I’ve been on both medications now for around 13 months now and they seem to be working well. Over the last number of months I’ve had itchy skin (my back particularly) and also what seems to be dry mouth. Has anyone experienced side effects that appear after being on the medication for I guess six months. I’ve been in touch with my cardiologist (who I find excellent) and he advised that it would be unusual. My dosage is 50mg of flec twice a day and bisoprolol 1.25mg. Just trying to rule things out. The only other thing that I had around that time scale is my covid vaccine, of which I’ve had the three doses with the last one in October. Must admit that my dry mouth seems to have happened around that time if my memory serves me well. Any experiences would be really helpful. Thank you in advance.
Longer term side effects of flecainid... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Longer term side effects of flecainide and bisoprolol
You are taking the minimum dose for both medications so side effects ought to be minimal. Not familiar with itchiness but when I have taken the max dose of 300 mg of Flecainide as a PiP, I sometimes got a tingling around the lips but it didn’t last for long. Sometimes I think we just have accept that AF drugs are fairly potent and often come with quite troublesome side effects. Could the itching be caused buy something totally unrelated such as a change in washing powder, shower soap or something similar…..
Thanks Flapjack. I’ve been trying to think of other things that could cause the symptoms but my wife tells me she hasn’t changed the brand she has always used to wash the clothes. My scalp was itchy a few months ago and used Eucerin which has urea in it which I stopped using a few weeks ago. I had the itchy back before using that though. However the dry mouth has come later so that might be linked. Is there anyway you can identify if you have an allergy to something through a blood test etc. I’m using E45 cream designed to alleviate skin itching and that has helped a bit. Going to see my GP and see if he has any suggestions
It may just be your skin is dry which may indicate lack of adequate hydration. My OH has this a lot - he is on a lot of meds including Biso but for him it’s old age and thinning skin.
We use a good quality Aloe Vera gel - hydrates skin well and soothes itchiness.
Thanks CD. Yes it could be an age thing but I was fine earlier this year apart from my hands drying out but that was due to excessive washing I think.
I am on Fleacinide and get itchy toes; seem to remember somebody else mentioning the same.
Hi Prof.
You wrote
'over the last number of months I’ve had itchy skin (my back particularly) and also what seems to be dry mouth'
OK - been on both of those drugs and for me not had that problem. However we are all different. I wonder if something basic could help with your back ie Nivea cream. For your dry mouth make sure you drink water as often as you can - 3 litres a day would be ideal. Try to keep drinking it all day - even if just a glass every hour or so.
This is not intended as medicial advice but might help.
Paul
I took 300mg a day of Flecainide with no recognisable side effects. I took 2.5mg of Bisoprolol for 7 weeks before the itching started. My GPs took me off all beta blockers. I still get itching, urticaria,, and take one or two antihistamines daily which alleviates it. Cetirizine hydrochloride works for me.
Just a thought - do you sleep with your mouth open or snore? I know before I started to tape my mouth at night I would get both very dry mouth and dry skin as you lose a LOT of fluids.
That's interesting re loss of fluids during open mouthed sleeping. I get the dry mouth aspect. So fluid loss from an open mouth is a thing? I use a gum guard as I used to snore. I'd consider taping again as have done it on the past. Which type are you using? Thank you!
I have used myotape.com for 18 months now, which works very well. Tip: All I use is a 2cm strip across the middle of the lips i.e. I cut each one up and lasts 10 days.
Hi CD. Yes I sleep with my mouth open but have an issue with one of my nostrils so taping would be a problem for me. For my dry mouth I’ve started using biotene tooth paste and mouthwash which seems to help. I do have a sore tongue and base of my mouth which although it has improved is still painful. Would just like to get to the bottom of it. In regards to the Cetirizine hydrochloride does it interact at all with your medication pls
Sorry, no idea.
