I agree with Carey 100%. I was in the same situation taking Eliquis about 2 years ago, I possibly missed a dosage while on a trip and had a stroke. Or perhaps the Eliquis did not work for me because I was only on it for about a month. I'm presently doing Cognitive rehab therapy to try and get my memory working better. I lost my job after the stroke, I cannot speak well and I have issuesby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Great story! Congratulations, and great job Dr. Natale!by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Liz, I took Eliquis the same day and on going per the instructions. I don't know if there are any long studies on this but the people at the stroke hospital I was in gathered the information and sent it to the manufacturer. Sorry I don't remember the names but the stroke damaged my ability to remember stuff. I think in a year or two it will come back. I'm going on vacation inby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
You're missing my point Carey. I took Warfarin in my first ablation and Xeralto in my second and third and they worked fine. Eliquis did not work. I knew nothing about the 3% failure rate of any of the NOAC's. If I had known at the point I changed to Eliquis I would not have taken the additional risk. My clot was definitely formed in my LAA, I had no heart disease other than my afiby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Eliquis has approximately 3% failure rate which I did not know when I requested it. I switched from Xeralto to Eliquis after nearly two years on Xeralto without talking to Dr. Natale about it. I requested the change from the NP at CPMC and I got it. I was a fool. The reason I was on it so long after an ablation of my LAA was that Dr. Natale was not allowed to install a watchman device in me aby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Elizabeth, I was taking 5 mg, one in the morning and one in the evening. My brain will never be the same. The stroke was in the left side of my brain and affected my right arm and leg and the forward part which stores lots of needed functions. My memory is lacking many needed things. I'm working hard to reclaim much lost at the time. I look normal to most people but I cannot talk aboutby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
In November of 2016 I requested my prescription be changed from Xeralto to Eliquis. I did not feel well on the Eliquis. I informed the NP of it and sent heart rhythm traces and was told to wait and see. By the end of Dec I had a stroke. The Eliquis was not working at all. The stroke was far worse than the worst of my AFIB (after three ablations). I would be very careful of any issues with Eby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
From Carey: "Watchman devices require aspirin only for a short period after implantation. After that all anticoagulants can be stopped. " I believe Dr. Natale recommends 81mg of aspirin for life with the Watchman. Do you have a reason why not? Or know the reason why?by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
I said goodbye to Dr. Natale today, and to Salwa. Today we talked about the second TEE I had for the Watchman. In the future I will drive to LA or fly to Austin but presently I'm in good health. A few ectopics but nothing out of the ordinary. Since 2012, 3 ablations and one Watchman and all is well. Salwa helped me a few times when I was in misery and she is awesome as well. I told Dr.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have recently transferred to Eliquis, approximately six weeks ago. A week ago could not get up, fell onto the floor and could not get up or make any noise. After several hours I was able to wake up and crawl over to the door and leave it open. After some time my brother in law came up the stairs and found me and called an ambulance. I was examined at one hospital, a stroke was found embeddeby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie, Are there studies that indicate Vit K2 can reverse calcification? An observation on "...use of Vitamin K2/MK 7 – in supervised doses by a physician..." The physicians I've asked, primary care, cardiologist and EP, have no opinion on Vit K2 usage as far as I can tell. I think the % of physicians that spend any amount of time considering the effects of most nutrients appeby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
smackman, The LAA can be permanently closed using a watchman or other devices via a catheter procedure or by an atriclip by surgery. Then after a period of time you can stop the anti-coagulant. It doesn't hurt to wait a little while they improve the devices and procedures, that's what I'm doing after asking Dr. Natale's office about all of the options. But failing a TEEby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Same boat too. Just switched to Eliquis about a month ago after almost two years on Xeralto. I'm going to explore any new developments of the watchman or atri-clip device next year perhaps in the spring. I'm 68, still working so I still have health insurance. Not sure how to figure out what my situation will be if I retire and go on medicare. I'll be watching these conversatioby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dang it. Took my first recording and just got the results: "Atrial fibrillation. Needs review." I've felt like I've been going in and out but my HR is under 100 so I've been thinking runs of palpitations. I felt pretty good for months until lately, I guess I overdid it.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Isabelle, Steve Ryan has a list of EP's, there are several in Maryland, here: http://a-fib.com/steves-list-abaltion-doctors/ I hope you find a resolution soon, before my last ablation about a year and a half ago I was at 130-150 due to SVT's for several days. My anxiety levels were off the chart. I was formerly a very healthy (I thought) senior crossfitting regularly. AFIB disby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Got one. Thanks very much for the heads up! Mikeby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
How do you mend a broken heart? An interesting article. "...a single administration of extracellular matrices (ECM) from zebrafish hearts restored the function of the heart and regenerated adult mouse heart tissues after acute myocardial infarction." Perhaps this will lead to a heart healing treatment in a few years applicable to atrial fibrillation damaged hearts.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
smackman, I switched to Eliquis about a month ago after nearly two years on Xeralto and I haven't noticed nausea. I take about 900 mg/day of magnesium but nothing else on your list. I've had three ablations starting in 2012, all by Dr. Natale. Pretty much everything in the left and right atrium including the LAA has been ablated. I tire easier than I would like but no nausea. Iby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you very much Shannon. Best wishes for the holidays and always. Onward and upward to new knowledge and a deeper understanding of this insidious disease and a sure cure. Mikeby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Medscape article by Dr. John M.: LAA Closure should stop now The problem I have with this article is Dr. John says nothing about the Atri-Clip alternative to the Watchman for LAA closure. After carefully studying it I prefer the Atri-Clip, even if I have to travel to Austin Texas to have it done. But is Dr. John suggesting no advantage for any method of LAA closure? I'm presently leadiby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
I found information about Medicare and plan D options in my area on this website: GoodRx Best of luck on your TEE smackman. I failed mine miserably last fall which is why I'm still on ac's. Hope you're on the good end of the statistics.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Just got the result from my August ZIO patch. I spoke to a NP at CPMC and she said it "looks clean!". I hadn't looked at it because it wasn't posted. After the call I looked it up and noted "first degree AV Block was present". I haven't seen this before on any of my zio's. I've actually been feeling pretty good lately and exercising more. Shouldby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Jackie, Thanks for the links, Dr. Natale's office has now switched my prescription from Xeralto to Eliquis. I will make the switch in about a week. Instructions are take the last Xeralto in the evening, the first Eliquis the next evening then every 12 hours. I've been taking Xeralto this time around for more than 20 months. I have a couple of reasons to switch, I've been exby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Eliquis has no requirement to be taken with meals (helpful if you're on a fasting regimen). Eliquis performs better than Xeralto: How safe and effective are new drugs for stroke prevention?by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
How safe and effective are new drugs for stroke prevention? I've been taking Xarelto for nearly two years, after reading this article I'm thinking of asking Dr. Natale about switching to Eliquis. I've been staying active, I guess going back to Kajukenbo class and doing a bit of sparring is ill advised? Just kidding; walking, weightlifting and calisthenics is all. And a littleby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Steve N Thank you, your story is both useful and interesting. I've had three ablations (last one was LAA), I'm mostly NSR and mostly feel well and normal but sometimes stress and overexercising gives me the "aura" you speak of and many ectopics per minute which I feel every one. Really weird, sometimes two or three "missed" beats, then the same number of reallyby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
jbrosnan, I've been taking about 700 mg/day of this stuff Doctors Best Magnesium Chelate since about 2011. The usual blood tests for magnesium were within normal range. Finally, last year, a new primary care doc ordered a RBC magnesium test and it came back "low normal"....after 5+ years of supplementing. I like Paul Jaminet's book "The Perfect Health Diet"by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Ron, I think the number indicates a flow rate out of the LAA in cm/S. Mine was 17 last fall, they didn't schedule me for a follow-up, evidently not thinking recovery was possible. I thought the target flow rate was 50 cm/S though. It's a bit complicated.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
The doc in the ER I was in a couple years ago called it "heart block".by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM