Flecainide acetate for PVCs - Side Effects?

Heart health and blood vessels
1

I have been diagnosed with PVCs.  Had an ablation 10/31/2017.  PVCs went away for a bit, but they have come back, worse than before (I am very syptomatic - dizzy/blackout, etc).  Wore a few monitors, got a new dr.  She determined that I have waaaaaay too many spots on my heart and within the heart to fix with another ablation, so she suggested Flecainide A, 50mg, 2x a day.  I picked it up yesterday, but I am VERY hesitant in taking it and I need some first hand experiences, reviews.

A bit about myself.  I am 47, 120#s.  I am VERY suseptible to any and all side effects.  Just one MIDOL will make me dizzy.  I was on Cymbalta for 10 years for fibro.  I weened off it in 2015 (VERY slowly) and it sent me to the ER with seizures.  I still have memory loss, shakes, etc.  TWO YEARS LATER!  So ANY medication freaks me out.  I would much rather approach life holistically than to put chemicals in my body again.

I've read that this med should be started at a medical facility because of probable side effects (I KNOW, I KNOW - DONT READ THE GOOLE!!).  I've also read/been told that it can increase anxiety/depression and I cant have that - really.  It's taken me two years to get to a point in my life where i'm happy and a'okay.  Dont want to mess twith the progress!

So my questions are - what  kind of side effects did you REALLY get (Please dont leave anything out!!)?  My main thing is, I DONT want to put weight back on (I dropped 50 pounds when I stopped the cymbalta).  I also dont want to take anything that will make me sluggish (which is why we avoided beta blockers).  I am an active person and I NEED to walk daily - for my anxiety and for my stupid arthritic hip.  If im too sluggish to walk, then everything else (my hip, my back, etc) just spirals back out of control.  Did anyone notice an increase in anxiety?

TIA!

Pepper

2

I do not take that medication but I do take an antiarrhythmic as well I take rhythmol  and have taken sotalol before too all the same drug class. Anyways all anti arrhythmia medications say this should be started in the hospital I have never started it in the hospital. Anyways with my med it makes me nauseous , vomit, diarrhea, dry skin, low sex drive. But I’m not in AFIB so you have to think about the benefits I would take all these side effects any day instead of being in AFIB with RVR. 

3

You should not take this med unless it is started in hospital! Very dangerous! Especially with your history. Beta blockers are your best choice in my mind. If you are passing out, you may have NSVT. becuase pvcs and pacs dont cause this that I have ever heard of. I would go back to my doctor!!

4

Hi I first had a very large dose of flecainide in hospital 2years to try and stop an AF episode which eventually stopped after 13 hours! I’d had everything else but that did. Since then I am on the lowest dose and been absolutely fine with no side effects . I also take bisoprolol and apixaban. I’ve had 2 ablations the second of which has helped but not stopped the episodes. Yes you should ask your cardiologist all the questions if you’re not happy as that is what they are there for. 

Hope you can get over this as it’s a good drug I think even though I hate taking any! 

5

Hi

​I have been on 50 mg of Flecainide twice a day for two years and have not at AF since the day I started taking it. Previous to that it was at least once a week. Side effects have been minimal . It's been a relief not to go to ER or pill in the pocket.