Flecainide User Reviews & Ratings (Page 5)

• Ard...
• July 27, 2015

For Atrial Fibrillation "I have been treated for AFib for about 6 years, after a long episode resulted in an ER visit. My dosage was raised to 100 mg x2 per day after a short period of 50 mg, which didn't entirely prevent AFib. I have experienced some blurring of vision, dizziness, and fatigue, but have always dismissed it as minor. I am starting to exercise more and am worried that the medication will prevent me from getting enough air/oxygen in my system."

• Lor...
• September 29, 2020

For Atrial Fibrillation "I was on this drug for 6 weeks. I had more heart symptoms on it than off it. I became weak and could hardly walk, stand, or shower. I had extreme anxiety on this pill. Shakes, shortness of breath. My doctor kept saying everybody is nervous when they are first diagnosed with A-fib. After several ER visits, I slowly went off it. Then they switched to Metoprolol. I had a very slow heartbeat and low, low BP. Now I’m just taking a blood thinner and doing better. I think this drug changed me in a bad way, I’m still not the same after 7 months."

• J-p...
• August 8, 2023

For Ventricular Tachycardia "I was on flecainide for about 20 months with no noticeable side effects (50 mg 2 x per day) for PVCs. It has worked beautifully until recently. I started having some shortness of breath, heart racing, and panic attacks. I called my electrophysiologist and cut the dosage in half which helped some with those side effects. I am planning on having ablation in the next few months to get off of this drug."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 9, 2019

For Atrial Fibrillation "I started taking this drug (50 mg x 2/day) after diltiazem (2+ years) failed to get me through the night without AFIB. The first two weeks weren't pleasant, with lots of AFIB. Then, when I moved my 180 mg Diltiazem ER from breakfast to lunchtime, things improved. I take the Flecainide at breakfast and dinnertime. After three weeks, my AFIB has been much reduced, and I sleep through the night. However, I also started acupuncture, and that may be a factor. Acupuncture was proven potentially effective by the Univ. of Minnesota. I firmly believe in trying everything to beat this miserable affliction."

• Bob...
• September 14, 2017

For Atrial Fibrillation "Life-long history of slight double vision (1 diopter). Within 4 days of usage, developed severe increase of double vision (estimate 10-15 diopters). Ceased usage, and symptoms decreased by half within 1 day. Now, 3 days later, and recovery continues but not fully back to ordinary."

• Anonymous
• October 16, 2010

For Ventricular Tachycardia "I have been taking a combination of medicines, flecainide (50 mg twice a day) and metoprolol (12.5 mg twice a day), to control idiopathic paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia for two months now. Trying both medicines separately did not work for me. During the first two weeks of starting flecainide, I experienced moderate to severe side effects including visual disturbances (mostly peripheral), shakiness, vertigo, weakness, nausea, fatigue, and bowel changes. Since my body had a difficult time with the medicine, both medications were reduced in half. It is much better now, but I am still hoping this is not a long-term treatment. I give this medicine a 10 rating for effectiveness. I have not had a single episode (including PVCs) since being on both medications."

• Cos...
• September 15, 2019

For Atrial Fibrillation "Currently taking flecainide 75 mg twice a day as I have AF. I’ve been taking the med for 3 months. First, it was 50 mg twice a day. I didn’t take the increased dose until 2 weeks ago because of mild, short-lived irregularities again. My AF episodes were increasing in frequency, that being the reason for this medication. My longest episodes before were 32-48 hour stretches at its worst. I also take metoprolol. I’m scheduled for an ablation soon. I didn’t want to rush into anything. I wonder if needing the medication increased in a short period of time could be predictive of it being less effective over the long term? I’ve read sooner rather than later for better outcomes with ablations. Difficult to know. Thanks."

• Joy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 30, 2021

Flecainide for Atrial Fibrillation "Severe reaction with loss of muscle strength and general mobility, neck, back, jaw pain. Inability to turn head. Lower abdominal pain. I have been off the med for 4 weeks, but side effects have only minimally abated. Would like to find a support group."

• Bag...
• October 5, 2011

For Atrial Fibrillation "I have been taking flecainide 100 mg twice a day for 8 months. Had two episodes of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation prior to this - cardioverted within 12 hours with the first and converted to normal rhythm while waiting for a cardioversion the second time. No episodes of atrial fibrillation since, though I think I may be getting occasional ectopics (probably had them before but more vigilant now). Feel fit and well, but holiday insurance is higher than my husband's now!"

