For me Sotalol included mandatory hospital stay for onboarding and dangerous conversion pauses (I was told not to drive.) I had less episodes w/o Sotalol than with. Everyone is different. Good luck.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
My "plan" by my first EP was very similar, and I followed like a lemming off the cliff. Medications caused me all sorts of issues, the worst of them conversion pauses, which in me caused near-syncope. I was told to stop driving. There's also the stress and just plan suckiness of being onboarded for sotalol or tikosyn. This little medication journey was 6 months of hell. For someby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had an immediate positive effect from CPAP therapy. I used to need afternoon naps - could barely keep my eyes open by 3pm. A good sleep study, whether in-patient or at home will help with a possible diagnosis. I havent gone a night w/o CPAP therapy in 6 years. I can't say it did or didn't affect my # of episodes, because a week after starting CPAP therapy, I had a Natale ablation.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
My first 2 shots were Pfizer, and all subsequent shots Moderna, including this fall's booster. And a flu vaccine. I was a complicated case when I got to Dr. Natale and TCAI, and my afib is now in "remission". To the best of my knowledge I have had zero side effects from the mRNA vax's, or from the flu shots. I have also never, to the best of my knowledge, had COVID, tby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think his presence and contributions live on through you and so many here that strive to educate others and themselves, and to share that knowledge in ways that have been so helpfu. I'm grateful to these gifts he shared and has passed down, for I am surely one that has benefitted from them.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteMaria23 Thank you, AB Page. Happy for your 6 years. You're welcome Maria. While my words carry no influence, my story is like so many others, connected to Dr. Natale through the selfless acts performed by Shannon. Best to you as you develop your course of treatment with your EP.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
My first ablation, 6 weeks. Not done by Dr. Andrea Natale and the incredible staff at St. David's/TCAI in Austin. My 2nd ablation just about 2 months later by Dr. Andrea Natale and the incredible staff at St. David's/TCAI in Austin, is coming up on 6 years free of any known arrhythmias of a duration longer than :30, and free of all anti-arrhythmics. I'm still in awe and overflowby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
In regards to my AFIB treatment path, I can say one of the most uncertain, frightening and stressful periods was when my local EP (at the time) essentially started down the list of AA's for me to sample. Every one was a combination of ineffectiveness and side-effects, like 3-4 second conversion pauses and 4 day hospital stays. Hindsight is indeed 20-20, and if I could, I'd go back and gby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
As Carey said, the answer is different for different people. Carey and I are about the same age, height, build with similar prior levels of exercise and we had our watchman's placed about 45 minutes apart. He's on half dose Eliquis, Dr. Natale has kept me on low dose aspirin. I suspect it is for a couple reasons - including family history of heart and cardiovascular disease.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
From personal experience, find your A team first. For me, it's Natale. Then pick your B team for local, and make sure he/she is genuine in respecting that only the A team does procedures, and is willing to participate in your care, and will communicate with TCAI as needed. I had to switch local EP's after I learned about Dr. Natale and TCAI from Shannon. My then local EP crossed tby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Very well done Shannon. Very thoughtful discussion. So gracious of Dr. Crotty to share with the afibbers community. Thanks for making the connection and sharing the knowledge and information with everyone here.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
In 18' after Dr. Natale implanted the FLX and after the 45 day protocol I asked to stay on half dose Eliquis, instead of low dose aspirin. I did for about a year, when for reasons unknown to me, he was fairly adamant about dropping Elliquis and taking up low dose aspirin. Which is what I have done to this day. I need to ask, but I suspect the reasons are for life style choices I made when Iby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey we tried it and damn was it good! Very different and very interesting. Indeed. It was delicious and different but Texas through and through.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
All three wonderful human beings. Many of us have had the good fortune of being on the receiving end of their giving, and as you now know, it's hard to measure the good they do for us. I was in a very similar situation - botched 1st ablation that introduced high rate tachycardia. The phone calls with Shannon were essentially a literal life line for which I will be forever grateful. And the bby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
My local EP, my sleep doctor (pulmonologist?) and Dr. Natale are all in agreement that for my mild sleep apnea, using a CPAP every night is the right choice. I felt better immediately when I started using it, and I believe it is another tool to help your heart and other systems operate optimally. Some folks have a hard time adapting, but after 2 or 3 nights I settled in to it. How do we knoby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Best to you, and I agree - that new wing is indeed amazing, as are the people at TCAI/St Davids.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotehwkmn05 CPAP mask. Yep, and until there's a better way, I'm just fine with this. Accept, adapt and reap the benefits.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotecolindo I used 3M micropore tape. If you purchased this off of Amazon, you likely received a Chinese knock-off. I know this from experience buying this product via Amazon, for it's marketed purpose.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
One of life's pleasures...getting the fixed, or both of them. Talk about a happy endingby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteNotLyingAboutMyAfib AB Page - would you please share what 'ugly' was? Good to know that beauty followed... Ugly was an almost 12 hr procedure, followed by some sort of infection treated with pneumonia drugs, a golf ball sized hematoma, bruising from hip to hip and 6 weeks later afib return with tachycardia this time.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
59-M-2-3 John Miller, then Andrea Natale, then Natale/Horton for the Watchman. First time was ugly, 2nd was beautiful.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
May you enjoy durable NSR for decades to come. Dr. Natale and everyone at TCAI is amazing. And Shannon is an incredible human being.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
This is not a watch and it doesn't do an EKG - yet, but I'm intrigued at what it does do. It's a ring that measures activity and heart rate variability, among other things.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
For me it was like the cruise control was stuck at 150, or 130, or maybe 120. Until it wasn't, and I'd convert back to, take your pick -afib or nsr. Usually the former. I think Carey's cruise was set a tad higher at timesby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Love seeing good news and outcomes! I have a videoconference with Dr Horton scheduled in July. The man has been inside my heart, and to the best of my knowledge, I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting him. He and Dr. Natale are both listed as having done my Watchman.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dr. Natale and staff at TCAI and St. David's are the best of the best. Every visit there has mirrored your experience. Enjoy the NSR.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteNotLyingAboutMyAfib for the life of me don't understand why they have all of that candy in the waiting room - that's my only criticism. I don't recall ever seeing candy laying out in the waiting room at TCAI in Austin. I've made maybe a half dozen trips in the last few years.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
To your good health Jackie.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
I wouldn’t put it quite like that, but that roughly describes my circumstances. And not that rare I don’t think. Many people unnecessarily, including me, go through more than one ablation because the 1st or 2nd or more operator didn’t know how to find and eliminate the origins of the errant electricity. And need is described/defined differently depending which side of the fence you are coming froby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Outside of a clinical trial, I think he would use the most current legally permitted, what I see referred to, I believe, as v 2.5by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM