Am new here.78 yrs old male with Afib since 2015. Afib started as paroxysmal and became permanent after taking covid 19 pfizer vaccine in 2020.Am on CBC 180 mg in combo with 2,5 mg Nebilet(BB) and 4mg of Atacand (ARB)to treat ankle swelling from CCB.Have slightly active thyroid gland hence can not take Amiodarone,
Can I take flecainide instead and does it affect my thyroid?
thks
If you are in permanent AF why on earth take a rhythm control drug? Normal protocol in those circumstances would be rate control plus of course anticoagulant.
Like Bob says, if you are in permanent afib, why are you taking a rhythm control drug?
Maybe we are using different definitions of "permanent"? Are you always in afib and if so, for how long have you been in afib? Or, do you go in and out of afib and Amiodarone has been helpful keeping you in sinus rhythm.
If the latter, than it's really not permanent afib. If the former, again what is the purpose of taking a rhythm control drug that does not keep you in sinus rhythm?
So to your question. If the Amiodarone has helped you stay in sinus rhythm, Flecainide may be a good substitute if you qualify. They may have to run some tests to make sure your heart is structurally sound enough for Flecainide. They will also most probably put you on a beta blocker or calcium channel blocker at the same time for safety reasons.
Jim
am always in afib since 2021 after I took the second covid vaccine. Last year I had a tachycardia episode which lasted for a whole day. Was hospitalized and given Amiodarone to speed up lowering of my heart rate. This helped in lowering my heart rate rapidly but as a side effect my thyroid gland became over active and I began having difficulty breathing.Consequently my dr. put me temporarily on digoxin.
This is why am wondering if Flecainide can replace Amiodarone .
Thks
Thanks for the further explanation. I have read that both Amiodarone and Flecainide are sometimes used to treat some tachycardia's such as SVT, but really beyond my pay grade to advise you further. You could always get a second opinion with a cardiologist or preferably an ep.
Jim
Interesting that you are always in afib following your second Pfizer dose. The same thing happened to me a week after my second Pfizer vaccine. I've been in constant afib since then and I'm now on digoxin. I've had 2 boosters, however, with no change in afib. I was on flecainide for about 3-1/2 years and also tried tikosyn before going into permanent status.
interesting to note that there is an association between covid vaccine and afib, something that was always denied by specialists. Re Digoxin, my cardiologist is against using it long term due to its serious side effects. Am now in permanent AF and take 90mg X2/day dilzem in combo with 2.5 mg of nebilet(beta blocker) once /day and 4 mg Atacand ( ARB) to reduce ankle swelling caused by Dilzem. My resting heart rate is around 62-73 .thks
I've mentioned going into permanent afib after the vaccine to 4 doctors - no response from any of them. I don't think anyone knows for sure if the vaccine caused the change for me. I was scared to go on digoxin, but after a year, I have no apparent side effects and it works well to keep my rate down, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this continues. Good luck to you.
Thks. Same to you
Vaccines = Worsening AFIB.
Anecdotal information is just that, anecdotal. I'm certain if there is a clear link we would find out soon enough. I've had 3 shots now of Pfizer, and my afib has gotten better. Certainly not because of the shots?
Your future health will answer this experiment.
People attribute hundreds of things to causing/triggering their Afib, and changes in their Afib. There are hundreds of things going on in our lives constantly. Attributing a change to one specific thing is often pure conjecture. Or perhaps in this case wishful thinking so you can join the angry crowd.
I would be more worried about non-dissolvable clotting that has nothing to do with AFIB if I were you after 3 shots. If you do any critical research - you'll see what I'm talking about. I wish you the best!
There are things changing about our health that aren't always obvious under the surface as well, especially as we age. Just because the timing of a change in aFib lines up with something we wish to scapegoat, doesn't make it true.
Flecainide TDS
Amiodarone 
Afib and Flecainide
