Tim I follow Jackie's instructions - perhaps she will jump in here. Everyone is different and you have to experiment to find what works for you. The doctors in Bordeaux say that ectopics are a nuisance, not a problem - worth remembering that. I started with magnesium to bowel tolerance, made no difference to the ectopics. Then I added potassium, still no difference. Added taurine,by Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
The NHS is a gamble, acute services can be brilliant but you can’t be sure you are getting the best person's hands on the catheters. In your position, if I could possibly afford it, I would choose Bordeaux. When I had my ablations there (see my post on your other thread) I was not charged anything for the second procedure. Of course things might have changed since 2003. (Ms) Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike I had my ablation in Bordeaux in January 2003, after many years of paroxysmal AF and 18 months of long term persistent AF, so I was probably a difficult case. They did all the lines that were known to work at that time, ie isolated all 4 pulmonary veins, roof line, and line from the left inferior pulmonary vein to the mitral annulus. They also did the right side flutter line 'onby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Herbert After my ablation in Bordeaux in 2003 I experienced huge numbers of ectopic beats, almost 8,000 on one 24 hour Holter. They were very uncomfortable, like being kicked in the chest every few minutes, even though the EP said they were a nuisance not a problem. Following advice on this forum I started supplementing with magnesium, no difference. I then added taurine, slight improvemeby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
No need to be scared as long as you go to a real expert. Percentage success rates vary from the 30s to the 90s depending entirely on the skill and experience of the person doing the ablation. Information is available on this site about who the best people are, depending where you live. Afib was ruining my life, couldn’t do any of the things I loved. So I went to Bordeaux in France in Januarby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Nick Getting to the consultant of your choice, or even the hospital of your choice is very tricky. I asked for King's College, (not for AF but for something else), my GP referred me there and yet I was offered an appointment at Mayday in Croydon. When I rang the number they gave me to change it I was told that my GP had put Mayday on the referral, which was not true. I had to email myby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike I would be very interested to know the name of the EP who has been doing ablations in the UK for almost 20 years. Send it by private message if you prefer. In 2002 when I first started looking at ablations there were only a couple of people doing them in the UK, and they were just starting out. I finally went to Bordeaux in January 2003 and have been in nsr since then. Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
An EP once told me that ablation might not prevent AF from starting, but would stop it sustaining itself. I found this very helpful. In the 14½ years since my ablation and touch up three days later, in Bordeaux (for long term persistent AF) I have had occasional fluttery feelings but they have only lasted a very short time. At those moments I have always remembered what that EP said and assby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jim I had my ablation in Bordeaux in January 2003 and have been in nsr since then, but I have always had a lot of ectopic beats - once there were almost 8000 on a 24 hour Holter. Although the doctors said they were harmless they were very uncomfortable, like being kicked in the chest every few minutes. After much trial and error I have 'tamed' them with my own version of Hansby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
David An EP in London once told me that ablation might not prevent AF from starting but it should prevent it from sustaining itself. In the 14 years since my ablation in Bordeaux I have sometimes felt as though AF tries to start up, or even DOES for a few minutes but then I go back into normal rhythm. I have always assumed that AF was starting but that the burn scars were doing their job aby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Anton Since my ablation in Bordeaux in 2003 I have had continuous nsr but am plagued by large numbers of ectopics - one 24 hour Holter showed almost 8,000. It was like being kicked in the chest every few minutes and very uncomfortable. The docs told me they were a nuisance but not harmful, and that I could take bisoprolol to stop them. Following Jackie's advice I started taking magnesby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Spencer - you asked about Bordeaux. When I first got the AF diagnosis I didn't want to be on medication, which was the only thing being suggested back in 2002. I started digging on the internet and found a Reuters report which said that a Professor at the University of Bordeaux in south west France could do a procedure called radio frequency ablation which could stop the AF. I asked tby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Spencer. I am in London too, and had long term persistent AF many years ago. What they are going to do for you sounds like an electrocardioversion - they knock you out for a few seconds and give you electric shocks to try to get the heart back into normal rhythm. I had three of them but they only lasted about 48 hours each time then I was back into AF and had to wait three months for theby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Contact in Bordeaux is no longer Mme Bayle. It is now stephanie.bentz@chu-bordeaux.fr Her phone number is +33-55-765-6471 Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Two comments -- From what I have read, a lot of people, maybe even most people, on Warfarin (Coumadin) are not able to keep their INR at the