I have watched this site over the last few months and have gained a lot of information from many of you who have chosen to try PVI ablations. For that, I want to thank everyone who has added to my knowledge. I don't usually do more than watch a site, but since I have gained much from reading the postings on this site, I feel like I should try to contribute something that might be helpfulby Fred - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dr. Natale told me that many people with stenosis are not aware of it at all. He said some people with as much as 75% stenosis function very well. He said it would be shortness of breath.....ie, lack of blood getting to the lungs in the volume needed for the gas exchange...especially with exertion. The CCF checks stenosis by a spiral CAT scan. I would think that if you are functioning well afby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I see an EP at the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, which is an hour or so from Ann Arbor. My physician, Yousuf Kanjwall, speaks in glowing terms about Fred Morady at U of M, referring to him as the "guru of the heart". When the subject of ablation comes up in my case he feels very confident that I would be in equally good hands with either Dr. Morady or Dr. Natale of the Clevelandby Denny - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Kathy from Columbus, I'll be thinking about you tomorrow --hope you don't have to wait as much as some of us have for Dr. Natale. I did manage to get my followup moved up to Friday. I am apprehensive. Since this arrythmia has been going on for 5 years, I have learned not to get my hopes up. But I would really like to kiss it all goodbye. I think my biggest concern is the possby njb - AFIBBERS FORUM
I called Michelle in Dr. Natale's office and gave her my background. When I gave her my hx. ("lone A-Fib since Ju 2003 with no other health problems) and my med list she explained that I wouln't qualify as a ablation candidate until I had tried the anti-arrythm. medicines. Recommended was Betapace. Can someone give me their experience with this med? She said it would stop my A-fibby Fred - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good responses-The mere fact that Natale and others published articles showing their "results" of followup after a year hardly qualifies that as a scientific, independent study or as independent statistics-ie-To me a reliable study would have every ablation patient statistically followed up by an independent (not by the ablation doctors) professional. I am also troubled about what is thby jerry - AFIBBERS FORUM
Natale and Pappone have published several articles detailing their success rates based on hundreds of procedures with follow-ups over at least a year or more. Do your homework.by Yypo - AFIBBERS FORUM
Focal-point ablations are passe. Your practitioner's skepticism about Pappone"s and Natale's published results (do your homework) sound like old-fashioned rationalization for not having embraced the newer more effective technique. The real success rate of focal-point is much closer to 50% than 70%. If I were you, I would go to the CCF for a second opinion. Don't let theprospeby Yypo - AFIBBERS FORUM
Bill B - I have a copy (courtesy of Lorraine) of a July 2003 Special Issue of the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine - with the feature being "Managing Atrial Fibrillation: Focus on Nonpharmacologic Strategies" Here is what it says about Amiodorone: Actions: Amiodarone (A) was developed as an antianginal drug but was later found to have antiarrhythmic properties and was introducby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi NBJ, How have you been? Have you had any success is getting answers/help from CCF? Or are you still "in the ring" like many of us fighting for information and answers? I see Dr. Natale next Wednesday. 2 weeks ago I had my follow up visit with my EP. In reviewing all of the information from the 30 day event monitor and the holter monitor, along with the problems I'm currently eby Kathy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Natale is a co-author of a relatively recent article (I can't supply the link) comparing the efficacy of the ICA technique with older proven techniques. The article showed that ICE yielded a higher success rate with lower stenosis. Those data showed a 90% success rate for the ICE cohort.by Yypo - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jim W., Jackie, and Others, After my CCF Dr. Natale ablation, I had no AFIB for 15 days. I did have a few "pauses" (skipped beats) the day after the ablation and two other days also, but didn't notice many. Today I woke up with many pauses and soon went into AFIB for a couple of minutes. This evening I had a five minute AFIB episode also. I managed to get my monitor on and wrisby Newman - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi NBJ, How have you been? Have you had any success is getting answers/help from CCF? Or are you still "in the ring" like many of us fighting for information and answers? I see Dr. Natale next Wednesday. 2 weeks ago I had my follow up visit with my EP. In reviewing all of the information from the 30 day event monitor and the holter monitor, along with the problems I'm currentby Kathy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Char, Just wanted you to know that I mentioned your case to Michelle. She referred to you as "Charlene". I also talked to Dr. Natale about the possibility of flutter in my case because I had a flutter ablation in 1999, and wanted to make sure it was sufficient. He said(and did) he would check it for me. He told me that usually when someone has flutter after an ablation for AF tby Jim w. - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie, Thanks for the information. I took it on full faith that CCF had the very latest equipment and methods, and still believe so. I'm going back for a repeat Monday....finally, after almost seven weeks of A. flutter (with some brief interval relief from cardioversion and flecainide (which quit working early on.) My original PVI for fib. was Aug. 12. The follow-up appointment didnby Char - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi all Im cleaning up some research I had begun a while ago, and now that Im getting ready for ablation, Im clearing the computer slate bit by bit. I have often mused over the possible connection between inflammation as measured by C-reactive Protein (CRP) and afib; I have often wondered which came first inflammation or afib. The measurement of CRP (serum levels) should be as close to zby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ablation at CCF to Jim W. and others A couple of things came to mind when I was reviewing your reports. You mentioned during the procedure, you heard Dr. Natale talking about bubbling. I remember the attending MD telling me ( when I was in CCF this spring on one of my emergency visits) that the ICE monitoring device allows them to see when the tissue is overheating by the appearance of microby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gillian - thanks for weighing in. I'm really pleased that you are satisfied with your CCF treatment. That gives me great support. Thanks. I am comfortable with what I know of the CCF, Dr. Natale and the procedure. I've been very impressed so far with the EP nurses. Perhaps because I'm a resident of the area, and have been seeing doctors at the CCF for years, it isn'by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
The experience I had at CCF was exactly as I had been told. The Cleveland Clinic is massive and scary. I was given a blow by blow description of what to expect before, during and after. Michelle, Charlene, and Minerva, the atrial fib nurses working in Cleveland support the docs so they can do what is important. ..the actual ablation procedure. The nurses in the procedure room were great. The offby Gillian Short - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi JRB I was asking where Dr. Sites did his training. Thanks for the info. Would that of been Western Canada,or the University of Western Ontario in London,Ontario, Canada. Sorry to be a pain in the butt,as my Dr. trained in London,Ontario which is known as Western University. Did he mean Western University in London,Ontario. Just want to know that I'm in good hands with my EP who has studieby Frank - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dear Jim - thanks for your report and observations. I can hardly wait until I am discharge by "Dr. Personality." As outspoken as I am, I will probably have a comment or two for him. As I mentioned previously, we all know that they tell us it is not uncommon to experience afib after ablation. My neighbor had it very two or three months. It was noticeable but not anything she worby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Bill, The answer to your first questions are in my reply to Newmans last post on this thread. My heart feels the same- no difference. The AF is the same. My HR is the same. The first couple of days after the procedure is was definitely faster. It is now in the 68-72 range. Jimby Jim w. - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Newman, Thanks for your encouraging remarks, and I must say I do agree with you. Frankly, I chose the CCF because I believe they are a step ahead of everyone else. I would bet in a few years no one else will be doing any mapping either. The procedure time is much shorter(1hr 40min) and a total time on the table of under 4 hours. Many other places-maybe most-are double that timewise. My caby Jim w. - AFIBBERS FORUM
It looks like Jim, NJB and I all were discharged by the same " Mr. Personality" EP at the CCF hospital. I'll call him Dr. Lipitor, since it appears that giving each of us a prescription for Lipitor was the only useful thing that he did for us. Jim, what meds are you on and for how long? Dr. Natale put me on Coumadin, Toprol XL, and Lipitor. I had been on Coumadin, Toprol XLby Newman - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jim, It is good to hear from you. Let me make a few comments: (1) I concur completely with your comment about the doctor who discharged you from the hospital. I'm sure I had the same guy. He was young and cocky (and I will add arrogant). He gave me the same instructions that Dr. Natale had previously given me. He did not state why he was there or why he was even talking to me. He wby Newman - AFIBBERS FORUM
Carol- I wish I had known that before my ablation at CCF! That is really frightening. At least I do remember seeing the doctor I thought was doing the procedure right before I was wheeled out of the operating room. He gave me 2 baby aspirin. I hope to God he did more than just that. Because I was totally out before I saw or heard any doctors. Jim - I think I know how you feel about not beinby njb - AFIBBERS FORUM
Am very surprised that you were discharged with a fever. Yes, doctors in training do take over while the senior doctor instructs. That is how they learn. So, yes, unless you specifiy in writing that you want the entire procedure to be done by the doctor of your choosing, you may have someone else practice on you. That is a fact. A friend of mine had a vein punctured during an ablation pby Carol - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Jim, Thanks for the update on your procedure. I am still wondering about your current meds. No Norpace, right? Did they say why? Other EPs seem to keep you on it for a time - even if there is no AFIB. Also, I assume you are on coumadin? Or how about a betablocker? Also, does the AFIB feel different to you? In fact, does your heart feel different to you - like it's not the one you grewby Bill B - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have to put Michelles name down right along with Dr. Natale because she is hisconciliator. It seems to be hard to see or talk to Dr. Natale without first going through Michelle. It seems everytime I try to talk with Natale himself, Michelle is always there. Maybe Dr. Natale doesnt have time for small talk. He just does what he does best-ablations-and leaves everything else to Michelleby Jim w. - AFIBBERS FORUM
In response to your question about the possibility of stopping chronic Afib with ablation, I did talk to Michelle Williams at the Cleveland Clinic. She is an assistant to Dr. Natale. She told me at that time (more than a year ago) that about half of the people they have in for PVI ablations are in permanent Afib. So that is encouraging to all of us in this situation. Also, it does amaze me thby Doug - AFIBBERS FORUM