Flecainide and kidneys

[Montsauton]

Hello, I've been on flecainide for a few weeks now and it has done the job, for which I'm truly thankful. But (there's always a but) reading the medicine notes I see that caution is advised where there is a kidney problem. Mine are not in the best shape and I wondered if anybody is in a similar position to me or has any information about the effect of flecainide on the kidneys.

[BobD Volunteer]

I think many such drugs are cleaned from the body via the kidneys so regular kidney function tests (annually) are a sensible precaution to make sure that no gradual harm is neing done. I know that my GP does annual blood tests for liver and kidney function and a few opther things as a matter of course nad has done since I passed 60. and I hope yours does too.

[CDreamer]

My understanding is that there can be a difficulty in clearing Flecainide from the body if your kidneys are not in good shape. It’s usual to have regular blood test prior to starting Flecainide as a base line and at various intervals following just to check that everything is OK.

If this hasn’t happened then I would speak to your GP and remind them of your status and ask for a test. I think I had blood tests about every 4-6months on Flecainide + anti-coagulant. Flecainide is quite a toxic drug, not the worst antiarrythmic though.

[Jspjkc6]

Hi,It was on April 7 of this year that I ended up in the hospital with Flecainide toxicity, a rare side effect that I had not been aware of. While in the hospital waiting for the 100 hour half life to pass and be assured the flecainide was cleared from my system, I discovered that the very frequent urination that I had for over a year, had been caused by flecainide, another side effect that had not been mentioned to be previously. Now that I am off of flecainide, the frequency urination is gone. I don't know if that links to kidneys directly, but that's my experience.

[Maggimunro]

Hi thereIn a final attempt to deter me from having an ablation for SVT , my first EP prescribed Flecainide after all the previous drugs caused unacceptable side effects. He clearly hadn’t read my notes since I only have one functioning kidney. I lost the other one in 2006. I read the patient leaflet and it clearly outlines the issues with kidney clearance of the drug.

I refused to take it and so went on to have a very successful ablation with a different EP for my SVT.

The only drug I take now is Apixiban and I get regular blood tests.

This is your decision to make but I would be very cautious.

[KMRobbo in reply to Maggimunro]

Well done for that!

[CmsUK]

Hi, As the others have stated, a baseline kidney/liver test before I started using Flecainide and now a regular 6 monthly test to check.Kind regards

Craig

[belindalore]

Too often Drs don't check the patient for any problems that might arise before they prescribe pills. We all have to be our own advocates and ask questions and if the Dr doesn't listen, time to get one that hopefully will. You can look up drugs.com and read about side effects of different drugs and interactions between different drugs. Best wishes to you. Take care.

[betsea]

I have been on Flecanide, 50mg twice daily for 4 yrs with no problems.

[Holeinmyheart]

I was on Flecanide and immediately my hair started to fall out! I stopped it after a month or so and had an ablation. But it has taken me almost a year to stop losing hair and start growing it back again, with the help of every kind of shampoo and pills!

[Montsauton]

Many thanks for all those replies. I will certainly nag my doctor for more frequent kidney blood tests.