CATHETER ABLATION BOOKED! Holy Cow?

To all my Afibbers.Net forum friends:

Wanted you all to know first, right after my immediate family.... we just returned from Southlake Regional Cardiac Centre, Arrhythmia Clinic, P.A.C.E. Cardiology and our annual "Presidential" cardiac inspection. We got good news and good news. First, our Left Atrium continues to shrink albeit more slowly than in past. They took an inordinate amount of time today in checking out my heart including things not checked in recent visits, like my Aorta, cardiac function, etc. We spent two hours being poked and prodded. Then sat down with Dr. Verma.

The fact is that Tikosyn continues to keep me in NSR, but the side effects being experienced have reached the intolerable level. They are degrading my quality of life unfortunately. An almost perfect drug. Today I was given the choice by Dr. Verma of continuing on with Tikosyn or opting for an RF catheter ablation by HIS hands. (I have reached the point where my LA has shrunk to a size he is comfortable with!). The response did not take long. He estimated an 85% chance for total success (meaning no drugs afterwards). We said yes. And so without further ado we completed the paperwork and signed off for our catheter ablation. "A DONE DEAL" as they say. In the meantime, I remain on Warfarin and Tikosyn. A date is yet to be set - my file has been sent over to booking/triage.

One thing that Dr. Verma DID point out and I felt should be shared is simply this...... once the ablation is done and assuming it is successful, it will still have zero effect on other "arrhythmias" such as the skipped beats that I experience when I permit my serum Potassium to drop low. I mentioned that I found that when this happened, 1.5g of Potassium Gluconate in seltzer water and gulped down always alleviated the skipped beats in 20 - 30 minutes. Or I could just take in more Potassium. My other heart functions appear to be superb and running like a Swiss clock.

So there's the news. I feel fortunate to have one of the best doing my ablation. Not only that, he is a nice guy to boot and has been so since we met him for the first time in 2011.

More news as it comes. Thanks friends for all of your ongoing assistance and support. This is a super forum of caring people and I am fortunate to have found it.

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.

Great News Murray!
Its been a long time coming ... go forth with confidence and prosper!

Shannon

Best wishes Murray! I had mine over 5 months ago, doing well. Still need to keep the electrolytes up to prevent to PVCs, but otherwise smooth sailing.

John

Yay! The time has finally arrived. Congratulations!!

Louise

Murray,

That's fantastic news. I'm very happy for you and commend your patience, over the last few years.

Lou from B.C.

Murray, this is wonderful news! I had mine done at Southlake by Dr. Khaykin in December 2012 and have had no sign of afib since. Yes, I have had other ectopics, but, as you say, keeping up the levels of magnesium and potassium, which I am religious about, helps to keep that at bay. Also behaving myself as to what I eat and drink.

Rest assured, they look after you well.

All the best, Marg

Hello Murray,
Best of luck to you with the procedure. You will be thankful that you decide to go through with it. I had mine done about 3 months ago with Dr. Natale.
Just passed my 3 months blanking period. You will do great. Please keep us posted.

Duke

Congrats Murray!

I'm having mine next Tuesday with Dr. Natale. Hopefully we will both follow in the footsteps of the many people on this forum who have had great success after ablation.

Good luck to you.

Ken

Congratulations Murray,

You've patiently waited for your atrium to get to the point where the ablation can be done more effectively. I wish you success with the ablation and freedom from the meds.

Doreen

Good for you Murray. I can appreciate that you've reached the end of your tolerance with the nasty drugs. So glad you are in the good hands of Dr. Verma.

I wish you a safe and successful procedure and NSR for the rest of your life.

Jackie

Thanks to everyone for both your kind words of encouragement today and all along my 4-5 year journey. Could not have done it without the support. I will report on the ablation as soon as I am there.

As a matter of interest, Dr. Verma (and Southlake?) uses RF ablation. No cryo ablation mentioned nor offered. Time in hospital 1 day. Done under general anasthaetic and they do a TEE as a matter of course pre ablation. We stop TIKOSYN a week or two in advance so they can try and induce AFIB and stop blood thinners just beforehand as well. I am hoping that this will get me off most medications. I thought I noticed a sparkle in the doc's eye when I mentioned supplementing, especially Potassium and Magnesium. He gets a full list of what I am taking in terms of medications and supplements at every visit or by fax with any change by another doctor.

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.

Good for you, Murray. It can be a scary decison to make, but once you make it and follow through, you'll likely wonder why you didn't do it sooner. Good to know that the PVC's are not unusual to have afterwards, but can be managed wiht the right electroytes - not hard to do.

When is the date?

Of course, we will want to know how you are so we can stand on the side and cheer!



~Barb

Hi Murray, Wow good news ,It sounds like the stars have aligned and you are good to go. Your care and patience have paid off .
Well as you know, I too can tell you that you are in very good hands with Dr.Verma, . I have had no problems since having mine done in March 2014.

Cheers to you
Rosemarie

Good to hear after all this time!
See you on the other side!

McHale

Again, thanks for the good wishes all. As far as a date is concerned, Ontario is social medicine and while the procedure will not cost me one thin dime, it is triaged and there is a wait. And that is fine for ME as I remain on TIKOSYN despite the terrible side effects which have set in and seem to be progressing. I will be well and truly ready for an ablation when the time comes. I expect it could be up to six months waiting and if I had the funding I would head south and see Dr. Natale or head to Bordeaux but our government insurance will not cover same. Pity.

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.