High-Risk Pregnancy

Any Afibbers out there?

Hello, 

I am new to the board. My partner and i have been ttc this past year, but i was recently diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. I was hoping to find others that have atrial fibrillation, ideally prior to getting pregnant, but also afib that started during pregnancy.  We have put ttc on hold while i get the afib under control and figure out the best path forward. I git it most every night so it is something that needs to be addressed. 

I would love to hear others experiences with this while ttc and pregnant. I am specifically interested to hear if others took flecainide while pregnant. Flecainide is looking like it might be the most effective drug to treat my type of afib. However, the implications for the fetus seem pretty serious (scarier then some of the other class c drugs) (it scares just me being on it!). Is anyone out there taking flec regularly? And if so, which trimesters? I also may have the option of getting an ablation to fix it. I was wondering if anyone has had an ablation and how long they had to wait after the procedure to ttc again? I am at an age where i don't really want to put it off much longer. 

thx for any input! I am pretty bummed to have suddenly had this. Note my heart is structurally fine (just an electrical problem!) and i am very healthy otherwise. 

Re: Any Afibbers out there?

  • I don't have afib but I work for a cardiologist and have seen your situation a lot. Are you on blood thinners?
  • I am taking baby aspirin once a day. No anticoagulants though since i have no other stroke risks. I suspect once pregnant that i will be put on heparin as my stroke risk will suddenly be a concern. 

    Have you seen other women on flec while pregnant or have any suggested approaches i might consider? I am presently seeing a cardiologist and have had one appointment with a perinatologist (mildly helpful). I will be traveling to ucsf next later this month to see specialists there including an EP cardiologist. 
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  • I do not have A-fib, but I do have Mitral valve prolapse and regurgitation and take metoprolol. I had no problems ttc, but did stay extremely active during my pregnancy.  I walked 1-2 miles every single day, including the day I went in to labor.  The only complication I had was a very high heart rate after the birth, an episode of SVT, which I was able to break on my own. 

    BFP#1 -3/18/12- M/C 3/31/12,
    BFP#2 -4/25/12, Beta#1 17dpo= 800, Beta#2 20dpo= 3800, Ethan James born 1-5-13

    BFP#3- February 2015- natural miscarriage

    BFP#4- June 2015- Ruptured ectopic, severe hemorrhage and loss of left tube on 7/10/2015

    BFP#5- 12/18/15


     


     

  • Hi Las135, 

    Thanks for your post and good to connect with someone also dealing with heart issues. I was started on motoprolol, but unfortunately, it turns out that for the type of afib i have (vagally-mediated) it can make it worse -- and that is what it did for me. I am bummed it didn't work, because although a class c drug it seems many people take it for various reasons and are just fine. I would have been much more comfortable on the beta blocker than the one i am on now :( 
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