right level. I took it for a year pre ablation, did weekly blood tests even though monthly was recommended, and adjusted my own dose. I was better at keeping it close to 2.5 than the anti-coagulation nurse - she was happy to let me decide my own dosageby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you Shannon for all that information. Very interesting for me as I too wonder what lies ahead. It will be 14 years in January since my ablation and touch up in Bordeaux, after years of paroxysmal AF and 18 months of persistent AF. I have been in nsr since then. I get ectopic beats but take magnesium, potassium, taurine and d-ribose which stops them being a problem. At the time Profby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Very detailed report and interesting to read. Mine from Bordeaux was very brief (can post it here if anyone is interested) but I have no complaints since I am now half way through my 14th year of nsr after many years of paroxysmal AF and 18 months of continuous AF. (Somehow I don't think it's placebo effect!) Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had my ablation in January 2003 in Bordeaux after many years of paroxysmal AF and 18 months of persistent. Normal rhythm since then - I'm into my 14th year. I was back to normal life two days after the ablation. I eat and drink whatever I like, I work out three times a week, I scuba dive. I would call this a really good result. In fact, best thing I ever did. But to get a good reby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
I second what the others have said. The most important thing is the skill and experience of the person whose hands are on the catheters. Success rates can be in the percentage ranges of the 30s for inexperienced EPs and the 90s for elite EPs like Natale or the Bordeaux team. Give yourself the best chance of a good result by choosing very carefully. As most people here already know, I hadby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
This is a reply to a post by Monty that seems to have disappeared. Monty I remember that fear very well - but it wears off after a while, I promise you! When I went to Bordeaux I had not found this board and though I had done lots of research I didn't know nearly as much about ablations as I do now. I didn't know that a second one is often needed, or was even possible, so whenby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Monty I remember that fear very well - but it wears off after a while, I promise you! When I went to Bordeaux I had not found this board and though I had done lots of research I didn't know nearly as much about ablations as I do now. I didn't know that a second one is often needed, or was even possible, so when AF recurred after three days I was in despair, especially since Prof.by Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Perhaps I should add that after the second ablation Prof. Haissaguerre said that he thought one of the lines might have had a gap in it - he said it was like trying to build a dam with round stones without leaving a gap that the water could leak through. But this was not the case. There was a very toxic focus in the coronary sinus which he said was extremely difficult to find and ablate. I rby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Many of you know my story, but I tell it again on my anniversary for people who are still struggling with the beast. After many years of paroxysmal AF and 18 months of persistent AF I had my ablation on January 7th 2003, followed by a touch up 3 days later because AF.recurred. In those distant days my EP in London told me that ablation was experimental and dangerous and had only a 30% chancby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Monty After my ablation and touch up in Bordeaux 13 years ago the number of ectopics I got steadily increased. On one Holter I had almost 9,000 in 24 hours. Prof. Haissaguerre said they were a nuisance but not a cause for concern, and that I could take bisoprolol if they were too uncomfortable. I chose instead to experiment with magnesium, potassium and taurine and that worked for me -by Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Monty I find it very mean spirited of your EP to take this attitude. My EP in the UK referred me to Bordeaux then took over the follow up when I got back, including provision of prescriptions and monitoring INR on a weekly basis until I stopped anticoagulation and drugs. I had checkups at 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, then annually for many years. I also had 24 hour Holters whenever we tby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Monty Sending good wishes for tomorrow. My memories are that the food was much better than hospital food in UK, and the beds were more comfortable!! You will be in the best of hands. Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Montos My ablation was many years ago, and things might have changed, but I specified from the beginning that I wanted Prof. Haissaguerre himself to do the ablation. (At that time I didn't know about Prof. Jaïs) I was charged an extra fee but this was explained in the documentation they sent me beforehand. Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Monty You asked about the long term. I am now into my 13th year of sinus rhythm since ablation and touch up in Bordeaux in January 2003. I eat and drink whatever I like, I can sleep on my left side, I do moderate exercise three times a week, I scuba dive. It gave me my life back. Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chuck When I had my ablation by Prof. Haissaguerre in Bordeaux in 2003 AF recurred after 48 hours. Because I had travelled a long way, rather than waiting to see if it settled he did an immediate second ablation and told me that there was a highly toxic focus in the coronary sinus which was extremely difficult to find and ablate. He had thought there might be a gap in one of the lines but thby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM