For how long, has anybody taken Flecainide?

I've been on it for more than a year, 100mg BID, but was getting Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) breakthroughs about 2-4 times per month that would last 6-18 hours, always starting when I was asleep at night. Cardiologist told me to hit another 100mg pill when I got AFib. Worked well until it didn't. Was over in Ireland and had a 6-day episode non-stop, which is just on the borderline of "persistent AFib". That scared me and family, so came back and went to electrophysiologist (EP) and was signed up to get a pulmonary vein isolation ablation. However, my regular cardiologist had put me on 150mg BID when I got back to States. No AFib for last 29 days, which is a record over my 18 months of experience with the disease. Postponed ablation... if this medicine keeps controlling it, will stay on it until I die, without hesitation. Add to my quality of life. Will follow-up if anything changes.

Also, I am not a candidate for ablation.

Oh. My. Gosh. Your statement about how you feel better when you miss a dose blew my mind, because I to have noticed I feel better if I miss a dose. I have been on flecainide for over 10 years for a fib and lately I’ve been wondering if additional problems I’m having or related to my heart meds.

I have been taking it since 2002 after an ablation which came up with 2 Afib and 1 SVT... Dr didn't know what to do so he gave me Flecainide and said to try it out... I took it daily, still had attacks...
finally decided to wait for an attack and then take it and that worked... immediately. I only take it after an attack... I have gone as long as 9 mos w/o an attack but the older I get, the more I have.
I'm 83 now and still take it when needed. Last year I went to heart Dr to see if anything new was being used... he said Flecainide wasn't for Afib! I left his office. Before taking it, I had to go to the hospital and they would stop and restart my heart... expensive! Flecainide was the best answer.

I have supraventricular tachycardies sinde the age of 13. In 1985 I started with Tambocor 2+1/2 tablets with 100mg Flecainide a day and can live normally since with a few tachycardies (about 1 per month) which are over with in 1/2 to 4 hours after increasing the dose to 3-4 tablets within 24h. It is I take this medicament all days since 28 years. Now being 67 years old, I have more often to take 3 tablets a day. My cardiologist wanted to let me take only 2 Tambocor + 1/4 of B-blocker. However I prefer the 'old' version, because the B-blocker does not allow me energetic tasks, such as cleaning, mounting stairs and being a musician. Most important before taking this medicament is not to be a person at risk for infarctus.

As I said, I have had no other outbreaks of Afib since my first one three years ago. I have never seen an electrphysiologist. My Cardiologist was sure my Afib was caused by blockage. So this last time I was in the hospital, he ordered a Heart Cath. Result showed my arteries are clear! So back to square one. He now says it is stress. No I don't trust him. He was giving me flecainide even though he thought I had blockage. Something the drug company itself says is a not good to do.
Then he also works for one of the HCA hospitals that was cited for ordering unnecessary hearth catheterizations. He is one of the doctors mentioned in the investigation. Need I say more.

I simply wanted to know how many people have taken this drug, over a long period. As all I read about it is bad,

I would guess the cardiologist would tell you what I will, you can stop taking it when your a fib is cured. If you doubt your cardiologist see another for a second opinion, but if you trust him do as he says.

Hi Kenny1948, I have been on Flecainide 100mg x twice daily for around 20 years with no bad effects and I'm nearly 76.
I have Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome with Supraventricular Tachycardia. Flecainide controls it so well that I refused ablation therapy to potentially cure it.
We are all different with our complaints and treatments so I can only wish you well and to be guided by your medics; but certainly try to reduce stress in your life.
Best wishes.