FLECAINIDE: first dose begins at home or hospital?

[Bon-Bon]

How prevalent is it for some paitents to be prescribed Flecainide for PVC's by their doctors / cardiologists and told to go home and take their first dose and I'll see you this time next year, as I was told; instead, of having the patient admitted for hospital or clinical observation / testing in order to see how their body responds to it first?

In my case, I declined the Flecainide for various reasons.

Bon-Bon

[woblesox]

Been on Flecainide 100mg twice a day for 17 years for, afib.   Works really well and only really get a short bout of afib id a forget to take one or two.

I have never had any side effects.

[woblesox]

Just to add - still here with no afib and no side effects in 2023. Still taking the flecainide because it works for me.

[underinformed35]

I agree, it is much better than the alternative. It is a scary medicine but has really helped me. I just noticed that after being on it a few months it did not seem to be working as well as it did at first. That and the fact that I got the infection made my doctor raise the dosage.
Thank you and good luck to you also. It is so nice knowing that I am not the only one out there with these problems. Some days I get so depressed and frustrated because I just want to live my life and not have to consider my heart in everything I do. So it helps me to know that other people are struggling with the same thing!

[banglamom]

It could be related.  If you, like me, find that only flecainide impacts rhythms at all... I just have to put up with some annoying side effects because the side effects are not nearly as bad as the problem we are treating.  If I were to insist we try something different because of the side effects.. the next medications are so much worse.  Call and leave a message for your doc to check on the side effects.  If you aren't feeling like you are going to fall over... that is good sign.  You probably won't!  Good luck with it.

[underinformed35]

Well I think you are right...I feel like if something was going to happen it would have happened when I first started it, not just from raising the dosage but I am still a little nervous. I started on the lowest dose four months ago and now three days ago I started doubling that. Medicine is just scary sometimes, but this is the only thing that has worked for me at all. I have been having horrible night sweats the last two nights which are freaking me out. Do you think it is related to the dosage increase?

[banglamom]

Seems to me, if this was 4 months ago, you are probably in the clear.  My problem happened on day 2 of taking the medicine.  I have mostly found that the flecainide has worked very well for me.  I hope that you find it successful too.  Meds are complicated from this one on.  Be in communication with your doc as needed... and come here to ask questions.  There is certainly a broad range of experience as the patient represented here on this forum.  Take care.

[underinformed35]

I also started at home without a monitor about four months ago. It went ok.
I just had an infection and it screwed everything up and I had to raise my dose to 100mg twice a day two days ago. I am very nervous now after hearing everybody. I am ok, just a little dizzy and tired. I also have been having very crazy dreams on this medicine. The doctor just told me to call if I had any problems but they did not seem like I should be worried about raising it at all. I have tolerated it very well with the original dose and it has helped a lot. I just hope raising it does not cause issues!