Shannon, I would like to add Dr. Hocini in on the list of all stars. Although my so far successful 3rd ablation done in Bordeaux by Hocini is only 6 months old I feel strongly that it will be successful for some time to come. I perhaps waited too long to have and ablation because my paroxysmal afib had turned into persistent/permanent by the time of my first ablation. The first and second wereby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
That's too bad about Blood services. It really was a shame to know that the bag of blood I was letting at phlebotomy would only end up in the trash. My ferritin levels were never diagnosed as high. The highest recorded level of ferritin was 280. I think the only reason I was accepted for phlebs was because of the family history. One brother, also compound heterozygous and with porphyria waby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Montos, Sorry to hear you had another episode. I can relate. I had my ferritin checked a few years ago and it was mildly elevated so I thought that perhaps it could be the iron. My Dr didn't think so but sent me to a specialist anyway as I am compound heterozygous for HH having one C282Y and one H63D gene. I ended up getting a series of phlebotomies that took my ferritin levels down intby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hans, At the beginning of the article they say that there is an increase in heart rate from smoking but later there were some contradictory statements about that "Several groups have demonstrated that in anesthetized rodents, THC and anandamide, as well as potent synthetic cannabinoid ligands such as HU-210, evoke a triphasic hemody- namic response that includes an initial vagaly-mby Adrian - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
Good info Lew. Its too late to help me but someone else may be able to benefit from it. Does any one now the actual cost of ablation in Canada. It probably differs from province to province. Considering how most in the medical profession are climbing aboard the health care money train I would be willing to bet the actual costs are higher here then they are in France. Hey Murray. Has eithby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Maryann, Isabelle is our resident Iron overload guru but she appears not to have her ears on at the moment so.... I have never been diagnosed with HH but I am compound heterozygous with having both the H63D gene and the C282Y. My brother Who has the same genes as me did get an HH diagnosis along with porphyria. I don't know why your hematologist says you are in no danger til you get to 1000by Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Not me, but then again i didn't try for reimbursement. I'd be very interested to find out though. Adrianby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good luck to you Tom Adrianby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Murray, I don't see a problem here. If they put you in the rate control group, drop out. No problem. After all you are waiting for your atria to shrink so as to qualify for an ablation and you shouldn't have to change your goals to be part of a study. Unless of course they do put you in the rhythm control group then its all good Adrianby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Ben, I quit warfarin and flecinide about 2 months after ablation in Bordeaux. That was my choice. So far I'm stil NSR so it's all good Good luck to your continuing NSR Sittin on the beach with a cold suds Cheers Adrianby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi all, It has been 3 months of Nsr so far. Halelullia sp. Other than the odd pac/pvc and the time I guzzled an ice cold drink that put me tachycardic for about ten seconds I have been in blessed NORMAL SINUS RYTHM. Thankfully even the overindulgence of last weekends Canada day celebrations were unable to cause any disturbance. I stopped taking the flecainide and warfarin about a month afterby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
I've had 3 ablations in in just under a year and a half. I consider that to have been a necessary exposure. When I go for teeth cleaning they always want to take xrays to monitor any bone loss. This I consider unnecessary and don't do. Why expose ones self unnecessarily to radiation. Having said that I work for the electric utility company and often do ongoing work in Highly charged eby Adrian - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
Cynthia, 2 instances eh. Could be worse. Wishing you success for total NSR for the next year and the many years to follow. After the weekend I just had I'm hoping I didn't derail my 3 months of NSR. Alcohol, salty foods and excess eating. Not only was it Canada day but we had a family reunion for the long weekend at a lakeside campground. It was a great weekend. So good I put myby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Shannon i think you can edit your own posts. just at the bottom and to the right. Adrianby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Steve, During my followup with Dr. Hocini after my ablation she asked what we would be doing during the remainder of our stay in Bordeaux. A couple of bus wine tours were on our agenda. She smiled and said not to drink to much wine and as she left turned one last time at the door and laughingly opined unless its a good one. I have been having the odd glass ever since and no sign of afib appby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
