Hi Ron, Not sure if you got any answers to your question about "managing the condition", but if not, I suggest you start a new blog thread with that question. I suspect your post is too far buried in a post with a Subject about Flecainide dosing. I am personally encouraged that you have been on flecainide for 10 years seemingly without any major side effects. My current plan for stayby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks again Jackie! Thanks to the education from this Forum I know an EVC is just buying time. Although i do want to see if the magnesium has made any difference. I still have my fingers crossed, but, i'm 3 weeks without a migraine.. Every day sets a new record. I'm convinced magnesium made that difference. Amazing. I'm buying time before the ablation for a few reasons, realby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you Jackie... i am upping the oral magnesium and i just ordered some topical (based on a prior post of yours).. cardio-version this Wednesday(first time since inception of fib/flutter 2 years ago; clearly have moved from paroxysmal to persistent) and i plan to lower the Flec dose in half to 75 mg 2x/day. We will see .. Meanwhile, mentally preparing for ablation. Tomorrow ends 14 daysby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gary, in my experience there is total disagreement on this issue. When my Fib/Flutter flairs up my cardiologist immediately says I should be taking the blood thinner for at least 21 days. Even when my heart converts back to NSR after a few days on its own. My CHADS2 score is ZERO. My primary care doctor says I'm crazy to take the blood thinner and the risk of a complicated bleed is greaby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello All, Based on following this Forum for a number of weeks now, and paying attention to my own Fib/Flutter episodes, I have a theory about my AFib/Flutter and am looking for thoughts. Does it sound possible that without Flecainide my heart will go into AFib, but, with 150 mg twice per day I am protected from Fib, but, the Flec puts me in Flutter? 2 years ago at the first Fib/Flutter onby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike, i too have had a strange sensation when converting back to NSR. For me it felt like a very brief, but warm flowing sensation into my brain. I shook it off as my imagination, but, felt it could be that when my heart kicks back into NSR the increased efficiency of my heart pumping the blood through my body created the sensation as a more normal level of blood was flowing into my brain. Souby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
WOW, Thank you All!! I cannot tell you how appreciative I am for the amount of time you have all put into helping me through this. I am totally aligned with all of the above, will continue to monitor this site, and will keep you updated on my progress. I’m confident I will recognize very quickly when what I’m doing isn’t working. And it’s possible I’m approaching that point now. The next fby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you ClayS, Shannon, The Anti-Fib, All of this information is incredibly helpful and it is all resonating with me. ClayS your post is exactly the situation I am currently in. While at the same time, Shannon, the same doctors are suggesting I should consider the full AFib ablation “since they will be in there anyway”. Shannon, you also have done a great job of articulating where my headby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello Group, I read in a post below that Flecainide can “cause” Aflutter. Since my original AFib episode nearly 2 years ago I have had 5 episodes of Aflutter. My cardiologist increased my Flecainide dose from 100mg 2X per day to 150mg 2X per day after my second episode. Aflutter episodes have occurred in 1 to 3 month intervals and so far have converted back to NSR on their own after 2 to 7by smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Jim, I have not had an ablation, but, during a couple of my AFib episodes I was on Eliquis and Xarelto. Both effected my stomach and I had to take a daily Prilosec to relieve the ulcer-like pain. I imagine you are taking some form of blood thinner after your ablation? Might that be the cause? steveby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
George, Thank you for the information and for helping others in this forum for 13 years! I like the idea of getting to Flec only on demand. It will be interesting to see if I can make it 3 months without it. I have read a bit about ginger also and there doesn’t seem to be a downside to trying that. While I love to work out, I would not call it endurance training. I do a gym cardio maby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes The Anti-Fib, You are correct. Over that original 5-month period there were times when I felt different, but, never made a connection to a heart problem. I’m in pretty good physical shape (I’m 57) but others even noticed I was unusually out of breath walking up 4 flights of stairs. I also could periodically feel my heart was funny, especially trying to sleep, but not so much that I conby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks The Anti-Fib, I’m going to slowly cut the Flec dose and see if my Afib/flutter situation changes. I think that will be very valuable information. I also read some research that suggested physicians believed that 10% of the Aflutter in patients taking Flec was caused by the Flec. I will be sure to post my experience. steveby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi safib, Thanks for the opposing viewpoint. It really highlights how individualized this all is. It’s great to be able to hear all the different ideas in order to navigate the maze of solutions. Note from The Anti-Fib’s comment above simply adjusting and living in Afib is just as good a choice for some. I know for me, for now, I would like to try to figure out if there is a cause andby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello The Anti-Fib, Thank you and you are correct. I don’t know if Flecainide is helping or not. I feel like it’s worth a try finding out by cutting it back, especially after starting the magnesium regiment, but, my EP doctor is telling me not to. it’s a struggle. Although my 3 episodes in the last year or so resolved without cardio version, but maintaining 300 mg Flecainide per day, my fby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Jackie, Thank you for all the great information, sense of comfort, and navigation around the afibbers.org website. This is such a valuable place to be connected with. Sounds like I need to really step up the dose of magnesium over the coming weeks.. Thanks! The current meds I’m using: • Atenolol 25mg once per day for 17 years (was taking in the morning; now changed to evening) •by smb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello all and thanks for including me. I have been reading many of your posts over the past couple days and can really feel the power of group collaboration. I discovered I was in Afib nearly 2 years ago as a collateral finding. After cardio version I lasted 14 months on 200 mg Flecainide per day plus 25 mg atenolol and 25 mg losartan per day (for a dilated aortic root). Over the last 10 montby smb - AFIBBERS FORUM