Stop all drugs after cryoablation

[zak123]

Told to stop taking all drugs 12 months after cryo ablation even warfarin !!!!! Dont get me wrong i feel great back to full time work , i am a joiner , but i feel like the drugs are a comfort zone ! I take 2.5 mg bisoprolol. 50mg flecinide twice daily and 14mg of warfarin yes i know the warf is a horse dose not sure what to do any advise please .

[Sam72-]

Hi there , it’s brilliant news that your feeling great 😊👍🏼 I had mine 3 months ago and still getting little things going on , but I have never took the flecinide . I am on 5mg bisoprolol from 10mg and on warfarin to , I am no doctor or can advise on medications but just my opinion from what I have been told by my doctors, I thought we had to come off all meds after 3 months gradually? And stay on warfarin for a bit longer then hopefully can stop the warfarin to . I personally wouldn’t want to stop the warfarin until I seen what happens after stoping the other meds . That’s just my opinion , there might be people on here that have stopped everything at once ? But if it was me I wouldn’t want to stop the warfarin 😬 hope this helps a little 👍🏼

[zak123 in reply to Sam72-]

I think the warfarin advise is a good one i will make an appointment with my gp and see what she says ! Thanks sam

[Sam72- in reply to zak123]

Ye I mean it carnt do any harm to just stay on it for a couple of months more and if your fine then I would go for it 👍🏼😉😊 brilliant news that you feel good though. Best wishes to you and fingers crossed 🤞🏼 your ok once off the other drugs ❤️

[BobD Volunteer]

Most of us old hands stay on our anticoagulant for life. Obviously we can't advise but that is our take on it.

[zak123 in reply to BobD]

I think your right bob like i said i will have a chat with my gp thanks for the reply

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob. I would say the same. But it sounds as if some EPs are giving new advice about AC after ablation (see below). Is there new research suggesting it may be ok to stop AC?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Hidden]

There has always been this difference of opinion but I have yet to see any research to say ablation does reduce stroke risk. I think the whole point is how new most of this science really is. 25 years ago you would have been told AF was a benign nuisance , get on with your life and stop worrying. No treatment needed! As was said at the AF Association ten year anniversary celebrations this week, we have come a long way but still a lot to do.

[mumknowsbest Volunteer in reply to BobD]

Hi like Bob I have stayed on anticoagulants feel happier and there has never been any mention of coming off them. When I was put on them was told it would be indefinitely.

[Hidden]

I think I read somewhere that there is no evidence that ablation reduces the risk of stroke. But then again lack of evidence doesn't mean it isn't true.

Do you know your CHADS 2 score?

[zak123 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the reply badger my ep said my chad score is good

[Deeferdi]

My EP said to stop all mine after about 16 weeks post ablation. I too felt that my tablets were my comfort blanket and was wary of stopping them, but I did and I’m ok. I was on Dronedarone 2 x 400mg, Diltazem 1 x 120mg and Apixaban 2 x 5mg. I just have to go to see my GP for my blood pressure checking as per EP instructions, which so far is fine.

[zak123 in reply to Deeferdi]

Thanks deeferdi how long has it been since you stopped ? I still have the odd ectopics but very mild i hardly feel them ! Do you have any ?

[Deeferdi in reply to zak123]

I stopped at the beginning of September following cryoablation in first week in May. No I have nothing just a slightly elevated heart rate than before but so far been AFib and ectopic beat free after having it for 12 years. If I do feel anything strange by the time I've reached for my Kardia all is normal on the reading.

[millie-becca-187]

I am 5 months post ablation and I'm taking 5mg bisoprolol, 20 mg rivaroxaban, 40mg atorvastatin and 40mg omeprazole.

My EP wanted me to stop anti coag at 3 month check up, until I reminded him I'd had a stroke in October last year.He said he wasn't aware of this and quickly flicked through my notes. My confidence in him greatly reduced at this point.

They stopped my digoxin immediately after ablation and reduced dose of bisoprolol from 10mg to 5mg at 3 month post ablation. There wasnt anything mentioned about stopping any other medications, (except rivaroxaban) which I'm now on for life. Only a follow up phone call at 9 month post ablation.

[MJ17]

I am 2 months post cryo-ablation. I was told by my EP that I could stop my Xarelto next month. I take no other medications. I will be wearing a heart monitor in February for a month to check things out. I guess my question is, if the ablation worked and the Afib is gone, then why would a Anti-coagulant still be needed?