Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group
Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.
Hi all,
Just wanted to add a little hope and encouragement for everyone.
I've had a fib for over 3 years and it's been getting progressively more frequent. I went from an episode every 6 months to an episode every other day. I was hesitant to take an antiarrythmic medication because they have some scary side effects. But it wore me down, and I decided it was time to try something new.
I started flecainide on May 1 and have had no a fib, other than a few very brief flutters (less than 5 seconds) since. I feel like I have more energy and I don't feel like I am living my life dictated by a fib. YAY!
I'm not sure what the future holds (who is?) and I know that this drug may not work forever, but in the meantime, life is good.
So..wherever you are at in treatment, new diagnosis or old pro, don't give up on looking for an answer, a better treatment, a better doctor. If you are worn down right now, things can get better.
Wishing you all a fib free days ahead.
Just wanted to add a little hope and encouragement for everyone.
I've had a fib for over 3 years and it's been getting progressively more frequent. I went from an episode every 6 months to an episode every other day. I was hesitant to take an antiarrythmic medication because they have some scary side effects. But it wore me down, and I decided it was time to try something new.
I started flecainide on May 1 and have had no a fib, other than a few very brief flutters (less than 5 seconds) since. I feel like I have more energy and I don't feel like I am living my life dictated by a fib. YAY!
I'm not sure what the future holds (who is?) and I know that this drug may not work forever, but in the meantime, life is good.
So..wherever you are at in treatment, new diagnosis or old pro, don't give up on looking for an answer, a better treatment, a better doctor. If you are worn down right now, things can get better.
Wishing you all a fib free days ahead.
I've been on Rythmol for over 18 months without an afib episode, and yes, while we read about some of the side effects, we also have to weigh the advantages, and for me, not being in afib and avoiding an ablation, is more important. I don't think they've tweaked the ablations enough for me, it's not the wonder fix without serious risks either. Most of the serious side effects from the meds that we read about are under 1% of those who take them. I'll get palpitations/flutters, less than maybe 3 seconds, but then, I've always been prone to palpitations, so it's pretty normal.
I'm so glad they found something that works for you and you're afib free, and hopefully you will continue to be so. You have a wonderful outlook, and that's a big part of the battle!
Good luck and many, many more afib free days!
This is a great news, I am so happy that the Flecainide is working for your A Fib. We need happy news like yours on this site. It truly gives people "hope". When you go through it, you just don't see any light, you think it is all gloom and doom. But, really, it is just the matter of finding the answers. Your case is a good example.
By the way, Flecainide gave me the worst A Fib ever that I ended up in the emergency room. It was so bad that they kept me for one night and my wife later told me she was planning for my funeral :-) But, one 50 mg of Atenolol made my heart regular within 2 hours. Also, they gave me a couple of regular aspirins. Of course, the hospital bill was close to $4 K, ouch.
Later on, I read a research from the AHA that this category of drugs works very well for some people and makes the A Fib a lot worse in others. I guess I was one those unlucky ones :-)
Keep away from that A Fib, Marikay. Truly great news from you.
Scott
I am at 10 month mark and doing okay but it nice to know that there is other things if one gets worse.
I agonized for quite awhile about whether I wanted to try flecainide. It is not a drug to be taken lightly, and I would recommend that everyone weigh the benefits vs the risks. It may not be the right choice for everyone, but keep looking for the right answer and don't give up. Best wishes