Hi All,
Whilst I wait for my EP to respond to my email I was wondering if anyone on this forum could help answer some of the questions I have raised.
First some background.....
I had my first ablation in April.
Things didn’t go according to plan and as a result of the procedure I developed atrial Tachycardia. This according to my EP at Harefield is not uncommon.
The outline sequence of events is as follows;
* Within a week of the ablation I was back in persistent Afib.
* After 6 weeks weeks or so of waiting I had DC Cardioversion and maintained NSR for 8 weeks.
* My heart then flipped again only this time I had Tachycardia not Afib.
For me the symptons associated with Tachycardia are much harder to live with than Afib. My pulse would lurch from 70bpm to 110/120/130bpm just getting out of bed and would stay like that for most of the day.
My EP then prescribed Flecainide and after 6 weeks or so of taking this (together with the Bisoprolol I was already on) my pulse returned to normal levels (60/70 bpm) and has stayed that way for past 3 weeks. I still get breathless (drug side effect?) but heart rate is fine and NSR.
I have a second Ablation booked for the end of the year to tackle the Tachycardia and hopefully a passage to a drug free future.
Anyway the key questions this raises in my head that I have asked my EP are as follows;
Do I still need a second ablation?
Has the Tachycardia gone / been suppressed because of the Flecainide / Bisoprolol combination or was the Tachycardia I experienced a temporary thing as a result of the healing process from the first ablation?
Why would the Flecainide help with Tachycardia anyway? Isnt it a rhythmic drug.
What would happen if I stopped the Flecainide? Would the Tachycardia return?’
Thanks everyone in advance for your help and support. This forum has been invaluable to me. Best wishes Nick