Flecanide

[stoneyrosed]

Hi, After suffering another 10 hrs of AF i phoned the cardio nurse who has eventually persuaded me to go on 50 mg of Flecanaide 2x times a day. Can anyone recommend it to make me feel more convinced i am doing the right thing? At the moment o am on 2.5 Bisoprolol a day. Thanks.

[Finvola]

Hi - that is a low dose to start you off and if your arrhythmia nurse recommends it, then it is worth a try. Ten hours of AF is awful - sympathies.

I have been taking 2 x 100mg Flecainide for six years and I look upon it as my best friend. I had frequent debilitating episodes and since starting Flecainide, I’ve had no AF at all.

We are all different and react to drugs and AF differently but I have no regrets in going down this route. Like you, I was really nervous about it at the start too. Best wishes.

[stoneyrosed in reply to Finvola]

Thank you so much for that response, i am hoping for the same outcome that you have got finvola. AF is ruining my life at the moment and i would love to be confident enough to go to bed on a night and not have to worry about when and for how long. Good luck for the future long may you continue AF free 😊

[Finvola in reply to stoneyrosed]

I know exactly how you feel. At the time I started Flecainide, a few weeks of peace would have been welcome. After the first few weeks taking it, I had whole days when I didn't think about my heart and what it was doing, so stressed out had I become with the episodes. Fingers crossed for you. xx

[stoneyrosed in reply to Finvola]

Thanks so much x

[secondtry]

Yes it is tough at the beginning but in many cases it does get much better. The anxiety of all the tests and new medication made me feel pretty weird for 3 months but now over 6 years down the line at 67yo I have excellent Quality of Life ('QOL').

There are some top contributors here so I suggest you read and learn all you can.

My initial experience I was put on just Flecainide 2x50mgs/day (as my BP/pulse is low and the cardio said other meds such as Biso would make me feel unwell), next month had 9 episodes so offered an ablation, postponed that and went onto 2x100mgs/day (a medium dose), felt pretty weird for 3 months then whether coincidental or not felt better after consulting a Naturopath who put me on a Magnesium compound and CoQ10, which I am still on.

nb Flecainide is a relatively 'old' drug tried and tested and I believe pretty safe despite its potency provided you are an active under 75 without other heart issues/comorbidities.

Good luck

[Hidden]

I too take 2x100 mgs/day. Have got my life back.

[KMRobbo]

I was on 2 x 50mg for 10 months whilst waiting for an ablation . The only afib I had in that period was when I missed taking the evening dose.

The problems I had were the side effects. of the rate control. meds I took with it (diltiazem. )

[Angie06]

I was put on 2x50mgs flecainide after my first attack and didn't really know what it was so wasn't unduly worried (I was 55yrs and relatively fit with no heart problem). I've never had another attack just ectopics when stressed or overtired and that was 12yrs ago so feel really confident about taking my daily flecainide. 😀

[Daisy2908]

Hi stoneyrosed

I have been on the same dose of flecainide as you’ve been recommended for a couple of months now, pre and post a cardioversion. I felt very anxious about taking it as I was only diagnosed with AF during lockdown and I put it off for about a week after collecting my prescription but my cardiologist reassured me and I’ve had no problems taking it as per his advice.

[Reena09 in reply to Daisy2908]

Hi daisy. I am considering a cardioversion as now in persistent AF. I think one of them options is taking flec straight after it. Do you need to have regular bloods when you first start taking flec?

[Daisy2908 in reply to Reena09]

Hi Reena09

I had an echocardiogram (to check no structural damage to heart) and an ecg before being advised to take it. I am 54 and was very fit and active pre AF diagnosis in April. I think your cardiologist would advise what you would need in advance and any monitoring.

I initially was advised to take it to try to cardiovert me chemically. This did not work and I think it was always a longshot in my case so I had a cardioversion last week. I was told to keep taking the flec at same dosage at the moment but that they may at some point recommend me to take a higher dose as a pill in the pocket if AF comes back. I haven’t had my follow up appointment yet so will discuss that then. The cardiologist also told me that taking the flecainide put me in a better position for the cardioversion.

[Morzine]

Im on 150....it doesnot bother me with any problems...it’s supposed to stop arythmia and seems to with me. In fact I rarely think about af now and gosh I can tell you early on it was the whole focus I had daily it smothered my life.

Some people are in bigger doses than me.

I understand though exactly where you are right now....the whole heart AFthing gets totally overwhelming and I felt the same.....but if you start to get no attacks it will boost your confidence no end.

You’ve nothing to loose and a lot to gain .

Sue

[Hidden]

Been on it since 2018 at which point I was having AF attacks lasting several hours at least twice a week, since then I have had at most 3 or 4 attacks lasting no more than 30 minutes, combined with good lifestyle changes it keeps the monster in its box most of the time, I get no side effects from it so it's been a godsend for me.

Andy

[stoneyrosed]

Thanks for all the reassuring comments, means a lot 🙏

[NEONBUTTERFLY22]

Hi. I am fairly newly diagnosed (February this year) the hospital put me on 50mg flecainide which didn't work. Then another 50mg at night which also didn't stop my episodes. They then added 1 bisopralol. I've only had 2 episodes since then. I have been fine taking it. I know how scared you feel as I too am alone for long periods and I'm still scared to fall asleep when it happens. Mine is anything between 129 to 160 and also dips down to 70+ in between which is why I'm on apixaban. I'm like you in the fact they it occupies my mind quite a lot and there's so much I don't know. This group is so helpful and reassuring. Good luck with it all.

[JDW2510]

What does your Cardiologist say? Are you on a blood thinner? I would be very unhappy taking the advice of a Cardio Nurse.

Really you should be seeing an Electrophysiologist.

Cardiologists are not the experts in the treatment of AF and a nurse certainly is not!

You need to be proactive about your own health. Flecainide is OK but can be dangerous for people with structural heart disease.

[johnkeithdowning]

Hi Stoneyrosed. I have PAF and get episodes on average every 2/3 months. This has been going on for 4 years. I had 2 cardio versions at the beginning 3 months apart. I was given Bisoprolol at the start but it brought me to a complete standstill so was given Flecainade instead, same dose as you. When I slip into AF i take an extra Flec within the hour and so far this has put me back into NSR within 2 hours. No side effects for me from Flec. I have more issue with Apixaban anti coagulant as any skin injury takes 3/4 times longer to heal up.

Good luck with Flec I can recommend it

John

[Crystalpalace]

Ive been on 2 x 50mg Flec now for quite a few years, had one or two episodes but overall it keeps everything in check, no notable side effects for me to be honest.

I can only say from my view 100% take it

Have you ever had it before ?

I think they like the first dose to be taken in Hospital just in case, but thay may only be if its a big dose to be carioverted back to normal rhythm

Dr Sanjay Gupta from York Cardiology has many videoson afib

youtube.com/watch?time_cont...

[stoneyrosed in reply to Crystalpalace]

No not had it before, also taking it unsupervised which has got me worried a bit. Thanks for reply keep well 😊

[MS444]

Medical professionals have to advise. My experience is that if you have PAF, taking a Flecainide 100mg night stop the AF attack within 1-4 hours instead of more.

Some people seem to be prescribed twice daily Flecainide even if they have only had one or two PAF episodes.

Others are told to use it as a pill in pocket treatment. If attacks are only occasional taking Flecainide continuously may be overkill. If it only happened once if might not happen again for a year or more so pull in pocket might be logical.

[tunybgur]

Flecainide sorted my AF within a few hours of the first pill, it was also recommended by my specialist AF nurse (bless her) after I went back into AF a few months after successful cardioversion. Flec prescription had to be confirmed by the cardiologist, but I think these specialist nurses are very knowledgeable as they are at the front line.

No side effects but have recently had to increase dosage from 100 to 150mg/day after 3 years of being AF free. I also take 1.25mg of Bisoprolol, I suspect they work best together.

Not everyone can take Flec, if you have an extended QT interval (shown on your ECG) you cannot take it as it can cause a problem.

[stoneyrosed]

Why did you have to increase the dosage tunybugr? Did your af return? I am a bit worried that i will be taking my first few pills insupervised but the cardio says they dont do that anymore, were you supervised at all? They have also organised ecg few weeks after i have been subscribed the flec. Keep well 👍