stopping Flecanide

[Duckey]

Is it safe to stop flecanide suddenly? I take 50mg twice a day with 2.5 bisprolol.

My heart rate dropped very low last evening with a afib episode. Is it safe to stop taking flecanide ?? Do you have to taper off are stop suddenly??

[BobD Volunteer]

You really should not do anything without instruction from your arrhythmia team.

[jeanjeannie50]

Under the instruction of a cardiologist I was told to stop Flecainide immediately, as it was causing problems that could be seen on my ECG. No one on this forum can advise you what to do as our hearts all beat so differently. Why not have a chat with your GP or cardiologist, you could even ask to speak to one of your cardiologists AF nurses. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

[Duckey in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you…

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to Duckey]

Hi

But Flec is an anti-arrhymnic. Bisoprolol more likely to br the culprit.

Your Dr can reduce this medication to control BP and others say it brought down their heart rate.

What is low? Do you feel dizzy, faint or unsteady?

At 51 I didn't wish to feel like that unable to drive so my CCB Diltiazem was reduced from 180 to 120 as was my bisoprolol down to 2.5.

cherio JOY. 75 (NZ)

[Debjimmay in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I was wondering what the problem was that they saw on you EKG that the Flecainide was causing?

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Debjimmay]

My ECG while on Flecainide read :

Atrial flutter with variable AV block with premature ventricular or aberrantly conducted complexes

Left axis deviation

Low voltage QRS

Abnormal ECG

Once I stopped the Flecainide and having an ECG many months later my results were:

Undetermined rhythm

Otherwise normal ECG

[Debjimmay in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you for explaining your EKG results while on Flecainide. I’m on 100 mg of Flecainide 2xday. My dr. took an EKG 2 weeks after starting Flecainide and said the result was normal. I’m having more etopics and bouts of Afib than ever. I’ve tried going back to 50 mg of Flecainide but it’s not helping. I go to the EP doctor in two weeks. I’m hoping he can figure out what we can do to get these topics under control because my quality of life is steadily going downhill.

[July30]

Yes its fine as long as your cardiologist tells you .I stopped 300m a day in one go felt bit funny for few days but it passed all was fine and I was better off with out them after taking them for 10 years .

[Duckey in reply to July30]

Thank you

[Vonnegut]

Sounds like it’s the Bisoprolol. The lowest dose of 1.25 mg was too much for me to take daily as it brought my heart rate down to the low 40s - the pharmacist who showed more interest than the doc checked my pulse after only three days taking it and told me to stop and the doc agreed!

[Tapanac]

as I’m now in permanent afib my EP told me to stop flecainide as he said no point taking it if not working. (As you probably know flecainide is a rhythm control drug and bisoprolol rate control so probably bisoprolol is the pill making your heart rate so low. Ask to cut down for 1.25?)

Anyway my EP cut off the phone call before I could ask him stop suddenly or wean off. I wrote to his Secretary no answer snd also tried to call him back no luck

So asked my GP snd he said ok to stop suddenly. A few days later I had to go for CT scans as have tumour in pelvic area and cardiologist came along saying no need for cardiologist presence usually as CT scans were ok with pacemakers, but there had been a few alerts on the monitor.

Anyway when asking if I was on same meds as my notes I said yes but was stopping flecainide as permanent afib and GP said to stop straight away snd he replied no no no must wean off them it would be (in layman’s terms) too much of a shock to the heart as I had been on them for so long

Soooo needless to say I am still on them as seeing someone else about that matter and also my tumour snd the cancer blood test which should have been under 34 snd was over 100 which I was told wasn’t a good prognosis despite the scan results showed no evidence of malignancy of the tumour?!?!?

Sorry for the long message but hope you get sorted out sooner than I have

All the best… pat

[Duckey in reply to Tapanac]

Thank you so much. I talked with my doctor and he said half the dose for a few days and then stop. Good luck with your treatment.

[Tapanac in reply to Duckey]

Glad that you are sorted and I hope all goes well

[Tapanac in reply to Duckey]

As they are taken twice a day, is that just take one at night or morning or try to cut in half night and morning?

I still haven’t received any answers from any doctors as to what to do

[meadfoot]

Please contact your electrophysiologist or cardiologist. They are the only ones who know your history. I would be guided by them only. Take care and best wishes.

[Abbyroza]

I did, with no side effects at all. Better still: my AF stopped.

[Duckey]

That is great!!