I wouldn't take digoxin. Anything that has the tag line "Medicine from hell" should be removed from use. From Hans Larsen's first book "Lone Atrial Fibrillation Towards a Cure" Whatever you decide, do not -ABSOLUTELY NOT - accept a prescription for Digoxin (Lanoxin,digitalis). This drug has been proven to worsen LAF and may make it permanent. Actually, if yourby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Justfibbing. I had progressed from 2 day afib to seven day+ afib with 2 to 3 days normal between afibs over an 8 year span starting in 2002. I was put on a waiting list for ablation in ~ 07 and waited 3.5 years. The last year of waiting was full time afib. After the 1st ablation I had 14 hours of nsr. but my afib went back to paroxysmal. My second ablation came 10 months later. Different dr. bby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jill, I'm usually not to good at the rah rah stuff but you can take comfort in the fact that you have educated yourself on your condition and don't have to blindly accept the ministrations of a Doctor who may not know as much about afib as you do but has the backing of the establishment implying competency. You have the power. You get to decide. Pill in pocket approach is usually Flecby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Great news Steve, With all the EP's out there seemingly struggling their way around a heart with their 25-50% success rates It sounds wonderful to have had the old experienced doc to step in and show all the young guys "This is how you do it boys". Even though expenses of my own ablation by Dr. Hoconi at bordeaux are coming out of my own pocket I don't regret it at all. Moneyby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Maybe we'll have to start adding Vodka to our V8's Adrianby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chances are good that they will keep you on the Flec after the ablation. Thats what they did for me, 200 mg time release capsule of flec once a day. Wishing you good luck Steve on your upcoming ablation. Adrianby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Excellent news Lon. That should be a two thumbs up.. I hope I can say the same in about a year six weeks post ablation Adrianby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you Jackie i had read that and have tried betaine hcl before but just as a curiosity. I don't have a problem with digestion at all. I was just curious what would someone who was low in stomach acid do or would they need to do anything. can one be acidic yet stil low in stomach acid and if so do they still need to alkalize. It's all hypothetical and may not even be realistic. Iby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Monty, So far so good. I don't regret my decision to go to bordeaux. I'm still NSR with the only blips being a missed beat here and there. Its that funny feeling that used to signal the onset of afib but it just doesn't happen. Funny story. After the Bordeaux ablation April 2 Rita and I were sitting around our apartment and I got a call from the Uof A ablation office onby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie, I don't mean to be a bother but reading through the various posts I didn't find an answer to my question. If you don't have the ability to make stomach acid how does more alkalinity help? From the link. "Whenever anything goes into the stomach, if you have the ability to make adequate amounts of stomach acid, your stomach acid will go to a pH of 2. So if I put alkaliby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie, What about the people that don't produce enough stomach acid. If their digestion is already compromised by too low acid then wouldn't taking alkaline anything be detrimental? Adrianby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello Monty, Five weeks after my Bordeaux ablation and all is still well. My AF was discovered almost 10 years ago and at that time it was paroxysmal but already lasting 2- 3 days per episode. Over the years my AF episodes became longer and NSR periods shorter until becoming persistent in 2010. Thats when I finally had enough and went for the first ablation with Pantano. That only lasted 14 hourby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Cindy congrats on your recent successful ablation. During my recent stay in Bordeaux we had the chance to go on a couple of wine tours to some local chateaux's in the area. One of the points made by the chateaux owners during the tour was that they only use the absolute minimum amount of sulfite in their wines. I'm only speculating here but it could be that north american vintners aby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
Its been almost 4 weeks since my ablation at Bordeaux by Dr. Hocini. No afib so far but last week my heart rate did slow down into the 50's and cause a few skipped beats. In the past this would likely have initiated afib but "knock on wood " the afib remains at bay. I agree with the idea that exposure to afib has made me more sensitive to what my heart is doing. The skipped beatsby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM