pleased to be free of AF symptoms though; so guess this is the price we pay.

[Thomps95]

Have you tried a lower dose? I'm on 50 mg twice daily and have had no AFib episodes, and no side effects.

[Hidden in reply to Thomps95]

Thanks. I expect Dr will recommend this. I await her call after speaking to my Consultant.

[nikonBlue]

Hi, I've been on Flecanide for a few years now and there is a massive difference in my AF symptoms. If I run out of the medication I suffer badly after just 24hrs so it's obviously doing it's stuff!

[Rellim296]

I felt fine on flecainide (100mgs x 2) and for a couple of years it worked really well. Then I noticed my toes were numb and as I had started having AF again occasionally, the dose was upped to 300mgs per day. In no time the numbness had reached heels and ankles and crept up to my shins. I also felt my senses of taste and smell were impaired. I wish I had not had the dose increased but had used extra flecainide whenever needed as PIP.

[Hidden in reply to Rellim296]

Thanks for that Rellim. Seeing Con on Tuesday as dry mouth during night keeps me awake, and l now have cough. I also feel lousey and tired too. Dr said all bp etc fine except slow pulse. Take mags every day and starting minerals thanks to Bigfoots excellent advice and research. My aim is to get off as much of these drugs as l possibly can.

[Rellim296 in reply to Hidden]

Yes, the dry mouth and slow pulse sound familiar! Otherwise, though, I was OK with flecainide.

[Finvola]

I've been taking 2x100mg of Flecainide for almost 6 months without a single episode of AF in that time. I get very cold hands and slight breathlessness on climbing a hill but as I also take 1.25mg Bisoprolol, that could be the culprit too.

[Hidden in reply to Finvola]

Hi Finvola

Thank God no cold hands and feet, just dry mouth etc etc. I only get the odd (2) flutters in 6 months that l am aware of. Running to the loo nnow and then 5+ times during the night could be a sign all is not well too. See Con on Tuesday to hopefully sort drug regime out.

[Hidden]

Hi Joholl, I have been taking the same dose (no other drugs as I have Lone PAF) for 10 months and no AF or side effects. I started on 50mg twice a day but that wasn't enough to stop the AF, so it was increased. My limited research on Flec is that it is relatively safe if you have no other heart defects or health issues.

The route I am following is to alter various lifestyle issues to enable me to reduce the Flecainide slowly. My cardio says I can go down to 50mg three times a day. However, I am first checking out my Mg, Potassium, CoQ10 and other levels.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for that. Must get weight down and more exercise, l agree. Not easy in cold weather, but Spring should kick-start my resolve. I take mags and mineral supplements. How do you get your levels tested? Look forward to your reply.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I had a blood test for Mg and CoQ10, I was at the bottom of the acceptable range and my Naturopath said he would like to see both mid range, hence on those supplements. My research (this will need checking) indicates blood test may be OK for Mg as the body always robs Mg from elsewhere to make sure the blood has enough i.e. if it is low there it is low everywhere else.

I also had a urine test done privately and sent frozen from home to Nordic Labs in Copenhagen (my Naturopath said that's the best place), it's called an Organix Comprehensive. This claims to test an amazing array of levels but is hi tech , costly £285 and I am not sure how reliable. However it did clearly show up for me all good except gut bacteria, so taking Probiotics.

[christine147]

Hi I am on flec x 50 2 a day bisop 5 and blood pressure tab warfarin etc. Felt so terrible in aug when first prescribed but now getting more energy back to work a few ecotopic beats. I think the body has to get use to it but the tiredness was overwhelming. No af so very relieved hope you start to feel better.

[Hidden in reply to christine147]

Thanks Christine. If only we could get on with life as before! I agree the tiredness and other side-effects get you down after a time.

[bridget54]

Your not alone. I too have been on it for one year at that dose. It has controlled my AF but I feel dizzy a bit spaced out if Im honest. My heart rate is only 50bpm when Im in sr so im breathless on exertion and sometimes get central chest pain. Im having an ablation end of this month so hopefully Ill come off this drug soon.

Hope you dont struggle too much on it as time goes on

[dmac4646]

Have been on it for 5 years 150mg a day no side effects here is a link to study on king term use ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...