Flecainide

[Reena09]

I was previously suffering from PAF and was on 1.25 mg bisoprolol. Past 6 weeks I’ve been in persistent AF and cardiologist has increased bisoprolol to 5mg and I’m starting on 50mg x 2 of flec from tomorrow and booked in for a cardioversion in 4 weeks. Any advice from anyone? Obviously very nervous about starting flec and wondering whether I should have questioned reducing bisoprolol dosage?

[pottypete1]

Maybe delay taking new medication Flecainide until you can speak to your EP on Monday. A couple of days won’t make much difference and better to he safe than sorry.

You could have a point about the Bisoprolol dose. I was only on 1.25mg when I did take it, 5mg is a relatively high dose and can have the effect of making you feel heavy and slow metabolically.

Bisoprolol is a Beta Blocker and controls your heart rate. Flecainide controls your rhythm.

Pete

[Reena09 in reply to pottypete1]

As my heart rate is persistently elevated, the EP has increased my dosage from 1.25mg to 5mg. I can only keep an eye on my heart rate and symptoms just incase I change back to sinus rhythm.

[buddje]

Flecainide has side effects but so does PAF

There seems to be a growing number of us.......stressful lives maybe

I am on a high flec dose

I am 71 and still working full time .

So its a case of weighing up the options.

Take care...

[daithelife]

I may not be the best person to advise you but I have had some issues with Bisoprolol. I went into persistent AF over 8 years ago after open heart surgery to replace heart valves and clear an obstruction. Despite repeated cardioversions and two attempts at ablation it wasn't until a pacemaker was fitted I gained any control over heart rhythm. I was put on a somewhat higher dose of Bisoprolol but found this drug caused more issues than I could handle. Discussion with the consultant in cardiology have shown that there are many alternative beta blockers possible and if you are having issues with one try and persuade them to look at an alternative. In my case an older (less fashionable?) beta blocker seems to work better without the depression side effects of bisoprolol. I suggest, as with all these matters, you can get a long way by talking with the professionals honestly, but not overloading them with trivial complaints, just the main issues.

[Foulplay]

My Dad has been on Flecainide for 25 years no problem. I started it . The first few weeks no problem then my heart went crazy. Heart rates up to 150 while sitting. Atrial flutter heart out of rhythm . I was in the emergency room 3x in one week. I had to call ambulance 1 x because no one could drive me and they said your heart is all over the place and they told the driver to put on the siren. They took me off Flecainide and now just on metoprolol succinate. I still have intermittent afib but they don’t feel it needs the flecainide. Some people have bad reactions to it so I think I would ask to be on a lower dose of the other medicine if the doctor agrees.

[djmnet]

That's quite an increase in bisoprolol from 1.25 to 5 mg. That should make you so tired you won't want to get out of bed. When it does, you will need to insist on backing off from 5 mg.

[wilmo12]

I was on Xarelto, nebivolo, flecanide for about three or four years. When I was first on these medications, I often felt a bit dizzy. Then it settled down for a year or two. I was also taking Valsarton to control my blood pressure.

After fainted for a few times, that's when I decided to have an ablation because I had more episodes of irregular fast heart beats.

After a successful ablation, I remained on the same medications until I was prescribed with extra med for high blood pressure. About two months into this combination of Indapamide, I had about two or three days of quite continuous irregular fast rymthm. After searching on the internet, I found there's possible interaction between Indapamide and flecanide. I stopped the two without consulting the cardiologist (something I shouldn't do, I don't know what got into my head). However, it worked well for me. My heart got back to normal. The cardiologist agreed to my discontinuation of flecanide and Indapamide.

Everyone has different response to medicine. That's my experience. Hope it's a reference for some, but not the part of not consulting a doctor first before stopping a medicine.