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Re: Question about post ablation blanking period - 2 days ago

It varies somewhat from EP to EP. Most will provide some type of antiarrhythmic for at least a month or two, with the idea being to just keep the heart calmed down during that period. Most EPs like to use something fairly mild or a lower dose than they were on before. For example, Natale likes to use Multaq specifically because it's quite mild. Tikosyn would be a pretty heavy hitter for this

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Missing Unread Marker - 2 days ago

I'm not sure what you mean. In the list of topics if a topic has new, unread posts you'll see a red count of the number of unread posts, and that's still working fine. (It's how I saw this post.) Are you referring to something else?

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Carto vs. NavX Mapping System - 4 days ago

I don't know why they would choose one over the other, but like I said the two are compatible so it could be they use CARTO for mapping and NavX just for the robotics. You should ask the EP if they used robotics for you.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Carto vs. NavX Mapping System - 4 days ago

CARTO has been around a long time and is one of the most widely used mapping systems. NavX is all about robotics and robotic navigation and less about mapping. So my guess would be that one lab has robots and the other one doesn't. It appears NavX is compatible with CARTO so they might use CARTO in both labs.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Bigeminy Vs PCVs - 4 days ago

I doubt you'll need a PM swap, but if you do don't go borrowing problems you don't have. Just cross that bridge when you come to it. And by all means consult an EP. I was just reassuring you that Diltiazem is unlikely to cause the sort of problems you ran into with flecainide.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Bigeminy Vs PCVs - 5 days ago

Quotesusan.d the thought of them stopping my pacemaker and heart to swap gives me concern. They don't stop your heart to swap PMs. They implant the new PM, attach it, turn off the old PM, turn the new one on, then remove the old one. There's very little risk. Also, Diltiazem isn't dangerous like flecainide and the other antiarrhythmics are. It's very much like a beta blo

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Flecainid question - 5 days ago

QuoteDirk Furthermore I hope that there will be another drug in the future which is as effective as amiodarone but has not as evil side effects. That's what Multaq was supposed to be. Basically, it's amiodarone with one iodine atom removed. The end result is it's quite safe and has few side effects, but it's also not nearly as effective. Although it's useful in some cir

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Treating A-fib with Tikosyn (Dofetilide) - 6 days ago

Then it definitely makes sense to pursue drug treatment or ablation. None of the symptoms you describe sound like anything Eliquis would be likely to do, though of course it's not impossible. It's pretty side effect free for most people.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Treating A-fib with Tikosyn (Dofetilide) - 6 days ago

When you're in afib, which is all the time, you say your heart rare remains under 100. That's good. Do you feel symptoms? Does the afib impact your quality of life?

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: underlying rhythm when heart is in AFIB - 8 days ago

QuoteSearching9 What I’m questioning is that the intensives look at her monitor, that is clearly AFIB, and pronounced that her native rate is 30 to40,so that if she self converts her rate would be dangerously low (30s) . My question is: is there some way for the doctor to say that her native rate would be dangerously low,. Based on JUST observing her status while in AFIB. No. I'm sure th

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Does anyone have any experience using Sotalol? - 8 days ago

Why do you think you're allergic? What do beta blockers do to you?

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: underlying rhythm when heart is in AFIB - 8 days ago

QuoteSearching9 So at the present time she is in AFIB, (HR 80-120) but Drs are insistent that her "underlying rhythm" is 30-40. I assume they meant rate, not rhythm. Rhythm can't be measured with a number. So I think what they meant is that without the afib, her heart would be beating at 30-40 bpm, which obviously isn't normal. I would assume that's the junctional rhyt

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Flecainid question - 12 days ago

Oh, right. Forgot about the prior ablations. So how uncomfortable are you when you're in afib?

