Mike A few thoughts - If yu have it done on the NHS, even if referred to Ernst or Schilling, whose hands will be on the catheter? If you are a private patient you can be sure it is the consultant doing it and not the registrar. How long will you have to wait for it? What is your quality of life while you wait? Might you progress to persistent AF making the ablation more difficult?by Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Michael Persistent AF is much more difficult to fix than paroxysmal so you need an expert. I had my ablation and touch-up in Bordeaux in January 2003 and have had over 10 years of sinus rhythm since then. After 18 months of persistent AF I felt as though my life was over. The ablations gave it back to me, and now at age 75 I work out three times a week, walk for miles and do three scubby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
>>Can you imagine before the internet and Afibbers.com and other support sites like it, how we would all have been stumbling around in the dark trying to get to first base<< Shannon I went through exactly what you describe and it was a nightmare. I didn't find this board until a year after my ablation. I had to use a friend who was a medical student with access to librariby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Nancy Before my ablation in Bordeaux they did a TEE and found a clot, even though I had been on Warfarin. The ablation was postponed of course. I was started on twice daily injections of Enoxyparin and taught to inject myself, then discharged very quickly. They said I should have another TEE after three weeks of injections to check that the clot had gone, then restart Warfarin and book anby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Stephen When I went to Bordeaux for my ablation they did a TEE early in the morning, with the ablation planned for later in the day, and they found a clot. I was discharged quickly having been taught to give myself injections of Enoxaprin, with one day's supply plus a prescription for more. I returned to the UK, continued the injections for three more weeks, then after another TEE shoby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barb I am in my 11th year of nsr since my ablation in Bordeaux in January 2003. Hope this will reassure you that you have made the right decision. I look forward to hearing good news very soon. Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Denver Delighted to hear that you are still doing well. My ablation, (followed 3 days later by a second because of recurrence), was done by Prof. Haissaguerre in Bordeaux in January 2003. I was referred to him, at my request, by my EP in London because at that time no one in UK had the expertise I wanted. I have been in NSR since the ablations, though I get huge numbers of ectopic beats,by Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
When I had my ablation in Bordeaux, my EP in London did it as a referral, and then took over the aftercare when I got back home. The haematology department in London dealt with aniticoagulation issues. No idea if this would work the same way in the USA but Bordeaux were quite happy with the arrangement. Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Elena Yes, in Bordeaux in January 2003, after many years of paroxysmal AF and 18 months of persistent AF. At that time not many EPs were doing ablations, especially for persistent AF. I was very lucky to be able to get it done by one of the best in the world and I am now into my 11th year of sinus rhythm. Gill (pronounced 'Jill' and female)by Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dirk I had paroxysmal AF, undiagnosed, for many years. The episodes became more frequent and lasted longer, until eventually they all joined up and I was in persistent AF. This progression happens with a lot of people, though not everyone. Ablation is much more difficult with persistent AF so it is better to get it done before you get to that stage, but it is hard to decide exactly when tby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ron BarryG, who posted here, was a very difficult case. When he had his final (successful) ablation in Bordeaux, Dr Hocini told him not to drink wine - unless it was a good one! Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ron You will be in safe hands in Bordeaux. In January this year I celebrated 10 years of nsr since my ablation there in 2003. I needed a second one three days after the first because of recurrence, but I had been in persistent AF for 18 months after years of paroxysmal AF. Going to Bordeaux was one of the best things I ever did. Gill (pronounced 'Jill' and female)by Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ron Something to amuse you - When the nurses were prepping me for my ablation one of them asked why I had come to Bordeaux rather than having it done in UK. (I speak good French so the nurses were very chatty.) I replied that it was because Prof. Haissaguerre was the best in the world. The nurses looked at eachother in amazement, and said "Who would ever have thought it, petit Micby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ron My experience may be out of date but when I was there each room had two hospital beds and was normally used for 2 patients sharing. Your spouse uses the second bed, and these are the most comfortable hospital beds I ever came across. Meals are served to the spouse as well as the patient, and they are good compared with hospital food in UK which is usually dreadful. I would say that iby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
