Pain medication when taking Flecainide

[Redmakesmehappy]

I just started Flecainide and Eliquis for AFib and have a question. I have really painful arthritis and sometime take a half of a Vicodin at night for the pain that keeps me awake. Never take anything in daytime but hard to sleep when you are constantly moving trying to get easy. I know you can’t take Advil or such and Tylenol doesn’t help but was wondering about the Vicodin. Anyone take it with the Flecainide?

[Bagrat]

In uk I believe vicodin is hydrocodone and paracetamol ( acetominophen i.e. tylenol). We are not medically trained but cocodamol (paracetamol and codeine) is safe to take with the drugs you mention. Hydrocodone and codeine are in the opiate family and therefore have the potential to be addictive as well as causing constipation.

It would be best to discuss with your doctor or pharmacist.

[Redmakesmehappy in reply to Bagrat]

I am aware that if you take them for other reasons then pain and you take them often they can become addictive , especially if you have an addictive personality but taking occasionally when you are in pain from a painful condition, should not be a problem. I am way too old to be interested in getting high on medication. I have had both a shoulder replacement and knee replacement and was given opiates for pain while they were healing but never had a problem with constipation as I have IBS with diarrhea. I am just new to Flecainide and wanted to make sure there would not be a problem taking it occasionally.

[Hidden]

I took it most of last fall as I had a knee replacement then had to have it redone 6 weeks later. I take flecainide and xarelto, didnt have any issues. It is important you get some sleep

[Redmakesmehappy in reply to Hidden]

Good to know, I think I must have Restless Legs too as I feel as tho I have to move them constantly or have to get up and walk around but in daytime I can manage, but at night, just can’t sleep if I m hurting all over.

[Janith]

None of us are appropriately trained to answer your question ... however, l do know that l have had zero issues taking Eliquis along with Sotalol ... and l do have sleep issues ... l take one-third of a Tylenol pm ... l use a pill cutter ... one whole one is too much for me. You might give that a try.

[Palpman]

Not trained appropriately but I have enough sense to understand drug interaction tables.

I have checked the MedScape and CredMed apps for interactions with Flecainide and found no interactions whatsoever. My GP uses these apps as well.

However, it did state that Hydrocodone prolongs the QT interval but to a lesser degree than Flecainide.

So taking Hydrocodone with Flecainide would have no drug, drug interactions but would lengthen QT if taken in high doses.

[Redmakesmehappy in reply to Palpman]

Thank you for the info, I only take a 1/2 of the 5 mg pill. Just enough to take the edge off the pain so I can go to sleep. Hard to sleep when you are moving around trying to get easy. I didn’t see how it would hurt, such a smal dose, but this heart medication is new to me and I am scaredy-cat anyway. I appreciate you interpreting for me.