Flecainide is my friend

Just wanted to report a good thing. After two happy years on only PIP, I had a really rough a fib event that lasted maybe 12 hours and threw in some flutter while it was trying to quit... so EP and cardiologist tag teamed me into agreeing to take daily meds.. think about ablation. I cannot multitask, so doing meds first. Just want to say that after taking flecainide, metoprolol and xarelto every day for a month now, I am pleased to report I have not had any major side effects. The first week I was a little breathless with exercise but now I am feeling normal. I was so afraid of the meds, so am estatic to find they arent as scary as I imagined.

[Finvola]

Good news Hoski - Flecainide has been good to me too. Long may it last for us both.

[Hidden in reply to Finvola]

Yes indeed💜💜💜

[Hidden]

So happy to hear that as I have 100 Flecainide as a PIP but am beginning to think I need a stronger dose.

Di

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I had just been to my yearly appts, cardiologist bragged I was doing better than 90% of his patients as it had been 11 mo with no events then 4 days later boom!! He jinxed me.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Had exactly the same. EP stopped my Nebivolol as I hadn’t had an event since Feb 2017! Gave me the PIP and I have had at least 3 episodes a week since but funnily enough my heart rate never goes above 80!

[Aprilbday in reply to Hidden]

Always “knock on wood” when you say things like that. 🤪

[Hidden in reply to Aprilbday]

That is so true😂

[jeanjeannie50]

Morning Hoski, I'm glad you are feeling more normal under your new tablet regime.

Flecainide 2 x 100mg daily has been my wonder pill too and like you I take it along with Metoprolol 12.5mg. I started taking it as a pill in the pocket and then ended up taking it all the time as attacks became more frequent. These tablets changed my life and I now feel quite normal - unless I walk up hills, which make me breathless and there are lots where I live! I've had three unsuccessful ablations.

Jean

[Aprilbday in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Have to agree, the meds have become a comfort. In a weird sort of way. But grateful for them. Just ordered my Alivecor as I want to monitor triggers more closely. Would be nice if one day could find a cure.

[lakebudd in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I just started taking Flecainide 2x100mg daily. Just had a cardioversion two days ago (after 2 unsuccessful ablations). The EP put me on this drug and I wasn't sure if there would be any serious side effects. I'm glad to hear that you are happy and feeling well with this drug. I hope the same applies to me. I was taking Propafenone but had increase BP and weird discoloration of my skin. Looks like bleeding under the skin. It could be Eliquis but I've taken that before without this problem so many it's the Propafenone. Has anyone ever had a similar problem? My skin is all mottled from my feet to my stomach. Doctors don't know what it is. Being tossed around from one "ologist" to another.

[Hidden in reply to lakebudd]

So sorry to hear that, hope it gets resolved soon! No one is more skeptical of meds than me, Im an old nurse and always felt proud I didnt require meds. I just knew these heart meds would b awful, but truthfully, I feel better taking them. Makes me suspicious I might have had some unsymptomatic a fib going on I wasnt aware of.

[secondtry]

Good decision, the pills buy you time to put the longterm lifestyle changes in place. My theory being that if the body eventually gets the upper hand with the pills there will be no AF as in the meantime L/S changes have reduced the level below the trigger point.

[Hidden in reply to secondtry]

That is my goal and prayer

[SimplySimonUK]

If it works for you, that’s great. Flecainide is certainly better than Sotalol, but I still feel terrible on them. I’m also on 2x100 mg a day. I think the problem is that they lower your heart rate quite a lot, which is great if you’re at risk of a stroke, but I’ve never had a problem with a rapid heart and my CHAD/VASC score is zero, so the Flecainide is just debilitating. Often my pulse drops below 50bpm and I can’t get it much above 120, even during really intense exercise, so I get short of breath very easily. However, I had an ablation last Friday, so hopefully I’ll be drug-free in a couple of months 😊

[Hidden in reply to SimplySimonUK]

Yes, I hope you have 100% success and a fib is just a memory! Best wishes🌟

[lakebudd in reply to SimplySimonUK]

Are you taking other drugs? I know beta blockers are used to lower heartrate.

[Hidden in reply to lakebudd]

All I take is the flecainide 100 mg twice daily, metoprolol 25mg twice daily and xarelto 20 mg twice daily.

[secondtry in reply to SimplySimonUK]

Thank you, can you expand just a bit on your decrease in heart rate over time please? Mine used to be a tad over 60, then over 4 years on 200mgs Flec it has dropped like yours to around 55 and now goes below 50 quite often. My cardiologist reckons Flec doesn't affect the HR only a rhythm drug but I doubt it.

[Hidden in reply to secondtry]

My heart rate before daily meds was in the 60's resting. Now it is 55-60 and drops to 48 when Im sleeping per my fitbit recording. I have noticed it runs 10-20 beats/ min faster for hours if I have alot of sugary foods. I have mild sick sinus syndrome which can lower heart rate. If I one day need large doses on beta blockers I may need a pacemaker to keep it from getting too low. Im hoping to continue exercising and getting my weight to normal which should give me a stronger heart... maybe that will work in my favor. My EP is big on healthy lifestyle changes, that excess fat plays a bad role in rhythm issues in some.

[SimplySimonUK]

AF drugs all work by lowering the HR because it’s when you go into AF and the HR climbs above 140 that blood clots, and therefore strokes, become a risk. Flecainide works by prolonging the changes in the heart that trigger each beat, so obviously it will slow the HR. In some cases, this process will help the heart achieve NSR, but it doesn’t actually force the heart into NSR.