Show all posts by user

Re: Data on leakage rate - Watchman device. - 1 year ago

QuoteChuck Connors I’m curious to learn of various resources available that discuss and show data on the leakage rates of the Watchman device, as well as how that is addressed in patients going forward. No leak is ideal, and am curious how EPs handle leak rates. It seems standard protocol post-Watchman procedure, is for most patients to come off of blood thinners. A TEE would be able to detec

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Left atrial size - does it matter? How much? - 1 year ago

Quotegloaming Thanks for posting this. My understanding is that the enlargement, which can be mildly reversed (not in all patients) over time if ablated successfully, leads to fibrosis and mitral valve prolapse, or compromise of function, both of which greatly complicate, or in some cases preclude, ablation. This is my experience: before my ablation with Dr. Natale he told me to get my severe

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Yes, the forum is back up and running! - 1 year ago

Thanks Carey—we knew you were scrambling behind the scenes!

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Estrogen and other hormones... - 1 year ago

QuoteLaniB Bioidentical HRT reduces mortality from all causes, protects the brain against dementia, protects bone density, along with eliminating/reducing post menopausal symptoms. You'll be pleased to know that a new and very large study just came out a couple of weeks ago confirming this and mentioning the benefit to Afib patients as well it being preventive for cardiovascular disease.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: 2 months post PFA ablation - 1 year ago

Yes, recovery times from Afib ablation can vary a lot. I had other things going on, like Dysautonomia, and I had to travel out-of-state for the ablation. It took over a month for me to feel fully recovered. All the medications given during the ablation were part of the story in my longer-than-average recovery, but it wasn’t unexpected for me and I knew I would recover eventually, and it was certa

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Ablation at Abbott Northwestern - 1 year ago

Great news—keep us posted! Great “Don’t do this at home” protocol!

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Progression question - 1 year ago

QuoteZb3 What sides did flecainide give you? I was put on 200mg a day from the beginning which seems like a high dose. Aside from a lot of palpitations I haven’t noticed any sides yet. Also interesting to know that even after an ablation the disease will look for ways to progress, therefore necessitating more ablations. Seems hard to win with this one I got complete heart block with Flecaini

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Progression question - 1 year ago

QuoteZb3 Oh does it get worse does it? I had thought if you were medicated and kept yourself out of afib it wouldn’t progress. I had frequent afib at 27-28 which came on rapidly - was in afib 14% of the time according to my holter but had it every single day. On flecainide and beta blocker daily now and largely out of afib and medications still working despite the odd break through. I get violent

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Action Potential, Induction, etc. - 1 year ago

Yes, fascinating! I saw that Natale was an author of one article, so good to know that he has worked with different induction strategies. Have you noticed any differences related to posture in your own case? If there were, it could be really helpful for induction. Left side versus right side positioning is significant for some.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Long Awaited Natale Consult - 1 year ago

ButTaurine doesn’t inhibit not all aspects of P450, only P450 3A4. You can look up different medications to see how they are metabolized and while 3A4 is any important one, many drugs are metabolized by 2D6. QuoteThe cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) is an enzyme of great historical importance for pharmacogenetics and is now thought to be involved in the metabolism of up to 25% of the drugs that ar

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Long Awaited Natale Consult - 1 year ago

QuoteMeganMN I'm not exactly sure. He wants to induce it first because sometimes introducing the catheters will prevent induction of the Atrial Tachycardia. So he can pinpoint fairly closely where it is coming from before even hitting the EP Lab. I'm not exactly sure,.but I think he is planning to then give me some mild sedation, get the catheters in and then try to induce again,.but

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Long Awaited Natale Consult - 1 year ago

QuoteMeganMN This time, they are planning to try to induce medically and map it, then sedate me, introduce the catheters, and then ablate me. So do I have this right that they are going to give you isoproterenol while you are awake, map you, then give general anesthesia, introduce the catheters and ablate? While with a straight forward Afib ablation they would give general anesthesia first th

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Long Awaited Natale Consult - 1 year ago

QuoteFuzzyduck What do you mean by your arrhythmia being paroxysmal, your SVTs or your Afib? Because when I had my ablation in April I hadn’t had any afib since November but I had svts, not nearly as many as you but runs of them. But he managed to get my afib going for a ‘very short time’. Enough to know what to ablate…although I appreciate our cases may be very different… This touches on

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Long Awaited Natale Consult - 1 year ago

QuoteMeganMN He did say that most EP labs are afraid to use the high doses of Isoproteronol that are needed. Did he explain what the cautions are with using high doses of Isoproteronol?

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Finally Ablation - 1 year ago

QuotecalvinIt was a great release of emotions when I got off the phone. I bet! Congratulations and keep us posted.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Someone made a MYSTERY POST - 1 year ago

QuoteCarey I changed the settings to display 200 topics per page rather then the former 50 topics. Thanks, this is much better!

