just being into hospital with AF and was treated with Flecai

[quote:0bad60ec2d=\"mjr\"]I have has 2 epidoses of AF seven months apart both came on suddenly during the night. The most recent I was treated with IV Flecainide which worked within 10 minutes. I have felt a little sick and 'edgy' over the following 24 hours. I am 45 and usually fit and healthy is there anybody else of my age that has experienced this?[/quote:0bad60ec2d]

Me. I started having AF a few years ago, but the occurrences were few and far between. They started becoming more common and the doctors put me on Flec and a betablocker every day. I have been on that medication now for a couple of years and no problems (touches wood)

regards George

I am 49 years old and I have lone AF. I first got it about 5 years ago. At first my heart returned to normal rhythm within 30 minutes or so. It wasn't until the attacks got longer and that I managed to get to my GP in time for me to go on an ECG during AF that AF was diagnosed.

Over the last 5 years the attacks have got long and longer (between 24 to 36 hours) and become more frequent (average 1 every 3 week). I have currently been prescribed 2 x 100mg flecainide and 1 x 120 adizem per day. The sepecialist said if that didn't work I would have to have an ablation.

I have not taken the flecainide as prescribed but only on the onset of an attack. When this happens my heart returns to normal rhythm after 2 to 3 hours.

I am very physically fit but was quite a heavy drinker. I have reached the conclusion that alcohol is one, if not the main, causes. I ALWAYS get an attack if I binge drink and by binge drink I mean 5 pints of beer or 2/3 bottle of wine or more.

I am currently drinking next to nothing and avoiding eating large amounts of sugar to see if this stops the attacks. I'm trying to take life-style steps to avoid longterm dependency on drugs and to avoid having to have an ablation. The small amount of Flecainide I have taken has not caused me any problems whatsoever but the past experiences of older family members tells me that drug dosage (I'm talking in general here not specifically AF) tends to increase and increase with age. I do not want this.

I hope this is of some help

I am 48 and first experienced AF 17 months ago. It started towards the end of a bad cold. For my first experience, my heart raced for about 8 hours but a week later it started again and it went into fibrilation for 6 days. I was prescribed a betablocker straight away and started on warfarin. I felt as if I had flu and stopped taking the betablocker after five days. My episodes continued until I started on flecinaide. I take two 50mg tablets and am grateful that they work. However if I am late taking them then I start to feel a bit strange. I am not quite in AF but feel I could go if I waited any longer. In fact this odd feeling frequently reminds me that I have fogoten to take my tablets. I hoped to be off the tablets after 6 months but this has not happened. AF is certainly unpleasant and I just wonder what will happen in the future. I have none of the normal causes for AF and rarely drink but my aunt had a bout of AF when she was my age. Could the menapause have any resonsibility I wonder. Has anyone else read that you shoud have an ECG every 6 months or so to check the toxicity effects of flecinaide? I have read this in a book for the medical profesion and on another website. I would really be interested if this is important.

I am 47 years old and had a cardiac ablation done in Boston whilst I was living in the USA about 7 years ago. My problem turned out to be Paroxysmal AFib, requiring ablations around the pulmonary veins. Unfortunately I found this very painful and fainted before all the ablations could be done and so the procedure was halted. Afterwards I was put on Flecainide and Diltiazem. I have not had any obvious side-effects and very rarely have a 'break-through' but when I do it is usually very mild compared to before the ablation; I take an extra dose of Flecainide if I need to and feel an improvement within 30-60 minutes. My excellent American EP cardiologist told me that Flecainide should not be taken if you have heart disease and that it should only be started in a hospital setting. He also said annual checks were important including an echo every few years to check for evidence of heart disease. He advised that I should avoid alcohol and getting dehydrated as these are common triggers. Unfortunately my British GP is not so convinced about the need for annual checks and just churns out repeat prescriptions for me.

Just a quick note after reading these posts.

I am 34 years old, been in the TA 12 years, very fit and am doing IRON MAN UK this year 2010.

First AF was in 2006 after a very heavy beers and spirts night on pop.

Went to A+E and given flecainide on drip - back to sinus.

Since then It has happened a few times and I have got rid of it (back to sinus by steady exertion exercise or cold water bath plunge but on 2 occasions - last one this week have been back to A+E.

Got cardiolgy appointment in feb where they want me to go on regular daily flecainide.I want to go onto pill in pocket (not done that before) and then try and monitor triggers etc....if it carries on happening then I will opt for ablation in a couple of years.

time since last AF = 3 days. before that 3 months, before that 18months ! Crazy !

MY AF has been triggered from jogging, lifting,pull ups,cold water, sprinting.

It always happens when I am away from home and my theory on this is that it is diet related.at the moment I am thinking milk as I live on cereal normally but when I am away tend not to have it at all. Milk is a really good source of body electrolytes so maybe something in that !?!?

anyway...............

oh - flecainide tablet worked in about 2 hours.Drip worked quicker but eyes went blurred and lips went tingly

Hi there, My first bout of A.F. was 09/June/09 then 17/June/09. the first time I was in they gave me a 100j cardio-version. I was told that that should be it and it wouldn't trouble me any more. 8 days later was having a nice walk with my dogs and bang.............. off it went again. This time I got a drip with Amiodarone over an hour. That didn't work, so I was kept in over night to have a second dose of Amiodarone over 11 hours. It took till 02.30 in the morning before it reverted. I was put on Bisoprolol and Aspirin. Been fine until Thursday. Walking around Morrisons and bang............here we go again. The second drop worked again, but I'm now on Bis, Aspirin and Flecainide. I'll keep you posted on how things get on with this new medication. T.T.F.N.

Hi. Just got out of hospital this afternoon after being in af for 11 1/2 hours. This is the third time in a year that I have had lengthy episodes as it has usually been af for 1 - 3 minutes on a daily basis over the past 8 - 10 years. I am a 47 year old female, don't smoke or drink much and am not overweight so unfortunately there are no real triggers that I can pinpoint. It was only after the second episode that I was diagnosed after doctors looked at all the ECG's. After struggling with beta blockers and not being able to sleep, feeling constantly cold, and generally very crabbyI've now been put on flecainide starting at 100 mg a day moving up to 200 mg in 4 days time. I'm curious how the person taking it only at the beginning of an episode is going as I like the thought of not taking this drug long term if I have too (I have an appointment with a specialistend of Oct where they are wanting to do an ablation) but I hate the thought of flecainide and it's side effects. Any one else have any information on taking this drug part - time or eventually getting off it? I'll take the drug as prescribed til I see the specialist but would rather not be on it! Will keep you posted.

HI, i'm 33 years old and have gone into Lone paroxymal Af 4 times in my life starting about 12 years ago and the last time was August 2009. In the early years alcohol was the main trigger so i gave it up completely 5 years ago and have'nt so much had a glass of wine since.

The third time i went into AF i took myself off to the ED and they kept me under obs overnight and then talked about electrically cardioverting me. I asked if they could check with my cardiologist first as that seemed a bit harsh, thankfully he said to give 300mg of Flec and within 2 hours i was going home. Again last year, had to go to the ED department and i asked them for some Flec as i knew it would work, they would'nt listen kept me in overnight and put me on the cardio ward. When the cardiologist came round in the morning i asked if i could have some Flec which he precribed and then again i cardioverted and went home.

For me flec has been a great drug i now have it on prescription and take one 50mg tablet before i play squash every week and thats all i take. i have been told that my episodes shall likely increase as i age and by the time i'm 50 they might be prolonged but hopefully by then ablations shall be an even more precise procedure and i can hope to have a cure. It would be nice to have a drink again one day!!

I'm 35 & after my partial hyst started having more intense AF. Was sent 2 top Cardiologist where drugs & ablation was discussed. I batteled with my decision for 8 months b4 deciding to go ahead with ablation. Took 2hrs and hurt like h___. My dr thought it wld be simple but turned out that my big issue is on rt side of hrt & in a very delicate area. Not only was the procedure very very uncomfortable, it was very expensive $53,000, and felt very wierd for several wks after. I was put on 50mg of Flecinaide to try, but felt exhausted & not able to function. I'm a mom of 2 small kids(5 & 8) and I need to be able to live a normal productive life. My doctor said since I not have episodes all time everyday to just take a pill as needed. He also said if he were to go back in there to fix it wld take 4-6hrs to map the area and seems very risky. More so than 1st time.

Its been 5 1/2 months since 1st ablation & my symptoms coming back. My advice is try meds 1st b4 doing ablations.

I have been having paroxysmal AF for a few years now but recently recurring every 2 days! Not pleasant but Flecainide definitely works. Also am about to try Yoga/TranscendentalMeditation as have been told this may be the abswer to the Par AF (from a friend who had it and now doesn't). Bottom line, I think AF down to stress, induced by alcohol, caffeine and/or excessive excercise, none of which I could give up...but the biggy is stress!!

Hope you all find some way round the condition, it sucks...