• Sla...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 2, 2023

For Atrial Fibrillation "Discovered I was in A-Fib and A-Flutter in 2010 at age 55, by accident when a doctor caught my heart rate at 188. No symptoms, other than being extremely tired and dizzy. Multiple medicines over 3 months, including flecainide up to 100 mg twice a day. All failed. The cardiologist specifically said flecainide failed and was of no use to me. Had an ablation (7.5-hour surgery with 275 burn spots) which worked for years. My trigger seems to be pain. No alcohol. The last 3 months (early 2023) have been back in A-Fib daily. A new cardiologist wanted me to try flecainide again at 50 mg twice a day. No effect. Increased the flecainide to 100 mg twice a day. Symptoms worse. Feel horrible. Can’t do much of anything. Can’t concentrate. Bad headaches. Just want to sleep. Constant A-Fib. The cardiologist sent my records to an EP. Immediately scheduled ablation and stopped the flecainide. Flecainide may work for some people, but it is an absolute failure for me."

• Kat...
• February 19, 2021

For Atrial Fibrillation "I started Metoprolol and started AFib with tachycardia that lasted for hours. Something I had never had before. I went to the ER, so the doctor bumped the Metoprolol up to 50 mg a day. The doctor had me just stop the Metoprolol. Two days after just stopping, I had another AFib attack which landed me in the ICU. A new doctor at the hospital sent me home with Flecainide 100 mg X2 per day. Within a week, I had been to the ER twice with severe atrial flutter. A new cardiologist advised that Flecainide can cause atrial flutter and added Verapamil to level things out. After a week, it did help, but I was still having flutters and AFib. Yesterday, I cut the Flecainide dose in half. I am still having flutters/AFib, but it lasts a few minutes and goes away, hoping to get off completely. Flecainide was not for me. It made things worse and made me feel like garbage. I would rather go back to having the occasional AFib that went away within 5 minutes and eat a baby aspirin daily."

• Squ...
• February 25, 2021

For Atrial Fibrillation "I was given flecainide for 5 weeks for atrial fibrillation. I wish I never took it. It didn't work, I had two more fibrillations afterward, and it had many bad side effects: palpitations, skipped beats, way too fast heartbeat, high blood pressure, dizziness, feeling lightheaded (often to the point of almost fainting), nausea, a big lump in my throat, diarrhea, bad headaches, high-pitch ear ringing, involuntary muscle movements/flickering, heartburn, cold sweaty hands/feet, pins and needles in my fingers, chest squeezing, random chest pains, anxiety, insomnia. I often was on the verge of calling an ambulance. I felt terrible. The doctor first increased the amount from 50+50 mg to 100+100 mg, and things got even worse. After a few weeks, I started to decrease the dosage in reverse order. Finally, I decided to stop it altogether, and in 3 days, almost all side effects were gone. I hadn't had any episodes of fibrillation for more than a month now despite stopping the medication."

• Kev...
• September 2, 2021

Flecainide for Atrial Fibrillation "I’ve been on flecainide for about a year and a half. For 30 years, I tried all manner of other medications, including Toprol XL and other beta blockers, in an attempt to control my pre-ventricular contractions and pre-atrium contractions. The other medications did little to control the arrhythmias, and the doctor put me on flecainide once my arrhythmias started to be trigeminy. Within a day of taking flecainide, I experienced no irregular heartbeats. Flecainide has controlled my arrhythmias very well over the last year and a half, and there are often times when I go days without any skips. I continue to take meta-Toprol along with the flecainide. The only side effect I’ve experienced is slight fatigue."

• Nev...
• April 23, 2011

For Atrial Fibrillation "Was switched to flecainide in 1993, gradually titrated up to 150 mg twice a day. Full control, maybe one episode a year -- or when I forget two morning doses in a row -- and they last a few hours, not like the 24 on my earlier medicines (quinidine sulfate - all it did was give me almost permanent diarrhea)."

• CBK...
• December 15, 2008

For Atrial Fibrillation "I started using flecainide with a low dose of Toprol XL about 1 year ago after severe atrial fibrillation, which lasted 2 weeks. Flecainide stopped the atrial fibrillation after 3 days. It has been a godsend. I have no idea how this stuff works, but it does."

