Using a doctor who is long distance and often traveling...has it's downside...

I had my Watchman put in last week, by Dr. Natale, who was visiting New York for a few days. He worked with one of his protege's at a hospital that is over an hour away from me. While I am very happy I was able to get HIM to do this procedure, it's been a little tough afterwards.

First of all, I didn't know some of the things about the Watchman that I am now finding out - after I had it implanted. No one told me I have to carry a card and let everyone know I have this device in me....that there are some MRI's I can't have...and I may have to take an antibiotic for dental work, etc. Had no idea. .I wish I had some more education on this before I got it done.

Secondly, I asked if I could get my Covid and blood tests done locally before my next TEE, instead of having to travel 1 1/2 hours to the hospital, where I had the Watchman done. Someone was supposed to get back to me..never did. I've tried calling three different numbers...no one answers. I've called a number of times...not even sure who to call now....I had a bit of a rash near the insertion site, and wanted to mention it to the nurse there...again, no answer when I've called.

I asked Express Scripts to move my Eliquis prescription (which was reduced) from the drug store to their 90 day home delivery plan, and the Rep asked me if she should call the doctor who prescribed it. I have no idea who that doctor is (someone from the hospital), and she wanted to know if it was him, another doctor, my cardiologist or who? I'm not even sure who my doctor is for all of this....Dr. Natale in Texas and traveling a good deal of the time?

I asked my pharmacist if I have an occasional headache, is it OK to take an Advil (I am now on 2.5 mg Eliquis twice/day) and a baby aspirin. She said she wouldn't advise it. When I was taking a higher dose of Eliquis, I was told taking one once in a while wasn't a real concern. So what's the deal?

My cardiologist has said that she is letting Dr. Natale handle me for things Afib related. He's traveling. The hospital doesn't answer the phone.

Honestly, I'm very frustrated and feel pretty alone in trying to get answers to my questions. I don't have a local EP.

Sorry to be a complainer here....but this is the only place I can go where I know there are many on here who might relate and have some answers.

Thanks for "listening" ~ Barb

Check your pm. He is in California. I pm his office number.

Hi Barb,

Sounds like the issue is not the distance, but the fact Dr. N doesn't normally do procedures in NY & doesn't have a "team" there. The folks I know that go to Austin can be in communication with that team (& same with the teams in CA). For others contemplating a procedure in the same circumstance, this sounds like something to ask about ("who can I call") prior to the procedure.

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tobherd
First of all, I didn't know some of the things about the Watchman that I am now finding out - after I had it implanted. No one told me I have to carry a card and let everyone know I have this device in me....that there are some MRI's I can't have...and I may have to take an antibiotic for dental work, etc. Had no idea. .I wish I had some more education on this before I got it done.

Where are you getting all this? You don't have to carry a card and you don't have to tell everyone about the Watchman. I don't even have a card and never have. The only person who would need to know about your Watchman is the heart surgeon who's going to do open heart surgery on you. You can safely undergo all MRIs up to 3 Tesla, which is as strong an MRI as anyone is going to give you. And antibiotics for dental work? That's just not true. Maybe if you're doing a major dental procedure in the next 45 days the oral surgeon might want you to do that, but they often do anyway. Like I said, I don't know where you're getting all this.

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Secondly, I asked if I could get my Covid and blood tests done locally before my next TEE, instead of having to travel 1 1/2 hours to the hospital, where I had the Watchman done.

You can get blood tests done anywhere you like. These days pretty much all medical providers are requiring COVID tests right before a procedure, so expect one wherever you get the TEE done. The Watchman has no bearing on either of these issues.

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I asked Express Scripts to move my Eliquis prescription (which was reduced) from the drug store to their 90 day home delivery plan, and the Rep asked me if she should call the doctor who prescribed it. I have no idea who that doctor is (someone from the hospital), and she wanted to know if it was him, another doctor, my cardiologist or who? I'm not even sure who my doctor is for all of this....Dr. Natale in Texas and traveling a good deal of the time?

Look at the label on your bottle of Eliquis; it will say who prescribed it. Natale is the doctor who did the procedure, so you are his patient. You should have been given a discharge sheet that tells you who your nurse contact is. If not, then call his office and ask.

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I asked my pharmacist if I have an occasional headache, is it OK to take an Advil (I am now on 2.5 mg Eliquis twice/day) and a baby aspirin. She said she wouldn't advise it. When I was taking a higher dose of Eliquis, I was told taking one once in a while wasn't a real concern. So what's the deal?

Nothing changed. You got the standard advice any pharmacist would give someone taking both Eliquis and aspirin. You can still take an occasional Advil but Tylenol would be safer. (Tylenol usually works better for headaches than Advil anyway.)

Deep breath. There is no crisis here!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2022 10:22AM by Carey.

Carey - I don't know why you don't have this information, but it was sent to me by the hospital, from Boston Scientific. It very specifically says "Please carry your card at all times", which is something Shannon told me about before I received it. It also says "before any surgery or dental work which would require you to stop taking prescribed blood thinning medications, you and your doctors should consider the risks...etc " I would assume this is only relevant for those who need to keep taking a blood thinner...and even then, not sure why it would be a big deal if you have the Watchman ....I registered the card with Boston Scientific in case I lose it (their suggestion to do that)

I know there is a doctor's name on the bottle of Eliquis, but it isn't anyone I know - she asked me if I wanted him to write up the new lower dose prescription, or another doctor...I wasn't sure who to say.

As for antibiotics, I saw it on some literature they sent but also Googled to confirm...and yes, they say to tell your dentist if you have a dental procedure within 6 months after your implant, as you will need an antibiotic. I'm not making this stuff up, Carey!

As for blood tests..yes, I know I should be able to get them done anywhere, but try getting through to the hospital that scheduled me for that location....no success. I need confirmation from them, and then someone needs to let a local Lab know just what tests they need.

Tylenol does nothing for me..

Thank you. I'll give them a call...much appreciated. This has been frustrating...

And yes, you're right George - I guess I expected to be given that information. Instead, all I got was info from Montefiore hospital, phone numbers for the Cath lab and Dr. DiBiase's line...which doesn't seem to be answering either. I'll try the contact info for Dr. Natale's office instead.
Thanks ~ Barb

I don't think you're making it up, but the information provided by the manufacturer is always ultra-conservative and assumes all the worst cases. It's written by lawyers, not doctors. Many of their warnings are akin to the warnings you see on coffee cups about the coffee being hot.

Carrying the card is fine if you want to, but I can't imagine who'll ever look at it. Like I said, only a heart surgeon would care. If you were unconscious, a Watchman will be plainly visible on x-ray, CT or MRI. They'll know it's there. I have never carried a card (don't even have one). I simply informed my PCP and local EP that I got it. Other doctors I've interacted with can probably see it in my records, but I don't bother telling them because it's not relevant.

IF you are having a major dental procedure soon after implantation and the surgeon/dentist wants you to stop the Eliquis and aspirin, you need to put off the procedure or get Natale's office involved to provide a bridging protocol. No way should you stop the Eliquis or aspirin. Providing antibiotics is very common before major dental procedures anyway, so nothing changes there.

I don't know why you can't reach DiBiase or Montefiore. I've never heard of a doctor's office or hospital that doesn't answer calls. Sure you have the right numbers?

I wish I got $10 ($1 inflation) for each time any doctor in the er insisted to see my pacemaker card to confirm the model and serial number when talking to Metronics. Maybe watchman cards are not as important.

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susan.d
I wish I got $10 ($1 inflation) for each time any doctor in the er insisted to see my pacemaker card to confirm the model and serial number when talking to Metronics. Maybe watchman cards are not as important.

The two aren't even vaguely comparable. Pacemakers are complex computers with batteries, wires, programming, and dozens of very different models, so a doctor dealing with heart issues would need to know exactly what model you have to know how to query it, program it, turn it on and off, etc. The Watchman is nothing but a bit of wire frame with fabric mesh over it about the size of the tip of your little finger. It comes in only two models that are functionally identical.

It almost never matters to a doctor that you have a Watchman. Once it's implanted and confirmed to be properly placed and leak free, it's an inert device completely covered by your own endothelial tissue. It has no effect on drugs, MRIs, CTs, x-rays, or anything else other than perhaps surgery or catheterization of the left atrium. There's nothing to program, no batteries, no wires, no nothing but some wire and fabric. There's no reason why any doctor other than a heart surgeon or EP would have any interaction with it or need to know about it.

I don't bother even mentioning it to doctors and nurses. One doc I saw who was new to me saw it in my records, and he admitted that he had to google it to find out what a Watchman was. Once he knew, he knew it was irrelevant and said nothing more about it.

Oh, and TSA can't detect it, so there's no need to mention it to them either.

You have to realize that when the hospital sends you this card and Shannon also tells you about it too, most of us, including me, would assume it does matter to carry the card. I do know that there is a lot of 'what could possibly go wrong" information from both the manufacturers and the medical staff themselves, but it's not always easy to decipher what can be basically brushed off and what to heed.

Someone finally called me back today from Montefiore. I still don't have an clear answer on whether it's OK to take an Ibuproven (Advil) once in a awhile if I have a headache. I took one today anyway....I was fine doing that when I was taking a higher dose of Eliquis - although I am now taking a baby aspirin too.

If you have a card there's no reason not to carry it. That's not what I've been saying at all. I've just been saying it's not really all that important in the real world and I doubt anyone will ever ask to see it. If there's any importance to it, it's now during your first 45 days. After that, not so much.

I think you're fine taking an Advil now and then; just try to minimize them while you're on both the Eliquis and the aspirin.

For tobherd: thank you for your original post. I am scheduled for Dr. N to implant a Watchman on 2/15 in Austin and I appreciate the information you shared. It helps me be a more educated recipient.

You're very welcome. Glad it was helpful and Good luck! You'll be in good hands. ~ Barb