Putting a post ablation query out there for ideas

[Jonathan_C]

I have been on various different doses of tambocor since April 2015. I had my fourth cardioversion in August 2016 after a breakthrough on CR100mg (capsule, slow release) tambocor. After that cardioversion I went on to 100mg tablet (quick release) x2 daily. I remained in NSR until I had an ablation on 20 Jan this year. I stayed on the tambocor but went into a-fib within a week of the ablation. I had another cardioversion at the end of Jan but was in a-fib by mid February. I was cardioverted (#6) on 18 April and I am now on CR 200mg tambocor (once a day, plus a beta blocker). I am in NSR, but 200mg of tambocor is a real handbrake. Its meant as a short term measure.

My EP has done a 180 from "I think this ablation was a success" to "my experience is that people who go into a-fib after an ablation and don't flip back naturally don't respond to ablations" .... in other words if I go into a-fib again he recommends I don't try another ablation, but live in a-fib. That's still an "IF".

Right now I am trying to decide what my options are.

Option 1: I can go off the tambocor and see what happens. If i stay in NSR then life is dandy and i will commit to living a life of moderation (I will try when it comes to wine). If I go into a-fib then I need to discuss and think again. A second ablation is not off the table, its just not recommended. But I think a-fib is better than living on 200mg tambocor.

option 2: drop down to 100mg tambocor. I have been on that before and it felt like I could do 95% of the things I want to do - and that other 5% is trying to push myself at levels of intensity 99% of people never push themselves to. My thoughts around this is maybe the ablation changed something and it will take a while to breakthrough 100mg - and during that time i can live a very active life.

Option 3?

I am interested in thoughts from the very diverse perspectives on this forum!

[Rellim296]

I hope you get some thoughts on this. Tambocor is, I think, better known on the forum as flecainide.

It worked wonderfully well for me for over a year but I am now putting up with the occasional little AF wobble rather than taking it on a daily basis and am also holding back on using it as a pill-in-the-pocket. I feel the less one takes of it, the better. I was taking 150mgs twice a day for a while.