Flecainide Withdrawal

Hi,

I have a question for those of you who have taken and then stopped taking flecainide.

After having one or two afib episodes a year for the past couple of years, I started having almost daily episodes of a few minutes to a few hours last August and September. I was put on a variety of different drugs that did not work until last October when I started taking flecainide. After having more and longer episodes for a few days, I have been afib free since then. My prescription refills are about to expire and before I go in to see the doctor I have some questions that some of you may be able to help me with.

My question is, should I ask my doctor to let me get off of it for awhile and see if it comes back? I've heard that flecainide loses its effectiveness over time and at a relatively young age (42) I don't look forward to another thirty years of twice daily 75 mg doses. I have had no side effects and the flecainide is working well at this point.

Have any of you been on flecainide for a long period and then successfully stopped taking it without a return to afib? Should I just keep taking it until it stops working and only then consider alternatives? I worry about stopping and having the afib come back and then having to go through that week or so when I am in almost constant afib until the flecainide kicks back in.
Any thoughts???

Scott

Scott,

I use flecainide successfully, and am greatful for it keeping me in NSR, however I do not want to take it forever. My alternatives are to apply nutrition, (Paleo since Feb.) and to take a regimen of supplements that Dr. Gersten prescribed, based on a multitude of tests that I took. I will continue to take flec. for another approx. 6 mths, until I feel I have my levels of nutrients back in line, then I will attempt its removal from my system and see what happens. I urge you to go to the conference room and read. Scott, you are very young, and your body is still able to do amazing things, at least that's what I strongly believe, providing you give it the tools to work with, and remove any stresses from your life. I'm 57, but I look at it this way. I had a good number of years of eating what I wanted, and just plain having a good time with no worries. Now it's down to get down to business. I will eat to live, not live to eat. I will be dedicated to getting my body back to its optimum levels, and hopefully have one more chance to turn my health around. This is, in my opinion, an important link I found last night and posted in the CR, and to Bill on his post.
[www.yourhealthbase.com]

By the way, I took flec. for a year and it quit working. I was off of it for a year, and then tried it again with success. I attribute this, in part, to my change in diet. Don't ask me why, as I'm really not sure. Best of health to you, Scott.

Richard

Scott - I've been taking flecanide for 3 years. First 50 mg. twice a day and then when it became ineffective, the dose was raised to 100 mg. a day. I've tried to wean off twice and failed to stay in NSR both times.

I was told that it does become ineffective with time and the only option was to increase dosage. I'm not feeling as well on the 100 due to fatigue so I am not at all thrilled with this drug. With that in mind, I'm having an ablation.

If you decide to go off flecanide with your doctor's supervision, just be sure you wean off very slowly.... these drugs can have a rebound effect and the symptoms come back with a vengence...worse than previously.

If you haven't read my posts on increasing your magnesium supplementation, you may want to archive it.... quite possibly, if you up your magnesium intake while you wean off the flecanide, you will keep your heart stable enough that you are successful. Keep in mind, though, this should be a very slow process - first gear up with extra magnesium.

Just thoughts from my own vast experience.

Jackie