Stopping blood thinner after ablation

Hi all,
Just curious about the scoop on stopping the blood thinner after ablation. Dr. Natale's protocol is to take it for 6 months after. I've heard others say 3 or 4 months. While I don't want to question the master and certainly don't want to risk stroke, I hate taking it, have some minor side effects and am wondering about using something more natural after 4 months since my risk factors are relatively low. I curious about other's experience/viewpoint?
Thanks!

Here it's usually 3 months. Are you sure Dr Natale would apply this protocole to any ablated patient?

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libby
I hate taking it, have some minor side effects and am wondering about using something more natural after 4 months since my risk factors are relatively low. I curious about other's experience/viewpoint?
Thanks!

Yes, I've been hearing quite a bit about the side effects of NOAC's that aren't supposed to be occur. I'm not taking them. Regarding being on an anti-coagulant, if Natale is playing it conservative, I'd follow his advice. It takes some time to heal from an ablation, and meanwhile you can get clots. Why take a risk?

Natale doesn't do cookie cutter medicine. If he told you six months, I would take it six months. You could talk to your nurse practitioner about it but I wouldn't stop without his specific okay.

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jpeters

I hate taking it, have some minor side effects and am wondering about using something more natural after 4 months since my risk factors are relatively low. I curious about other's experience/viewpoint?
Thanks!

Yes, I've been hearing quite a bit about the side effects of NOAC's that aren't supposed to be occur. I'm not taking them. Regarding being on an anti-coagulant, if Natale is playing it conservative, I'd follow his advice. It takes some time to heal from an ablation, and meanwhile you can get clots. Why take a risk?

Did Dr Hongo say that you didn't need anti coags ever? Just wondering cos I read that the idea of being on anti coags forever after ablations is controversial.

Being Apoe3/4 (double normal risk intracranial bleed) I really don't want to be taking ACs any longer than I absolutely have to before and after an ablation. 3 months AC after ablation is what I'm being told by the team at Bordeaux.

Here it's usually 3 months. Are you sure Dr Natale would apply this protocole to any ablated patient?

That's what my nurse said!

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Here it's usually 3 months. Are you sure Dr Natale would apply this protocole to any ablated patient?

That's what his nurse told me.

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Being Apoe3/4 (double normal risk intracranial bleed) I really don't want to be taking ACs any longer than I absolutely have to before and after an ablation.

I'm Apoe 3/4 also! I didn't know about the bleed risk.

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Brian_og




Did Dr Hongo say that you didn't need anti coags ever? Just wondering cos I read that the idea of being on anti coags forever after ablations is controversial.

No, he said it was important to take following the ablation. We didn't talk about how long. I take warfarin, with no objections at all from Dr Hongo. They can more accurately monitor exactly what my INR is.

It makes me wonder if standards have changed or if Doctors just do their own thing based upon the patient.

My ablation was 11.5 years ago and I was on Warfarin for one month, then nothing!!!!! But my CHAD score at the time was 0 and I didn't have a "blanking period" - no afib after the ablation. I guess the Dr. got it right the first time.

Now I wish I hadn't said anything! Not to worry too much as we're all unique experiments of one anyway. As it goes 25% of the UK population are Apoe3/4 so being as such is hardly a rarity. 4/4 is a much worse deal.

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libby
Here it's usually 3 months. Are you sure Dr Natale would apply this protocole to any ablated patient?
That's what his nurse told me.

Being Apoe3/4 (double normal risk intracranial bleed) I really don't want to be taking ACs any longer than I absolutely have to before and after an ablation.
I'm Apoe 3/4 also! I didn't know about the bleed risk.

No worries. In reality I'm not overly concerned. My brain's been scanned. I have no aneurysms or other risk factors for the genetics.

That's good news. Had my brain MRI'd a few years ago to check too.

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libby
No worries. In reality I'm not overly concerned. My brain's been scanned. I have no aneurysms or other risk factors for the genetics.

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libby
I'm Apoe 3/4 also! I didn't know about the bleed risk.

Eliquis has a lower brain bleed risk than warfarin. The was the Apoe4 post <[www.afibbers.org] and on Eliquis <[www.afibbers.org]

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GeorgeN

I'm Apoe 3/4 also! I didn't know about the bleed risk.

Eliquis has a lower brain bleed risk than warfarin. The was the Apoe4 post <[www.afibbers.org] and on Eliquis <[www.afibbers.org]

Warfarin costs about 12,000% less, is relatively safe, and has a simple antidote

Actually, I can get Warfarin for free through the VA. They don't see any reason to pay for Eliquis.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/2018 02:11AM by jpeters.

You guys are awesome, thanks for the info!!
I've heard people talk about natokinase and there are other things that thin blood, like fish oil, garlic... Do you all take that after the blanking period for assurance without drugs?

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libby
You guys are awesome, thanks for the info!!
I've heard people talk about natokinase and there are other things that thin blood, like fish oil, garlic... Do you all take that after the blanking period for assurance without drugs?

There are numerous articles where people have tried that and almost died (..meaning trying to substitute supplements for warfarin when they needed an anticoagulent).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/2018 10:11AM by jpeters.

Friends,

My understanding is that having a successful ablation is no guarantee that it will be safe for you to go off anticoagulation. For example, if there is a lot of work around the left atrial appendage (LAA) during the ablation, which could result in a less than optimal blood flow (ejection faction?), you might be on blood thinners indefinitely after ablation, despite being in sinus rhythm. This was my situation after my ablation with Dr. Natale.

From what I know, that's the main point of the Watchman and similar devices for LAA occlusion.

All the best,

--Lance

Luckily, I didn't have work around the LAA.

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libby
Do you all take that after the blanking period for assurance without drugs?

NO!

I'm sure there are people who do that, but they seriously misjudge the stroke risk and probably need to visit a stroke rehab center to get a realistic view of what strokes do to people. I'm not going to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, drooling onto a bib, having my diapers changed and my butt wiped by nurses aids just so I can say I didn't "risk" taking anticoagulants.

Now, that said, if you have a low CHADS-Vasc score (<=2) then it's a judgement call. I went off anticoagulants for two years despite having paroxysmal flutter at very high rates. I was a CHADS 0 and I was always able to terminate my episodes in less than 2 hours. I had a prescription for Eliquis in case I wasn't able to terminate an episode, and I had my EP's approval. But once afib returned that was the end of that. I returned immediately to daily Eliquis.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2018 07:53PM by Carey.