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Does anyone take verapamil and flecainide together?

Posted , 4 users are following.

maria50000
maria50000

I’ve been on verapamil for approx 10 months for ventricular ectopics with some success but not 100%. A few months ago the ectopics came back a lot. My cardiologist has recently prescribed flecainide to take with the verapamil but every where I read about it it says it’s a major drug interaction so I’m worried to take it. Does anyone else take this combination? 

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • matt32455
    matt32455 maria50000

    Posted

    Hi Maria50000,

    Your the fist person I've come across that also 

  • matt32455
    matt32455 maria50000

    Posted

    Hi Maria,

    I'll try responding again, the system kicked me out.

    Your the first person I've come across who also takes flecainide. I've been on it since January as past of a drug combination to try to control my ectopic beats.

    I'm also on the following drugs.

    Asprin, Amlodipine, Simvastatin, Candesartin, and Bisoporol.

    Jan and Feb all appeared to be okay, during March and no woman in April, my ectopic beats are back and causing me many issues again.

    I had an Ablation last November to try and tackle the ectopic beats but due to there location, they couldn't treat them, which hasn't left only a drug cocktail for me.

    I see my consultant again late April and I will ask him about verapamil and flecainide.

    • maria50000
      maria50000 matt32455

      Posted

      Hi Matt. Thanks for your reply. I’m just so worried about taking it with the verapamil. I haven’t started it yet. I had an ablation last March and same as you the ectopics are in the wrong place  so it was unsuccessful! The medication I am on is verapamil,  candestartin and spiroloctone. My consultant clearly told me to take them with the verapamil but the pharmacist was a bit surprised when I said I was on verapamil. I’ve even emailed my heart nurse and she confirmed the consultant knows I am on it. I should trust his judgment but difficult when everything I read indicates you shouldn’t take the 2 together :-( I would be interested to hear what your consultant says. 
  • matt32455
    matt32455 maria50000

    Posted

    Maria,

    Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker, it does the same job as Amlodipine. I take Amlodipine with Flecainide and it did help my ectopics to start with, but now 3 months into the combination, my ectopics are returning as before, possibly slightly more frequent.

    • maria50000
      maria50000 matt32455

      Posted

      You’re probably like me and have good and bad episodes by the sounds of it. They settle slightly for a few months then come back. My consultant says that’s the nature of them :-( perhaps I should just bite the bullet and take the flecainide . I guess if it makes them worse I will stop taking them. The ectopics are a nuisance! No rhyme or reason for them :-( 
  • matt32455
    matt32455 maria50000

    Posted

    Maria,

    i wôuld listen to th consultant and have a go with the tablets. There will be as always some side effects that may upset you, but anything more than standard listed on the box you should seek help for.

    You must also try to stay on them, some side effects settle down after a few months. My early days on Amlodipine were awful, now no issue they appear to be working for me. 

    • maria50000
      maria50000 matt32455

      Posted

      Thanks Matt  I will give them a go and hopefully they will help. I will

      Keep an eye on my bp and pulse and make sure it doesn’t go too low. Fingers crossed. :-) 

  • stephen82271
    stephen82271 maria50000

    Posted

    I have a-fib and have had 2 cardioversions. I have been on flecainide (100 mg. twice a day) continuously since 2013 with enalapril, simvastatin and metoprolol. I was having too much shortness of breath upon exertion (apparently from the metoprolol) and since 3 days ago I have been tapering the metoprolol and taking verapamil (90mg. twice a day). As best as I can tell from my research, while it's unusual, using flecainide and verapamil together might only intensify the side effects of either or both. I noticed almost immediate relief from the shortness of breath upon exertion. I'm looking forward to 10 days from now when I'm off of the metoprolol altogether.   

    • maria50000
      maria50000 stephen82271

      Posted

      Thanks for responding. That sounds very promising and very positive. It’s good to know that other people are on the same combination. I hope the relief from the shortness of breath continues for you :-)
  • stephen82271
    stephen82271 maria50000

    Posted

    From the Mayo Clinic site re: Flecainide

    Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

    Cimetidine

    Digoxin

    Paroxetine

    Propranolol

    Verapamil

    • maria50000
      maria50000 stephen82271

      Posted

      Thank you for this. Very helpful. I don’t think I came across this information when I was looking on the internet.  
  • karenypoo
    karenypoo maria50000

    Posted

    Hi Maria,

    I've been taking Verapamil and Flecainide since 2012. My heart is well under contro. No fibrillation or arrhythmia in the 6 years that I've been taking them. The only problem is they have a lot of interactions with other drugs and foods. It can be challenging at times. If you get a bad headache, either you aren't drinking enough water or you're taking or eating something that interacts with one or both of them. Keep cranberries and black licorice to a minimum. My doctor told me to stay away from advil and aspirin. Tylenol only, but you should ask your doctor about that. Good luck!

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