Flecainide long term

[Euve]

Can flecainide be taken as a long-term maintenance drug, is there anyone on this site taking flecainide this way, it seems to be working for me except it's giving me some stomach issues constipation and gas

[jedimasterlincoln]

I've been on it regularly for the last 5 years, with breaks in between. Used to have it IV in the ED when I was in fast AF with little success but it's usually been part of my regime when unstable, a regime lasting months at a time on occasion.

Not really had the gas or the constipation that I can think of (I'm usually gassy anyway according to my Mrs )

[Euve in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

Did you go for an ablation?

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to Euve]

5 times

[Paulbounce]

I don`t really have that problem but my lass does. I`m changing her name by deed poll to Trumpton.

On a serious note I have been told by my cardio that I could be on it for life (if it carries on working). If it keeps the afib at bay I don`t mind although I would prefer to be on no med`s at all. I think many are on it for years if it works for them. My next follow up is in 6 months and I`m on it until then at least. I also asked about taking Verapamil alongside it and the cardio has instructed my GP to have it 'on stand by' in case I go in to afib. It works well with Flec and increases the chances of you staying in NR. Worth asking your doctor about.

Best,

Paul

[Finvola]

I've been taking 200mg of Flecainide daily for 5 years and have had no AF in that time. Before I started it, my symptoms were so debilitating that even 5 weeks would have been a long time for me!!!

We are all so different in our degree of AF symptoms, how we feel them and how we react to drugs. I've not had any bad reaction to Flecainide - just short runs of AFlutter which last only a few minutes.

Take it one day at a time, be glad to be free of AF and see how things go for you.

[pottypete1]

I’ve been taking Flecainide for just short of 30 years.

For me there have been no side effects that I am aware of and it has definitely helped me.

Try and relax about your forthcoming ablation and if possible stop trying to second guess what might or might not go wrong either with the ablation or any meds you are prescribed.

Pete

[Euve in reply to pottypete1]

The question is do I go for the ablation if the flecinaide is working

[pottypete1 in reply to Euve]

If you have a good EP and you trust this person to be acting in your best interests you must talk to your EP and take the advice you are given.

As I said to you before I have had a number of ablations and I have also been taking Flecainide for nearly 30 years.

One size does not fit all, we are all individuals and your necessary treatment will almost certainly need to be different from any tales you read on this forum.

Once again I urge you to stop second guessing the ifs and buts.

Talk to your EP.

Pete

[secondtry in reply to Euve]

Ablation v pills is a difficult one for some. For me it was easy based on quality of life. After persevering through initial tests, consultations, lifestyle changes, re-building confidence and taking the right dose of Flecainide my QOL has improved almost to 'normal' over 5 years. An ablation is being postponed until hopefully they develop less invasive procedures with a higher rates of success. Take the decision you are most comfortable with as either way no-one including the medics can say if it was the right or wrong one as the results of the comparative route are not available e.g. ablation could work really well or leave you with issues and still taking the pills.

[Hidden in reply to Euve]

Personally I would go down the ablation route

[Angie06]

Hi Euve, I've also been told that I am on it for life. I've been taking 50mgsx2daily for 11yrs and had no AF in that time. I get occasional ectopics and hot flushes which can be side effects, also had stomach issues (taking omeprazole) but even this is preferable to another AF attack and enables me to get on with my normal life activities.

[nwasyd1]

I’ve been on 2x 100mg per day for about 10years now. No side effects that I’m aware of. Every now and then I do get some AF (mostly at nights ... so it’s self diagnosed as vagal AF) and I take an extra 100mg tablet and that in turn helps me revert, normally within a couple of hours. My doctor says that 3x 100mg is about the maximum daily dosage that anyone should take so on my off days I’m at the limit, but again no obvious side effects other than feeling tired and warn out the following morning. Hope that is of some help.

[Bagrat]

I've been taking flec since 2011. Occasionally ectopics ( better since starting low dose magnesium) and rarely short runs of fast heart rate.

Happy to continue indefinitely

[Patient007]

I have been taking 50mg flecainide 3 times a day for 16 years and so far it is keeping me stable with sometimes getting ectopic beats and slight AF. As long as it is still working then I am happy to take it. Side effects are mainly tiredness and sometimes a slow pulse rate. I do take it in conjunction with Atenolol and Felodipine.

[Rubyray]

I have been taking 50mg of flecainide acetate 2 times a day and metoprolol tartate 25mg 2 times per day since I had pacemaker installed on March 4 2019. No problems with either except for gas and constipation. I have to take a stool softener ever 2 or three days in order to comfortably have a bm. I ask my cardiologist about it and he said to keep taking stool softeners. I have never had any other procedures done to my heart.

[Rubyray]

I also take 5mg Eliquis 2 times per day.

[jkdjack]

I have been on Flecainide for 2 1/2 years and my Tinnitus has got to a point where I had to get Hearing Aids with a program that just adresses to mask the Tinnitus and it still got louder so my cardiologist suggested last week to stop taking the Flecainide and the same day is stopped and I had no more symptom and now 5 1/2 days later it came back with with the same noise, have you or anyone had the same results with stopping the drug ? my heart beat is between 55 and 65 although when I stopped the Flecainide it would jump to 65-75