So glad to hear this great news! Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Shannon, I'm sorry that I posted my experience. I did not post this information to start a political discussion. I was and am genuinely concerned that a portion of an ablation expense could be denied. My concern has nothing to do with politics. I was simply interested in others' experience with Medicare and whether their provider had been denied a portion of their ablation expensby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Liz, I have original Medicare and supplemental insurance. I wasn't charged anything for the ablation, but I just hate to see the doctors and hospital be denied some of their expenses when they already have to take a reduced payment for their services. Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have just received a copy of a letter sent by Centers for Medicare Services to Charleston University Medical Associates denying their appeal for some of the charges for my ablation. In this letter they reference a "claim for the 93657 (insertion of catheters for treatment of abnormal heart rhythm) provided on January 23, 2014." The letter states: "The charge was denied on Marchby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Liz, Do you use anything as a blood thinner to help prevent a stroke from a possible blood clot? Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barb, Nothing to fear from cardioversion. You will feel good as new again, although I know how disappointing it is for you to have any type of arrhythmia these many months after ablation. Good luck tomorrow! Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Shannon, Would an Alivecor monitor pick up events during the night while I am asleep? During the day I always know when I am in afib and most of the time I wake up at night when I am in AF, but the duration of this past event was apparently not long enough to wake me. For some reason I thought the Alivecor worked like an EKG which is a snapshot at a specific time. Please explain how it worby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barb, do you have a blood pressure monitor that detects irregular heart beats? if you can't tell from your pulse whether your heartbeat is irregular, maybe take your blood pressure and the monitor will tell you if it is irregular. Also, listen to your heart with a stethoscope to determine whether your rate is regular. Stethoscopes are very inexpensive at Walmart. Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Susafib, Dr. Wharton at Charleston medical center did my ablation 3 months and 3 days ago. I was in persistent afib and according to my ablation report, my case was "extremely complicated". I'm still hoping for success; I don't want to give up on hope. Thanks for asking. Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good news Smackman. I wish I had the same good news. I saw my local EP today for my three month checkup and my pacemaker showed that I was in afib during the night on the 15th of April for 30 minutes. I thought I had been in NSR for over a month, but since I am still having afib I will have to stay on Sotalol for 4 more months to see if I'm AF free. After that, we'll see about Coumaby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Duke, The link below lists the story of a former poster who cured her H. Pylori through natural means.by Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Louise, I was almost sure you could get supplemental insurance that would cover the balance or a large majority of the balance for your ablation. Since it takes a long time to get an appointment with Dr. Natale, you might want to consider getting on his schedule now. It really is only a little over a month until June will be here. Good luck to you. Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Smackman, Have you considered using Miralax on a daily basis until you can ramp up your magnesium intake to bowel tolerance. Sometimes it takes quite a bit of magnesium to reach bowel tolerance. The Miralax will resolve the constipation issues in the interim. Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Louise, I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say choose a Medicare plan. So far as I know Medicare only has one plan and in my experience is not restrictive in the doctors you choose as long as the doctor accepts Medicare. Should you go with one of the Medicare Advantage plans, yes they have many restrictions and cover a limited amount of doctors and under Obamacare are going tby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Louise, The following website modified 3/7/14 indicates there are no anitdotes yet for Pradaxa and Xarelto. Hope this helps. Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Louise, Medicare does pay 80% of ablation and your secondary insurance will more than likely pay a large portion of the balance. I had an ablation in January of this year and between Medicare and my secondary insurance, I didn't owe anything out of pocket for my ablation. I have been on Coumadin for seven years and do not have a problem with it. I don't want to change to anything elby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Duke, I have a Medtronic pacemaker which has the Atrial pacing preference. Mine has been turned on a couple of times without my knowledge and each time I've had to have it turned off because the pacing preference makes me feel like I am in AF when I'm not. I'm not sure how this algorithm is supposed to work but obviously it does not work for me. Maybe you are having the same efby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Murray, I was placed on Tikosyn 3 years ago, but went back to Sotalol after about a month. I had the same symptoms as you. My hands shook so bad I couldn't even write , my insides felt like a bowl of jelly and I was jittery 24/7. I couldn't live like that so asked to be put back on Sotalol (Sotalol doesn't give me any side effects, but apparently is not fully effective either,by Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
In September 2006, I was shopping in Walmart and became short of breath and had to sit down a few times before I finished shopping. When I got to the cash register, I broke out in a cold sweat and almost passed out and had to sit on the carousel holding the plastic bags. The Walmart employees quickly called an ambulance and got a wheelchair for me to sit in and gave me some water. After I wasby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
In Florida, you have to use healthcare.gov to apply for health insurance unless you are covered by your employer. Since you are self-employed, you will have to obtain insurance through the federal marketplace. Expect your premiums to be high unless you qualify for a subsidy from the government. President Obama has just extended the enrollment for 2 weeks beyond March 31 before penalty applies.by Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie, A very informative post. Thank you! Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Shannon, yes my heart has been real quiet for about 15 or 16 days now, so I'm hoping it stays quiet after I get off Sotalol which will probably be the end of May if I don't have anymore problems.by Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Shannon, you are a great patient representative. Thank you! Do you know if Dr Wharton was at this symposium? Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Smackman, Glad you are afib free after your ablation. Hope it continues!by Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Wow, Barb, that's scary. Hope your daughter is ok. Enjoy your vacation. You deserve it. Jeanby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dennis, Like you, when I first got afib,I kept a food diary trying to identify my triggers with no success. Afib appeared out of the blue, sometimes during the night and sometimes during the day. The only thing I ever associated with AF was either stress or bending over to pick up something off the floor. I read on this board that sleeping the left side would trigger afib, but that never haby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Nancy, did the ER suggest seeing a retina specialist since your CT scan was normal? Since your vision was different at 5 feet and above, than below 5 feet, it sounds a lot like a possible retina detachment. Do you have any kind of floaters in your vision? I'm sure Shannon or someone else will have better suggestions than I. But, I think you need a quick resolution to this. Take care,by Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Shannon, thank you so much for your encouragement. You should be a counselor with your knowledge and compassion. Although I haven't been on this forum much for the past two years, I realize how much knowledge can be acquired by posting questions, receiving answers and reading others' experience. I suspected it was a combination of the extent and length of my ablation combined withby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Wow Nancy, you did have a bad reaction to Sotalol. It was probably lowering your blood pressure and heart rate too much. Since I have a pacemaker, these medicines can't cause my heart rate to drop below the setting of the pacemaker. I also have high blood pressure and Sotalol helps keep my BP under control. About 3 years ago, my EP changed my med from Sotalol to Tikosyn because I was haviby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jim, yes I am still on Sotalol, but the only time I was of breath before my ablation would be when I was in AF. Before my ablation I had episodes every 6 to 8 weeks which lasted from 5 to 7 days. Since my ablation, I have been in AF almost every day for several hours; except for the past two weeks the episodes have slowed to every 3 or 4 days. Do you think the frequency of the episodes along wby Jean - AFIBBERS FORUM