Should I have an ablation when I have been fine on flecanide for a year?

[Thomas29]

Should I have an ablation when I have mostly been well on Flecainide for over a year? I am 67 year old female. Thanks

[Hidden]

I think a lot depends on whether or not you have been offered an Ablation. The fact that you appear to have maintained sinus rhythm, albeit with the aid of Flecainide, a fairly potent rhythm drug, suggests that an ablation might be a very effective alternative to controlling your AF symptoms. It you had one (or more) then it’s possible you could stop taking Flecainide and given your aversion to medication, that sounds like it may be a good idea. Sound like something you should discuss with your medics…….

[Hidden]

The NICE guidelines say that an ablation is to be offered if medication is failing. As you haven't had any AF for over a year, I suspect they wouldn't advise or offer one for the time being.

[Singwell]

I'd say depends on your dose. Are you on the lowest dose? Any side effects? I got on well with Flecainide but it never stopped my AF completely on a regular basis. Hence ablation. I'm 65. Discuss long term plans with your EP is my advice.

[CDreamer]

Ablation over drugs any day. Unfortunately it’s rarely one or the other and as you will have already gathered if you read a number of posts, neither are a lasting solution so mostly we work with what works for us at the time and do our best to look at all Lifestyle Changes we could make that would lessen the frequency and the intensity of episodes.

[Morzine]

It’s a big question....I was on flecainade and it was working fine but was offered ablation and after reading what folk had said here I’d jumped in with a big yes.The ablation has for me given me confidence and taken me from the state of wondering when AFib would come back, to the state of getting in with life and not thinking much about it...it may come back I’m aware but I’ve had two years plus of freedom....

Sue

[BobD Volunteer]

Any and all treatment for AF is only about quality of life (QOL) as cure is not generally a word used in the same sentence as atrial fibrillation. Nothing is without risk of course, even doing nothing but on balance ablation does help many people get on with their lives. One would expect (hope for) a further fifteen to twenty years at 67 so you need to ask yourself if you want to take a potent drug for the rest of your life . Anticoagulation is a different matter of course but AF is generally considered to be progressive and never look back and say I wish.

[secondtry]

My vote: Continue with Flecainide, work on a wide range of lifestyle improved choices and when you feel confident enough reduce Flec very slowly. If that doesn't work then request an ablation.

[Jafib]

This is/was my experience: First diagnosed with AF back in 2008. Went on flecainide and metoprolol almost immediately following the diagnosis. Spent most of the next ten years doing basically whatever I wanted in terms of exercise and activities. In summer of 2017 started to notice a change...could not do all the things I used to because I would have episodes of fast onset AF and tachycardia and these episodes brought fear as I could be anywhere when they happened including deep in the woods where the only way out was to walk (which I couldn't hardly walk 10 feet during these episodes without feeling like I was about to die). The sheer panic in these situations made me decide to have an ablation. This finally happened on December 3rd, 2018 - 10 years to the day of my first diagnosis. The effects of ablation, which did allow me to get off meds altogether, lasted just short of a year before I had to go back on the meds - HOWEVER...I am now well controlled on half the dose of both meds...so, an overall improvement. Feel like I reset the clock somewhat allowing me to go back to exercising, hiking, etc.