Flecainide and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Jan...
• September 23, 2017

For Atrial Fibrillation "After an ER episode for atrial fib (which I believe was a one-time stress-induced issue), I was bullied into taking this med by the hospital upon discharge. My job as a knowledge worker requires me to *think* for a living. I'm considered an expert in my field. This darn drug put me in a mental fog to the point that I stared at the computer screen wondering what I was looking at. My mood became aggressive, depressed, and I felt increasingly isolated, listless, tired, but hard to sleep. I gained about 15 lbs with no change in diet, in fact, I probably ate less. I lost desire for my usual workout routine. After weaning off after 6 months, and now taking only daily aspirin, I'm back to my happy self, focused, and motivated. This is a bad drug, in my opinion."

• 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."

• Chu...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 15, 2020

For Ventricular Tachycardia "I started having symptoms of fast heartbeat, dizziness, and pain on the side of my head when I was just cleaning my house. Almost passed out one day while driving and had to pull off to the side of the road. Went to the ER, they said I was fine, but I followed up with my doctor who referred me to a cardiologist that put a heart monitor on for 24 hours. He called me right away and told me to go to the ER because my heart was very out of rhythm. They admitted me, kept me three days, and started me on 100 mg Flecainide every 12 hours with Lopressor. That was in 2016. I have gained about 40 pounds, can’t breathe, water retention all the time, and feel like crap. I’m not sure which drug is causing weight gain, but I feel like taking my chances and stopping all of it. After a month, I talked to my cardiologist, and they reduced my Flecainide to 50 mg twice a day because my vision was awful, double, and blurry. That’s why I am on this site now, to see the symptoms of everyone else."

• Anonymous
• July 19, 2008

For Atrial Fibrillation "I had absolutely horrible, irregular racing heart episodes. I had Metoprolol and gained weight, it was miserable and didn't stop the problem. I just became fat with a racing irregular heartbeat. I am using Flecainide now for about three months, and I have my life back!!! My heart works again! I don't know how this stuff works, but my quality of life is MUCH improved! Thank you."

• a-f...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 8, 2022

For Atrial Fibrillation "Nightmare woke me up, but somehow my body felt wrong. Went to ED. Diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Potassium 2.5 (should be 4-ish). They gave potassium and magnesium. Didn't try electrical conversion because of stroke risk. Went on metoprolol 50 mg twice a day and apixaban 5 mg for anticoagulant. Was still in a-fib. After three weeks, they tried electrical conversion. It didn't work. The cardiologist included 100 mg flecainide twice a day. Four days later, a series of hard ectopics that stopped. Checked to see if I'd died. Normal sinus rhythm restored. Stayed on the metoprolol and flecainide until the next cardiologist visit, who said to stay on the drugs. I stopped metoprolol myself. Felt too groggy. The electrophysiologist said to stay on metoprolol and flecainide because I must have issues to have been in a-fib for a whole month. Now have blood in stool and have gained weight (3 kg) in two months. Will report to the two cardiologists. So the flec kicked me out of a-fib, but I think it's doing damage."

• Gri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 28, 2021

Flecainide for Atrial Fibrillation "Experience Mahir weight gain. It did help for heart condition."