Seeing EP post ablation

[Ginnik]

I had my ablation on 20th June and apart from the first couple of days I've been absolutely fine ever since. No AF!!. Steady heart rate of 65/70. I feel life is back to normal. I had a follow up appointment with my EP which was to be in the new year. I decided to go privately and now have an appointment for 9th September. I went privately as I felt this was a very long time to go and desperately want to get off medication (flecanaide and digoxin not Rivaroxaban) as soon as possible. Does anyone know if there is a certain criteria needed to coming off medication or are there examinations, ECG etc before this can be done or do I just explain that I want to come off the medication? I really dont know what to expect at this post ablation appointment. Thanking you.

Ginni

[BobD Volunteer]

As I'm sure you know Ginni, it takes at least three if not six months for full healing to take place so it is still quite early. If you wish to stop meds then tell him but I would suggest that you wean yourself off slowly. I found it took me a good six weeks or more of cutting out half a tablet here and there as when I just stopped. all sorts of nasty feelings came back. Others may have different views and maybe I was just a coward. Worked in the end mind.

Regarding anticoagulation this is a whole other ball game and many of us prefer to stay on it for life as I have explained many times. The jury is still out on what constitutes success and how or if it removes stroke risk.

So glad you are feeling so much better.

Bob

[Rellim296]

That's sounding good. I think you are wise to see your EP privately although it will be short of 3 months. I dropped flecainide from 150mgs x 2 a day to 100 x 2 on the day of the ablation and got a phone call 6 weeks after the ablation to say I could drop to 50mgs x2. At my appointment 4 months after the ablation I didn't see my EP but the Registrar and he said to drop it completely, except as a pill in the pocket when needed. I've stayed on the rest of my medication (atenolol and losartan) as it's for blood pressure control and have swapped from warfarin to rivaroxaban. I've also had a further ablation.

[Barb1 in reply to Rellim296]

My EP has always kept me on all meds after each successful ablation. The last one was Feb 2015. Maybe its because I had DCM which has improved to borderline heart failure.

[Dodie117]

My EP took me off meds (bisoprolol) on day after ablation. I remain anticoagulated.

I had lots of arrhythmias for about 5 months but then stopped. Nearly 3 years AF free.

[MS444]

I have ablation on 21 March. Then have AF almost every day from 23 March to 1 April. I took flecainide only when I got it. Stopped on 1 April and lasted until 1 May. Since then I've had PAF 13 times. Mostly for an hour and took pills each time. I had 5 episodes in July and started taking 25mg flecainide twice daily from 27 July until 15 August. Then I stopped the flecainide. That was the only time I used it daily. Had a lot of ectopic beats at end July and had them ever since the ablation, but since the two weeks on flecainide they have stopped.

Last AF was 45 minutes on 9 August. Now I feel like its gone again, but also the ectopic beats seem to have gone. Lallym above mentioned 5 months of arrhythmias which then stopped. I feel like that might be what has happened to me. I had assumed the ablation was a failure (5 attacks in July) and now I'm wondering whether it has actually worked.

Very unpredictable!

[Sarah57]

I had my Ablation in April and am off all drugs now. I fact EP was keen for this by end of 3 months post procedure. I did, however, come off gradually so as not to shock the old body too much! Feel so so much better so far!

Good luck

Sarah

[Sarah57 in reply to Sarah57]

Oh and as others have said, I keep a "pill in the pocket" still.