Atrial fibrillation (AFib) and medication side effects

Eliquist didn't work for me. I'm thin skinned my arms and legs had horrible breeding. I had the watch

I wore a monitor for three weeks in the spring and that showed one paroxysmal AFib episode and a few episodes of SVT. Saw the electrophysiologist three weeks ago and was put on Eliquis (5mg/twice daily) and Flecainide once a day. Constipation has been a problem off and on for some time, but it seems to be worse. And I just feel so tired all the time. I feel like my get-up-and-go got-up-and-went! I don't see the doc again unil October, and I will continue to try this combo, as I obviously do NOT want to have a stroke. I am 73/male. Interesting to read of so many similar experiences here. There is comfort in knowing I'm not alone. I guess all medications have a trade-off. Best wishes! Mike

I recently had an ablation and they put me on Flecainide, and Diltiazam. The first thing I had trouble with was extreme constipation. Took Miralax every three days or more often. I was just taken of Flecainide today, and I’m hoping for some relief from the constipation, heart pounding, and eyesight issues.

@sbranen Thank you for the reply. This makes me wonder if it is the Flecainide that is causing the constipation rather than the Eliquis. I have had so many new "health issues" in the past two years that I feel as if I'm falling apart. I take Milk of Magnesia everyday.... plus occasional Miralax.... and still have issues. And I feel so tired!

Recent suffering side effects of Amiodarone. Have stage 3 kidney disease which I've prevented from progressing for 2 years but latest tests since taking Amiodarone since ctober 2023 are showing some decline, developed cough and weakness in legs after walking a mile a day before first Afib, was unable to continue. Recent Cardiologist visist, he removed this drug saying that because I am also taking metoprolol for blood pressue it also slow sheart rate. If I experience more Afib he said there are other medications we can try. Many of the modern drugs that may help one condition but cause other conditions. The scale is not well balanced!

Not sure if this will help you but I started using coconut oil in my morning coffee. As soon as I get up I drink a glass of warm water; after about 15 minutes my coffee is ready and I add the coconut oil to the coffee and drink it as I always do. After about 2 days began to get relief

Thank you @debroo ! I'll have to check this out. Someone else mentioned that drinking a glass of warm water would help "get things moving." My gastro doc has told me before that it's okay to take Milk of Magnesia everyday, and I've been doing that. Then in my morning coffee, I add some Miralax. And I take a Dulcolax everyday. Been doing this for the past few days and today, things were much better. Crazy, though, how we take a med to fix one thing and it creates issues somewhere else.... so then we take something else to fix that!! This getting old is such fun! NOT! Where are the "golden years" I was always told about??? Best wishes! Mike

Mike, you summed it perfectly, and oh how frustrating and scary. Reached 79 taking no meds at all, then Afib started and it's all meds with more meds to fix the problems csused by the previous meds. It becomes an endless cycle.

I have infrequent episodes of A fib , like last night 1-3 am non stop .
I have had it happen like 4 x in last 2 years that long .
I caught the whole thing on my ekgs on Apple Watch.
I took baby aspirin and 3 Heart calm supplements . Did deep breathing.
I have flecidine RX from a year ago from EP as pill in pocket type thing .
I’ve take it 2 x broken in half .
I’m so afraid to take it , that it may make it worse.
I have history of pvcs on and off my whole life too .
My sister has A fib 7 years and was on 6-7 meds . After years they stopped working well . She we’ve for ablation and loop recorder a year ago and is fine to 3 meds and doing great .
If mine were like yours , I’d do the ablation. Has high success rate .
I have 7 major chronic digestive disorders 10 years now . I’m so fatigued from those too .
Best wishes.

I can totally agree getting old is not fun!! I used to work for an “alternative” medical doctor and he would start most of his patients out drinking warm water every morning with usually good results but now that I’ve gotten older I need to add the coconut oil a couple times a week. Good luck!