Doctors & patients are saying about 'A-Fib.com'...


"A-Fib.com is a great web site for patients, that is unequaled by anything else out there."

Dr. Douglas L. Packer, MD, FHRS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

"Jill and I put you and your work in our prayers every night. What you do to help people through this [A-Fib] process is really incredible."

Jill and Steve Douglas, East Troy, WI 

“I really appreciate all the information on your website as it allows me to be a better informed patient and to know what questions to ask my EP. 

Faye Spencer, Boise, ID, April 2017

“I think your site has helped a lot of patients.”

Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD  Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, MD


Doctors & patients are saying about 'Beat Your A-Fib'...


"If I had [your book] 10 years ago, it would have saved me 8 years of hell.”

Roy Salmon, Patient, A-Fib Free,
Adelaide, Australia

"This book is incredibly complete and easy-to-understand for anybody. I certainly recommend it for patients who want to know more about atrial fibrillation than what they will learn from doctors...."

Pierre Jaïs, M.D. Professor of Cardiology, Haut-Lévêque Hospital, Bordeaux, France

"Dear Steve, I saw a patient this morning with your book [in hand] and highlights throughout. She loves it and finds it very useful to help her in dealing with atrial fibrillation."

Dr. Wilber Su,
Cavanaugh Heart Center, 
Phoenix, AZ

"...masterful. You managed to combine an encyclopedic compilation of information with the simplicity of presentation that enhances the delivery of the information to the reader. This is not an easy thing to do, but you have been very, very successful at it."

Ira David Levin, heart patient, 
Rome, Italy

"Within the pages of Beat Your A-Fib, Dr. Steve Ryan, PhD, provides a comprehensive guide for persons seeking to find a cure for their Atrial Fibrillation."

Walter Kerwin, MD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA


 FAQs A-Fib Drug Therapy: Pill in Pocket

Drug Therapies for Atrial Fibrillation, A-Fib, Afib

“Is the “Pill-In-The-Pocket” treatment a cure for A-Fib? When should it be used?”

The “Pill-In-The-Pocket” treatment refers to taking an antiarrhythmic med at the time of an A-Fib attack.

One approach is to take 100 mg of flecainide up to three times at 20 minute intervals to stop or shorten an A-Fib episode.

Another approach is to take Rythmol 300 mg and Inderal 20 mg, wait three hours, then take Inderal 20 mg, wait three hours, then take Rythmol 300 mg and Inderal 20 mg again. (Other meds and dosages are used depending on the needs of the patient).

Another variation of the “Pill-In-The-Pocket” treatment is to take an antiarrhythmic med on a regular basis, then take a higher dose at the time of an A-Fib attack. A-Fib patient, Reg, writes he takes 300 mg of flecainide, and 2 hours later goes back into SR. He normally is on a loading dose of flecainide 100 mg in the morning and 50 mg in the afternoon.

However, not everyone can tolerate antiarrhythmic meds on a regular basis. The “Pill-In-The-Pocket” treatment is an excellent, welcome option for A-Fib patients who feel bad when taking antiarrhythmic meds every day.

(When the author had A-Fib, he never tried the “Pill-In-The-Pocket” treatment. He welcomes comments and corrections to this opinion.)

The “Pill-In-The-Pocket” treatment should probably not be considered a “cure” for A-Fib, but more of a help to get one out of or shorten an A-Fib attack. For more, go to our Treatments page and look for Pill-in-the-Pocket”. Read about two different approaches in Marilyn Shook’s personal experience story: “Pill-In-The-Pocket” Approaches—Both Turn To Catheter Ablation For A Cure.

Editor’s comments:
In my opinion, the ideal use of an antiarrhythmic med is to take it on a regular basis to keep one from having an A-Fib attack. Taking an antiarrhythmic med only when one has an A-Fib attack is like trying to put out a fire after it has started. From a patient’s perspective, it’s better to keep A-Fib from starting in the first place—to be proactive rather than reactive.

Return to FAQ Drug Therapies
Last updated: Monday, June 18, 2018

Related Posts

Follow Us
facebook - A-Fib.comtwitter - A-Fib.comlinkedin - A-Fib.compinterest - A-Fib.comYouTube: A-Fib Can be Cured! - A-Fib.com

We Need You Help A-Fib.com be self-supporting-Use our link to Amazon  

A-Fib.com is a
501(c)(3) Nonprofit



Your support is needed. Every donation helps, even just $1.00.



A-Fib.com top rated by Healthline.com since 2014 

Home | The A-Fib Coach | Help Support A-Fib.com | A-Fib News Archive | Tell Us What You think | Press Room | GuideStar Seal | HON certification | Disclosures | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy