Hello to everyone. Been offline for a while. I am scheduled to have the Watchman Procedure March 17. Had a telehealth with Dr. Natale. Due to some issues I am having, I need to be off blood thinner. It’s Dental work and back issues. I will be the 1st to go that day. I have to be there at. 5 AM.
I am nervous; anxious about this. He will also do touch up if needed. It’s a 8 hour trip but no one around my part of the world will touch me. Honestly, I do not want anyone’else to do this.
Anyway, I am 67 and who knows what my future holds. Please keep me in your prayers. I admit I have high anxiety and it’s working on me. Thanks to everyone. I have had no AFIB episodes since my July 2016 touch up when my LAA was isolated but left on Eliquis and it is a costly drug.

It's possibly the world's easiest invasive procedure. It typically takes no more than 20-30 minutes (mine took 20) and I was up walking around and eating dinner 2 hours afterwards. If it weren't for the single puncture wound in my groin, I would have been completely unaware that anything had been done. It's nothing at all like an ablation, and it's pretty unlikely a touch up will be required if you've been in NSR since 2016.

There's absolutely no reason to be anxious about this, especially not with Natale doing the procedure. When he did mine in 2018 he had "only" done about 700 before me. By now I'm sure he's done thousands. Maybe talk to your PCP about a short prescription for Xanax to help you manage the anxiety until the procedure? Anxiety and afib don't go well together.

A watchman is a quick procedure. I was walking around in the recovery room and discharged 4 hours after the procedure.

I had Natale perform it. He was super safe because I was born with a bent twisted vein and he spent 20 minutes trying to get the watchman to pass. Plus I have an abnormally with my LAA where the shoulder was wide and bent yet he got a perfect seal.

I too got an emergency watchman because I had a GI bleed that needed a colonoscopy and Natale had to do multiple TEEs to determine the watchman was sealed so I could go off of Eliquis for 5 days.

I don’t think any other EP could had pulled off this feat. It was like a magic show with my abnormalities that he was able to pull this off. He was a magician.

A watchman was my easiest procedure ever and you will be fine having this experience EP perform it. I would call his NP for a Rx for a Valium if you are feeling some anxiety. I had over 21 surgeries and surgical procedures/4 were ablations and my watchman I went to sleep smiling.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2025 07:09AM by susan.d.

Will be there having an ablation for flutter on March 11......my original ablatioin was in 2011. Per Natale will also get a Watchman.....but not with this procedure.

Steve
Klein, Tx.

I'm so pleased to hear that the Watchman procedure is an easy one. I've had 2 previous ablations with Natale for my afib and they were longer surgeries. (I meant to PM you, Carey, but wasn't sure how to do so w/ the new format. Btw, great job on this). Anyway, I've had silence on getting the Watchman scheduled with Natale's office. It's been strange since it was projected to be on the books since January, but have had no response from the scheduling team. Even my nurse navigator gives no explanation for the silence.. Anybody have any clues why this might be so? It's baffling).

Smackman, I'm sure it will go well on the 17th. Our thoughts are with you.

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californiagal
I meant to PM you, Carey, but wasn't sure how to do so w/ the new format.

Look at the top of this message. See the "[PM]" next to my name? Just click that to send me (or anyone) a PM.

Good luck on Monday! I'm sure it will be a total breeze for you.

Good luck to you. The watchman will be a blessing and having Dr Natale there to do a touch-up is a bonus.