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Flecainide

Posted , 9 users are following.

Mazza44
Mazza44

I have PAF and cannot tolerate long term heart meds. I've been prescribed flecainide as a 'pill in the pocket approach' has anyone had experiences of this drug? 

0 likes, 39 replies

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  • mike78443
    mike78443 Mazza44

    Posted

    Wow, so many people suffering with afib. Been there done that. My doctor told me flecainide is the last resort drug for afib. Its one of the most powerful and one with the most side efffects. I wish you all the best. Some people from what I hear need more that two abalations to make it work. I'm knocking on wood as I write this; i'm 8 months healed since my last proceedure, got 15 months out of my last one. My heart goes out to each of you ... best of luck to you all 
    • Mazza44
      Mazza44 mike78443

      Posted

      Ah thanks Mike what a lovely post! I've tried beta blockers, horrendous nightmares. I've tried diltiazem, hr too low as my afib rarely gets over 100. My normal resting hr has always been around 60. I kept getting pretty syncope symptoms with both the above. I've had no side affects from flecainade to comment on really other than they definately stop the racing heart. A colleague of mine (I'm a nurse) said flecainade was a chemical version of cardioversion
    • jay7196
      jay7196 mike78443

      Posted

      Hi Mike, They told me Amiodarone was the last stop drug and I should be able to take it for 5 years- Have you heard of the WATCHMAN plug to stop stroke?  Good Luck - 
  • gloria31511
    gloria31511 Mazza44

    Posted

    Hi Mazza

    I was prescribed Flecainide to take every day but had to stop because it affect my vision.  I had been on Bisoprolol but that gave me horrendous headaches.  I am now on 120mg of Verapamil every day but still seem to get the palpitations.

    Hope you start to feel better on the Flecainide.

    Gloria

    • Mazza44
      Mazza44 gloria31511

      Posted

      Thanks Gloria, I had option to take 100 mg twice a day or opt for pip approach prefer the latter to be honest, I guess we're all different
    • jay7196
      jay7196 gloria31511

      Posted

      Hi Gloria  - I am now on AMIODARONE 200, since January, and have had very few episodes, had a lot more on the Verapamil. The only drawback is water retention, I have never been this fat in my whole life. 

       

    • pebbalita
      pebbalita jay7196

      Posted

      Jay Glad the amiodrone works for you it scared the heck outta me and I r=then read ALL the negaive comments calling it the murder druh HA sorry bit true on  "web MD "comments about it ,,was not good for me
  • mike78443
    mike78443 Mazza44

    Posted

    You are correct in you statement about flecainide. You all know there are 3 types of afib, you should know which one you have. Mine was persistant, my resting heartbeat was in the 150 and I could race into even higher rates. That's why we all took or take blood thinners to try to keep us from passing a clot: which happened to me and I suffered with a TIA or better known as a minor stroke. Lost the ability to speak for 16 hours; really scary. I'm fine now. Follow your doctors orders take you meds at the same exact time everyday and you'll avoide the TIA. Best of luck to you all 
    • Mazza44
      Mazza44 mike78443

      Posted

      I don't take blood thinners with paf, apparently I don't have all the risk factors, yet.
    • judith85360
      judith85360 Mazza44

      Posted

      I don't want to scaremonger but I was told I was in a low risk group and theN had a major one. I was very fortunate that a colleague noticed and I was five minutes from a major stroke centre and was thrombolysed and had a full recovery. I take Dabigatron which is one of the new ones with no blood testing.
    • Mazza44
      Mazza44 judith85360

      Posted

      Can I ask how old you are judith? I'm 45 and my AF is paroxysmal, plus he said because I exercise and move a lot it makes a difference? I do keep questioning it have to say
    • judith85360
      judith85360 Mazza44

      Posted

      I am 65. I had the stroke 18 months ago. I questioned it just a week before I had the stroke. I am fit and had no contraindications and the doctor was quite patronising when I asked.warfarin had not suited me as my hair fell out so they took me off. I have a friend who takes aspirin for her AF on doctor's advice so perhaps ask about that.
    • gloria31511
      gloria31511 judith85360

      Posted

      Don't you find medical advice confusing?  I moved and my new doctor took me off asprin as he said research had now found there was no point in taking it.  I have paroxymal AF and absolutely nothing seems to make any difference. 
    • judith85360
      judith85360 gloria31511

      Posted

      Very confusing.I think AF is one of those things that there is no simple answer and it is all trial and error.My GP knows little about it .
    • Mazza44
      Mazza44 judith85360

      Posted

      I dread the day I have to go on blood thinners 😕 I'm. Pleased you're ok now though judith x
    • mike78443
      mike78443 judith85360

      Posted

      Ok Judith, go see a heart doctor like a cadiologist or eletro-cardiologist. Your GP is the wrong doctor to see about your heart issue, Afib or Aflutter. Stop wasting your time and see the right kind of doctor for you heart today. If you're not on a blood thinner you need to start taking asprin to help thin your blood or you could have a stroke ... today!
    • mike78443
      mike78443 judith85360

      Posted

      Your are 500 times more likely to have another stroke if you don't get yourself on a blood thinner like today, again you need to see a heart doctor not a gp. I was 58 I think when I had my TIA or mini stroke. Even though I'm cured for now I will always be on a blood thinner like the 81 mg of asprin I take each night. Most stroke happen in the early morning hours so everybody listen up, take your blood thinner at night every night, it may just save you life
    • linda51222
      linda51222 gloria31511

      Posted

      Hi Gloria,

      to right medical advice confusing, I was diagnosed with AF in April put on Bisoporil and clopidogrel, saw cardiologist last week who recommended I go on warfarin and have an ablation even though my echo cardigram showed my heart in perfect order. saw GP yesterday to see if he would change Bisoporil as I was getting lots od side effects, he did ECG said it was perfect and didn't think I had AF and could stop meds. as the warfarin nurses when he asked for app didn't think that i was a good candidate with info they recieved and didn't think I needed it. today is first day without bisoporil and I have had paplitation since lunch time non stop, I am flipping confused .com

    • mike78443
      mike78443 linda51222

      Posted

      You have afib Linda, it can come and go but trust me you have it. Trust your heart doctor. It started with me the same way you just described and it only got worse. Warfarin bee around for 100 years it does the job but you may need a new blood thinner ... but take a asprin today until you go back to your doctor ... Best of luck to you... Mike
    • Mazza44
      Mazza44 linda51222

      Posted

      Apparently you shouldn't stop bisoprolol straight away you should wean off, hence palps. Also with paroxysmal AF it won't always show on ECG as mine didn't for ages, it was a 72 hour tape that caught it. Bisoprolol is the devil of heart meds 
    • linda51222
      linda51222 Mazza44

      Posted

      Hi Mazza,

      thats what I thought, GP said as I had only been on them a short while and it was the lowest dose 1.25mg I could just stop them, well that didn't go well how I am supposed to wean off such a low dose I don't know cut them in half I suppose. my 24hr ECG done in March showed Afib hence the meds, he said the bisoporol was causing or the problems I was experiencing I could have told him that. He also said he didn't think I needed abalation, I will wait for appointment to see consultant that does it and let him decide.it dosen't help that I have autoimmune disease and my body rejects many meds others can take without any trouble.

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