I don't know how old you are, but thought it may help to tell you my husband's experience. He was in his 70s when he developed a small sore area on his lower back which refused to heal. He was treated with various creams at first and had a biopsy which ruled out cancer. He was referred to the dermatology dept at the hospital and they tested him for allergies by putting a series of patches on his back which had to stay there for a specified time before they were removed at the hospital. These showed that he had reacted to three things, commonly found in shower and bath products, washing detergents and conditioner, shampoos, sun protection etc.
From that day on, we have always checked things before he uses them and avoid the allergens. The sore place healed and no more have opened up. He was given the name of two products he could use to moisturise with. The moisturiser he uses is Double Base. The shower cream he uses is Simple, and the sun protection that suits him is Calypso Once a Day.
I wash his clothes with Surcare liquid detergent - no conditioner. We tried the Surcare conditioner but the patch started to return, so that had to stop.
My husband couldn't understand how it had taken him 70 yrs to react to these things. My answer was that it hadn't taken that long as some of the products have been modified. Noticeably, one of the offending ingredients seems to be getting removed from a number of products now. Interesting!
It could be that your skin has begun to react to something that has not caused you problems in the past.
I thought I would share this with you as a few small changes have made such a difference to my husband's well being and you might find it helpful to do the same. xx Moy
Thank you Moy8 that is really helpful. I have been casting my mind back to when I was in my 30’s and I had an allergy which I think came from shower gel which was pretty new in those days. I came out in large blotches all over my body and had to call the doctor. In those days they visited your home and he injected me with an antihistamine I think. It could be a milder allergic reaction perhaps so hopefully my doctor can arrange some patch tests like your husband had. I’m using E45 cream designed for itchy skin at the moment and it does help a bit. The itchiness comes and goes though. My sore tongue and mouth have improved a little bit although my mouth is still a wee bit dry. That’s why it possibly could be an allergic reaction. It might have been the eucerin urea hair shampoo I was using although I did stop using that a couple of weeks ago. Would it not have resolved itself by now though
I think some of my husband's problem may have been due to 'build up' as he had been using some products for a very long time and it did take a while before everything completely healed. Also, I think the combination of 3 different allergens didn't help. He may have been ok with just one of them, perhaps!
I think there would be nothing lost by getting it checked out. When the nurse gave my husband his results, she gave him a sheet of A4 paper which was covered with lists of potential allergens and 'culprits'. The consultant, she explained, had circled those that my husband was affected by.
I was amazed to find that none of the products causing his problem were very new to him!
Good luck with getting it sorted. I'm glad that at least your mouth is feeling more comfortable now. xx Moy
Thanks MoyB
Many people do not know what dry mouth means. I used to wake up with my tongue sticking to my palate, so I had to use a teaspoon to scratch it down, lol. If you Google Sjogren's syndrome, you will learn more about dry mouth, dry eyes and the rest. It has something to do with the vaccines and with bisoprolol, that's for sure. No spreading conspiracy theory intended here.
Must admit the dry mouth seems to have appeared after my third Pfizer vaccine but I’m not jumping to conclusions
I have dry mouth from Flecainide, I take 50 am 50 pm. I also have memory problems and hair loss plus other side effects. If I could get off of this drug, I would be so happy.
Thanks JuliaJa. I didn’t seem to have a problem with flecainide for the first six or seven months. For me I think it could be the bisoprolol causing my issues but it’s only occurred after receiving the third vaccine dose. So not sure at all now
It’s so difficult to track down the culprit when these things come and go. I have to say I couldn’t tolerate Bisoprolol at all and I haven’t take Flec for 7 years now as I had breakthrough episodes anyway on maximum dose. I felt SO much better stopping both drugs. I could cope with the AF episodes but feeling so bad all day, every day on the drugs did for me!
hi I have been on Flecanide for over 10 years 200mg a day no side effects at all
That’s brilliant. I felt the same until a few months ago but my cardio said it would be unusual to have side effects after so long without.
