flecainide and shortness of breath

[yzmd]

Would 50 mg flecainide in the am and pm cause shortness of breath when walking up the stairs? I also take 2.5 mg metoprolol succinate in the am only. I can walk up 2 flights of stairs with no shortness of breath but it's bad when walking up the 3rd flight of stairs and very bad when walking up the 4th flight of stairs. Before starting on flecainide and metoprolol I was able to walk up 4 flights of stairs with no shortness of breath.

[jeanjeannie50]

The answer to your question, as far as I'm concerned, is yes, it could.

I took Flecainide and Metoprolol for many years and yes it certainly reduced my stamina. I thought I was doing ok and coped by walking a little slower.

Are both of these drugs new for you?

Late last year when I saw my cardiologist he took one look at my ECG and said right you need to come off the Flecainide as it's not helping at all and may even be causing problems. I stopped taking it and now just have 12.5mg of Metoprolol morning and night. I have lots more energy.

The way I really noticed the difference was when I was mowing my back lawn. On Flecainide I would do it in about 4 different sessions with rests in between each one. Without it I can mow it all in one go.

Jean

[BobD Volunteer in reply to jeanjeannie50]

When are you free Jean?

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to BobD]

It's hard life with a dodgy heart isn't it! I don't want to mow my own lawn, let alone anyone else's. Keep thinking of moving to somewhere with less garden to take care of, then I could keep it perfect.

Jean

[BobD Volunteer in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Our big problem is hedges. Mikey did some cutting for us last month and was standing on a pallet balanced on top of the road hedge which is about 12 feet wide! I can just about do an hour a day if lucky but only manage the sides of the hedges with our long pole cutter. We have a huge pile of stuff to burn up on the hillside above the house!

[Sally_Scott in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Get a Gardner honey. Mine mows front and back fortnightly fir £10. Well worth it.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Sally_Scott]

I've got one, but he doesn't do it as well as I do!😅

[yzmd in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I have been on Flecainide for 7 months and had been on 25 mg Metoprolol succinate for about 1 year when the cardiologist lowered the dose to 12.5 mg when 50 mg Flecainide in am & pm was started. I have had an ecg about 4 months ago and the cardiologist didn't say anything about it. At my next appointment I will tell him about the shortness of breath.

[yzmd in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Has anyone had their dose of Flecainide reduced from 50 mg to 25 mg in am and pm? My cardiologist reduced the dose today because the ekg showed that there was a 25% increase in the duration of the QRS complexes in 9 months from when I started 50 mg Flecainide until today. That increase in the duration of the QRS complexes is probably associated with shortness of breath.

[mjames1]

It might. Best to have an ekg to rule out any negative changes because of the Flecainide.

Jim

[secondtry]

That's a lot of stairs. I have no problem with 2 flights of stairs on 200mgs Flec but more and I probably would get a bit breathless; don't push yourself.

I have found over the years since first AF diagnosis that you have to keep trying things until you get the right quality of life. You also have to moderate your exercise. Lastly keep a diary of when the changes started and see your medic once a year for a review with your ECG to hand.

[Sally_Scott]

That’s interesting. I suffer from COPD as well. So have always put my breathlessness down to that. Had a new mitral valve in January and was hoping that would help, but no unfortunately. I have just dropped flecanide to one a day so 🤞that improves my breathing.

[Speed in reply to Sally_Scott]

Have you dropped without consultation? I understand that Flec has short half life hence twice a day and best if body has steady levels. Maybe problematic if taken once a day? Best check with EP before changing meds.

[Sally_Scott in reply to Speed]

Of course I checked with my cardiologist!

[Nodoubt2]

I started Flecainide mid august so only been on it 6 weeks but haven’t noticed any shortness of breath (50 mg BD) . I have noticed my AFib/ ectopic load seems to have massively increased so have now asked my consultant if I can stop it since it seems to be making my arrhythmias worse not better

[dmac4646]

I had problems with shortness of breath on Flec

[Prince123456]

Hi, I take 100mg of Flecainide every 8 hours and cycle between 40 a 70 miles a week and I’m fine. I should ask for an echocardiogram get your ejection fraction checked 🙂

[Redmakesmehappy]

I stopped taking Flecainide. I was very short of breath, had problem swallowing, balance not good, so I just stopped. Feel much better. Having some ectopic but was having them taking Flecainide, had couple short run of A Fib but instead of using Flecainide as PIP, I just took another half of my beta blocker, back in NSR pretty quickly. I am a believer that medication can help one thing but harm something else. So if I don’t feel it is helping me, I stop.