stopping Flecainide

I have been taking 2 x Flecainide 50 mg daily, plus Bisoprolol, for 4 weeks, to address AF episodes while travelling overseas. I had enjoyed ten months AF-free, following a second ablation. Is it usual to reduce the Flecainide dose gradually when coming off this medication?

[BobD Volunteer]

I think that advisable.

[baba]

Ep stopped mine no reduction.

[nikonBlue in reply to baba]

My EP said no more Flecainide after ablation in March however cardiologist at the local hospital said I shouldn't have been taken off just like that when I went into a really horrible episode after a few days. Ended up back on the Flec for a month......still get flutters but on the whole all is manageable now...fingers crossed!

Blue x

[bean_counter27]

It's usually a question for the Dr who prescribed your medication as he/she would know your full circumstances.

[OzJames]

my cardiologist said after only 4 weeks on Flecainide it is short enough to stop with no taper. inwas too nervous to stop suddenly. I tapered over the next week. It was my own method not his! so no medical advice on this effort! Initially I cut in half for a couple of days then I went without the morning dose and took the evening dose for a couple of days. Then I skipped the next day and felt ok the morning after so I stopped. I guess see how you feel as you go along.

[secondtry]

Never done it but I don't know of a downside to tapering slowly.

[Tplongy]

I just stopped my dose immediately under instruction from cardiologist, no side effects for me from doing so. Hope you figure out what’s best for you, doing it gradually certainly can’t harm.

[JPLivin]

Hi Waverto, I can not speak on that specific medication… But I was on 120mg x 2 daily of Sotalol before, during and after my Ablation. It was absolutely horrible, Severe Pain, Insomnia and Brutal Nightmares…

After 3 months my Doctor switched me back to Bisoporol 5mg 1x Daily.

It was easy switch in that next morning I completely stopped Sotalol and Started Bisoporol…

No doubt I have had some withdrawals as it takes a couple weeks to get out of your system and muscles…

Also, I have taken time off and completely relaxed during this period which I would highly recommend… I am 56 and I needed it!

So good luck and be good to yourself during transition…

Cheers!

Johnny

[MacGrumphy]

I have been taking 5 mg of Bisoprolol daily for over twenty years. I am now eighty-one years old and attacks of AF have increased from three or four to around twenty a year since 2020. I was warned many years ago that this was likely to happen as I got older. However, when I suffer an attack I immediately take an extra 5 mg. and I am usually back in sinus rhythm within 3-4 hours.

[babayaga]

I know nothing about coming off Flecainide, was given it years ago, and even after an ablation I was not told to come off it. I'm prescribed 4 / 50mg a day, not noticing any side effects, but if I take less than 3, I get a bit of a heart murmur. Also take Candesartan, Bisoprolol and Apixaban (blood thinner). Perhaps I should ask the doctor??

(might be that the AF has got worse because it wasn't recognised when I had to go to hospital several times, years ago -- goodness knows why!!)