Increasing Flecainide daily dose

Talk about tempting providence....Around seven weeks ago I commented on someone’s post on here saying I was taking 50mg Flecainide twice a day along with 2.5 Bisoprolol and how well everything had been for two years.

Today, having had two severe episodes in the last six weeks I have decided to increase the Flecainide to 100mg twice a day. Fingers crossed this keeps the AF episodes at bay.

When all this started for me two years ago my consultant wanted me on 100mg x 2 but it made me feel rubbish so we agreed to go with 50mg x2 and see how things went.

I think I always knew a time would come when I would have to increase the dose, I just didn’t expect it to be so soon.

[wilsond]

Very similar story to mine!

So annoying when we do all we can to avoid it.

In my case although I went up to 100 x2 I was taking it with food which ,for me,meant I wasn't absorbing enough of it.

How does flec make you feel?

Might be worth trying to contact your consultant too.

Hope it helps.

I am,touch wood,getting more or less back to normal.

Best wishes

[Hidden in reply to wilsond]

I have always taken Flecainide on an empty stomach and the same times every day (9am /9pm)

When I first started taking Flecainide 100mg x2 two years ago it made my heart beat hard - I was really aware of it especially at night, which is why I went to 50mg with absolutely no side effects. I must have a tolerance to it now because taking 100mg x 2 now has no side effects whatsoever (thank goodness)

My Doctor is aware of the increase.

[secondtry in reply to Hidden]

..and I always wait a full hour after taking it before eating.

[Hidden in reply to secondtry]

I always try to 👍

[Paulbounce]

I can only comment from personal experience.

For me (so far) flec works wonders. I am also on 100mg twice a day and it's pretty rare for afib to return. If it does I take another 100mg as a PIP (300mg a day max) and it sends afib packing.

Summer wrote

"When all this started for me two years ago my consultant wanted me on 100mg x 2 but it made me feel rubbish so we agreed to go with 50mg x2 and see how things went"

I think it can take a few weeks / months for your body to adjust. Maybe when it's in your system you won't feel it as much as you do now. Try and stick it out for while and let your body adjust. You are half way there taking the lower dose for a few years.

Good luck anyway - it may not be as bad as you think

Paul

[jeanjeannie50]

I think you'll find that your new dose of Flec will work well. At the moment I'm taking 2 x 75mg, I had to reduce from 2 x 100mg as it gave me terrifying dreams/hallucinations at night, but that may have been caused by the combination of taking other pills as well.

Warning - Some things you must never say:

How well you are

Your car never breaks down

You never get big spiders in your house

I've suffered recently after bragging how well I felt and also after saying I never get those things with 8 legs (as above).

Wishing you well.

Jean

[Paulbounce in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Your forgetting mice Jean as well as spiders.

I've got one living in the cellar now. I've made a bed for him and he appears to be a permanent residence. He gets fed and watered everyday - he's called Herbert and it's about time he started paying some rent.

Words will have to be said

Sorry - totally off topic I know.

Paul

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Paulbounce]

Mice are sweet and I love them, trouble is they reproduce so quickly and can eat through any wires. They also poo and wee everywhere - smelly little critters! You'll have 50 in your cellar soon!!!!

[Paulbounce in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Heheh - that's what worries me Jean. Herbert (could be a she) might decide to find a partner.

There is trouble ahead ! I'll have to get the rental agreement sorted pretty soon

Paul

[CDreamer in reply to Paulbounce]

Time of year when they start looking for a nice dry, warm nest for winter. We live adjacent to a field & they love our garage - trouble is there are also rats - not nearly as sweet! We keep ou recycling in our garage so usual first sign is the evidence left from them chewing through the recycling!

[Rosemaryb1349 in reply to Paulbounce]

Or get a cat maybe? 😹

[Danceawaytheblues in reply to Paulbounce]

Thank you for your report on Herbert. It made me smile, I can visualise him now, making himself at home in your cellar.

[Paulbounce in reply to Danceawaytheblues]

Heheh - Herbert said to say hello and sends his regards. He still hasn't agreed to sign the cellar single occupancy agreement though. He doesn't pay any rent and gets through biscuits like they are going out of fashion.

Paul

[Lilypocket in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I can relate to the spiders Jean! As Autumn creeps in so do the 8-legged visitors ( males looking for females ). Obviously THE place to be is my bathroom - in the shower, in my towels etc. I keep catching them ( closet Buddhist me thinks) and putting them out in the garden. But no my bathroom is obviously " le must" for fashionable spiders 😂

[pottypete1]

As @BobD explained the maximum dose of Flecainide in one day is 300mg for AF.

Whatever you do you must talk to your consultant first.

I take a regular dose of Flecainide and have had to take extra as PIP, within the recommended dose time window.

Occasionally my timing was not very good and I can tell you that whilst the PIP Flecainide was successful in returning me to NSR, as a consequence of my overdose I felt dreadful for about 24 hours.

I have decades of experience of taking Flecainide and I even have it in writing that my EP is keen for me to be in control of my medication. However I still do nothing without following clear instructions from him.

Never vary meditation unless you are instructed to, we are all different.

Pete

[Hidden]

100mg morning & 50mg at night plus 50mg Metropolol seems to work for me.

[nikonBlue]

I'm on 150 twice daily plus the Bisoprolol once a day and I sometimes still have to take the allowed extra 50 Flecainide.

[tunybgur]

I'm on 150/day but increasingly I'm waking in the morning in AF so I think I will also soon be on 200/day. Just trying to defer the time when it stops working and I'm on the maximum dose.

Originally I was on 100/day and that worked a treat for 3 years and then occasional AF started.

Flec has never made me feel grim but AF robs me of energy...I'd be interested to hear if Flec has eventually stopped working for anyone.....?

[JudyMarieC in reply to tunybgur]

Unfortunately, it seems that flecainide may have stopped working for me. I've been on 50mg/twice a day for 3-1/2 years since my ablation. During that time, I've had an occasional flutter and/or afib episode which was helped with a single dose of 100mg flecainide. I am now into my 3rd week of a particularly bad episode. A week ago, my doctor increased my flecainide to 100mg twice a day but it doesn't seem to have any effect so I'm guessing it no longer works for me. I spoke to my doctor's nurse again yesterday and am waiting to hear from his office regarding a new plan.

[tunybgur in reply to JudyMarieC]

That's tough, but I'm sure they'll find something else that will work for you...think positively and good luck.

[LaceyLady]

I increased my Flecainaide up to 100 x 2, but I started to notice I was having difficulty using my exercise bike and I didn’t feel brilliant, so after 3/4 days I reduced it back to 50 x 2