Flecainide side effects etc???

[EireCara]

Hi Everyone, I got a phone call from the cardio I saw in Dublin last week to say that he will contact my local hospital and arrange for me to be admitted for 2/3 days to be started on 'flecainide'.

Iv been reading up on this drug and its frightening me a bit, as there seems to be a high instance of it causing more arrhythmias or worsening of existing ones. A couple of articles Iv read also say there is an increase insidence of cardiac arrest.

Does anyone here have any knowledge of this drug as to whether its safe or not (I know there are risks with every drug)!!!

Does anyone on this site take 'flecainide' for a.fib.?

Is it in the same class as amiadrone (III)?

Thank you.

 

[Guest]

I took Flecanaide for a-fib post op. The Heart Rythm cardio said the drug can cause other rythm problems but because I was also on metoprolol, 25 mg daily, I should not have to worry about it. I was not admitted, just given a prescription of 50 mg tabs twice a day.

I'm off of flecanaide now because it was causing migraine headaches for me, at least twice a week. I would get the full-blown aura, sometimes the headache, sometimes just the aura. I am now on metropolol XL, 25 mg and all aura and headaches are gone.

 

[MaryC]

Hi Jacqui,
I had an issue with a-flutter a few weeks after my surgery and the cardiologist put me on 125mg of flecanide. I had an increased heart rate (126-130 at rest) and had two episodes where I almost passed out. My then cardiologist didn't put me in the hospital when he put on the drug and was not responsive when I called his office about the reaction. My new cardiologist told me he hospitializes his patients for this medication.

 

[briansmom]

I don't have anything to add about the drug, but at least it sounds like they are willing to start putting some effort into helping you. I hope that you will get some good answers from the hospital. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[kfay]

Jacqui, I'm so glad someone is doing something to help you. I don't know anything about the drug, but I hope it makes you feel better. Good luck and keep us updated.

Kim

 

[MaryC]

Jacqui,
I third what Deanne and Kim said - I'm glad your doctor is doing something to help you. Other folks on this site have not had issues with flecanide. My complaint was more with my cardiologist not hospitalizing me like most cardios when putting patients on a new heart rhythm drug and his lack of responsiveness. The fact that you will be hospitalized makes a big difference.

 

[EireCara]

Thank you all for your replies so far.

Iv been reading a lot about a.fib today and on the ''a.fib'' site it siad that flecainide should only be use for paroxysmal (occasional) a.fib (I get it every day) and it should not be used on a person with structural problems with their heart.

I have moderate MV reg/prolaplse and moderate tricuspid reg.......would my heart considered 'structurally abnormal' ?? I also have daily chest pain ???

I just want to make sure that I dont end up taking something that makes me worse than I already am, especially as I am not convinced that the docs I am dealing with have a true grasp as to whats going on with me (I would be happy to be proven wrong).

When the young doc rang me yesterday about the new tablet, he said I need to stop taking Dialtzem as It cannot be taken alongside flecianide. So I was a bit anxious about this and I asked him could the a.fib be causing the chest pain,(assuming if the a.fib stopped the chest pain would stop) to which he replied...''I dont know what could be causing that''. eeek.

I will keep on searching for answers!!!! Thank you all.

 

[Kathleen]

Jacqui
I took Flecanide for years without incident for chronic afib. I would certainly not place it in the same catagory as amnio, the side effects are noncomparable. I hope you gain some relief from the afib runs and in turn let the heart muscle relax a bit which should ease the chest pain.
Kathleen

 

[Bridgette]

Thank you all for your replies so far.

Iv been reading a lot about a.fib today and on the ''a.fib'' site it siad that flecainide should only be use for paroxysmal (occasional) a.fib (I get it every day) and it should not be used on a person with structural problems with their heart.

I have moderate MV reg/prolaplse and moderate tricuspid reg.......would my heart considered 'structurally abnormal' ?? I also have daily chest pain ???

I just want to make sure that I dont end up taking something that makes me worse than I already am, especially as I am not convinced that the docs I am dealing with have a true grasp as to whats going on with me (I would be happy to be proven wrong).

When the young doc rang me yesterday about the new tablet, he said I need to stop taking Dialtzem as It cannot be taken alongside flecianide. So I was a bit anxious about this and I asked him could the a.fib be causing the chest pain,(assuming if the a.fib stopped the chest pain would stop) to which he replied...''I dont know what could be causing that''. eeek.

I will keep on searching for answers!!!! Thank you all.

Jacqui, I searched on the Medsafe NZ website for info on Flecainide and they stated that it should not be used in people with certain classes of structural heart disease - however, mitral valve prolapse was not considered to be in the danger category so to speak.
Go ahead and give it a try - I know I was definitely prepared to.
I think they are being very conscientous in admitting you to hospital to oversee the implementation of the new drug. I hope things start to improve for you and that the pain is brought under control.
Remember that manufacturers have to list a drug's side effects - it doesn't mean that you will get any or all of them. Everyone tolerates drugs in a different way - I took Amiodarone with no real side effects.
Stay positive and keep us updated.

 

[EireCara]

Thank you all so much for your replies.

Its about 7am here and Iv already had quite an eventful morning. Woke up with irr hb about 5.30am. I sat up in bed and turned on the radio to distract myself, but it just got worse by the minute. It was as though my heart wanted to race really fast, but the medication blocks it, so it was going really irr, (and quite fast I counted around 110), but every 2nd beat was fluttering....prob the a.fib. I was getting increasingly sob, so I rang my local hospital, who told me to ring ''caredoc'' the out of hours gp. At 6.05 the nurse said ''I am sending the doc out to you because you are very sob''. At 6.50 the doc arrived. By this time I had had to use my nitro spray for chest pain.

Anyway, I mentioned to her that the doc had recommended ''flecainide'' and she said ''oh dear the side effects can be quite ''SEVERE'' it can cause as many problems as it cures''...eeeeek !!!

She said if I was still having chest pain to go on out to the hospital for an ECG but Iv decided to sit with a cup of tea for a while and gather my thoughts....how weird really, Im sitting here with sob and chest pressure/pain (not severe) but Im thinking to myself how just about ANYTHING can become ''normal'' or mabey its that when one is ill most of the time, it becomes difficult to distinguish how one should feel.... or something like that.

Thank you for allowing me once again to ''air'' my thoughts.

 

[Susan BAV]

That's all worrisome. I hope you'll "air" a followup to that post soon. Take care, Jacqui.