QuoteMeganMN Is there a way for you to chat with an anesthesiologist prior to deciding? That might.be a way to look at statistics, or other options. Yes, that would be important though usually you only see the anesthesiologist as you are already being prepped for the ablation. I’ll share my experience in case it is helpful. I had an extensive RF ablation with Dr. Natale and because of his vastby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
That's a good suggestion, George. The ISLAA presenters are all leading edge EPs who subscribe to at least some of Natale's approaches and many of them trained under him. They are the creme de la creme of the EP world.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
A source I'd use to look for people in Natale's universe are the presenters at the ISLAA (International Symposium on Left Atrial Appendage) conference. Here is a link to this list for 2024: It would be a place to start, then you could see where they did their training.by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteIatrogenia Thanks, Carey. Who would you recommend at Cleveland Clinic? Pasquale Santangeli.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you.by Iatrogenia - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks, Carey. Who would you recommend at Cleveland Clinic?by Iatrogenia - AFIBBERS FORUM
Congratulations you are symptom free for 11 years! I was considering him as my second choice but I picked geography and positive feedback on this site as my preference. I’ve heard so many success stories about him. There is always been a doubt, since 4 ablations later in permanent Afib, that I should had just had taken a short flight from Los Angeles to SF. But one cannot be a Monday morningby susan.d - AFIBBERS FORUM
I don't think there is such a thing as the Natale ablation procedure, or at least not formally. It's not something you'll find anyone advertising that they do. The only way I know of to determine if an EP does as Natale trains is to find out if they trained under him, and that's not easy. You'd pretty much have to contact them and ask directly. I can recommend one EP butby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello -- I joined this forum in 2013 with severe lone afib and am happy to report that I had an radiofrequency ablation with Dr. Steven Hao at California Pacific Medical Center in June, 2013 with no sign of afib since. Dr. Hao went so far as to say that I was cured. I learned from this forum that Dr. Hao and Dr. Richard Hongo at the CPMC ablation center were trained by Andrea Natale, thatby Iatrogenia - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes exactly what eliminated my PVC's of 4 months. Just had a followup TEE to confirm the Watch Flex implant April 11 Natale is leak and thrombus free. Waiting for Natale to confirm the TEE findings with images sent to him. McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
The met+flec combo does not work for you? I take 12.5 met succinate twice daily, together with 50mg flec, twice daily. While I am not happy (at all) that I am back on meds, I am in the middle of an overseas family vacation and it was either the meds, or a crappy vacation. This combo, for now, does the trick. In a week I am back home and then in a month I have my 2nd holter scheduled forby WhyMe - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'm sorry to see this, Megan. There is a wizard out there who can fix you, but it will take some thinking. Natale might not be able to help, but he might know of a colleague who is really adept at treating people with your circumstances.by gloaming - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well, I,had an ablation on May 10th for Atrial Tachycardia and it was a 'success' in that they ablated the SVT. The downside is that 1) they weren't able to ablate the left sided ectopics, and 2) I have lingering inappropriate sinus tachycardia. So now I am stuck trying different meds again to lower my resting heart rate and also control the ectopics. On the monitor, the PACsby MeganMN - AFIBBERS FORUM
I actually started adding Flec two days ago cause 12.5 of Met in the AM and PM was still not stopping the PACs. Rather than upping the dosage of Met further and risking lowering my BP too much (I have it naturally relatively low), I preferred to add the Flec, 50 in the AM and PM. Obviously this was all ok with Shannon. So far so good but STILL experiencing episodes in between my AM and PM dosaby WhyMe - AFIBBERS FORUM
Rythmol is something I have tried, and it didn't stop the SVT, but now that is gone. The Flecainide worked well, but I got side effects (headache, serious anxiety, and agitation). The EP is hoping that with the SVT fixed, the Rythmol might help with the PACs and the IST. We will see. I just got the results of the last monitor. Only 5 short episodes of SVT (compared to 1500 last time).by MeganMN - AFIBBERS FORUM
I was also just recommended to take rythmol for my PACs and PVCs along with diltiazem.by kliving - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteMeganMN @WhyMe. I am being recommended to take Rhythmol for the PACS AND inappropriate sinus tachycardia. They are not opposed to another ablation but man, I feel your pain. Either option feels frustrating.... Am I remembering correctly that you had tried Flecainide in the past? Just asking because Rhythmol is the same class drug and very similar.by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
@WhyMe. I am being recommended to take Rhythmol for the PACS AND inappropriate sinus tachycardia. They are not opposed to another ablation but man, I feel your pain. Either option feels frustrating....by MeganMN - AFIBBERS FORUM
That is how I feel as well. I wish the Metoprolol would work for me, but it quit working some time ago. I, too, dread the daily meds. It feels very disheartening. Keep us posted.by MeganMN - AFIBBERS FORUM
All this sounds encouraging as I'm having him do my PFA a week from Tuesday. Audrey has been assigned as my nurse navigator...other than being off every Friday she seems reasonably responsive to my emails and calls thus far. We'll see how it works out post-ablation.by G48 - AFIBBERS FORUM
I assume it was atypical, left atrial flutter rather than the easier to work with right atrial flutter? Did Natale isolate your left atrial appendage? I'd guess he did if you are getting a Watchman, and when you go in for your Watchman and touchup you can be sure he will look for the sources of the PVCs (it is PVCs rather than PACs?). It sounds like the flutter has also returned? Sorry you aby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sadly I am convinced that for extreme cases like yours and mine (persistent PACs 7 months after Natale ablation), no supplement can offer any real help. I tried all of them, but nothing works as efficiently and fast as Metoprolol and Flecanide. Unfortunately. Also, if you look into the research of supplements and heart rhythm, there's practically nothing concrete on it... it's all aby WhyMe - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello Afibbers I am new to the Forum, this is my second post. I had a Natale ablation 4/26/24 for an atrial flutter that started March 16. According to a Zio patch it was 100% flutter 24/7 and was still going when they wheeled me into the cath lab on the 26th of April. Previous to that I had paroxysmal afib/flutter for 3 years and never any episode that lasted more than 7 days. For the lastby Evelyn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Been taking Metoprolol since yesterday per Shannon's suggestion and the PACs seems to be under control for now. But I have mixed feelings about all this...I mean yeah thank God I have something that potentially keeps them at bay for now, but it just feels like I am back to square one. Last time I went this route, after a while the PACs "figured out" what was going on and I quickby WhyMe - AFIBBERS FORUM
Check your PMby susan.d - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotesusan.d Did you have your ablation at los Robles in Thousand Oaks? This office has only one NP compared to Austin that has rotated NPs. If you PM me, I can give you Austin’s head NP direct line. Or why don’t you just email him directly? He is quick in replies. His email is on his business card or you can PM so computer bots don’t spam him since this is a public forum. I had my ablationby Fuzzyduck - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteDaisy Thanks Jim, perhaps I shall email Dr.Natale, I am now frustrated that I didn't complain sooner because I have felt a bit isolated and in limbo regarding my symptoms, which limit my cardio Yes, you can feel very isolated if you think that what you have experienced is typical patient care in a practice--it just isn't and as far as I have heard the problem centers aroundby Fuzzyduck - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotemjamesone I don't know how the messaging services work at Natale's office, but I've found that both messages and email's are often screened first by either nurses or others and many times are never routed to the Doctor. What I do is in cases like this is make it very clear in the email or message that I want to speak to the Doctor directly. Either that, or I do the same tby Fuzzyduck - AFIBBERS FORUM
Did you have your ablation at los Robles in Thousand Oaks? This office has only one NP compared to Austin that has rotated NPs. If you PM me, I can give you Austin’s head NP direct line. Or why don’t you just email him directly? He is quick in replies. His email is on his business card or you can PM so computer bots don’t spam him since this is a public forum.by susan.d - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteFuzzyduck Thanks Jim, perhaps I shall email Dr.Natale, I am now frustrated that I didn't complain sooner because I have felt a bit isolated and in limbo regarding my symptoms, which limit my cardio Yes, you can feel very isolated if you think that what you have experienced is typical patient care in a practice--it just isn't and as far as I have heard the problem centers aroundby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM