Flecainide and Fatigue: What Users Say

• pat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 29, 2015

For Atrial Fibrillation "I don't ever like taking new medicines, especially those that can have severe side effects. I started taking Flecainide 50 mg 2 times a day on October 13th as my paroxysmal atrial fib was getting more and more common. Before this year, I would get afib once a month. Then it started happening a few times a week, sometimes more. My cardiologist prescribed Flecainide because the afib was affecting my quality of life. So far, it is definitely working to keep my heart in rhythm. No abnormalities that I know of. However, I do have a slight headache most of the time and feel fatigued a lot and sometimes feel a little like I am not taking a full breath. I am trying to see if these symptoms subside."

• Jus...
• April 27, 2011

Flecainide for Atrial Fibrillation "Coming up on 1 year of Tambocor Metoprolol for treatment of atrial fibrillation. It works very well, no attacks at all since starting Tambocor, hence, my life is better in that respect. However, there is a trade-off, my energy level is lower, and I feel exactly the same when I get up at 7:30 in the morning, whether I go to bed at 9:00 PM or stay up until after midnight. I am chronically tired. Also, I notice strange things with my peripheral vision occasionally since on the Tambocor. That's not to scare anyone off, I can still function normally, from yard work, to splitting wood, to playing golf, on the outside, I doubt anyone who knows me has a clue that I am on medication. It is a 'feeling' to me. I can tell I am a little 'off,' but it's worth it."

• bad...
• July 28, 2016

For Atrial Fibrillation "Beware of this drug. My mother was put on this drug in addition to diltiazem. It sucked all the life out of her. She got tremors; couldn't walk 100 meters without catching a breath. Major fatigue and weight gain. If you're sensitive to meds, do not use this drug. She will stop this drug today."

• Pou...
• November 15, 2011

Flecainide for Atrial Fibrillation "Initially, it worked with minimal side effects. But after one year, I have virtually all known side effects for this medicine, including severe fatigue and shortness of breath - or inability to get a full breath. I attributed these to mold in our soil due to construction and did not look at side effects until my EP's total lack of concern made me wonder if he was hiding something. I am shocked by what I now read and have no idea what to do - obviously, reporting to my EP is not the answer. My GP says she knows nothing about cardiology."

• Bic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 11, 2019

For Ventricular Tachycardia "I was put on flecainide about 6 weeks ago - 100 mg twice a day. It immediately stopped my ventricular tachycardia. But the cardiologist didn’t tell me that there is a loading period to be followed by a lower maintenance period. So while I felt good in the beginning, after 3 to 5 days on the same dose, I became fatigued and worse, I couldn’t get a good breath of air. Without the doc’s input, I rolled back to 50 mg twice a day and now I’m at 25 mg twice a day. I still have mild breathlessness, the bigger issue is it won’t let my heart get past 108 bpm. I’m thinking of dropping it altogether. I have an ICD, so it will pace me out of VT. I’m very active and will likely get an ablation. Drugs are hard for me to live with."

• Bel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 20, 2018

"I have been on flecainide for a year and a half...50 mg every 12 hours for frequent premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)...over 29,000 per day...verapamil and metoprolol had no effect, but after 1 month on the flecainide, the PVCs decreased to less than 100 per day! Amazing response...BUT after 18 months on it, I feel worse than I did with all those PVCs!! Numbness in hands and feet, dizziness, extreme fatigue...and memory issues...sick feeling...I was advised by my primary care doctor to just stay STOP the med, but I'm afraid to do that until I see my cardiologist...Does anyone have experience with titrating down dosage on flecainide...? It works, but at what cost to overall health? Is the health cost worth it...? The black box warning for this drug is of concern for an arrhythmia that may or may not be life-threatening..."

• Bar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 9, 2021

For Ventricular Tachycardia "I suffered for 25 years with severe PVCs. They would come and go, and recently they started to stay. I had a very intelligent electrophysiologist who gave me flecainide, 50 mg two times per day. My life has changed dramatically. This doctor is my hero! I'm not sure if there are any side effects, only that I'm very tired. But I'm 70 years old, so maybe that's to be expected. I'll take the fatigue as long as the PVCs are gone."

• can...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 15, 2025

For Atrial Fibrillation "I'm only taking 50 mg a day of flecainide. I have extreme fatigue. Seems to be working, but the extreme fatigue is terrible. General unwell feeling. Can't eat too much food at one time. Nausea if I have 50 mg × 2."

• Not...
• February 8, 2017

For Ventricular Tachycardia "I was put on flecainide several months ago. Side effects were fatigue and dizziness. Effects were interfering with my life (had to pull over if driving, and my commute to work is at least an hour each way). Fatigue was robbing me of being able to enjoy activities. I have stopped taking it and am looking into other treatment options."

• Ard...
• July 27, 2015

For Atrial Fibrillation "I have been treated for AFib for about 6 years, after a long episode resulted in an ER visit. My dosage was raised to 100 mg x2 per day after a short period of 50 mg, which didn't entirely prevent AFib. I have experienced some blurring of vision, dizziness, and fatigue, but have always dismissed it as minor. I am starting to exercise more and am worried that the medication will prevent me from getting enough air/oxygen in my system."

• Anonymous
• October 16, 2010

For Ventricular Tachycardia "I have been taking a combination of medicines, flecainide (50 mg twice a day) and metoprolol (12.5 mg twice a day), to control idiopathic paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia for two months now. Trying both medicines separately did not work for me. During the first two weeks of starting flecainide, I experienced moderate to severe side effects including visual disturbances (mostly peripheral), shakiness, vertigo, weakness, nausea, fatigue, and bowel changes. Since my body had a difficult time with the medicine, both medications were reduced in half. It is much better now, but I am still hoping this is not a long-term treatment. I give this medicine a 10 rating for effectiveness. I have not had a single episode (including PVCs) since being on both medications."

• Kev...
• September 2, 2021

Flecainide for Atrial Fibrillation "I’ve been on flecainide for about a year and a half. For 30 years, I tried all manner of other medications, including Toprol XL and other beta blockers, in an attempt to control my pre-ventricular contractions and pre-atrium contractions. The other medications did little to control the arrhythmias, and the doctor put me on flecainide once my arrhythmias started to be trigeminy. Within a day of taking flecainide, I experienced no irregular heartbeats. Flecainide has controlled my arrhythmias very well over the last year and a half, and there are often times when I go days without any skips. I continue to take meta-Toprol along with the flecainide. The only side effect I’ve experienced is slight fatigue."

• bil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2015

For Atrial Fibrillation "Only on it for 8 days. After 5 days, started having shortness of breath, muscle spasms in upper back, pounding heart rate, fatigue, stiffness in neck and face."