So I had my ablation exactky a year ago today.....I saw my cardio yesterday and he’s still keeping me in flecainade, bisoprolol, elequis.
I had the ablation and thought I was in them for six months after.....thrn I had this mega trip to Australia and I thought I was being kept in them for security which pleased me .......so here I am yesterday and everything was fine, echo, and ecg.....and he writes me a prescription fir my usual...I sajd am I still in tablets he sajd oh yes it’s necessary,,,,.of course it’s all in French and I never ask enough questions.....I thought of plenty as I was walking back to car.......I read in this forum how in uk everyine seems to stop tablets after ablation......now I’m wondering had he forgot I’ve had the ablation???......if I’m honest the tablets don’t interfere with my life but I thought I’d be iff them.
They will affect the travel insurance I’m sure as living here I struggled getting an insurance company for the Australian trip....being living in France most U.K. companies won’t do it with Brexit.....world wide insure did take me in but queried why I was in tablets and whrn were they going to stop.....I haven’t tried French ones.....
What’s your thoughts.....??
Apart from thst all’s going well a year after the proceedure,
Thanks
Sue
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Anticoagulants are a good idea as ablation does not stop the stoke risk. Many of us still need to take anti arrhythmics or at least keeop them as PIP. Can't tell you what to do of course.
Ah well I will keep taking them bob, just seemed odd when I hear others stop.....I don’t mind taking them.
I was kept on Flecainide maintenance dose 2 x 50 mg for 6 months after my first ablation back in 2016 and with the agreement of my EP, have used Flecainide as a PiP when necessary but we are all different. If you are can, why not email your EP and ask the question!
I Dont have an EP,, flap jack, over here you are under the cardio , once you leave the hospital......yesterday He just said it’s necessary.......I don’t mind them just thought everyone stopped after......
I live in France. I also am under a cardiologist who is good but believes that we can live well with this condition under meds.( Which we can if everything else has been tried) However I have made an appointment with an EP ( in a rhythmology clinic) anyway to weigh up the pros and cons of anbablation and get another take on PaFib. I agree with Bob however for anti- coagulants. Perhaps your Dr is being super careful and giving it time to heal before weaning you off the meds.
I’m in a ski village just ten mins from morzine. Got snow fall today everywhere.....just been for our free Xmas dinner for the seniors of the village....curtesy of the mayor, very generous three course lunch and wine, accordion player....I love my life here.
I'm in the Paris suburbs about 7 miles from the centre. I don't know anyone here that has the same condition as me so it's good to chat. Did you have a gen. Anesthetic or were you sedated?
I’m 10 months post ablation and on a low dose of beta blockers. One night I accidentally missed my dose and the next day my heart was a bit jumpy so I think I’ll be staying on them. When I took out my travel insurance for our upcoming trip I did it online. I declared my AF and there was a drop down box for ‘treated by..,’ I clicked ablation (you could only pick one) and said yes to the question of one anticoagulants?’. It was all approved with an additional premium. Online seems to be easier than over the phone (here at least).
Sorry to hear that you have issues getting travel insurance. Here in the US we can buy policies from companies like Allianz, Travel Safe and Berkshire Hathaway that cover pre-existing conditions. The catch is that we have to purchase them within 10 to 14 days of making the initial deposit and be fit to travel at the time we book the trip. There is a look back period(usually 60 days) and you are covered for pre-existing conditions, even if taking meds. The look-back period is the amount of time prior to your travel policy's effective date that the insurance company will review for pre-existing conditions if you end up filing a claim. If you were medically stable during the look-back period, it is not considered a pre-existing condition.
We had to file a claim once because I had a bout of A Fib that landed me in the hospital. My doctor certified that I had not had any episodes in the previous 4 months. This is before I had my PIP. We got the full cost of the trip back, less the premium.
My wife is a travel agent and sells these policies all the time and has never had anyone who had the Pre-existing conditon waiver denied reimbursement. To give you an example, she just had someone who had to cancel before a cruise. They purchased their policy at the time they booked back in August. The husband has COPD, but was stable all summer. Two days before they were due to sail in December, they had to cancel. He was in the hospital with pneumonia. They were paid in full, except for the premium, within 10 days of filing the insurance claim. He could not go because he had a "new" illness, even though it also involved the lungs. Even though COPD can make pneumonia worse, because he was stable on his medication for the 60 days before they bought the policy in August, it was not considered a pre-existing condition.
We can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason policies that will return 75% to 80% of the trip cost. They cost about 30% more. But, they are what she sells when someone is pregnant (in case of miscarriage) or undergoing cancer treatment.
Many tour and cruise companies also sell insurance. Some cover pre-existing conditions, some do not , and some have cancel for any reason provisions. You need to read the fine print. Good reason to go through a travel agent with a license to sell travel insurance and who understands the different options. Most of them will give a future cruise or travel credit if the insurance they sell will not pay off, due to a pre-existing condition.
And, best of all, we do not have to answer any medical questions to purchase travel insurance. It is important to buy it for the air ambulance provisions and the repatriation of remains coverage, which can cost $10,000 to $25,000 depending on where you are. Most US health insurance stops at the border, as does traditional Medicare. Some Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplements cover 80% of your emergency treatment out of the US, but do not cover getting back home, either on commercial flights or via air ambulance.
Friends of ours who are also traveling to Europe this year have taken out a cancel for any reason policy as they both have elderly mothers and standard policies don’t cover anyone of 80 (doesn’t matter is they are traveling or at home). Like you said, it’s cost them a lot more but they feel more confident.
Wow. I just asked my wife and she showed me a whole lot of insurance companies that will insure you, no matter what the age. Some are more expensive than others. She has a client of long standing who is 92 and his wife is 87. They had no trouble purchasing insurance for their 45 day South America cruise. And, when their daughter took a cruise had no problems getting coverage in case her elderly parents had an issue.
We have always taken comprehensive travel insurance out on every trip that covers trip cancellation and trip interruption as well as medical coverage and an air ambulance. First it was because we had young kids and you just never know when those little germ factories will get sick, or make you sick.
Then, it was my A Fib.
When I got my PIP 15 years ago I really did not think about it for my issues, but more because we still both had elderly parents alive.
I remember having to cancel a Celebrity 11 day cruise when her mother had a heart attack, followed by a quadruple bypass. She was 82. We got a full reimbursement from Allianz on that one.
In 2012 we lucked out. We took a cruise at the the last week of January and her father died Feb. 6.
I absolutely agree. My wife makes her clients sign a waiver if they refuse to purchase travel insurance. It seems like every week there is somebody starting a Go Fund Me page because they were traveling and are stuck out of the country because they can't afford the hospital bill. Many countries will not let you leave until the bill is paid. She sees it all the time with people who can't really afford to travel taking cheap 3 or 4 day cruises to Mexico and the Bahamas.
Since in most cases you have to pay the bill and then get reimbursed from the insurance company, she also recommends traveling with credit cards that have high credit limits, and a stash of emergency cash.
She had a client who had a heart attack in Puerto Vallarta. He had insurance through the tour company, but the hospital would not accept an insurance assignment. On arrival at the ER they were given a cost estimate and they had to pay that up front. They put it on their Visa card. After diagnosis they recommended a stent and told them exactly how much it would cost for the procedure and hospital stay. Lucky for him some hot shot surgeon from Mexico City was there training the staff doctors to do invasive procedures. It was a bit over their credit limit, so his wife called the bank and got the limit raised, paid the bill and he got the stent. They kept him in the hospital 3 days before he was released him to a hotel.
The doctor came to visit him at the hotel twice daily and released him to fly home after another 5 days. Meanwhile, the hotel bill was piling up.
The Concierge at the insurance company arranged the flight home, which the doctor said had to be in First Class to avoid blood clots.
After they got home, they filed the insurance claim. The $109.00 per person insurance covered every penny of the $32,000 for the doctor and hospital as well as the $2500 hotel bill after discharge, as well as the hotel, taxis and meals for his wife while he was hospitalized. They were not out of pocket anything but the insurance premium.
His cardiologist in Houston said that the stent was perfectly placed and the treatment was absolutely up to US standards. They felt the staff at the hospital in Puerto Vallarta and the cardiologist went above and beyond. Had he had this done in the US he would have been looking at over $100,000 for the hospital bill and would have had to pay 20% out of pocket. So, he saved $20.000! He jokes that he hopes his next cardiac event happens on vacation in Mexico so that it doesn't cost him anything.
Yeah we see a lot of go fund me appeals from idiots who go to Bali without insurance - that’s the cheapest holiday from Australia. A friends mum was recently offloaded from a cruise and spent 2 weeks in ICU in Phuket. The insurance company sent a nurse up from Australia to fly back with her business class.
I agree to keeping the anticoagulants but IMHO I would query staying on the Flecainide/Bisoprolol without fully understanding your cardiologist’s reasoning for insisting you continue to take them, unless you are completely happy taking them.
I wonder if you could get someone you trust to translate and write in French to the Cardiologist asking for reasoning and voicing your concerns.
Flecainide is a toxic drug, not as toxic as some so I think if it wasn’t proactively serving a useful purpose - it’s not a drug a would want to take long term.
Yes I thought the idea of ablation was to eventually stop the flec and bisoprolol......he doesn’t want to see me for a year now.....gave me a six month prescription and sajd go to doc when it runs out for the following six months......I will go see her and ask.....I can speak French easily with her, my cardio speaks so fast.
Agree, i was on flecainide for 8 weeks post ablation , ok for a while then a bit out of it , then hallucinations each night, went off them then went to my GP and suggested I let the cardiologist know what I"ve done, my Gp seems to think I'll be AOK, haven't heard from the cardiologist as yet, but won"t touch them again.
I don't take Bisoprolol as I have heart block and bad conductivity causing a slow heart rate. As Bisoprolol is a rate control drug it is not good for me to take it.
Like you I am one year post ablation and in NSR. I will be taking anticoagulant Apixaban (Eliquis) for life and I also take 5mg bisoprolol to slow the heart rate and reduce the chances of a return to AF.
The ablation was well worth it as I have more energy and a better QOL.
Yes I feel good, I’m a bit more relieved others still take tablets too.....
I think it’s now standard to continue with anticoagulants after ablation. So far as I know that is the case everywhere including the U.K. This is a relatively recent development - formerly it was thought acceptable to stop medication, but research shows that the stroke risk persists after ablation. I think in *some* cases it’s possible to stop medication after discussion with the EP if the CHADSVASC score is very low.
Was this your first ablation and were you in paroxysmal or persistent AF? Did you have any episodes after ablation? My friend who had a second ablation in France is now off his meds. However he did have to take Sotalol for quite a few months until his heart stabilized.
If your first ablation was for persistent AF, then your cardio may want you to stay on your drugs longer. Likewise, if you had any episodes after your first ablation, then you could be prescribed to stay on your meds longer. I have had three ablations in Bordeaux, France. After my first ablation, I was kept on drugs because I had episodes.
I had some e topics but otherwise good.....I was paf.......the drugs don’t affect me with side effects, i won’t see cardio for another year now, although I can see him if anything happens.....
I had my third ablation May 27, 2019, and now 8 months later I have had no AF. So, it went very well because this is the longest period of sinus rhythm since going into persistent.
I had to have 3 because the system in western Canada allowed me to get to persistent and was keeping me in persistent. France , specifically Bordeaux-Pessac, was the answer but I didn't get there until 6 months persistent ( Canada's fault not Bordeaux's). I deteriorated very quickly in persistent causing my heart to get very remodelled. In fact, had I not had the first ablation at 6 months persistent, I would not have been able to return to sinus. I was one of the most complicated cases at the 6 months persistent stage (defined by the first ablation). My heart has had extensive ablation, but I am in sinus.
The first ablation ( July 3, 2017) involve ablating the four pulmonary veins plus the four rogue areas beyond the pulmonary veins. But, the right superior pulmonary vein was stubborn and refused to be ablated combined with the edema which occurs due to the prolonged ablation time.
The second ablation some months later (Nov. 20, 2017) again addressed my right superior pulmonary vein as well as peri-mitral atrial flutter ( in left atria) that had subsequently developed and stopped via ethanol injection of the vein of Marshall. At the time, this procedure had been used for only 4 months) This ablation needed only one hour.
I did have about 5 months of continuous sinus after the second, but my heart continued its stubbornness. For the third ablation, it was to take only 2 1/2 hours but ended up being 4 1/2 plus a cardioversion to get me back to sinus. This time, the third ablation, I had developed atrial flutter in the right atrium, so it was a cavo -tricuspid isthmus ablation (from memory now) which carries a 94% chance of success. In addition, the right superior pulmonary vein had reconnected. For the third time, the right superior pulmonary vein was addressed and ablated. Most unusual.
I had no complications for each of my three ablations; I recovered sufficiently quickly although I feel the third has taken a little longer. I feel terrific being in sinus.
That is very interesting and a good example of being treated by the pioneer hospital. And getting a solution! I have this hospital at the back of my mind if my first ablation is not successful where I live ( near Paris). Did you come to France for the ablations and return to Canada or do you live here now?
I live in Vancouver, B.C. , Canada. So it was a long flight from the Pacific coast to Paris and then the connection to Bordeaux. I had all three ablations in Pessac ( near Bordeaux) and paid for them myself. For me, they are the best for treating persistent AF.
What a marvellous example of not giving up and travelling so far to find a solution. Just proves there is a chance to cure or improve persistent Afib if you are able to be cared for in a very experienced hospital that specialises in complicated Afib. I felt much more optimistic after reading your post!
Hi I had my ablation May 2018. They stopped my medication 3 months post ablation. I have the occasional run of PAFib but basically the ablation has worked. They have put me back on low dose Bisoprolol just to keep things under control. Still on Apixaban which I’m happy about
Hi, I had my first ablation 8 months ago and my EP has kept me on all medication, Bisoprolol, Perindropril, Apixaban, Omaprazole and Atorvastatin. I had been on the dreaded Amiodarone for 10 months and was taken off that at my 6 month check. I am on low doses of all of them and they keep me functioning steadily. I have an alarm on my phone to make sure I don't forget, and it has become a part of my daily routine, I don't mind at all.
Hi, I remember you had your ablation just after I had mine on January 3rd. I came off all my tablets straight sassy and have been fine since. Good luck x
Always good to read so many different comments and once again how different we all are and indeed how Doctors and Cardiologists all vary!! I had my first ablation in May 19 and was taken off Flecainide ( previously on Sotalol pre ablation ) after 3 months and then three months later without a PIP had to go to A&E for a Cardioversion. As I had my 6 monthly post ablation checkup booked anyway 10 days later I again wasn't given a PIP and ended up having another Cardioversion within 8 days and booked straight in for a second ablation which was done within 10 days and noted a few bits were missed off the first ablation I was them put on Bisosprolol for a 6 month period until I see the Cardiologist in May 2020, I accept I will be on anticoagulants for the rest of my life and although I would like to be off all other meds, I will accept whatever they suggest as I hate the awful AF episodes. Good luck.
They tend to keep you on the anticoagulants - depending on what score you get on their questionnaire - as I am over 75 I was kept on them after my first successful cardioversion - I wanted to come off but was kept on them because of age. They did take me off the digoxin and when the AF came back put me back on them for a short time. My AF is back again but they have not put me back on digoxin this time? Luckily I have an appointment for another cardioversion on Tuesday and am on the list for an ablation but I expect to be kept on the anticoagulants. I don't take beta blockers as when the AFib kicked in I tried lots of different ones and none made me better and most made me worse. I would think it is better to be on them than not but next time remind your Doc that you have had the ablation and ask if it is necessary. So long as you are AFib free that's great, but as a Yorkshire mand through and through I would definitely be asking to come off some of the medication if it meant spending more on insurance LOL!
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