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Does anyone have any experience using Sotalol? - 12 days ago

I'd say they're fairly comparable. All the antiarrhythmics have (potentially) serious side effects, but I would single out amiodarone as the worst and Multaq as the best. The trouble is, amiodarone is also the most effective and Multaq the least effective. A bit of cruel irony there.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Flecainid question - 12 days ago

AV node ablation is the nuclear option. It should always be the last option when all the other options have failed because there's no undoing it and it locks you out of any other treatments. You didn't say whether or not you're symptomatic when you're in afib and your heart rate is controlled to 100 or less. That's key to knowing if the "just live with it" appro

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Flecainid question - 12 days ago

QuoteDirk But how can you live with permanent afib? AV node ablation? Many people do, and not necessarily with an AV node ablation. You live with it by taking a rate control drug to keep your resting heart rate under 100 and an anticoagulant to prevent strokes. Once those two things are controlled, the dangers of afib are controlled and your life expectancy will be the same as someone without a

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Flecainid question - 12 days ago

QuoteFibberMcGee My EP said that Tikosyn loses effectiveness over time. I have been on it for 4 years. He said the longest it worked for any of his patients was 7 years. Is it just the nature of antiarrhythmics? It seems to be, at least for most of them. I don't think it happens with sotalol or amiodarone, but I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life on sotalol and sure as hell no

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Flecainid question - 13 days ago

I don't know if anyone knows the answer to that. I've never heard an explanation.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Does anyone have any experience using Sotalol? - 14 days ago

QuoteSammie1eye My cardiologist now wants me to try Sotalol to replace both Amiodarone and Metropolol. I read the "side effects / warnings" section of the medication and it made me as nervous as having afib itself (ie: "this drug may cause a life-threatening type of heartbeat that is not normal"). That danger is primarily when you first begin taking it, which is why EPs oft

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: How Much Coffee is Too Much? - 14 days ago

As usual, all things in moderation. I'm a firm believer that caffeine has gotten an undeserved bad rap with afib. Doctors have been demonizing it for decades with no scientific evidence whatsoever.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Out of options? - 15 days ago

QuoteDrummer I think my cardiologist actually lied to me! I still like her well enough, and I'm not ready to try and replace her because of this. But I think when she told me I'm too old for flecainide, it really was likely because she didn't want to have a conversation about sick sinus syndrome, which she and I have discussed before. She's very sharp and I can't believe

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Any Oddities with these ECGs - Tall R-Waves - 16 days ago

Like I said, I don't think it's anything to worry about, but ask about? Sure, why not.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Any Oddities with these ECGs - Tall R-Waves - 16 days ago

The main difference between you and your friend is that his recording is much higher quality. I don't know the reason for that but that's the problem with wearable devices. If the electrodes were attached to your chest the quality would probably be the same. The 12-lead does show rather tall R waves and inverted T waves. There are several possible reasons for that but I don't se

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Changed his mind about PFA - 17 days ago

I didn't even need to click the link. Once I read the brief quote from the article I knew it was Mandrola with his usual doom and gloom. The fact is we do know why pulmonary vein isolation works and we know why it sometimes fails. I know very personally, so I'm sorry Dr. Mandrola doesn't know, but he has grossly overstated his case. He does ablations, BTW. Ironic, isn't it?

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Out of options? - 18 days ago

QuoteDrummer Is it conceivable that I could go back to just getting cardioversions? The gap between the last two was only five months, which I know is short, but if I could get a year of care without agonizing over new drug choices I'd be very happy for it. Yeah, you can do that if your EP will agree to do the cardioversions, and there's even a member here who pretty much does that.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Out of options? - 18 days ago

Have you ever been diagnosed with heart failure, MI, or kidney or liver problems? Those are the major contraindications.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Out of options? - 18 days ago

I've also never heard of an age limit for flecainide and there's nothing in the drug literature supporting your cardiologist's opinion. I agree that you need a second opinion, preferably from an EP not a general cardiologist.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Help with ECG - 18 days ago

QuotePamelaJean I have plenty of recordings of PVCs and PACs from my KardiaMobile in the past but none have ever had the downward spike. That isn’t significant? Nope, it just means you have the sensor turned the other way left to right. The normal beats have the correct orientation so you must have had the sensor reversed in the past. Flip it so your fingers are on the opposite sensor and the d

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Is this AFIB or something else - 19 days ago

I agree I think that's probably afib, but it's pretty messy and looks like there's a lot of artifact. Were you standing or moving around when you took that recording?

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Peripheral Neuropathy and baby aspirin. - 22 days ago

I doubt it. Probably not a big enough dose. But NSAIDs would and there are prescription drugs that can help.

by Carey - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM