Heart rythm after ablation - stopping Flecanide

[Minniedog]

I had my second Ablation 2 months ago and was told to stop Flecanide after one month (200mg per day). I was getting some ectopic beats and some flutter but this seemed to settle untul I came off Flecanide when, after 3 days, I had a bout of AF. I restarted Flecanide (100mg per day) and the heart settled. I tried stopping again a couple of weeks ago and, once more, after 3 days my AF came back. I'm now back on Flecanide 50mg morning and night, and things seem to have settled once more but I'm now getting a lot of fluttering. ie heart rate around 60, a couple of missed beats then a run of flutter at 90 to 110 beats which then settles down again. This can go on for hours. Anyone else suffering this and what part is Flecanide playing in this (new) arythmia? Regards, John

[Brianboru]

If this happens to me I will expect my pacemaker to control any unruly AF ?

[Minniedog in reply to Brianboru]

Thank you Brianboru, I don't have a pacemaker (yet) so the strange irregularity is a wee bit worrying.

[OzJames]

how long were you on Flecainide? Unless it was a short time like under a month then abruptly stopping this can cause issues. Best to wean off it and gradually decrease. On previous occasions i tapered down over a period of 2-3 weeks going down from 100 twice a day to 50 then 25 then 15 then to once a day then once every second day. Sounds an overkill but had no adverse reaction. Am back on it around 20mg just over 2 months after cardioversion

[Minniedog in reply to OzJames]

I've been on it over 10 years so I think you are right that to have stopped it has caused issues. I have now reduced from 100mg twice a day to 50mg twice a day and, instead of stopping it again (when my AF comes back) I'll do as you suggest and cut it down slowly. Many thanks - much appreciated

[OzJames in reply to Minniedog]

maybe even email the cardiologist PA or secretary and ask for a suggested tapering plan…

[petmice in reply to Minniedog]

At one point my pharmacist ran out of Flecanide and I went several days without. My heart immediately went into afib, often and long, until it came back in stock. After my ablation I was allowed to discontinue it and I tapered off gradually. I had NO afib, so tapering off was the key for me.

Note: My EP said I could just stop taking it (cold turkey) but my pharmacist is the one who said to taper off. I always like to err on the side of caution, which worked well for me in this case.

[Bismark]

Hi I've been on Flecainide and Digoxin for over 10 years. I had an Ablation about 9 months ago and my Cardiologist kept me on the Flecainide and Digoxin for 3 months I think after the Ablation. I went cold turkey on his advice and everything was going well and then around 6 months I was having Ectopic beats mainly in the evening watching TV. I wasn't sleeping well and I had a bit of stress around that time.

My Cardiologist put me on a Holter Monitor for 24 hours and it showed that I was having Ectopic beats through that 24 hr period. His advice was to get rid of the stress and and we'll see how it goes over a 2 month period. I did reduce my stress and started getting a better nights sleep and from what I can determine my Ectopic beats have stopped and I feel a lot better overall.

However I did have an episode of Ectopic beats again after my 2nd Shingle injection. The injection made me very sick for 5 days and I'm [pretty sure this triggered my Ectopic episodes. When something like this happens I take 100mg of Flecainide twice a day and a half tablet of Digoxin in the morning. This settles my heart down and after a week I come off the Flecainide and Digoxin. This works for me and my Cardiologist agrees with me doing this.

[Sixtychick]

I had an ablation in September and was told to stop taking my Sotalol. Having been on this drug for at least 15 years, I am worried about stopping it. I have been doing it very very slowly, reducing it by 20 mg first in the morning for 2 weeks, then in the evening for 2 weeks etc etc. I was on 80 mg twice a day, now I’ve got down to 40mg twice a day. I’m a little bit scared of stopping it altogether, after such a long time, as I’ve been getting ectopic beats, so I know how you feel. I was put onto Sotalol after a bad SVT episode. I’d had SVT since I was in my 20’s, but my AFib only started about 10 years ago, during a nasty coughing virus that I’d caught, but they kept me on the Sotalol. They took me off the Sotalol for 2 days before my ablation and my AFib started the night before the procedure. They ablated for the AFib and the SVT, so I’m hoping it’s been successful and neither of them will return. Hope your ablation is successful also.