Hi: I had a PVI ablation for a-fib in 2012 at Cleveland Clinic by Dr. Tchou. I am doing well, but I have a friend who struggles with a-fib who is looking for an EP in Tennessee for possible ablation. Has anyone here had a good ablation experience with any of the EPs at Vanderbilt University in Nashville? She would like to go there if possible. Thanks so much. Regards, Garyby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hey MerlinWerks, how are you doing now? My PVS is stable based on fall 2014 testing by Dr Prieto. She said I don't need to see her for another 2 yrs. I am not symptomatic at all with it. Also, I am now 2.5 yrs post-ablation (Dr Tchou) and still have had no a-fib episodes. In fact, I no longer even have the skipped beats that I was continuing to get in the early months post-ablation.by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had progressively worse afib (and some aflutter) for 10 months, then had PVI ablation. Post-ablation I have had no afib now for 18 months and counting. Had two short episodes of flutter (1 for half hr and another for 2 hrs) in the first 3 months post-ablation. I have a few seconds of flutter now and then but it resolves quickly. Regards, Garyby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
MerlinWerks -- My stenosis was only in the LIPV (lower left) and its two branches - it was about 70% when Dr Tchou looked at it in Feb 2013. According to Prieto, it had gotten worse than that by Aug 1 when she did the angioplasty. Don't fret too much - I think mine is stable and if not, I have no qualms about having Dr Prieto do another angioplasty -- I did not like that cough I deveby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
I thought I would update folks on my post-ablation pulmonary vein stenosis progress. History: Oct 2012 - PVI ablation by Dr Tchou at Cleveland Clinic Feb 2013 - stenosis detected in LIPV (left inferior pulmonary vein) May 2013 - stress test and lung perfusion to determine how much of my lungs serviced by the stenosed vein Aug 2013 - Pulmonary vein angioplasty by Dr Prieto at Cleveland Cliby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
I thought I would update you on my LAF experience. I had LAF from Jan 2012 thru Oct 2012. Dr Tchou at Cleveland Clinic did my ablation Oct 23, 2012 and I have been afib free ever since. Actually, Dr Tchou performed my PVI, and Dr Abraham did my flutter line under Dr Tchou's supervision. At my Feb 2013 followup, however, Dr Tchou found stenosis in my left inferior pulmonary vein.by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am 60 and on coumadin - Dr wants me on it at least a few more months. I climbed a local mountain yesterday (from 800 ft elevation at base to 2100 ft at top) -- it took about 40 min and my heart was hitting about 120-130 and I felt no shortness of breath whatsoever - in fact, I felt energized and ready to go do more. I don't think a constricted PV is affecting me at all. I suspect the suby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
The good news is I am feeling great, with no afib since the Oct 23, 2012 ablation. The bad news is, it is not all behind me yet. I saw Dr Tchou Feb 21, 2013 at Cleveland Clinic (CC) for followup on ablation (4 mos post-ablation), following an EKG and CT scan earlier in the afternoon. He noticed on my CT scan that the smallest of the 4 pulmonary veins (PVs) that he ablated (on 10/23/12) had nby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
3 months post-ablation with no afib here. I take no AARs - I still take 200 mg/day Mg, 62mg/wk warfarin (hopefully can quit this when I see Dr for ablation followup at end of Feb).by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am mixed, but mainly adrenergic. Had LAF for 9 months before ablation. No special time of day - I would just go into AF every time I exerted myself or had an animated conversation, or got stressed. No afib since ablation 9 wks ago.by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
afhound99 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > About where I am too, gehauser (we were both at > Mass General I think). I'm almost 2 mths out and > heart rate is mid 60s whereas before ablation it > was maybe 58-60 and for a while ran up to 75-85. My ablation was at Cleveland Clinic October 2012.by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
The faster, regular stuff sounds like flutter. I had every other day afib that progressed to daily, and later added flutter, so it may mean some progression. My best measure of progression was to keep track of total arrythmia burden (hrs/day of afib or aflutter). Over time, they got more frequent and longer. I started having about half hr afib every other day in Jan 2012, then 7 months laby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had mid-40s resting pulse before ablation. In the first few days after my ablation, it was around 80. Now, 7 weeks post-ablation, mine has settled into the low 50s.by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
I just had an afib and aflutter ablation at Cleveland Clinic by Dr Patrick Tchou. I highly recommend him. But Mayo MN is probably the closest top notch location for you. Garyby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Monty: I had meal-induced afib and adrenaline-induced afib daily for 9 months prior to my Oct 23 ablation at Cleveland Clinic by Dr Tchou. Before the ablation, I found on my own that stopping one of the prescriptions I was taking eliminated the meal-induced afib episodes. The drug was Evoxac, a cholinergic drug that stimulates parasympathetic nervous system activity to increase tears and salby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Maybe "strength" means high ejection fraction?by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Same pattern here. Before my ablation last month, I had severe insomnia. After the ablation, I am sleeping like a baby, and like you, I am much more refreshed the next morning.by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom B Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > gehauser Wrote: > > Interesting, because my potassium had dropped > to > > 3.7 after the ablation. > > > > G > > I had a similar experience...in the recovery ward > after my ablation the nurse said my potassium was > 3.4. I've never had it that low and I check it &gby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom B Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Regarding ocular migranes...I started having them > only during long exercise when oxygen demand was > unusually high for me. I noticed that once I > increased my dietary potassium I've never had them > since. They are colorful and sometimes interesting > to watch though! Interesting, becausby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom B Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > That's great news! Did your EP put you on any > anti-arrhythmic or rate control drugs? No, because my heart rate pre-ablation was so low (low to mid-40s) he did not want to lower it further with an anti-arrythmic. But I am an outlier - normally Dr Tchou prescribes an anti-arrythmic for 3 mos prior and 3by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
This is a progress report on results of my PVI and flutter ablation at Cleveland Clinic by Dr Tchou 3 weeks ago (Oct 23, 2012). I had almost daily AF (1-7 hrs per day) for about 9 months prior to the ablation, with the exception of a 4 week AF-free period after starting Mg supplementation in April 2012 and another 3 week AF-free period after stopping Evoxac (a cholinergic drug for dry eyes, dby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
llois Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Gehauser, > > I was interested in hearing about your ocular > migraine. After my ablation, I had them for about > six months but none since. If you do a Google > search, you can find several studies indicating > that ocular migraines can be associated with > transseptal puncture during ablaby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Shannon: My heart rate was in gradual decline for 10 years prior to Jan 2012, dropping from avg of 65 to 55. In the 9 months of 2012, it has dropped from avg of 55 to 45. So I am very concerned that I will have to get a pacemaker in 2013. I am 60 and never was a distance athlete. I am a fit person but not extremely so. I played soccer and jogged regularly from age 33-50 and was in greatby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diane98683 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Were you put on a post-procedure anti-arrhythmic > drug? Some EP's put you on an anti-arrhythmic > drug for about a month after the procedure to give > the heart time to heal (not sure if they all do > though). Ordinarily Dr Tchou prescribes an AAR post-procedure. We discussed it. Dr Tchoby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think having that kind of knowledge helps you make the best decisions possible about if and when to get medical attention, weighing benefits against the risks. In addition to my limited (but growing) medical understanding, I rely heavily on my niece for this, who fortunately is an RN in an EP lab. I hope your assessment is correct and you never have afib again.by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Monty: I am only on my 4th day post-ablation, but I was having dozens to hundreds of ectopics per day prior to the ablation, and now averaging only 3-4 per day, and declining.by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
After 9 months of afib and a-flutter, I had an ablation (PVI, flutter) at Cleveland Clinic (main campus) on Oct 23 by Dr Tchou, accompanied by Dr Abraham. They said my afib ablation was straightforward but they had a bit of difficulty with the flutter ablation because the flutter line was tucked in a corner. It was a 6 hr procedure with conscious sedation. There was little pain except duringby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom P: Thanks a million for sharing your story - I have been following it closely. I am scheduled for ablation on Oct 23 and it has helped me to keep up with your experiences. I love your "chicken meter" - I peg that thing from time to time myself. Thanks to Tom and others who share their ablation experience on this forum - it is awesome to be able to hear the patient's perby gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
What is "AEF"?by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks, Jackie. That gives me lots of stuff to try. For now, I am very happy to report that stopping the cholinergic drug Evoxac (that I took for 8 yrs for dry mouth/eyes) has stopped my AF. Prior to stopping Evoxac, I was having 7 hrs per day AF (on/off over 16 hrs), but in the 5 days after stopping Evoxac, my afib burden has been: day 1 - 24 min day 2- 23 min day 3 - 6 min day 4 -by gehauser - AFIBBERS FORUM