just started 50mg flecanide twice a day

[Cubedo5]

How long does it take your body to adapt to the new medicine? as on day 5 and dont feel that well - but i've not had any AF or SVT since taking it. Before this i was on 1.25 bisoprolol which was dropping heart rate to low 40 - perhaps my body is just taking a while to adapt to a higher heart rate - has anybody else had this?

[Paulbounce]

Hi Cudedo.

I was much the same when I started on flec. It takes maybe about a month for your body to adjust to it ~ less for some people. 50mg is pretty much standard as a 'starter' dose and your cardio will likely increase it to 100mg in a month or so. That depends of course on how well you tolerate it.

It is effective and works for many. Don't be tempted to take more than the prescribed dose ~ I did this and ended up in Flutter. It was very stupid of me to do this.

Good luck with it.

Rgds Paul

[Cubedo5 in reply to Paulbounce]

thanks for the update

[secondtry]

I was on Fleacinide only 50mgs x2 daily for 1 month, which was not sufficient to stop AF. I then requested I try 100mgs x2 rather than the offered ablation and that worked. Although I felt pretty weird for 3 months and after that fine for 11 years. It is not essential to take the Bisoprolol (particularly if it effects QOL) if you are relatively fit with a lowish HR - but you must discuss this with your cardiologist before dropping it as most medics prefer to prescribe it as a 'belt and braces insurance policy'.

[Afbiff]

Hi Cubedo, my cardiologist started me on bisoprolol which lowered my heart rate to the mid 40s but didn't stop the atrial fibrillation, I felt weird and spaced out.

After about a month the cardiologist added 50mg flecainide twice daily which didn't stop the af but I didn't have any side effects. Then I was put on 100mg flecainide twice daily and the af stopped altogether but I was dizzy and had double vision, which was not good. I lasted only two weeks like this and spoke with my gp, to chat about the information we'd had from the cardiologist.

My gp then asked when most of my af events took place, which was during the daytime, and he suggested trying 100mg flecainide in the morning and 50mg flecainide in the evening. This dosage of flecainide has worked a treat and took no getting used to. I don't notice the side effects of bisoprolol any more either.

So, I am now taking apixaban, bisoprolol and flecainide 100mg in the morning and then apixaban and flecainide 50mg at night. This has kept me af free for six years now and the side effects of flecainide are rarely noticeable except in very cold weather when I'm out for a walk during the day and I feel as if my eyes are trying to catch up with each other, but it's minor and doesn't last long. Well worth it to be free of af for so long, fingers crossed!

By the way, bisoprolol lowered my heart rate, but flecainide hasn't made any difference to it, it's still in the mid 40's.

Good luck on your journey

[Vonnegut]

I had to stop taking 1.25mg Bisoprolol after only three days as it brought my heart rate down too low as it seems to have done with you. The pharmacist had been concerned though the doc who prescribed it didn’t even arrange a follow up appointment! That was how I came to consult the AFA site and found the EP who prescribed Flecainide for me to take as a PIP after he had introduced me to having a smart phone and Kardia and I had sent him a reading of my heart in AF. As episodes increased I was prescribed the dose you are on and then as episodes still occurred it was upped to 100mg twice daily. Then as my heart behaved when I forgot the first dose of the day, I have been taking 50 mg am and 100mg pm, at my suggestion. It has virtually put an end to episodes for me. I was in my mid 70s when my AF journey started and we are all different but I hope you find what works for you.

[Afibflipper]

I started on 100 twice daily. I took a good few weeks to get used to it. I felt so bad, (if I recall correctly I was about day 5 as you say, I called EP who said I could stop but the AF would likely return. I felt so bad, I did stop it then wished I hadn’t. Af felt worse (I was kept on Bisoprolol as well) so I went back on it, gave it time to settle. I just rested, moved slowly when necessary. It did change the AFib to flutter but I did eventually get used to it (still on it, with bisoprolol, 3years later. The flutter was ablated, but I’ve been kept on it as prophylactic for AFib return. It has returned twice in 3 years for 8weeks then self converted back to NSR - currently doing ok. Maybe, if it’s tackled your arrhythmias & depending on your HR so that’s ok - perhaps rest & sit it out or contact your consultant just to check

[Ppiman]

Do you have a home ECG device like an Apple Watch or similar? One of the side effects of this rather strong cardiac drug is to cause a widening of the time it takes for the heart to react to the initial pulse from the atrial pacemaker. This makes what is called a wide QRS to show on an ECG. If you have this, email an example of the ECG to the specialist's secretary and ask for advice.

Given the potential for more serious side effects with the drug, rare as they are, I would definitely either do the above or phone your GP and discuss the matter asking for an ECG to be performed in the surgery.

Steve

[Cubedo5]

Had 3 further episodes now been put on 1.25 bisoprolol with the flec feeling shaky and dizzy how long does it take to adjust. Also been put forward for EP Study hopefully suitable for ablation