Flecainide hangover

I have been taking various antiarrhythmics for 18 years, mostly flecainide. I currently take 100mg twice a day. I also take warfarin and diltiazem 180mg once a day.

I talked to my EP about it, and he suspected the flecainide, not the diltiazem.

I have never felt great on the antiarrhythmics, always a bit dozy, but for the last couple of years I've really been feeling hung over, especially in the morning. I also can't seem to tolerate any alcohol at this point - half a beer can give me a hangover.

I'm wondering if I'm just suffering from a drug overload, that my system has had enough. Blood test results for liver and kidney functions have all been normal. Just today I had an ultrasound done of bladder, kidneys, prostate - not sure if they do liver. Will have those results at the end of the week.

I had an ablation in Bordeaux 10 years ago that helped a lot, got me to the point where I could stay in NSR with the help of the drugs. Before that it was afib 24-7 with or without drugs.

I guess another ablation is an option, but of course there are always risks, not just of stroke, but that it might make things worse. Not sure if it makes sense at 67 to take that risk. I am in NSR virtually all the time, which is just so much farther ahead than I was 10 years ago. The thought of being back in afib just fills me with dread.

Does anyone else have this "drug hangover" problem?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

How long have you been on the Diltiazem?
I sort of felt like you did taking 240mg of Diltiazem, but not at 120mg.
This is supposed to be a rare side effect for Diltiazem.

I've read that while ageing, we don't metabolize the drugs at the same speed. Half drug life may get longer, leading to overdose.
Just my two cents.

Flecainide gave me a hangover like you describe, even on a low dose. I started with only using it 'pill in the pocket', 300mg and the days I would take it, I'd be wiped out. Then I started regularly taking 50mg twice a day, and even that made me feel like crap. I then was just taking 50mg once a day before bed, and it was always a gamble if I'd feel 'hung-over' the next morning or not.

And hangovers with alcohol were much worse - 1-2 drinks and I'd feel it the next day.

I just got an ablation and am off Flecainide for now.

The funny thing is everyone says how safe Flecainide is, but I kept thinking "if it's making me feel this crappy, it must be doing something negative to my body".

Never had any side effects - incl. 'hang-overs' - with Flecainide 100mg BID in the 10.5 years I've been taking it.

Maybe some tinnitus coming and going but I might have had/have that anyway.

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mwcf
Never had any side effects - incl. 'hang-overs' - with Flecainide 100mg BID in the 10.5 years I've been taking it.

Maybe some tinnitus coming and going but I might have had/have that anyway.

I’m just the opposite, makes me tired and it’s hard to focus on anything. It effects my memory too. Oh, and aerobic exercise is super hard. I’m down to 50mg a day now and still feel the effects. Can’t wait for my ablation and being able to stop taking this drug,