Flecainide POP/Daily or herbal alternatives? Must decide SOON.

Hi everyone. Glad to have some support! I am somewhat new to this condition... I had one episode in 2000, then not another until 2007 and then another in 2014. Since then, they are coming closer and closer. I used to stop them with either coughing or ice on my wrist or neck, or anywhere that would shock me. They started lasting longer but I think the longest was only 6 hours. My mom and her mom both died of strokes. I'm thinking now that perhaps they had a-fib and didn't know it. Anyway, I don't want to have one! They both died at 78 and I'm now 75. I started taking flecainide POP early this year. I was only having episodes once or twice a month or so. As of August, I am having them more like every 2-5 days. My family wants me to jump into the twice a day schedule, but I HATE drugs and have been trying to handle on my own with essential oils, stress management. (Strange: I contracted Covid end of August and did not have one single episode for two weeks or so.)

So I am trying to decide, without much knowledge, what to do. As I read this forum, I see that taking it may lead to dependency on it. I don't want that. Does anyone know how long I can go on just taking it POP? Years? Does anyone know any drug alternatives that actually work?? Does it have anything to do with the vagus nerve? My doctor is, of course, useless. Another Big Pharma pusher. I don't want to move up to Eliquis either.

I also think my A-fib has a lot to do with having a narcissist for a husband. My father was an awful person and my mother used to turn red from the stress. I am now turning red in the face as well. Has anyone gotten rid of a-fib by getting rid of the stressor?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you one and all.

“I think my A-fib has a lot to do with having a narcissist for a husband. My father was an awful person and my mother used to turn red from the stress. I am now turning red in the face as well. Has anyone gotten rid of a-fib by getting rid of the stressor”


Careful what you write. You can never tell whose watching or who has your password.

By POP, I assume you are taking flec on-demand to convert an episode (sometimes called Pill in Pocket or PIP)?

I've used flec in this way for 17 years and though I've had some closely spaced episodes, they are generally far apart in time. As to taking it on-demand or daily, if the episodes are consistently close together, taking the flec daily and hopefully not having episodes could make sense. Because "afib begets afib,"(due to both electrical and physical remodeling) you'd like to minimize the time you are in afib to slow progression. For example, if episodes are every other day and you could take flec daily and not have afib, you'd likely be better off.

Stress can be a trigger.

If you are concerned about stroke, Eliquis would mitigate that risk whether or not afib is frequent. Probably something to consider strongly, especially with your family history.

Which drugs work is individual. Amiodarone is the most powerful med, but has many side effects and I would NOT recommend it.

Ablation is also a common option, if you can access an EP who has done many 1,000's of ablations. For my close friends, I recommend traveling to see Andrea Natale in Austin: [tcainstitute.com] I consider him the best in the world.

The coughing or ice would create a vagal response which can sometimes convert people who have an adrenergic trigger. Stress can be an adrenergic trigger. For more on triggers, here: [www.afibbers.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2021 11:54AM by GeorgeN.

I hope you are on Eliquis (blood thinner example) to prevent strokes.

Flecainide dosing is based on weight.
If you weigh less than 154 pounds the maximum dose in a 24 hour period is 200mg. That’s 100mg in am and 100 twelve hours later in pm.

If you weigh more than 154 pounds, the maximum strength is 300mg in a 24 hr period. That’s two doses 12 hours apart at maximum 150mg each dose.

I highly recommend the flecainide serum blood test. You get blood drawn exactly 11 hours after your last dose. It helps determine what strength you need by how much flecainide is metabolized in your liver. You don’t want to experiment with flecainide.
[pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Be careful of supplements that interacts with flecainide!
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
[www.mayoclinic.org]
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

It seems like I shared a lot of warnings but as a survivor of flecainide overdose/toxicity, one needs medical advice from a trusted EP/cardiologist before experimenting.
[www.afibbers.org]
[www.healthline.com] Black box warning if you abuse the drug.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2021 05:00PM by susan.d.

Re the interactions.. When I was in the hosptial to get on dofetilide/tykosin a few years ago I met with the cardiology pharmacist. I took her card and wow am I glad I did!! I have used her expertise many times over the last couple of years. She ONLY does cardiac meds. It is her full time job. She chimes in on if there are supplement interactions as well. She is young.. but I trust her expertise on drugs the most. I recommend everyone find out who that is at their hosptial if they are on heart meds . I called mine from the hospital on Friday actually.. because I didn't get the answer I wanted from the NP that was working with me.

Thanks everyone for the input! I had an incident 4:30 this morning and my instinct told me not to take anything. It was gone in two hours. It was a mild case this time. Just mild arrhythmia waltz time.....no pounding of my chest or aches in my arms or panic or breathlessness. Still peed 4 times though. I do unending research and am sure my vagus was in play, as well as the hiatal hernia I seem to have recently developed and the GERD I have been diagnosed with, although I beg to differ with that diagnosis since I never have a burning sensation. This snowball is really growing. Unlike allopathic doctors, I am actually searching for a SOLUTION, not the right drug. Just bought The AFibe Cure.
All the info was helpful. I wish I had read AFib 101 five years ago!!!
And Susan, I tried to thank you, but you got bounced.

Quote
cla-fib
And Susan, I tried to thank you, but you got bounced.

That’s strange…how did I get bounced? I’ve had glitches of posting but never a PM bounce.
Thanks for your kind words. I’m happy you self converted.

Yes! Stress is huge! Are you getting enough magnesium and potassium? I'd try to keep up the Flec PIP. How much do you take at a time? Maybe it's not enough for you. I never heard of Flec PIP from any of the 9 different cardiologists (some were EP's ). I read about it here, asked, and it's working for me. Try hypnosis, daily meditation, deep breathing, YOGA, anything to get your parasympathetic nervous system going. DONT watch the news if you can help it, or talk politics with anyone who disagrees. Don't eat anything close to MSG, if so, take a GABA. At least that works for me, hope it works for you. I must say the one ablation I had was the best thing since sliced bread, had virtually NO recovery period, gave me my life back, so read on.....on this site in case you need one.