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Natale Telehealth Consult - 1 year ago

I can tell you how it worked for me--hopefully they are still doing it the same way. Someone called an hour or two before my appointment just to get some basic information by phone. Since I have an iPhone they said that my consult would be on FaceTime--they would need to make another arrangement if you don't have FaceTime. They can only give you an approximate time for your consult with Nata

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: It may be time to ablate. Options are in play. - 1 year ago

Quotedocboss No response to my inquiry as of this date, but I shall make another attempt in a week or so. You will get a response much faster if you go directly to Dr. Natale's assistant: Norma Bazerghi RN, MSN, MBA Single Trip Procedure Coordinator for Andrea Natale M.D. Direct Line: 512-615-6205 Fax: 512-776-1978 Attn: Norma If you would like her email address, send me a private

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Valvular Afib Questions - 1 year ago

I can't comment on the difference in treating "valvular Afib" and non-valvular. I'd guess that this is not a clear-cut distinction as many of us, including me, have had valve involvement that became an issue somewhere in our journey with Afib. It is possible that it is the effects of Tikosyn in particular that might be in question as you prepare for a TAVR--maybe someone else

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: It may be time to ablate. Options are in play. - 1 year ago

Quotedocboss Unfortunately, the local facility performing ablations is unavailable for three months. Hence my interest in alternative locations/treatment. I contacted the Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute for a consultation with Dr. Natale's group. Unfortunately the best EPs performing ablations will have significant wait times--in fact, if they don't you probably don't want to go t

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Three-Month Blanking Period After A-Fib Ablation Should Be Shortened, Researchers Say - 1 year ago

And, in fact, most of our EPs take us off antiarrhythmic meds about 2 months post ablation, demonstrating their clinical experience with recurrences.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Mucinex - 1 year ago

Quotegreyhoundgal I remember Natale telling me at the 6 month checkup after the ablation that if I kept a healthy lifestyle I shouldn't need a touchup but said that when I get into my. 80's if I need another touchup to just give him a call. So it sounds like he is okay doing touchups on patients in their 80's? I wondered about that as, though I had my index ablation with him whe

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Pain relief question - 1 year ago

Quotekliving I plan on asking about Gabapentin when I can get my next appointment. Not sure how much it would help, but it does seem to be a reasonable candidate to try. If you wouldn't mind, could you recommend a CBD oil to try? And maybe a good starting dose. Gabapentin seems to be a "try it and see" medication. I had to start with a very low dose and slowly increase it as it m

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Pain relief question - 1 year ago

How about Gabapentin? I take it and it is helpful for some types of pain. It doesn't seem to affect my heart. A couple other ideas: oral CBD oil--my EP gave that a green light. I take it for sleep but it does help many with pain. It is also helpful as a cream. And here is a far out one (not really as there is a lot of research on it) Low dose Naltrexone. I take 3 mg when the "norm

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Taurine and L Arginine - 1 year ago

QuoteFibberMcGee Has anybody here tried taurine and L-arginine for PVCs and PACs? I have had PVCs and PACs for two years, sometimes several or more per minute. They are really bothersome, even though my EP doesn't get too excited about them. I started taking taurine and L-arginine a couple of weeks ago and they are almost gone. Just wondering about other's experiences. Yes, I used the

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Watchman Experience - 1 year ago

QuoteMcHale Good evening all, Arrived at Saint David’s at 5:00AM today for A touchup Ablation and a Watchman implant.120 minutes under, was in my room and walking a few hours later. Natale stopped by for a quick chat, good seal minimal burn time no AFiB detected but PVCs might be a burden. Was totally at ease and calm,….no fear …. there’s a special place in Heaven for Natale. McHale Glad

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Sinus node dysfunction after successful ablation? - 1 year ago

Quotecalvin The cool thing about the pace maker is they can read it and tell you the % of time you are not in Rhythm. They also read the battery life and at my 3 month checkup my battery had 13 more years of life. And you don’t have to have heart monitors stuck to your chest anymore (unless you are in a hospital telemetry unit where they need to see it in real time). I get a 16 page readout se

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Sinus node dysfunction after successful ablation? - 1 year ago

I was getting pauses and sick sinus syndrome several years before I had a successful ablation. Getting the pacemaker was a relief but my Afib/flutter still progressed and after failing 2 antiarrythmics, the ablation was an even bigger relief. Since the time that pauses often happen is as you go back into NSR after a run of Afib, I’d think that it would be very reasonable to wait a while after

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Ablation tomorrow - 1 year ago

QuoteFuzzyduck Oh no, they wouldn’t give me a written report and said I have to request it through the portal. I would really like to know what they found. I know they ablated three areas including the apVI, posterior wall and a minor part on the appendage. I had a brief moment of afib during it. I don’t know how my heart is going to perform but so far so good They use 2 portals, one for St

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Ablation tomorrow - 1 year ago

QuoteFuzzyduck Thank you Megan, it went smoothly so far. Are you having an ablation with Dr.Natale? I think I saw somewhere you are thinking about it? If you have any questions feel free to ask!! Glad that it went well and hope all continues to be smooth. Be sure to ask for your written report before discharge—it tells the story in detail and you will be glad to have it in your medical records

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM