Flecainide

[bushy2016]

Hi all..hope you have all enjoyed sledging.....My EP has upped my flecainide to 100mg twice a day to try and keep my AF at bay until I see him again in a month...trouble is Ive now started with chest pain all across and hurts when I cough...is this a side effect ????....ok Im off out now to make some snow angels!!!! #@#

[Hidden]

Hi Bushy, I've not taken any more than 2 x 50 mgs a day, but I have never experienced chest pain and I do not think it features as a side effect.

If it doesn't ease quickly, I think you should consider having it checked out at A&E. I know there is often a reluctance to do this, particularly in the current climate (and I don't mean the cold weather!) but any chest pain needs to be checked as I expect you probably know......hope it all goes well....

[dedeottie]

Hi. At one point I was taking 150mg fecanide twice a day and never had chest pain although I had all sorts of other unwanted side effects.

If this chest pain co incides with upping your dose of flecanide I would definitely get it checked out at A and E.

Flecanide has been a wonder drug for me but there is no denying that it is a powerful drug which can be detrimental to health. I had to reduce my dose to 100mg x2 because it was causing my ventricles to beat slightly out of synch.

At the very least I would make a phonecall but personally I would always visit A and E with chest pain. X

[jeanjeannie50]

I take 2 x 100mg of Flecainide daily and have never had the symptoms you describe. For me it's the best and most effective tablet I've ever taken.

You need to get your symptoms checked out at A&E, or you could just ignore it and end up having a heart attack.

Jean

[jemurphy in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Noticed your reply about Flecainide. I've taken it for years but have been told it is dangerous. I guess they are all dangerous drugs. I used to take 150mg Flecainide twice a day. Then reduced to 100mg twice a day, now taking just 50mg twice a day plus Bisoprolol and warfarin. My new cardiologist wants to send me to Liverpool for ablation but I'm unsure. Have had PAF for 15 years. It is controlled by the Flecainide and Bisoprolol, but since reducing the Flecainide in October have had 6 episodes of AF. I see my cardiologist in about 2 weeks time. You seem to be doing well on Flecainide and happy with it. Do you have any worries about it? I feel nervous about ablation, especially as the drugs have controlled it so well until now.

also Jean !

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to jemurphy]

Hi Jean

I don't like taking Flecainide, but it gives me a near normal life - I think! My heart is still in AF, but the Flec keeps my pulse down at a fairly normal beat. I've had three ablations, the first two did little, but the third one has helped. I've now been told there's nothing more they can do for me.

I'm really not sure what I think about ablations. The scarring it causes inside is damage to the heart and a consultant once told me it can sometimes make the heart a little stiff in it's working.

Of course diet is the main thing that can really help and I wish I'd known that before I had any ablations. All you have to do is eat a more plant based diet and make sure you avoid all foods with additives. I cook all my meals from scratch now, avoiding eating any gluten or lactose and this has made me feel so much better. Losing any excess weight is another thing that really helps with AF.

Jean

[jemurphy in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Hi Jean, Thanks for replying. Pleased to hear the Flecainide is giving you a near normal life. Mine was too, but have had more AF since I was told to start reducing the Flecainide. I worry about ablation and I agree the idea of ' making the heart a little stiff' is just a bit scary. Thanks for the info on diet. I do try to eat a healthy diet and am much more careful about what I'm eating, and also watching weight and exercise too. I think this should be considered before I think about ablation.

Thank you

Jean

[pottypete1]

I have taken Flecainide for over 20 years 100mg x 2 per day without any chest pains.

It may be a coincidence and therefore you should, as always, get chest pains checked out.

Pete

[Finvola]

I’ve taken 2x100mg Flecainide for nearly four years and have no chest pain. Definitely get that checked out - could be the drug or a chest infection.

[virajw]

Never had chest pain with Flecainide. In fact, my previous medication, Propefenol was not effective. Flecainide has drastically reduced my episodes without any side effects. I also started a vigorous exercise program to include the Stair Climber and this, in my opinion, helped me.

[jwsonoma]

Better safe than sorry.

Like everyone above see someone ASAP

Below is a link to side effects

mayoclinic.org/drugs-supple...

Best of luck.

[Ashdoug81]

I got chest pains when i started flecanide, they subsided in 2/3 weeks.

[StuJ019]

I had my dose raised to 100 mg twice a day I ended up in A&E with chest pain suspected heart attack which turned out to be a gangrenous gallbladder which had to be removed as an emergency, and was nothing to do with my heart or AF so it’s always worth going and getting checked it was a pure coincidence but AF was my thoughts and obviously was not the cause on this occasion. Good luck but get it checked

[Dulcimer]

I also take 100mg of Flecainide twice daily with no side effects, so I agree that you should be checked out.

Best wishes

Dulcimer

[Brizzy50000]

I too take 100mg of Flecainide twice a day plus up to 5mg of Bisoprolol recently after an overnight in hospital to ward off Afib and have suffered no chest pains, but unfortunately I still get Afib, 3 days of Afib then maybe 2 to 3 days free of symptoms then back in Afib

[afibtennis]

I have been on Flecainide 100 twice a day for 2 years with no problems so far!