Tomorrow's EP appointment - Atrial Fibrillati...

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Tomorrow's EP appointment

wilsond profile image
25 Replies

Well here I am, awaiting the EP phone appointment tomorrow. Wonder what he will say?Quick recap: had a cryo ablation 5th June 2022. Whilst awaiting followup appointment, had awful back and shoulder pain( old injury aggravated by time on table)

No AF or Flutter at all since procedure. This was 5 months on.

GP told me to stop antiarryhmic drugs completely and take ibuprofen. Within 24 hours full blown AF. I put myself back on flecanide and awaited follow up next month.

Follow up decision was unfortunately to continue with full dose flecanide for further 6 months and then halve dose from June 21st Monitor and discuss in July.

Halved dose,and have had 3 really bad migraine attacks,and 2 AF caught on Kardia. 1 x 10 hours 1 x 3 hours.

So,perhaps I may have to continue on flecanide or have a touch-up RF ablation.

I don't really have any preference. If it means flecanide now does keep me in NSR ( failed prior to ablation) happy-ish to stay on.

Wait and see....I'm busy today running a breast cancer afternoon tea event so that'll take my mind off it,and of course if we don't sell out....yum yum 😋

I'll put on here the results in case it helps someone else.

Xx

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wilsond
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25 Replies

🤞for a good result! (On both counts!)

wilsond profile image
wilsond in reply to

Thank-you friend xx

etheral profile image
etheral

Hi, assume you are taking an anticoagulant.. Ibuprofen is possibly dangerous in terms of causing GI bleeding as well as not great for your kidney function. Hope the flecinide works for you and doesn't cause side effects. Best etheral

wilsond profile image
wilsond in reply to etheral

Sorry Etheral,didn't make myself clear. I stopped ibuprofen immediately after the AF began. Not taken since. Yes I am on Apixaban. Thank you xx

JaneFinn profile image
JaneFinn

Good luck for tomorrow - do let us know the outcome, won’t you?

Must have been so gutting to have things going wrong again after 5 months and feeling home and dry (well, as much as we ever can with AF!). I think I’d be like you, happy-ish to carry on with the flecainide rather than rock the boat with a RF ablation. But then again if your EP feels confident it’ll mop up the remaining problem areas, that’s well worth considering too. Hope you can have a good and helpful discussion xx

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

Do you think it my have been your taking the ibuprofen, that set your AF off? So annoying when you were so filled with hope of it being cured. Hope your breast cancer afternoon tea is successful.

Jean

Cavalierrubie profile image
Cavalierrubie

Reading your post it does seem like the lbuprofen has played it’s part in your temporary relapse. You must feel disappointed, so hope you soon settle. Was probably a shock to the system changing so suddenly. I hope all goes well with you and your sponsored charity. 👍

stoneyrosed profile image
stoneyrosed

As I am sure you already know, a touch up ablation using RF is quite common. I feel confident if all ok they will offer you this procedure. I stopped flecanaide only after my second ablation and had a little blip just after the procedure, but had no sustained AF since last Dec. I take 1.25 bisoprolol and that’s it. Keep calm and carry on 😁

wilsond profile image
wilsond in reply to stoneyrosed

Cheese Stoneyrosed,will bear in mind thank you

wilsond profile image
wilsond

The cakes xx

Cakes
Cavalierrubie profile image
Cavalierrubie in reply to wilsond

Yummy. I am on my way.😂😂😂

wilsond profile image
wilsond in reply to Cavalierrubie

Be quick! Lol

Cavalierrubie profile image
Cavalierrubie in reply to wilsond

xxxx

Frances123 profile image
Frances123

I too think the ibuprofen was to blame. It can cause many unpleasant things for some people. I speak from experience and have had an intolerance to it for 20 years now. I can however use it topically with care.

Oh those cakes look so delicious. I hope you managed to raise lots of money. Hope all goes well with your EP. x

wilsond profile image
wilsond in reply to Frances123

Thank you Frances! Raised 140.00 xx

bassets profile image
bassets

Thanks for this. I had an ablation nearly two years ago but when I stopped flecainide afterwards at about 6 months my AF came back and I started on 50mg morning and night. I have been free of it for a while now and the advice from the cardio nurse recently was to let sleeping dogs lie when I asked her about a possible second ablation. So I'm staying with it for however long I can. I also take dilitiazem and blood pressure meds.

wilsond profile image
wilsond in reply to bassets

Thank you Bassets. Xx

mhoam profile image
mhoam

Hi,

Hope your telephone follow up goes well. As you may remember I had a cryo-ablation at UHCW a day or so after yours, same EP. My follow up was a few weeks ago and I didn't get to speak with our EP, just a cardio nurse. On reflection, I should have insisted on speaking to the Prof as the cardio nurse didn't give me a lot of confidence in what she said. She did speak to the Prof subsequently and he advised a reduction in the Flecainide dose via a letter.

That left me with a number of questions, however they will have to be addressed to the cardiologist at my local hospital as he discharged me back to them.

Good Luck

wilsond profile image
wilsond in reply to mhoam

Thank-you, yes I remember you. I'm still waiting on the calk scheduled for 945am...sigh!Hope you go on ok,is it George Eliot you are back with now?

Xx

mhoam profile image
mhoam in reply to wilsond

Similar to yourself, my AF has improved greatly after the cryo-ablation, just a few episodes usually related to (caused by?) other medical issues.

I live in south Warwickshire so my local hospital is Warwick General, it's very good, rated Outstanding by the CQC :-)

Lilypocket profile image
Lilypocket

That's a nuisance - you may just need an RF touch-up. My heart was all over the place after my ablation. The cardiologist knocked it on the head with Amiodarone for 2 months. Drastc I know but when I came off it.....nothing. I have now been off all meds for 8 months. That medication really is the Domestos of heart rhythms as , I think, Bob said 😄. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this respite is a long one. X

wilsond profile image
wilsond in reply to Lilypocket

Domestos lol! Fingers crossed for you. Ringing up in a minute as no call yet( 945 appointment)

Lilypocket profile image
Lilypocket in reply to wilsond

Good luck! 🤞 x

Ducky2003 profile image
Ducky2003 in reply to wilsond

Consultants on strike today.I had a tel appt with my EP in April and after waiting for 3 hours with no call (he's usually punctual) I rang his secretary. The jnr Drs were on strike that day so the consultants were having to cover on the wards. I did muse that it might have been useful for her to have made a 30 second phone call to each waiting patient to explain, but that fell on deaf ears. Revised appt is next week ........ 14 weeks later 🙄.

Keano99 profile image
Keano99

interesting, I had my Cryo same time as you and I enquired wrt coming off the meds. My EP said ask your Cardiologist and he was v reluctant to let me. 6 months after my Cryo He made a Zio patch for a week and I was having more ectopic beats than I realised, so he wouldn’t let me off the meds. I’m on a v low dose of Bisoprolol, but he says it keeps the ectopic beats under control…..

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