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Managing and Living With PACs and PVCs
Heart Rhythm Conditions | Last Active: May 24 11:30am | Replies (243)Comment receiving replies
I have been on and off Flecainide for more than twenty years. It works for me to tamp down both a-fib and ectopics (though I definitely still have both at different times.) The only side effect I ever had from Flecainide was during my first year or so of taking it; I would turn my head or shift my eyes and get a slight visual effect, like a blur. Visual effects are fairly common, I am told, and it wasn't unpleasant, just noticeable.
Give yourself some more time for your heart structures to heal from the ablation. It might be close to three months before you will know exactly how it worked.
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@jenrev Agreed, the 'blanking period' is usually around 10-12 weeks, after which a Holter or other assessment is made of the heart's current rhythm. And for 75% of all patients ablated, that's about all they need and they soon learn that the Holter shows them in NSR or in an(other) arrhythmia such as flutter, a common occurrence after an ablation for AF. Happens surprisingly often, but an ablation for AFL has a very high chance of success...thankfully.
However, some patients report an elevated HR, sometimes in the high 80's even, for months following the Holter, even up to a full year. Almost always it eventually comes down. If it doesn't, and it is concerning, the electrophysiologist should take another look.