Paroxysmal atrial fribulation

[Aprilla12345]

Hi all me again still in the same place on. Meds I don't tolerate well ie bisoprolol and digoxin showing irregular heart beats eptopicsand triples so while waiting my July appointment for ablation disscution with the cardio surgeon I decided to take aa hit of. Money and have a private consultation which has helped have more tests comming and possibly being put on flecancide any one else been put on this as it seems potent

[mjames1]

I was on daily Flecainde for about a year. It pretty much got rid of my afib episodes as well as ectopics. Hopefully it will work for you as well.

Just let your doctor know that you're very sensitive to drugs and maybe they can start you on a minimum dose of 50mg 2x/day which is what I took initially. In fact at one point I was down to 25mg 2x/day which required splitting the pill and approval from my doctor since anything below 50 mg is sometimes considered subtherapeutic.

I tolerated the flecainide very well except for the first week or so where I actually had more arrhythmias, but then things quiet down and remained that way.

Good luck and try not to stress too much. Flecainide has been a very good drug for many of us here.

Jim

[Thomas45]

I took Flecainide for 12 years, started at a dose of 50mg x 2 a day, which over two years was increased to the maximum dose of 150mg x 2 a day. I was free of episodes except for 1 or 2 ten-minute episodes a year just before I was going to bed. After about 12 years I was found to be in persistent, though asymptomatic, AF, and my Flecainide was stopped by the medics, just stopped, not weaned off it. Just stopping didn't cause any problems. As I'm also asthmatic I was not prescribed a beta blocker with it.I consider my AF is permanent. I respect that I have it, but it causes no problems.

[priya_uk in reply to Thomas45]

Hi Thomas45 thanks for sharing your experience. After your AF became persistent did doctors put you on any other meds like digoxin as you don't tolerate beta blockers. My dad is asthmatic as well and his AF is persistent now so interested to know your experience as it will help conversation with doctors.

[Thomas45 in reply to priya_uk]

Yes and no. A consultant offered to put me on a Calcium Channel Blocker, Diltiazem. As my heart rate was/is within the normal range (60 to 100bpm), I couldn't see a point, as Diltiazem, I was told, was for heart rates of 120+. I got the impression that the consultant, not an EP, felt that he was failing in his job if I didn't take something for the AF. I have access to a GP who specialises in Arrhythmias, including AF. I asked the Consultant to discharge me to the care of my GPs, which he did. My medical centre gives me annual blood tests and bp tests. I have an ECG now and again, the last ti,e when I had a sudden allergic reaction to stale tobacco smoke on a friend's clothes.

If I feel that my regime of just an anticoagulant isn't working, I can always ask specialis GPs, and or be referred to a consultant. I am now 79.

[priya_uk in reply to Thomas45]

Thank you for sharing your experience, really useful information. Your GP seems very good. All the best and wishing you good health.

[southkorea]

a very strong drug which played havoc with my stomach so stopped it!

[TenorJK]

I was on Flecainide for years first as a pip 1996 and over the years increased to daily 2 x 50 then 2 x 100 until 2020 when I had a pacemaker and 2022 pace and ablate I am very sensitive to most meds but I tolerated Flecainide fine It was stopped immediately after I had Pace and ablate also diltiazemn I now take irbesartan for BP only Bp med I could tolerate. I am 85yr.s Don’t forget we are all different but that was my experience good luck

[Aprilla12345 in reply to TenorJK]

Thx for the information

[SamAdmin]

Good morning Aprilla12345

Thank you for your post on the Atrial Fibrillation support forum.

Hopefully someone in the group who has been put on the same medication will be able to advise you.

Kind regards

SamAdmin

[Aprilla12345 in reply to SamAdmin]

Thanks lots of help comming in

[Tues]

originally I was on 2.5mg bisoprolol , lowered to 1.25mg due to low HR, weakness, fatigue, generally couldn’t function properly day to day. Then changed to 1.35mg of nevibilol which enabled me to function better. I persevered for couple of months then decided this was no sort of life. GP changed beta blockers to calcium channel blocker (verapamil 1.25mg). What a difference! Feel like my old self. HR normal again. I was concerned that it wouldn’t help me during an AFib episode but I’m currently in hour 13 of an episode and it’s working. In fact I’d say I’m feeling the best I ever have during an episode! Waiting to self convert now. Hope this information helps.

[Aprilla12345 in reply to Tues]

I am on 1.25 mg bis am as well as .060 digoxin am very lethargic during the day and ectopic at bed time verapamil..gave me no rate control and ectopics digoxin on its on was hell so the combination of bisoprolol and digoxin just gets me through nhs are wanting to give me ablation as no other meds offered so I went private waiting heart monitor to assess issue then maybe flecinde we will see

[Tues in reply to Aprilla12345]

I hope you feel better soon.

[Aprilla12345 in reply to Tues]

Thanks lots of info from everybody really helpfull

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

If your heart shows abnormality in structure it's a no to flec, ablation and cardioversion.

I found the right meds and doses with a private h/special.

24-hr heart monitor on each med/s will show up problems with the meds. As I had one at a time it was easy to see which one the best.

I take CCB Diltiazem 120mg AM to control Day h/rate

BB Bisoprolol 2.5mg PM to control my BP

It might be you are not taking your meds right. AM separating the other PM.

cheri JOY. 75. (NZ)

[Karendeena]

I was put on this at first but it caused more arrythmia in me so swapped to Sotalol which was ok but still had breakthrough episodes. Still on it at the moment but hoping to reduce or come off it altogether has I had an ablation in March this year.

[Aprilla12345 in reply to Karendeena]

Thanks interesting

[Karendeena in reply to Aprilla12345]

It can cause proarrythmia in some people, I guess I was one of the unlucky ones but it seems to be a good drug for a lot of people. Flecainide and Sotalol are both very potent drugs and can only be prescribed by cardiologists. I understand they have 'black box' warnings. You have to weigh up the risks and benefits and follow the guidance of your cardiologist/EP they will do what they believe is best for you.I had my ablation in March and although I have had a few ups and downs during recovery, so far I have no regrets. I have a private follow up appointment on the 8th of July so I suppose that will be the testing time.

[Aprilla12345 in reply to Karendeena]

Good luck and thanks

[lifts984]

I have had AF for 15 years and Flecainade was prescribed after bad experience with BB , so to start with I took 2 a day but I felt my libido was effected , so now I take as an when I think I need my heart to return to normal , ie after 15 hours out , it usually works and docs happy with how I use them , good luck

[Vonnegut]

The lowest dose of Bisoprolol proved too much for me to take daily after only three days. As the surgery didn’t come up with anything else, as I’ve recounted here before, we found a lovely EP through the AFA website, who we saw privately. Then after he’d introduced me to having a smart phone and a Kardia and I’d sent him a trace of my heart in AF, he sent a prescription for Flecainide to take as. Pip, which I did until as episodes increased I was told to take it daily. Now on 100mg twice daily I haven’t had an episode for well over a year and that one ended with an extra pill as a pip must have arrived around the time I must have been infected with covid with no other symptoms but a positive test!!

[Aprilla12345 in reply to Vonnegut]

Ah thanks