Are you on bisoprolol too pls Luisa
Just a thought. Are you also taking an anti-coagulant, and if so which one? I'm on Apixaban (Eliquis) and after a couple of months taking that I got a persistent itch just underneath my shoulder blade which I couldn't quite reach to give a scratch (good job too!). I blamed the Apixaban. It lasted for a couple of years at least, but then faded away and doesn't bother me any more.
Alternatively, this winter I've had more dry skin than ever before and found that emollient creams of any sort help it. I mainly use Oilatum, and have found E45 not very helpful.
Hi momistI’m not on an anticoagulant as my cardiologist advised I was very low risk. I’m using E45 for the itchiness but the dry skin/itch cream. Seems to help but I’m going to try some other stuff. Have you tried any anti histamine tablets/cream at all. Just trying to figure out if they interact with flecainide and bisoprolol which I’m on.
No, I've not bothered with antihistamines. Yes, I tried the itch relief version of E45, but it made little difference over the regular stuff. The Oilatum seemed better for me. YMMV, as they say. I'm relieved to say that my itch eventually went away, although I still get very itchy shins when I get too warm in my wool socks, as in my walk tonight. It's not as chilly out as it has been. Oilatum helps that as well.
Thanks momist that’s really helpful. How long did the itch take to go away pls
As I said, it lasted at least for two years. Precise dating I can't remember. I just learned to live with it, and one day I noticed I no longer had it. My ablation was at the end of June last year and it had already gone before that. I'll never know for certain that the apixaban was the cause, but others on the forum have reported similar itching and associated it with the apixaban. I'm still taking the stuff, and also the bisoprolol and flecainide, but hope to discontinue those last two after my next consultation in March. No AF (touches wood) for the last few months.
Thanks momist. Hope no af continues.
I’m on the Flec 50 mg twice a day and metoprolol 25 in am and 12.5 in pm. Also Eliquis. I have noticed a dry mouth during the day. That was different. I have always had one at night since I’m a mouth- breather so I keep water next to my bed. I attribute the itch to the weather and taking a daily shower in the winter. Also, I stopped baths because of the itch and drying out my skin. I LOVE mag sulf baths though, and use lots of Skin cream after.. I’ll take the dry mouth over the AF lol
I wonder…if you are on Flec for a certain amount of time, can you wean off? Will it have gotten the heart used to beating correctly and it won’t be needed anymore? I know I’m grasping at straws but is it possible that it’s re-trained?
Thanks Cos56. I’m like you anything that prevents Afib I’m happy to take. I don’t feel confident given up on flec. at the moment. I can probably put up with the dry mouth but my tongue is a bit painful. I don’t know if that’s associated with the dry mouth or not.Could be the winter weather causing the itchy skin but I don’t know. Trying to cope with it and using emollients etc. Going to ask my cardio whether anti histamines like piriteze or similar is safe to take with flec and bisoprolol as that might do the trick when it’s really itchy.
Thanks for your input it’s much appreciated
Oh I didn’t mean for you to give up Flecainide. I was just wondering. In general, if there is such a thing? Meaning, would Flecainide re-route the heart to stay in NSR and one could wean off it. That’s just a wish, I think. It’s the Flec that’s keeping it out of AF.
Good luck with the itchies! I also keep a long back scratcher next to my bed 🤦♀️ Always somethin’ lol
Yes I've got a back scratcher as well. I even take it with me if I'm golfing!
Hi, Just for information, I have been in 50mg Flecainide twice a day and Bisoprolol 5mg once a day for about five years and haven’t had any side effects.
I had a very dry mouth when I was on bisoprolol. I used to wake up desperate for water in the night. And feel thirsty all day and have a bad taste in my mouth. My scalp was also itchy. Now the doctor has taken me off it I am much better.
Further to my original answer, itchiness known as urticaria or hives is a known side effect of beta blockers. It's deemed to be "very rare", meaning that of every 10,000 people who take a beta blocker between 1 person up to 9 people will get urticaria. My urticaria was caused by Bisoprolol Of that there is no doubt.
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