Success Story, There is Hope for A Fib

On February 13 of this year I had an ablation at Medical University of South Carolina performed by Dr Wharton. I learned of this doctor and facility right here on this site. I also gathered enough information to change my lifestyle to make my body more capable in dealing with A Fib. I learned what medications to stay away from (like digoxin which my cardiologist wanted to put me on) and that long term medication was not an answer.. I also learned that the longer you wait to have an ablation the chances are that your condition can get worse. So my decision was easy. Find a good doctor and proceed with ablation as soon as possible. Today I received a call from Dr. Wharton's nurse with the results of my 30 day heart monitor. In her words "your heart is stone cold normal." There is no need for a follow up unless I have a problem. Therefore, I am off Xarelto. Will be taking an aspirin every day only. So if you are thinking of getting an ablation do your homework. While it would be great to have someone like DR Natale it is not always practical and there are very competent doctors out there to choose from.
Best of luck y'all!

Chuck

Thank you, Chuck. Congratulations!

______________
Lone paroxysmal vagal atrial fibrillation. Age 62, female, no risk factors. Autonomic instability since severe Paxil withdrawal in 2004, including extreme sensitivity to neuro-active drugs, supplements, foods. Monthly tachycardia started 1/11, happened only at night, during sleep, or when waking, bouts of 5-15 hours. Changed to afib about a year ago, same pattern. Frequency increased over last 6 months, apparently with sensitivity to more triggers. Ablation 6/27/13 by Steven Hao.

Congrats Chuck. I hope I can offer the same success story one day soon.
Did you go on a holter monitor for a full 30 days?
Ron

I had one for almost thirty days to see if the TIKOSYN I am on was working. All they found was skipped beats when my Potassium went low. They called it a PACE EVENT MONITOR and it was set up to take a button push if I felt any heart palpatations. The box would also detect anomalies in ECG and record one minute before and one minute after so it was a loop recorder also. When it filled I would call the clinic and push a button to upload all of the events by landline phone into their computer system, which could then be looked at by my EP. Like I say, only skipped beats on TIKOSYN and he does not want to see me for a year at this point. I started TIKOSYN in Dec 2011 - I am not a happy candidate for ablation as my left atrium is at 55mm at present and hopefully shrinking. They will only do an ablation if there are no other routes to take but since TIKOSYN is giving me 100% NSR I am not considered a candidate for ablation.

NOW... had I known then what I know now, I would have recognized what I was suffering from, I would have gone to a qualified EP immediately instead of the quack cardiologist I had, and I would have had an ablation while my left atrium was probably in the 40ish range. Instead, between misdiagnosis and the cardiologist being more interested in big pharma and cruises than in my health, my LA enlarged to 60mm when I finally got in to see Dr. Verma. It is shrinking but it is a slow and tedious process. In the meantime I have a 100% solution of sorts.

So, you are absolutely right. My action, too, would have been immediate catheter ablation had I been given the opportunity.

Murray L

Murray L

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tikosyn uptake Dec 2011 500ug b.i.d. NSR since!
Herein lies opinion, not professional advice, which all are well advised to seek.

This was the 30 day monitor. It came with a cell phone that relayed the info automatically.

ACT Heart monitor

Hope this helps

Chuck

Great story Chuck! Keep us posted on your progress. Dennis

I should have included my progress report in the last post. I have been in NSR for the last three + weeks. There have been many times when I felt that old lousy feeling that AF was about to strike but each time it went away. I used to sleep propped up with six to eight pillows, on top a gerd wedge, each night because laying even close to flat on the bed was risky. I now just use the gerd wedge and one pillow and no af. Returning to bed after a bathroom run was always risky and now all is well. I do feel the Af trying to break through but it is short lived and it has not been able to do so. I do find these attempts by af to breakthrough unsettling but that 's because of what the result often used to be. Hopefully that is largely behind me for the foreseeable future and I will get accustomed to a new reality. Saw Dr Natale yesterday. If thing continue to go well I can stop the multag at the end of August and then stop the xeralto at the end of September. Dennis

Good for you, Chukker. Enjoy your NSR bliss forever.

Jackie

Dennis,
Good luck to you on your continued success. I have heard that the feeling you describe is the AFib trying to start up but the scar tissue prevents it from spreading. Possibly as you heal and the scar tissue forms you won't even feel that.

Chuck

Thanks y'all for the good wishes. I have learned much from the members on this forum. Without this resource who knows where I would be today. My cardiologist wanted me on digoxin and I refused because of what I learned here.

Chuck

Hey Chuck,
I met Dennis again at St Lukes yesterday during my 2 month followup with Dr Natale. So let me update my progress too.
Today makes 9 weeks since my ablation and have been in NSR all but for about 2 weeks.
At day 15 I went into Tachy, flutter, some afib and finally then it settled into a steady 130-140 bpm flutter.
At day 30 Dr Barret did an ECV at 50 joules and boom NSR again. I had some more Flutter Tachy 2 weeks later for about 4 hours but I converted and have been in NSR since albeit a few runs of pacs/pvcs for a few hours every week or so which is very discomforting. I too keep waiting for the beast to rear it's ugly head and the anticipation it might is nerve racking.
Multaq for another 30 days then I stop at the 3 month mark. Xarelto might have to wait a while to ensure I'm in solid NSR because of my TIA last year. This was the best decision in my life.

Best to All,

McHale



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2013 09:54PM by McHale.

Congratulations Chuck! Good to hear

McHale - it sounds like you've had a fairly rocky ride over the past two months...no? Have you tried the Walla Water (?) that is mentioned here for the pacs/pvcs? What does Dr. Natale say about them?

Best to you both ~ Barb

Thanks, Barb.
McHale, what was your AFib load like before the ablation? Did you self convert? My AFib always self converted. Hopefully, your heart will settle down after the healing process. You are in good hands.

Chuck

Barb,
I guess you can say somewhat rocky road but nothing that prevented me from my daily activities. It's more the dread of the flutter coming back then ending up back to get cardioverted again. Not that it's all that big a deal but more of a hassle and not knowing what the future brings with this. When I mentioned because of the pacs pvcs and flutter that I backed off a little on my working out both his PA Patti and then Dr Natale were adamant I get the heart pumping with moderate exercise again and not the animal weight lifting I used to do.
Yesterday I stepped it up with a 2 hour workout again then I hit the Sauna and Steam room, got the heart pumping pretty good. So far so good not a blip on the radar screen, well see today as my inflammation from the workout kicks up. He's positive my PV's won't reconnect as well as all the other work he did, as he just doesn't see that anymore. I had no fibrosis either so the lesions should be solid. So any additional work if my AFIB returns with another ablation will involve the LAA. He just seeing this area the focal point of activity after all the other areas have been addressed during the first ablation. Fingers crossed......

Chuck,
My AFIB load prior to my ablation was getting more frequent with episodes twice a week. I always self converted. Things have definitely settled down now, each day it's better.
That was a nice workout yesterday, so good for the mind and body.

Dr Wharton is also an elite EP, you made an excellent choice. I tried to get to Natale last year but the wait was like 12 months and the travel and insurance was also an issue being out of network.

NSR to you Chuck

Batter up Barb

Best,
McHale



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2013 09:27AM by McHale.

Glad things are well.

But - a 2 hour workout! Working as a gym instructor I always limited trainees to 45 mins maximum - and that was for ones in the very best of health.

Be careful!

Haha.."batter up, Barb" hits home for me! I have had very little afib lately, which always puts me in the "well..maybe I can just keep doing what I've been doing and avoid an ablationi" mode. But with 10.5 years of Afib under my belt, even getting some while on a high dose of Flecainde - who am I kidding? So yes, McHale - you are right.

I have a probable date of Sept. 5th to get it done by Dr. Natale, NYC. GULP!

Glad you are feeling so well - both of you! Just curious...I never hear anyone say anything about their energy level - has it gotten better now that you're off the meds (like Flecanide), assuming you were on them...?

Barb

So glad to know you are doing so well. Good to hear from you. Continued great health. Lynda

DennisC, what are the sensations of the afib trying to start up again?

______________
Lone paroxysmal vagal atrial fibrillation. Age 62, female, no risk factors. Autonomic instability since severe Paxil withdrawal in 2004, including extreme sensitivity to neuro-active drugs, supplements, foods. Monthly tachycardia started 1/11, happened only at night, during sleep, or when waking, bouts of 5-15 hours. Changed to afib about a year ago, same pattern. Frequency increased over last 6 months, apparently with sensitivity to more triggers. Ablation 6/27/13 by Steven Hao.

Sam,
You're right 45 mins is the ideal workout, so yesterday I worked out for about 1 hr 15 mins.
It's just so hard to do a fully body workout in the time frame when I circuit train . I stay fairly light now, for me anyway.

Barb,
I'm still on Multaq for another month as is Dennis, then we stop. I'm also on a Beta Blocker 25 mg Tropol too which I might continue or switch to another one Bisoprolol or Coreg as my blood pressure runs slightly on the high normal side.
My energy level is high, drugs never bothered me. My cardiac output must still be very high even after the more extensive ablation Dr Natale did beyond the PV's ; no PV stenosis or atrial contractile function as I really can push it on the treadmill like before.
Do you really want to put this off? 10 years AFIB burden and how do you know how much remodeling is going on that Flec is masking? What if Dr Natale decides to retire.........
In Han's AFIB report Dr Natale again is featured with a new research study. Dr Natale has the innate ability to create durable lesions on a beating hard by knowing just how long to burn and pressure to apply which he does all by feeling.
He told me that he just doesn't see anymore PV re-connections and and further AFIB will be coming from the LAA which he'll target in the next round if needed.
It's your decision, I'm no doctor!

McHale



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2013 10:47AM by McHale.

Barb I am sensitive to medications and being on multag and xeralto and perhaps because the healing process is still taking place my energy level is not the best. I am back to work and do exercise. Not nearly to the extent that McHale does but I am active every day either walking or light calisthenics. Also I am not as quick on the uptake at work as before the ablation. Hopefully it is not noticeable at work but I do feel a difference. Another factor that might affect energy and mental acuity is that I am caffeine free since the ablation. I usually had several cups of green tea a day.

Iatrogenia, af episodes, preablation, were heralded by several hard beats or a sensation like a rumbling in my chest. This used to happen almost exclusively in the middle of the night. Usually upon lying down in bed after a bathroom run. Sometimes If I would sit up in bed or sit in a chair the feeling would go away and I would be safe for the night. I could predict an af episode pretty accurately within a few days of occurrence by the frequency of the rumbling/hard beats, I could avoid af only for so long before it would strike. . If I had the hard beats during the day time it was almost certain that I would have an af episode in a day or two. Since the ablation, more specifically, the last three week, I get that same feeling a few times in a 24 hour period, day and night. I do not do any evasive maneuver now and the heart settles down after 2-3 seconds of rumbling. I don't yet sleep on my left side because when I turn that way I feel the rumbling coming on and I don't want to test it. Dennis

Thanks, Dennis.

In my case, it was a distinct hard beat bam bam bam that preceded a bout.

Fortunately, I haven't had any beats like that since ablation 6/27. I had a few palpitations lasting perhaps 5-10 seconds, but they stopped after a couple of weeks.

I have to watch turning onto my left side, heartbeat seems very loud when I'm on my left side. I keep a small bolster pillow against my back on the left to remind myself not to turn over.

______________
Lone paroxysmal vagal atrial fibrillation. Age 62, female, no risk factors. Autonomic instability since severe Paxil withdrawal in 2004, including extreme sensitivity to neuro-active drugs, supplements, foods. Monthly tachycardia started 1/11, happened only at night, during sleep, or when waking, bouts of 5-15 hours. Changed to afib about a year ago, same pattern. Frequency increased over last 6 months, apparently with sensitivity to more triggers. Ablation 6/27/13 by Steven Hao.

McHale - never sure which one Multaq is...? Flecainide? And no I know I shouldn't keep putting it off as it's not going away, that's for sure. I DO get a little hesitant when I hear people saying they still can't sleep on their left side and they are getting ,"rumblings" etc. though... Thought that was all supposed to go away after an ablation, no?

I was thinking the other day..how were you able to just go right in and have an ablation without first having to be on a blood thinner for at least a few weeks? Especially since you had a TIA last year....It sounds like you are feeling better now though, so that's good to hear Maybe I'll get a chance to meet you sometime at St. Luke's. Then again, assuming all is going well, you probably won't need to be back there!

Dennis - I'm hoping your recovery starts to speed up more and more now and you will be full of energy and raring to go very soon! The hardest part is behind you, so now it's will only get better from here on it

Barb

My energy level is as good as ever. I walk a hilly 3+ miles every day.. AFib didn't usually drain my energy. I was able to walk while in AFib and in fact didn't notice it as much with an elevated heart rate.
From my perspective, I would recommend an ablation unless there were health reasons preventing it. I am willing to go back for a touch up if needed, without hesitation.
Best to y'all for a strong and steady heart.

Chuck

Spoke too soon, had one bam bam in the middle of the night on Sunday.

______________
Lone paroxysmal vagal atrial fibrillation. Age 62, female, no risk factors. Autonomic instability since severe Paxil withdrawal in 2004, including extreme sensitivity to neuro-active drugs, supplements, foods. Monthly tachycardia started 1/11, happened only at night, during sleep, or when waking, bouts of 5-15 hours. Changed to afib about a year ago, same pattern. Frequency increased over last 6 months, apparently with sensitivity to more triggers. Ablation 6/27/13 by Steven Hao.

Spoke too soon, had one bam bam in the middle of the night on Sunday.

Fortunately, it did not seem to go anywhere.

______________
Lone paroxysmal vagal atrial fibrillation. Age 62, female, no risk factors. Autonomic instability since severe Paxil withdrawal in 2004, including extreme sensitivity to neuro-active drugs, supplements, foods. Monthly tachycardia started 1/11, happened only at night, during sleep, or when waking, bouts of 5-15 hours. Changed to afib about a year ago, same pattern. Frequency increased over last 6 months, apparently with sensitivity to more triggers. Ablation 6/27/13 by Steven Hao.