Anyone get shortness of breath (SOB) from Flecainide and/or Diltiazem -- not right away, but months later?
For the first six months on both drugs, I had no SOB. For the second six months I had SOB. Now that I stopped both drugs, it seems better.
Could be a coincidence, but looking for group experiences. Thanks.
Jim
I haven't noticed SOB on Flecainide, but it does make we want to drink more water. Is that due to the kidneys working harder?
Hi Jim, never been on Diltiazem so no advice on that one personally but people I know who have had it got headaches not SOB. I’ve been on Flecainide almost year & and a half, no SOB from that (any SOB I’ve had I’ve know what it was eg asthma, Bisoprolol too high or BP meds too high). I hope you find out the reasons and manage to get on a suitable medication.
Thanks!
I took both for about a year before 1st ablation, 2 x 50 mg Flec and 180 mg Diltiazem with no problems…
I took Flecainide 300mg a day for 10 years with no side effects, and no SOB. I have never been prescribed Diltiazem.
Hi Jim,
I have been on both, each 50mg morning and night for just over 6 months.
I sense a breathing issue but can't really describe it. Perhaps breathing is more difficult?
My wife tells me I have become a heavy breather.
Robert
IDid you notice the SOB as soon as you started both, or did it take some weeks or months for it to happen? For me, the SOB was more apparent like when getting out of bed in the morning, or doing housework, but ironically not so bad when I went for fast walks.
Jim
Diltiazem made me short of breath.
It also put a limit on my HR of 137 bpm when running and 140bpm when I developed Atrial flutter ( which was good) . I suspect the reduced HR is what makes you feel breathless.
Interesting thought about the lower HR. I wish I could work out at 140bmp. How old are you?
Jim
I am 63 now, i was 57 when I went on Diltiazem and I only stopped on it for 10.5 months , which was 4.5 months past my ( succesful) PVI CRYO ablation .
Hi
Strangely my lower H/R Day of 60s is better on my walking further by 100% and down from 80s-90s when I started Diltiazem. I had a H?R Day avge of 156. on large dose of Bisoprolol.
Change on Diltiazem 120mg. Now 60s.
Always 47 H/R Avge on 24-hr monitor at night.
cheri JOY
Difficuly to remember now but I think it did happen gradually but over a short period. I first noticed it going up stairs at work which are a lot longer than the stairs in my home. I did not go breathless on the stairs but at the top or 20 seconds after I suddenly went breathless like a delayed reaction . Almost like i had held my breath up the stairs and had then started breathing. It was the same when I was running, i just went straight out of breath and had to slow down until I got my breath back, and no matter how I tried I could not get my HR above 137. Which as i said is fair enough as it was rate control!
I think the daily 200mg of modified release was too much for me.
I got brain fog off them as well which also did not happen straight away but took weeks of gradually getting worse.
Hi Jim
Flecainide, which I took for many years, certainly gave me shortness of breath on exertion. Since stopping it I've found that I can now walk fast again.
Jean
Thanks Jean, Did you feel the SOB right away after starting the Flec, or after awhile? In my case, I didn't really notice SOB for several months.
Jim
I really don't know when I first noticed my shortness of breath, but have certainly had it since going into constant AF almost 4 years ago. Looking back it may have been the length of time I'd been taking Flecainide. I haven't been able to walk really fast for years. Don't forget I've had AF for 18 years, that's a long time to have to remember what happened when.
After my last ablation, think it was 6 or 7 years ago my EP almost begged me to do my best to come off of Flecainide. I got the feeling he really didn't like it. I had my covid and pneumonia for the first few months after stopping. I would say that it's only the last few months that I've been able to walk fast again. I must say that I've also over the last few months started taking Taurine.
There's no doubt though that Flec was causing great problems for me according to my cardiologist. It wasn't one that I'd seen before and I think he may have been a retiree who returned to help out with patients after covid. He was a really sweet older man, probably 70ish, just took one look at my ECG and said you can stop taking Flecainide for a start as that seems to be causing more problems than helping. He was right and there was me who'd been singing it's praises, thinking it had kept my pulse lower. My pulse is actually still much the same 60-90bpm. can't complain at that rate.
Jean
Hi
I got shortness or breath from all doses of Metoprolol. Stopped as soon as went onto Bisoprolol.
I had trouble with cough taking IMBRICE an Ace inhibibitor.
No problems with Diltiazem 120mg.
Never taken Flecainide.
cheers JOY. 74. (NZ)
Yes I'm.on Diltiazem.180mg and I've noticed shortness of breath. Was ok on the 120mg but now it's been.upped there's a definite difference. Thought I was gonna die on Flecainide so I don't take it anymore as it doesn't agree
I took Flecainide for two years and was short of breath and so did my friend , so they took me off from it and I DO FEEL better!
Thanks. Were you short of breath right away after taking it, or did it take awhile? In my case, it took a few months till I got short of breath. Now that I'm off of it, feeling better.
Jim
Are you on another meds for AFIB? I have been off Flecainide since last October and now a little afraid to start a new one! IDO have AFIB every two days, do not like it but once it leaves I FEEL good! So now the question is do I TAKE another meds or not! Multaq did not work out for me!
I took Flec for a year and it kept me out of afib, but may or may not have caused SOB, not sure yet. Just went off of it 10 days ago after my ablation. I still plan on using it as a PIP if I go into afib, however not so sure I would go back on it daily. There are several other anti-arrhytmic's but not that familiar with them. Amiodarone is the one that scares me because of potential long term side effects.
Jim
It was a few months also and my friend that takes it has the same problem but she has continue to take it, she has been on it for 4 years! I also had to get off Flecainide because around my heart it was starting to get a thicking but said it was mild but had to get off the medication! They said that high blood pressure was the cause! I AM on medication for that too , now it seems to be okay! I DID not feel good at all taking Flecainide and was on it was a year and a half and was happy he took me off!
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