I am interested in finding a reliable salvestrol product, as discussed in the last issue of International Health News. Anyone have recommendations? Thanks! Cindy Oby Cindy O - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
My experience with taking fish oil has been strange, and I have eliminated it (reluctantly) from my supplements list. A few weeks after beginning to take it, I have had a broken blood vessel in my feet or hands, nowhere else. First experience is a hot and itchy feeling caused by the swelling at the site, then pain caused by the pressure of the blood escaping from the vessel. Pretty painful. Thenby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Such a wonderful outcome! Hoping her recovery is comfortable and fast. Great to know about this good surgeon. All the best to you both - Cindy Oby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'm posting for a friend who has survived a heart attack and had a stent placed recently. She is 50 with no history of heart disease. She would like to find a cardiologist who is open to alternative medicine, or incorporates it into his practice. I remember reading about a clinic that offered non-surgical treatment for people who had been told they needed a bypass. Anyone know of this clinicby Cindy O - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
Thanks so much, Shannon. Started Natto yesterday, and will try your regimen for slippery blood. It's also good to know about the brand of Natto to buy. I have some that is NSK-SD from Nutricology, which I think is fine for now. I am now back to work and back to hiking after two years of procedures. Now I am feeling very well, and it was all worth it. I encourage early ablation to the many peby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
It's now been 6 months since my Watchman procedure and I am allowed to go off Coumadin, having been on it for two years. My LAA is successfully blocked and I am feeling very well indeed. I quit Coumadin two days ago, and now want to start Natto again, at least for a while. What do you think? I also wonder if any of you have an opinion as to when I should start it. I read about Coumadin haby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Whoo hoo! I am so glad you have come through the procedure and that it is successful! I'm now following up on my Watchman installation. Had a TEE a few weeks ago (at 6 wks post op) and it looked fine. Have to have another one for the study sometime soon. Hope to join you in the post Coumadin world! Cindy Oby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Shannon - Yes, the Amiodarone thing was weird because I had just been put on it on March 18 during my long hospitalization at CPMC following my first ablation, which was February 13. My next ablation was April 23. So I couldn't have been off it for 3 months, and was told to take it until my next ablation. Natale tells me he is now using Amiodarone a little more than he was when he finaby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Just home from another trip to Austin and my Watchman procedure. It was very easy, and so far successful! Of course I won't know until 45 days post procedure if there are any leaks, but for now, there are none. It is a short procedure and not very impactful in terms of well-being. I felt fine right afterward, and I think I was under anesthesia less than an hour. Spent the night and wentby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Shannon - So glad your procedure went well and that you got out of the hospital so quickly! I have been away in the back woods, so couldn't access the internet (no smart phone!). Just back and I have been thinking about you and wishing you well. Nice description of the whole Lariat picture. Your experience is similar to mine. Yes, wasn't it easy to have the tube removed? Buby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Shannon - Will keep you posted. I received an email today saying that I won't be eligible to be enrolled in the Watchman study until 30 days past my Lariat procedure, which was on 6/25.. Not sure what this means,.. but probably that then they will schedule me. I'll talk to Chantel there tomorrow. Please keep me posted as well about how things go for you. Sending you goodby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
It's hard to believe how good I feel - truly normal in terms of energy and appetite. I'm now enjoying the food of Austin... Of course there is no lariat assault to my heart, which must make a huge difference. I own a copy Moore's book. I try to assiduously follow his plan, and it helps definitely to balance salt and potassium, but my BP is still very high. You've reminded mby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks, Jackie - I have never been tested for Lyme disease, so perhaps that is something I should look at. Thanks for your good wishes. I'm recovering very quickly and am enjoying life in NSR. I'm out of the hospital 48 hours post surgery, and feel strong and healthy. My big problem is BP - addressing that again now. Thanks for offering Lyme help. I'll keep you posted. All the bby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Shannon - Yes, the post op treatment is the same since my pericardium was punctured and Natale attempted to secure the lariat three times. Of course my leg is also punctured. After talking to him more extensively, he explained that I have mysterious scarring on the back of the right atrium that extends to the LAA. He says it is probably from a past viral infection. I felt fine as soon as thby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks, Shannon for taking the time to explain these two little-known procedures. yes, I knew that I might be one with too much scarring from my ablutions, but what complicated my case is a large amount of scarring on my right atrium. Natale thinks it's perhaps viral. This scarring made the base of the appendage too stiff and large. I read quite a bit about the watchman, but was missing tby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
This morning Natale attempted a Lariat procedure which was not completed because too much scar tissue was present. I,m thinking about having a Watchman procedure. I May be able to stay here in Austin and have the Watchman inserted tomorrow. I would really appreciate hearing any information or thoughts you have about the Watchman. Thanks, CindyOby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
I've called the EP dept at Stanford, UCSF, and one affiliated with UCLA, searching for an alternative to traveling to Texas, where I have the lariat scheduled with Natale at the end of May. Anyone know anything about these other programs? I live in the San Francisco Bay area. Haven't posted for a while - am finally recovering from a bad medical year last year. Not sure I posted aboutby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Shannon - Thanks so much for all the information! Extremely helpful. I realize that the materials given me by Natale adequately describe the procedure, and it sounds quite reasonable and even easy. You have now answered my question about the role of the LAA and the known effects of losing it. Sounds like presently there aren't any significant ones. As a side note - last month my hby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi All - Had my 6 month post ablation TEE and visit with Natale two days ago. My history is one ablation in Feb which caused a 3 week hopitalization, another one in April which is successful so far. However, my LAA, where almost all the ablating was done, is now not pumping at a capacity that pleases Natale, so I am to continue on Coumadin forever, unless I have a procedure to block my LAA.by Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
after my release from my three week hospital stay caused by complications from my natale ablation on 2/13, i recovered for a month on amiodarone and had a second ablation on 4/23. came home the next day and recovered for a month from continuing anemia, weakness and malnutrition. was put on multaq, but dropped that after a week because of liver problems. no afib for a month (!), then i fell down 4by Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Wow, Tom B - that's a very skewed sample - kind of like the number of people I've known who have died while scuba diving, so I don't do that. At any rate - I personally know at least 100 people who have had uneventful colonoscopies, including me. Worried about afib, I did research here and asked my gastroenterologist what I could do to prepare and save my electrolytes. I used &qby Cindy O - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
This is interesting to me because I assumed that everyone had the same reaction that Randy has to drinking more than one serving of alcohol in the evening. For me, anytime I drank 2 - 3 glasses of wine with dinner, I could assume that I would wake up with rapid heartbeat later. I thought part of it was hypoglycemia, from which I do suffer, and also dehydration. Of course alcohol depletes magnesiuby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks so much to all for the prayers, good wishes, energy and light. I came home the day after the second ablation (a short procedure) and have felt fine since then! I still have amiodarone in my system, and am now on Multaq for 3 months, though my cardiologist thinks I can be weaned off earlier than that. Short history review: First ablation on 2/13 - many problems with A-tach which kept meby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Following my three weeks spent in the hospital after my first Natale ablation, I have been home for a month and have recovered a lot of strength, and will be going in for my next procedure on Monday. Amiodarone enabled me to come home in NSR, eat, sleep and get rid of the pleural effusion!! Dr. Natale says he knows exactly what he missed the first time, and what caused all the problems. Letby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
So glad we have a general health forum! Great idea... I'm hoping that someone knows something about eosinophilic esophagitis. I had never heard of it until a friend was diagnosed. Her treatment seems to be not working well, and I'm wondering if there are any forums/bulletin boards for those suffering from this malady. Any ideas out there? Thanks - Cindyby Cindy O - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
was in the hospital for three weeks, home for six days now. until the friday before my release on wednesday, it looked like i would have a second ablation on monday out of desperation. amiodarone put me in nsr that friday, and natale sent me home the following wednesday to recover from my ordeal, replenish my malnourished body, and regain my strength. next ablation scheduled for 4/23. i have aby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
no ablation today - will be taking amio for a month. maybe home on wednesday. no longer in nsr... have learned much while here. will share later when i have a computer. thanks so very much for your sympathy and support. i so appreciate it. hope my reaction to amio is more like ron's and less like janet's. perhaps dosing differences? cindyby Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM
i'm in cpmc hospital in san francisco awaiting a visit from dr. natale who will decide if i'm going to have surgery today. the alternative is for me to take amiodarone for a month. i've been in the hospital for 19 days. it's been a wild ride. information anyone can share about amiodarone would be most appreciated.by Cindy O - AFIBBERS FORUM