RonB My Bordeaux ablation was over 10 years ago and at that time very few centres were successful with persistent Afib. But in all my dealings with Haut Leveque, beforehand and afterwards, I experienced nothing but excellence, efficiency and helpfulness. You will be in safe hands with the best possible chance of a successful procedure. Gill (rejoicing in over 10 years of nsr)by Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ron When I went to Bordeaux in 2003 my EP in London did a referral and sent them copies of all my records. When I got home he took over again and all my follow up work was done for free on the NHS. This worked really well. Gill (in UK)by Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gay If you are in France, how easy would it be for you to get to Bordeaux for a consultation with Professor Haissaguerre or Jaïs? They treat all sorts of heart conditions as well as AF, and they are the real experts. Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
‘Reverse Remodeling’ Ablation—Medical Breakthrough! Dr. Jais, in the session on Persistent A-Fib, gave a talk on an innovative strategy that seems to be a major medical development in the treatment of A-Fib—’Reverse Remodeling’” Prior to Ablation. One to three months before the ablation, the patient is electrocardioverted and put on dofetilide or class I or III drugs to get them in sinus rhythby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Larry The first time I saw Professor Haissaguerre in Bordeaux he said that it would help if I could lose 20 pounds before my ablation. He didn't say why. Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barb I didn't find this board until after my ablation. I had done masses of research over about 2 years before deciding to go to Bordeaux - finding the board earlier would have saved me many hours of work. I hang around for the reasons that Peggy mentions, but also because there are people here who have access to all the latest research publications and post links to them. If ever myby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Stephen Now into my 11th year of sinus rhythm after ablation and touch-up in Bordeaux. When I asked about long term results my EP in London said 'You ARE the long term'. The procedure didn't exist 20-30-40-50 years ago. Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ron Yes indeed, I am that Gill - pronounced 'Jill' and a female name in UK. I had my ablation, and touch up 3 days later, in Bordeaux in January 2003 at age 65. Before the ablation I had been in AF non stop for 18 months, drugs made me feel worse, and it felt as though my life was over - couldn't climb stairs without gasping for breath, couldn't walk for more than 5 minutby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chris Bear in mind that Dr Natale and the Bordeaux team get more than their fair share of very difficult cases, so their success rates may be even better than the statistics show. Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had persistent afib for a year and a half and had tried cardioversions but they didn't last longer than 48 hours. In January 2003 I had an ablation done by Professor Haissaguerre in Bordeaux, one of the two best EPs in the world in my opinion. Afib recurred after three days so he did another ablation immediately. He said the afib might well have stopped by itself but because I had travby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Heather Good advice from Shannon. You need the best ablationist you can get to. BTW when I needed a trans-aesophogeal echocardiogram before my ablation it was cheaper to go to Bordeaux than have it done privately in UK, even including airfare and one night in a hotel. Compare the costs. You might be able to persuade your insurers that sending you to Bordeaux could save them money, andby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Heather 60-70% for paroxysmal AF seems low to me. When I had my ablation in Bordeaux in 2003 Professor Haissaguerre said their success rate was 78%, and that was for long term persistent AF which is more difficult to fix. 10 years on, I would expect better than 60-70% for paroxysmal AF. I would suggest you compare that with success rates for Sabine Ernst and Professor Schilling. Anotheby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diane Remember that the 5 year data is based on ablations done when the procedure was much newer than it is now, and there were many EPs still learning how to do it. One of the Bordeaux EPs told BarryG that she cringed when she thought about what they were doing 5 years ago. I am definitely in the 'cringe' department having had my ablation in Bordeaux in January 2003 after 18 monby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
George I didn't find this forum until about 3 years after the ablation so you've been here longer than I have. I had done masses of research before I decided to go to Bordeaux, including reading the full version of Haissaguerre's landmark 1998 article. It was very hard work and I could have saved many hours if I had found the forum sooner. I hang around because of the qualiby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
10 years ago today, January 7th 2003, I had my first ablation done by Professor Haissaguerre himself in Bordeaux. I had been in persistent AF for 18 months after many years of paroxysmal AF. It recurred after 3 days and he did an immediate touch-up. He thought one of the lines would have a gap but that was not the case. He found a very toxic focus in the coronary sinus which he said was exby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM
When I had my ablation in Bordeaux they routinely did a flutter ablation 'on the way out'. It puzzles me why this isn't done by all EPs in the US - could it be that a separate flutter ablation will make them more money or am I a cynic? Gillby Gill - AFIBBERS FORUM