Flecainide and Anxiety/Insomnia/Depression

[MeganMN]

I started on Flecainide about three weeks ago. I feel so "off". The doctors office really wanted me to try it for a while and I agreed to suffer through the headache side effect. However, since upping the dose to 100mg, I just feel super " off". I feel anxious, overwhelmed, and edgy. Maybe it is from the headache, but maybe it is a separate side effect? Any other anecdotal experience?

[mjames1]

I also felt "off" when they upped my flecainide dose from 50mg twice a day to 100. An ekg showed "wide qrs and some block" so they reduced the dose back to 50 and I felt better. Flecainide is a drug that has to be closely monitored and hopefully they took an ekg after they upped your dose to 100. That's the protocol, at least in the US.

I assume they upped it because the 50 wasn't working? I'll just add that 50 didn't work for me initially but after a few weeks it worked just fine.

Lastly, did they add another drug along with the Flecainide? Because if so, that other drug could also be contributing to how you feel.

Jim

[MeganMN in reply to mjames1]

Thank you for the reply, no, they did not start any other med. I will call the EP office today and see what they want to do. I just feel like I am being whiny with the office, but I can't feel like this, it is no good.

[mjames1 in reply to MeganMN]

Not "whiny". Insist on an ekg, if they haven't done one on the higher dose. First, you don't want to feel like this, but there can also potentially be health consequences. Flecainide is a serious drug that requires periodic ekg monitoring especially with changes in dosage or symptons.

Jim

[Witchmama]

Feel the need to chime in here. Flecainide contains Fluoride, which competes for iodide receptors throughout your body. Those iodide receptors are necessary for your thyroid to function properly. To add to insult, Chloride, Bromide and Halide also compete (fit) for these iodide receptors as well. So when your body is already under stress (due to your Afib condition) and then a drug like Flecainide is introduced, the thyroid can start to act up. Some people get "hyper" symptoms and some get "hypo" symptoms. Since I myself am already hypothyroid and take thyroid medicine, my doc put me on Propafenone and I haven't had any issues with that med. Simply food for thought here.

[MeganMN in reply to Witchmama]

Witchmama Looks like my Free T3 is high 😑

[Witchmama in reply to MeganMN]

Different things can affect your free T3 results. Your thyroid levels naturally change throughout the day. A single "off" reading isn't enough to give you a complete picture. Also it should always be looked at with the rest of your thyroid markers as well. So free T3, free T4, TSH, reverse T3, TPO antibodies, Tbab antibodies. A full workup to assess thyroid function would also include iron labs, a comprehensive metabolic profile, vitamin D, zinc and selenium. Testing should ideally be the same time of the day under the same conditions. Wishing you health and wellness. I hope your doctor can help you get there.

[Singwell in reply to Witchmama]

That's VERY interesting as I've developed hypothyroidism. But I did have it prior to AF too. Am off it now as in remission but shall reconsider if it starts up again

[secondtry in reply to Witchmama]

Interesting, draws the question how do I bolster my iodide receptors as I have been on 200mgs Flecainide for years?? My thyroid T4 has been trending down over the last 4 years, last year was 10.8 (normal range 9-24) 🤔. Any thoughts welcome?

[Auriculaire in reply to secondtry]

Fluoride is known to provoke hypothyroidism. Epidemiological studies have shown that areas with fluoridated drinking water have higher rates of hypothyroidism. Fluorine is one of the most toxic molecules to humans and in my opinion should not be in any medicines. As it's purpose is usually to improve penetration of the base molecule into the tissues it has the effect of exacerbating any toxicity of the base molecule. Personally I would not take any medicines with fluorine in the molecule.

[secondtry in reply to Auriculaire]

Thank you so much for this heads-up, I was not aware of this issue, first time it has been raised here to my knowledge. Need to do my homework before consulting any medics....who probably won't want to discuss it!!

[Auriculaire in reply to secondtry]

Unfortunately fluorine molecules are in many commonly used drugs and it doesn't seem to bother the medics one little bit. The truth is that most pharmaceuticals are toxic to a greater or lesser degree but some are a good deal more toxic than others. For example beta blockers are ototoxic - how often do we hear about that? The only things in my drug regime that I am comfortable about taking are my oestrogen only HRT patches ( lowest possible dose) and my thyroid meds . This is because these are simply replacing something my body no longer produces in sufficient quantity. The rest I regard as poison to be put up with.

[MeganMN in reply to Auriculaire]

I very much feel this way. We filter our water,. Grow our own food, raise our own animals, buy organic, and that is why I was SO devastated when they could not induce the rhythm for ablation. I am hope, hope, hoping that they will be willing to try again in 3 months. Having to take the medicine makes me so sad. I am seeing a Naturopath Friday and hoping they can weigh in....

[Witchmama in reply to secondtry]

If your doctor isn't willing to discuss your concerns, then you need a new doctor. At the very least he/she should listen to you and offer to get more information and explain his/her understanding to you.

[secondtry in reply to Witchmama]

Here in the UK the GP surgery system is unrecognisable compared to 5 years ago. I have long been unhappy with the service and started the process of finding a reliable integrative medical doctor who will look at root cause. I am fortunate I can afford it but don't know how long for!!

[Vonnegut in reply to Witchmama]

Thank you for your very interesting post. I am taking Flecainide 100mg twice daily but last night an AF episode started around 30 minutes after taking my evening pill, though my heart rate was not very fast - mostly in the 90’s- I have a Kardia so I can check my heart when it feels weird after checking my pulse. After another as PIP and a Bisoprolol 2.5, (as I wanted to get to sleep), things settled back too normal.in a couple of hours. The doctors at our surgery have never checked up on me- I just get a phone call every two months or so ( it was supposed to be every three weeks at first). But I had been out to local events in two if the last three evenings so perhaps that had over excited my heart! I had thought these break through episodes were the result of getting a different make of flecainide but now I have the original make!! My doc seems to give the impression that at 79, Iam lucky to still be alive!!!

[Witchmama in reply to Vonnegut]

Sounds to me like you are living life! It is so sad where healthcare has gone. Many clinics designate 15" per patient. That is not enough time!

[Vonnegut in reply to Witchmama]

My phone calls last about that long but mostly it’s just a chat! I did get him to agree that we are all different which is unusual!!

[MeganMN]

Interesting. That is super fascinating! I try not to consume much fluoride in water, food, or otherwise, so it actually makes sense that I may be more sensitive to that as I have had that reaction to things in the past. I spoke with the office today and the EKG was okay, but they want me to try pulling back to 75mg per day and see if that helps. I suspect I may need to try something different. I did not know that about the Fluoride. Thank you SO much for sharing.

[Ppiman]

I certainly understand feeling the way you do, but I seem to get this naturally or from the arrhythmia itself. It's most unpleasant. If you can put up with a drug side effect, and if it is a genuinely from the drug, then it will almost always go away as your body becomes accustomed to it. However, having had awful side effects from some drugs once that did not go away until I stopped taking them, I would keep vigilant and in touch with your surgery.

Steve

[RichMert]

Too my knowledge, Flecanide is best used as a 'pill in pocket' for use with PAF. I was put on a regular dose prior to AF Ablation and although it seemed to help with the PAF, one side effect was that I felt incredibly ill every evening having taken the drug in the morning. It felt like bad indigestion but was possibly atrial flutter. I did the A-Z of beta blockers and tablets to find the right one.

[secondtry in reply to RichMert]

Flecainide making you feel ill: It is not for everyone but just in case, are your sure you are taking it 3hrs+ after a meal and then not eating for 1hr+ after swallowing?

Flecainide PIP: I wanted to take it PIP but my cardiologist said that was 'too much of a rollercoaster' for the heart which needs to settle. I guess he was right as have had no trouble on 200mgs for 10 yrs.

[secondtry]

My experience was the same in the early days after diagnosis on 200mgs Flecainide.

However 10 yrs on with the same dose plus many many lifestyle changes all that has gone.

I suggest persevere and read up on info here and elsewhere as much as possible.