Timing of taking Flecainide with eating

[Jonathan_C]

Flecainide has some strange side effects, which I just accept as a price for controlling a-fib. They are difficult to describe, but I would say it is a type of anxiety that makes me feel physically a little uncomfortable. Its not debilitating in any way, its just there and I can get on with my life fine.

I don't know if it is imagined or not, but I do find that if I take my evening dose more than an hour before eating I tend to not have the side effects. I don't know if i am imagining this though.

Anyone else have this experience?

it usually happens when i go out for dinner or a dinner party and take the flec before I leave.

[jeanjeannie50]

I always take my Flecainide an hour before food as that's what the instructions on the accompanying advice leaflet say. However, I don't think all brands of Flecainide say to do this. I rang my pharmacy to ask this very question and he could find nothing officially that said it had to be taken at any certain time.

Jean

[Jonathan_C in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I have never read the instructions! I always take it at meal time as that's how I remember. Oh well, I will change my habits now! Thank you

[Hidden in reply to Jonathan_C]

Whilst I agree you can get information overload if you read all the information contained in the leaflet, but I would have thought that checking when best to take it is fairly important! I'm not medically trained and am always wary of discussing medication, but it is my understanding the effectiveness of Flecainide can be impaired unless it is taken on an empty stomach. I always took mine at least one hour before breakfast and over an hour before dinner, avoiding any "snacking" after 4.30pm. I was not aware of any side effects but it was the minimum does.....hope this helps, John

[Jonathan_C in reply to Hidden]

I have read that flec works faster if taken on empty stomach. So its important if you go into a-fib and take flec to get back into rhythm to take on an empty stomach. I have taken flecainide since September 2015 and usually with meals and it has worked to keep me in NSR.

For me its a practical thing. I exercise in the morning and don't want to take the flec before exercising because of how it affects my heart rate and then I want to eat as soon after exercising as possible but also do not want to delay when I take the flec too much!

I had an ablation recently and it was not mentioned that I should take the flec on an empty stomach. The nurses in ICU even reminded me to take my meds soon after dinner was served.

[Bagrat]

I have only ever had episodes of AF at night and take flec when I wake 7.30 am and with evening meal 6pm so one of each! Like jeanjeannie50 I asked various pharmacists including hospital who all said it didn't matter. My theory is if food slows absorption and I take it 6pm it will kick in at the right time for me which I know logically makes no sense but off sets the shorter gap between doses!!

[dmac4646 in reply to Bagrat]

I take it a 5.30 and 8.30 (50mg) as I only get at night as well - this seems to work.

[Jonathan_C]

hmmm. so after 1 day of taking flec on an empty stomach I go back into afib

It seems to have flipped back into NSR and that is the first time i have flipped back in without a cardioversion.

I took 200mg flec when I woke up (on an empty stomach) and an hour later i was in rhythm (according to my heart rate monitor).