Flecainide before ablation

[Euve]

I was just wondering I am going for my ablation in a few weeks do you usually have to get off flecainide before the ablation another question I have is during the procedure does the doctor have you go into afib to see where the problem is. I plan on discussing this with my doctor a week before but any information I can get now I would appreciate

[Paulbounce]

My understanding is Euve that they need to induce afib during the ablation. You maybe in it anyway - it`s the one time when you want to be in afib ! Not sure about the Flec dose but I`m sure you`ll be told when you visit your doctor.

Hope the ablation goes well. It`s likely to be on the cards for me at some point.

Best,

Paul

[pottypete1]

I have never been told to stop taking Flecainide before having an ablation.

Pete

[faridaro in reply to pottypete1]

The same here!

[BobD Volunteer]

They infuse you with a special drug to induce AF so they can see where it is coming from if you are not naturally in AF

[kbog]

I am in the US - but one doctor had me continue flecainide and another had me stop 4 days prior to ablation (I have had two). Both wanted me out of rhythm (if possible) naturally during the procedure so they could follow the “circuit” without administering isoprotenerol to induce arrhythmia (though they will do that at the end anyway to confirm that they have gotten it all). My first procedure was to eliminate a flutter circuit, and flecainide was promoting the flutter, so stopping ahead would have actually reduced my chances of being out of rhythm. The second procedure was for afib, and stopping the flecainide ahead maximized the chance of me being out of rhythm for the procedure. Either way, if you are not out of rhythm for the procedure they will dose you with something to induce arrhythmia, and as I said, they will (likely) do that at the end of the procedure anyhow to confirm that the ablation lesions eliminate the pathway for the rogue electrical activity.

You should probably confirm that your doctor will follow the same protocol with flecainide and in the procedure itself, as there can be variance. Both of my ablations were RF rather than cryo, and as I said I am in the US.

[Tapanac]

I wasn’t told to stop my flecainide before my ablation - in fact I was kept on all of my pills before, during and after my ablation. However I was stopped flecainide 3 months after the ablation. It took a few weeks to settle down, but once out of my system it wasn’t too bad, but I still get ectopic and flutters every day. Hope you feel better soon

[Spoiler]

I am in the US and have had 2 ablations at the Cleveland Clinic, they had me to stop the flecainide 3 days prior to the PVI ablation. On my last ablation I had been in constant flutter for 5 days and they ablated that first.

[AIW58]

Hi

I'm in the UK, had an ablation 12 weeks ago. My EP wanted me to stop Flecainide 5days before. Restarted after it for 2months so now off it.

Are you on an anticoagulant? I wasn't and was started a few weeks before the ablation. I can stop that in a couple of weeks.

I hope it all goes well for you. I was nervous beforehand but it was fine.

Good luck

Amanda

[Morzine]

I had to stop my flecanaide and bisoprolol and elequis 24 hours before.....guess you will get a pre op fact sheet telling you what to do.....

[Breezera]

Hi Euve. I'm in Canada and had a very successful PVI cryoablation 10 months ago. My EP told me to stop my antiarrhythmic drug (disopyramide) 3 days before the procedure. He also had me switch from Eliquis (apixaban) to Pradaxa (dabigatran) 7 days before the procedure. After the procedure the EP who performed the cryoablation told me he was able to trigger a-fib in my heart by merely approaching the opening of my pulmonary veins with his catheter - that's how "sensitive" my PVs were in terms of a-fib being triggered. I have been 100% a-fib free since the cryoablation.

Best wishes, Richard