small dose of flecainide

[yzmd]

Has anyone cut 50 mg flecainide in half and been on 25 mg twice a day? I have had shortness of breath since being on 50 mg twice a day for 9 months and the doctor told me to try 25 mg instead.

[Bagrat]

This probably won't help but guess it might For about 5 years till 2016 I was on 100mg twice a day. I'd only ever had 3 protracted episodes a month apart but nothing stopped the first or second after various drugs except cardioversion about 18 hrs after the first very fast episode started. The second but stopped on it's own as I waited on CCU for cardioversion later that day ( how timeshave change)

Anyway 2016 I was getting runs of tachycardia for no reason, didn't feel irregular or last long, so flec very slowly at my insistence reduced to 50mg .

2020 again started with the same. Saw cardiologist who said most people needed more than 50mg so put itback up to 100mg ( for more or less same reason it was reduced by GP!)

All that has changed really is that I cope with the episodes ( up to 10 mins sometimes irregular) with a much more measured approach and although tired after, am not as concerned. My follow up appt scheduled for Dec 20 finally happened Jan 22 and cardiologist discharged me again.

I cut 100s in half, in fact to start with I took more than half when I was first reducing ( they're my security blanket!) and then swapped to 50s.

It would be interesting to ask a pharmacist what they thought.

[mjames1]

Yes. Not as protective as 50, but 25 mg twice a day has helped me quite a bit. I did see a study a while back and it was something like 40% effective vs 55% for the 50, but that is just from memory.

Jim

[secondtry]

Are you sure the breathlessness doesn't come from another drug you may be taking to accompany the Flecainide.

[yzmd in reply to secondtry]

The only other drug I am taking, in the morning only, with Flecainide is 12.5 mg metoprolol succinate.

[secondtry in reply to yzmd]

Oh...you might be eligible to join our very exclusive club that takes Flecainide without CC or BBs!!

[Bagrat in reply to secondtry]

Can I join??

[Speed in reply to Bagrat]

I’m an honorary member too - BBs crucified any attempt at exercise so in consultation with EP, and to improve QOL, we dropped the Bisoprolol. Never looked back!

[secondtry in reply to Speed]

Wooah...this club is becoming too large, we need a new constitution!!

[secondtry in reply to Bagrat]

You're in!!

[Bagrat in reply to secondtry]

How kind. I trust no need for more committee members though, I'm learning late in life to say NO.

[secondtry in reply to Bagrat]

🤣🤣🤣

[Jamesar in reply to yzmd]

I take 12.5MG of metoprolol also but I take it at bedtime.

[Redmakesmehappy in reply to yzmd]

Flecainide 50 mg twice daily made me extremely short of breath. Told my EP but he either didn’t care or didn’t believe me so after couple miserable years, I stopped taking it regularly. I will use as a PIP if needed but so far a extra tiny piece of my beta blocker, which I still take and have for 40 plus year for my fast heart rate from Graves Disease, has put me back in NSR. I do take Eliquis as well. I feel much better without it.

[Adiepie]

one tiny problem, flecainide tablets don’t cut very well, be prepared for having bits everywhere!

[Jctga]

Yes. I was instructed to take 25 mg (half a 50 mg) Flecanide due to side effect of fatigue on 50 mg twice daily. They are difficult to cut but it solved my problem.

[Pollyfuffles]

I had Flecainide as a PIP for a couple of years, with varying success. My consultant decided I would benefit from having 50mg twice daily. I ended up back in hospital with a bp of 78/67 and a heart rate of 46. I realise I was probably unfortunate. I do have other medical problems and am 79 years old, but Flecainide is off the menu for me.

[OzJames]

yes I cut mine down to 25mg and felt less lethargic. It does crumble so I purchased a jewellery scale from Amazon or EBay it’s about $20 and is accurate. They give you a small 20gram weight to check measure

[Brandue]

I take 200 mg daily at 50 mg tabs I cut them in half and take it 8 times a day. 50 mg makes me to light headed 25 mg doesn't bother me