A Fib and Flecainide

Well guys I am 4 months post PM implant and had my first
A Fib episode this weekend. It sucked! Lucky for me my EP was on call and at the hospital when I arrived.

I was up and down between 140 and 80 beats per min. Scary stuff.

I got the PM for Vasovagal Syncope and now this crap comes along. They gave me Flecainide and I converted back into sinus rythm.

The EP sent me home with Flecainide 50 mg every 12 hours. Has anyone taken this drug and is it effective. Reading about anti arrythmia drugs scares me.

Help!!!!


6 Comments

A Fib

by Nuka - 2008-12-23 10:12:06

A Fib. is nasty business. I have had it for over 10 years and have found some medications very helpful for a period of time. I have taken Flecainide for about a year and a half now @ 125 mg every 12 hours. It has worked well for me until early this summer when the A Fib went totally out of control for days. I have now been bumped up to 150 mg. @ 12 hours plus Digoxin. Since that increase it is again working well. I have had no side effects with Flecainide whatsoever. I can't say the same f or Digoxin but that's another story.

Don't feel alone in this struggle, A. Fib. is not uncommon. I know it is frightening but I guess it is something we have to learn to live with. If you go to search on the top corner and type in A. Fib you may find some useful information.

Hope this helps a little. All the best to you iand yours n this holiday season.
Nuka

flecainide

by loria - 2008-12-24 01:12:17

I have taken flecainide in the past and didn't have any problems. All I can say is good luck & keep your head up it will get better.

Have a wonderful holiday and be safe.

Lori

Flecainide & AFib

by traeh - 2008-12-24 07:12:10

Hi Malstron

Sorry to hear of your episode of afib - I have had paroxysmal then chronic afib for over 15 years, so been there done that. Flecainide like all anti arrhythmic drugs
is intrinsically pro arrhythmic - in other words it can make things worse rather than better. Drugs have different effects on different people so it would be wise to have regular EGCs to monitor its effect. 50 mg bidaily is quite a low dose.
My pacemaker interrogations have shown no episodes of afib in the past 12 months after chronic afib following pacemaker insertion in 2005. I had been on flecainde since then. I had been having episodes of tachycardia and in a review of my drug regime, the flecainide was withdrawn as it was not surpressing the afib or aflutter.
Almost immediately my heart returned to sinus rhythm.
Coincidence? - possibly, but my money is on the flecainide!
Best of luck and let us know how you get on.

traeh

Could this be a one time episode

by malston01 - 2008-12-24 08:12:08

What are the chances. I mean have people had A fib once and never gone in that rythm again?

A Fib

by thomast - 2008-12-24 10:12:29

The drug I take for A fib is Tikosyn, it one of the newer drugs with less side effects.

Flecainide & A-Fib

by richan - 2008-12-26 06:12:49

Hi Maiston01,
Like traeh, my PM was implanted in 2005 (March) and I have been on Flecainide 50mg - 2x day since then. My PM recorded only one episode of A-Fib since then - I was never aware that it happened. I'm guessing that the Flecainide is working for me. My cardio won't let me get off the Coumadin, though.
Yes, there are a lot of scary kinds of things that can happen and as traeh mentioned, we don't all react the same way to a medication.
I'm convinced that our cardios have to be great diagnosticians and "artisans" working their "craft" in customizing their treatment for each patient.
I just wish we had more "artisans" instead of "technicians".
I do hope that things go well for you.
Peace,
Richan

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It may be the first time we've felt a normal heart rhythm in a long time, so of course it seems too fast and too strong.