Hi Shannon and all - in 2012 I had two ablations by Natale. After the first I was in the hospital (CPMC in San Francisco) for three weeks while Natale’s colleagues made failed attempts to quiet my racing heart. Natale was only at CPMC one week per month. My heart was finally put back in rhythm with IV amiodarone. Took months to recover. After that horrendous experience I had a second ablation with Natale which worked for four years.
In 2013 I went to Austin twice, once for a failed attempt at a Lariat, and 6 months later for a successful Watchman. Afib returned in 2016, had another heart racing emergency in 2018, and now am happily taking Multaq, which works extremely well and I experience no side effects.
Now my son, age 58, has developed afib and a year down the road has been told by his cardiologist that he needs an ablation. He has had chronic fatigue syndrome since the age of 20, well under control now, but traveling is very difficult for him. I have a friend who had a successful (so far) ablation with Dr Gerstenfeld at UCSF four years ago. Anyone know anything about him? Shannon?
Would appreciate any information on EPs in the San Francisco Bay area. Thanks!