• Joe...
• November 27, 2017

For Atrial Flutter "I started taking Flecainide Acetate, it was prescribed for two 100 mg tablets twice a day. I took one the first day and no ill effects. Took the second one the next day, and during the night, had a bad attack of diarrhea for over twenty minutes in the bathroom. After that, it hit again about two hours later, the same thing. I won't go into details about what happened then, but I had a bad problem with it. I never had anything like that in my entire life. I'll talk to the doctor tomorrow about it, or his nurse. Last time I had a bad reaction from a medicine, I told the doctor and she said (it might have been a virus). I had viruses all my life, including the flu, and none ever acted like this one did."

• San...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 16, 2021

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I was put on flecainide 100 mg, two a day. At first, for a month or so, I had no attacks. Now, I'm having attacks often lasting over 48 hours. I'm weak, can't walk to the bathroom, I'm so out of breath. I'm right back where I was before I was put in the hospital."

• Mom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2020

For Ventricular Tachycardia "I've started flecainide back in July of this year, 2020. I love it because it has no side effects for me, but my cardiologist thinks it's not helping my PVC. I'm gonna try and ask him to raise the dose to 150 mg and monitor me to see if it helps. They wanted to put me on metoprolol tartrate, but I never tried it and refuse to take it, so they put me on this medication, and it feels great for me. I hope I can continue this drug. I'm not good with trying out different medications. I hope this helps in some kind of way."

• Anonymous
• August 1, 2021

Flecainide for Ventricular Tachycardia "Started taking flecainide one week ago. I have experienced headaches, swelling of face, feeling as if I could not think, and legs swelling. I tried cutting the dose in half and still same results. This med is not for me."

• AJa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 18, 2019

For Atrial Fibrillation "I had a pacemaker implant 18 months ago and was immediately put on this flecainide. I have chronic asthmatic bronchitis, which is treated with Advair and Sprivia. I've had 9 AF events in 5 months, getting tired easily, having muscle weakness, arthritic pain, and tendon pain in the feet. I've been to the podiatrist and a rheumatologist, and neither has been able to identify the reason for the pain. I suspect flecainide is the source of the weakness. I'm doing internet searches hoping to stumble on a reason. Hopefully, it's not old age."

• Tor...
• February 6, 2021

For Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia "Do not take this medicine. I am currently on flecainide for frequent PVCs, my burden was 16%. While it does calm them down, this medicine sucks the life out of you. This med is great for a couple of weeks, but then I started having a lot of side effects: constant headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, back spasms, loss of weight, anxious all the time. This medicine is not for everyone, but if you decide to take it, read up on it. It solves one problem, it creates a ton more! I wouldn’t wish this med upon my worst enemy! Awaiting an ablation for my left posterior fascicle PVCs."

• neg...
• December 23, 2009

For Atrial Fibrillation "Since increasing to 150 mg twice a day, I have only had one 15-ish minute afib episode in the last 1.5 years. The side effects I get are visual, shadows, and slight afterimages at night. The side effects are reassuring to me; I've assumed that for me, the side effects are proportional to the therapeutic effect. For me, exercise increases the side effects a lot. I gave it a 9 out of 10 but will change it to a 10 out of 10 if I find I don't need to avoid my afib triggers."

• bxn...
• April 3, 2009

For Atrial Fibrillation "My cardiologist took me off Toprol and Lisinopril because he 'wanted me to know when I was having atrial fibrillation.' I am an EMT, so I know when I am in A-fib. The flecainide did not help suppress the A-fib. I had more episodes while on the medication, was lightheaded while in A-fib, and felt like I was going to pass out. My doctor took me off it and put me back on the other medications, and I felt much better."

• Nan...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 7, 2020

For Atrial Fibrillation "I have taken a half dose of flecainide and metoprolol for three years. My paroxysmal afib has almost been eliminated. However, last winter I developed neuropathy, which worsens in the winter. I will need to find another cheap drug or find an alternative like ablation."

• Ale...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 25, 2022

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "Taken it 50 mg 2x a day for 10 years. Not one episode of SVT. Before, I was hospitalized with a 24-hour episode and had several off and on for years. Doctor says it’s a perfect response. No side effects. My only problem is having to convince the insurance company that I need it every January."