Just made appt. w/Dr. Natale - after 10 years...its TIME

Ater wrestling with Afib for 10 years, and being on Flecainide for 5 years, I decided it was TIME. Having Dr. Natale now working just an hour away, and a little more Afib "kickups" lately, I finally did what I've been so afraid to do...make an appt. to talk about getting this taken care of. We meet this Monday at noon.

Are there any questions that might not seem so obvious that I should ask when I'm there? Is it safe to assume that HE will perform the procedure himself?

Funny mix of feelings I"m experiencing now...definite fear, but also, HOPE. I so want to believe that I may finally be rid of this beast.

Barb

HI Barb, I will see him at 8am on Monday. I don't think we can assume that he actually does the buring. We should ask him. Maybe McHale will coment on this. If he will be doing the burning than I am interested and will ask general questions about pre op prep and what to expect post op. Who do we contact if we have any post op questions and he is out of town. I am crossing my fingers and burrying my head in the sand re: radiation exposure. There is more info on this site about the man than any other EP. I'll be reading some of Shannon's posts over the weekend as refreshers on Dr Natale. Good luck to you. Dennis

HI Dennis - wow, maybe we should have Afib Board gathering at Dr. Natale's office! Seems like a number of us are taking the leap now. I am also concerned about the radiation, but am trusting it will be OK. I am also trusting that Dr. Natale DOES do the procedure, otherwise why would we all be lining up for him?? Maybe someone else on here can comment on that.

Good luck with your consultation. Maybe we can "compare notes" afterwards

Am faxing over my medical records to his office right now. Interesting to note that 2 cardiologists I met with once or twice both had some incorrect information in there...one said I had Afib for 3 years (it's been 10), and the other said I was taking Flecainide 3-4 times/month. I take it twice a day...! Hopefully the important information is correct - geez! (my main cardiologist got it right, from what I can tell)...

Keep us posted. I'll be sending good vibes your way ~ Barb

Hi Barb,

I also have been dealing with Afib for 10 years and thought it was time to take care of it, I have an ablation scheduled with Dr. Natale in Austin on July 3rd at 11:00 AM, I asked the question if he did the whole procedure and the answer was yes.

Ken

Hey Ken - it seems like a lot of us who have been holding off are now deciding it's time. Good for you! I don't know how soon he'll be available here in NY, but I'm hopeful it won't be a real long time. I'm fortunate in that my Afib is tolerable still...and hopefully will remain so until I can get this done.

Did he spend much time with you? What was your impression of him?

Barb

Barb,

I have seen him before for an ablation but needed to cancel so this was my second time, the first time he spent as much time as I had questions for him and this time it was just a quick appointment. He is probably one of the nicest doctors I have ever dealt with, very friendly and nice, you will like him a lot. I don't know much about the staff in NYC but if there anything like the staff in Austin they will be great. I did have to wait quit a while in the waiting room because he does spend the time with each patient until their questions are answered so be prepared to wait past your appointment time to see him. I will say I feel very comfortable having him do the procedure. My current cardiologist was an intern in Cleveland and he worked with Dr. Natale and he told me if he had Afib Dr. Natale would be the only one he would want to have the ablation with.

Ken

Thans Ken your response is reassuring. Dennis

Hello all you brave souls,
Welcome aboard!

I've been spending way too much time in hospitals now dealing with my mothers aortic stenosis. We were at Mt Sinai all day Wednesday getting her an angiogram in preparation for a TAVI valve replacement thru her groin. Actually they have to cut the artery to fit the valve thru which I guess is better than open heart at almost 85 years old. She went into AFIB last year after a valvoplasty to open her calcified leflets temporally. Anybody have any information would appreciate it about this new procedure?!!!

Being 10 days out from my ablation with DR NATALE I feel great and my heart is ticking like an Omega Swiss watch. There seems to be something so different about being in NSR now.....just feels more in synch. It's still early but it had to be done as this disease is progressive no matter what anyone tells you IMHO. My cardiologist who's in practice 25 warned me it would progress and it did. In hindsight now I've had on and off AFIB years before being diagnosed 4 years ago so it's been progressing

Natale does the whole procedure start to finish actually does the first punch of the catheters after the sheaths are inserted. He teaches other doctors or residents but they never touch the catheter for any of his ablations I'm told since its his signature on the ablation. He told me yes he would do the whole ablation. I think he also may have inserted the sheaths for the catheters as my groin area had absolutely no bruising or pain. In any event he insists on a quality team and brought in his own staff and hand picked some others from the prior ablation team under Dr Steinberg. As for follow up his Director called me Dr Barrett with some concerns I had Friday. He is highly skilled too out of Mass General with over 2000 ablations under his belt.

Loving NSR and a peaceful calm heart.

Best,
McHale



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2013 10:35AM by McHale.

tobherd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ater wrestling with Afib for 10 years, and being
> on Flecainide for 5 years, I decided it was TIME.
> Having Dr. Natale now working just an hour away,
> and a little more Afib "kickups" lately, I finally
> did what I've been so afraid to do...make an appt.
> to talk about getting this taken care of. We meet
> this Monday at noon.
>
> Are there any questions that might not seem so
> obvious that I should ask when I'm there? Is it
> safe to assume that HE will perform the procedure
> himself?
>
> Funny mix of feelings I"m experiencing
> now...definite fear, but also, HOPE. I so want to
> believe that I may finally be rid of this beast.
>
>
> Barb

Hi Barb, Dennis and KenH,

Good news to hear you are all now in the landing pattern for an ablation will the Maestro. Excellent choice and your job is done.

While its natural to be a little apprehensive about any medical procedure, this one will surprise you with how relatively easy the whole process is compared to your imaginings and natural concerns beforehand. You really are in the best possible hands here and should rest easy that it is not possible to have put yourself in any more skilled hands beforehand for this type of procedure.

I strongly suggest you really digest that fact as it really does bring a good measure of peace of mind when approaching the whole thing. No matter what, you can't have made a better logical choice up front beforehand than you have, so while it may be natural for the mind to chatter on a while longer with one 'yes but' or another 'what if' speculation or projection, you have every reason now to really let go and spend the time remaining before your ablation making sure your nutritional status is good and enjoy the little things, smelling the roses more and just be glad and pleased with the fact that the single most important contribution toward the best possible outcome that you can make is already done ... You already have made that contribution!

And 100% YES ...Dr Natale will be the only one wielding the catheters in your ablation. It will only be him making the transeptal puncture and only him doing all the mapping, decision making and ablating every single area of your heart that needs ablating. You don't have to give that a second thought. He will not farm the job out to any other person.

He told me once when we were talking about this issue, that he insist on doing all his own work as its his reputation to uphold and besides he would not ask someone to wait for a few months in some cases and then allow someone else to do some or part of the critical parts of the procedure.

And Barb, I am in San Diego this weekend working at a Medical Conference, but if you have a few more questions before your meeting with Dr N. on Monday, please PM me with your phone number and I will try to call you in the next two days when I can, and try to help answer any questions I can and discuss other good questions for you to ask Dr Natale so hopefully you'll feel even more at ease for Monday.

Cheers Shannon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2013 06:23PM by Shannon.

I am holding back tears right now reading your replies, Shannon, McHale and Ken. I cannot tell you how many times I have vacillated back and forth with the decision to go for an ablation or not. I've had this dreaded problem for quite awhile now, and almost don't remember what not having to wait for another "kickup" feels like! As I have never gone more than 14 hours with an episode, always self converted, and on Flecainide it's been tolerable, I came up with alot or reasons NOT to ablate. When Jackie told me that Natale was in NYC now, I came to the realization that there was no point in waiting any longer. I was thinking that the logistics for having Dr. Natale in Austin were difficult, and I really didn't want to go to anyone else, but when I learned of his position in NYC, everything looked much simpler. Having you "go first" McHale, helped too

I know that alot of us have had serious reservations...but coming on this Board and reading all of your uplifting and supportive posts has been amazing. I feel like this is the only place where others truly "get it". (How many times have people asked you, "what does it FEEL like? It's like palpitations, right? OH, I've had those...." and so on)...but you all know just what the rest of us feel, because you have been in the same boat.

Thank you so much for your kind and supportive words. And Shannon thank you for offering to help further. I dont' know how to PM you, but you can email me at ToBHerd@aol.com and I'll give you my number.

McHale - again, so happy to read your continued progress and bliss. I love your sense of humor - "like an Omega Swiss watch" - haha.

Ever grateful ~ Barb

McHale
I hope your mother does well and we are very happy you are doing so good
Larry got a phone call from Dr N's PA they were having more questions about the Plavix
Dr N wants Larry to have a sensitivity test for the Plavix and he still on with Dr N for Sept
As some of you know my husband is the patient but he does not do computers and I do not know after seeing him with the problem how can anyone wait so long
I read all this and I see my husband dealing with it and I pray that all of you find the way to be free of this so you have a good life
Barb I agree with everyone you are doing the right you do have a BIG support group here
Let us know what happen after Monday
Elena

Elena

I would like to thank Shannon for your expert advice and reassurance, McHale for your valuable feedback on your ablation (hope your mother is doing well) and also Barb for expressing many of the thoughts and feelings that I have been feeling.Thanks Ken for your contribution as well. I am meeting with Dr Natale on Monday at 8AM and it's possible they may fit me in next week some time. It has been very helpful to have my questions and concerns answered and I will be sure to let you know about my experience. The support I've received has helped make this a less difficult decision than it might have been.
Dennis

Dennis,
Just do it like I did no time to think and drive yourself nuts!
Just got home from my first workout after 10 days and it felt so damn good again!!!!! I grabbed my brain and forced it out of the gym after 1 1/2 hours since I could have stayed there for hours more. I kept it pretty light 12 min mile jog then another quarter mile on an incline fast walk to cool down. I then spent the next hour or so with light weight lifting remembering Natale's wisdom and advice against the animal weight I used to lift. Not a missed beat PVC PAC nothing but smooth NSR.

Barbara,
I had work done outside the PV's in the coronary sinus a delicate area that shut down the last AFIB I had. Natale is a master at finding additional rotors outside the PV's. Hopefully he won't need to venture back into the Coronary Sinus as he's finding repeat ablations need additional work in the LAA and CS. Waiting to get ablated at this point does nobody any good but that is your decision to make after 10 years. All I can do is tell you Dr Natale is one terrific human being and a master with the catheter!
Shannon has been the Best in guiding me into Dr Natale's gifted hands. Thank You my Friend for all you've done!

Elena,
Good Luck and it was a pleasure speaking with Larry if he understood what I was saying with my heavy Queens NY accent!!!!

Best To All,

McHale



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/08/2013 05:58PM by McHale.

Dennis - sorry I'll miss you tomorrow, as my appt isn't until 12. Good luck. Will be interested in 'comparing notes" -

McHale - almost didn't know who you were writing to: "Barbara" - I almost never use the "formal" name - I'm a BARB!
Shannon has also been great with me and i am feeling better having had a good talk today too. He was nice enough to call me from the airport in between trips. Says he even "put in a good word for me" with Dr. Natale - wow - that gives me double good luck now !

I hope your mom's situation is going in the right direction and you are comfortable with the attention she is getting now.

I'll check back here tomorrow night after my appt. with Dr. Natale. I've toyed with this for so long that I can't believe I'm actually moving forward!

Good night all ~ Barb

Barb and Dennis
Good luck
Hope you can get it done as soon as possible
Let us know what DrN said about your cases
You are right about comparing notes


McHale
Larry enjoy the conversation remember in WV everyone have an accent
He is having episodes everyday
I wish Dr N could do it before Sept
Larry started taking Mg yesterday we hope this will help

Elena

Barb,
If you get this before your consultation send Dr Natale my regards and tell him I'm ticking like a Swiss Watch 2 weeks later even with all the stress of my moms upcoming valve replacement Friday!

Good Luck

Thanks McHale - appt. had to be rescheduled for Wed. as Dr. Natale had flight delays. Will report back here after my consult with him.

I'm in Afib right now.....making this decision much clearer. Ahhh...

Glad you are doing so well! Wahoo! ~ Barb

Barb,
That's what did it for me the Flec was failing fast so I had to act with Dr Natale in my backyard.