QuoteYes they know its a priority, I spoke with Norma Natale's Nurse today and Shannon last week who was going to speak with Natale. I gave them my Prostate MRI report and they aware of my time restraints. Tip: if you go to Austin for your 6 week TEE after the Watchman, you usually get the results the same day. There were several of us scheduled for TEEs the day I was there and we had thby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteMy understanding is after 45 days of device placement, I should be good to go..... I don't want to put off the biopsy longer than 3 months..... I got a Watchman last April from Natale after an LAA isolation 6 months earlier and immediately after placing the Watchman, he put me on a half dose of Eliquis. When I returned for a TEE 6 to 8 weeks later he said I could hold that half doseby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteWhich is all why I'm leaning more toward the ablation so if I get lucky and get a one-and-done procedure I can quit the drugs and quit the ER visits. Seems like it is time, especially with your gut sensitivities. And as you will have read here, please go to the very best – the travel is well worth it!by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteRolfE I have been looking to possibly get an ablation by Dr. Natali, but as things goes they are very busy. Rolf He does have a cancellation list which often will get you in more quickly if you are able to be flexible with travel.by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
I can’t read an ECG to comment but there was a period when I got a lot of Sinus Rhythm with wide QRS and it was when Flecainide was giving me heart block. So, yes, just another topic to discuss with your EP. And George is right, keep an eye on your form when holding the Kardia.by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotecornerbax I wonder what percentage of people do have that issue and what percentage don't. I only had this (and it was intense) when my rate was very high--like over 150. That might or might not be true for others. As soon as I was on meds that lowered the rate, I never had it again.by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
That was very hard for me too in the early days when I was getting Afib with RVR (Cardiologist had given me no meds!)—urinating about every half hour and near syncope as I made my way to the bathroom!by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotecornerbax I searched BNP and to my surprise not a single post regarding it is on this forum. If you do an advanced search for BNP with all dates and all forums, you will find quite a lot of posts.by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteShiny Sleeves I understand that after the procedure you may get some chest pain or chest tightness. I wondered if anyone could describe it to me and how much of a burden it is, how long it lasted for you, and anything else you can think of. As Carey said, most people don't feel this though many EPs will give you a course of colchicine before and after to lower inflammation which iby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteNoTrigger Daisy - my LAA was taken care of during the open heart surgery. Less tricky then I would imagine. I am getting a better understanding of my situation and why my EP, skilled as he is, was somewhat reluctant to do another ablation. Since I have had 3 (not counting the Maze) they know exactly what is going on. Unfortunately, each time they induce flutter, it jumps around and doesnt sby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteShe said it would help us determine if Beta Blockers should be absolutely avoided, and if other drugs, like Flecainide, would be metabolized differently. It should give you that information. My results showed that Metoprolol should be completely avoided whereas Bystolic and Propranolol are okay and Carvedilol is use with caution. For Flecainide a 50% dose reduction was recommended. Interesby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteAs mentioned, you must pay $299 for the top tier plan as my Premium plan is $99/annually and still says Possible Afib and not ''Afib''. They must have changed their structure. I have never paid for a membership as I was grandfathered in as I bought my Kardia quite a few years ago. Evidently my membership corresponds to the $299 tier as I get 6 possible diagnoses and nevby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteUnclassified Sometimes, actually often, the unclassified tag is related to "noise," hands not in the optimal position etc. Natale's NP gave me a heads up on this. Try taking your reading in a room with no appliances or electronic interference. Also have your hands on a table right in front of you instead of below, and moisten your finger tips for good contact. At least withby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteNoTrigger He had said a few weeks ago that there wasn't any other places left to ablate but seems to have changed his mind. Ask him if ablated (isolated) the LAA—chances are he didn’t as that is a very tricky area to work with, but also sometimes the source of really stubborn arrhythmias. Natale isolated mine as it was such a source for me, and that was the move that got me back intoby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteNoTrigger My EP is highly skilled in a major hospital in San Francisco and has suggested either lowering the dose or try for another ablation. He had said a few weeks ago that there wasn't any other places left to ablate but seems to have changed his mind. He has left it entirely up to me to decide. He is also very fond of the AV node/pacemaker option as well - ugh! Would appreciate sby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteDini Sorry, I didn’t not mean rate control I meant antiarrthymic. He did tell me it your only be for 1 month. But I thought I remembered it was a powerful drug. Is multaq a better choice? I’ve had issues with flecainide. Multaq is about the mildest of the antiarrythmics with few side-effects. It took it for two months after my ablation with no problems. It hadn’t worked well for me beforby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, and when I mentioned dose adjustments, with one of my genetic variations those were in the magnitude of reducing the dose by 3/4! Google pharmacogenomics and you can read more about it. With your reactions, I’d suspect that you have some significant variations. It just makes sense to test. For instance Natale tested his patients and found that 1/4 of them were non-responders to Plavix, onby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteMeganMN I tried many of them for weeks/months, feeling awful the entire time. I'm tired. I don't know what I want to put up with as it all seems awful- no arrhythmia and feeling like poo, or arrhythmia and feeling like poo. My next options, according to EP, are.Verapamil, Tikosyn, Sotolol, or maybe another BB like Atenolol or Nebivolol. I expect, like everything else, they will bby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteSueChef Jim and Daisy, you give me waaaay more credit for knowing how to do this stuff. smiling bouncing smiley I can't even find what version I have using Settings and About Kardia... as for options available like share or pdf etc, I'm muddling through it. I agree, they could have made the process easier. I have done my share of head scratching on this. I had to figure it ouby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotemjamesone My software does not have a universal share button, but only "download pdf", "share with inner circle", "order a clinician review" and "speak to a cardiologist". However, since I have the paid subscription plan, it might be different. In any event, with my software version, once you choose "download pdf" you can then -- save-toby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotemjamesone I think the problem is you're taking the screenshot of only the preview. Try this. (1) click on the preview.; (2) then scroll down and click on"download pdf"; (3) then click on "skip" or enter a password if necessary, and then click on "next" (4) scroll down a little and now you will see the entire EKG; (5) now take your screenshott; (6) editby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotehds Hi all, I have searched the forum for answers but found my situation might be somewhat unique. I had paroxysmal Afib, onset by a Covid infection and subsequent Long-Covid (still recovering - classic ME/CFS symptoms), and Afib appears to have stopped altogether which my cardiologist (EP) indicated might happen start to recover from Long-Covid. I have bouts of insomnia and am lookinby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotejasams The second is the need to stay on an anticoagulant or antiplatlet after the device is implanted, which means I will still have a bleeding risk. Good points and you are correct that there is more to learn about the Watchman and that the fit is vital. Mine was implanted in April last year by Dr. Natale. He is monitoring his Watchman patients more closely than many EPs, most recentlyby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteJasams . At this point, I am more interested in a LAA occlusion, but haven't been convinced the current devices are ready for prime time. Perhaps the latest watchman FLX Pro will be it; What are your reservations on the Watchman? Quite a few of us here have them if you have questions about our experiences with them.by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Have a look: Colchicine in Cardiac Surgery: The COCS Randomized Clinical Trialby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Were you given colchicine by chance? It calms the heart and inflammation and quite a few EPs are giving it before and after ablations, including Natale.by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteThe literature is sparse on this. Here is a recent article: Identifying the prognostic significance of early arrhythmia recurrence during the blanking period and the optimal blanking period duration: insights from the DECAAF II studyby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotesusan.d He gave me a test. I laid down and he rapidly pulled me up and down while turning my head. I made me sick. Like I got off a roller coaster. Not that I’ve been in one but I speculate it feels the same. I should had kept my eyes open during the test because he said I’m fine and gave me a referral to see a balance therapist..never heard of this treatment. It seems snake oil treatment. Iby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Who is the scheduler whose call you missed? (You can send me a private message if you don’t want to post their name) You should be able to contact them—have you tried going through Norma? Scheduling is not done strictly first come first serve as there is some triaging done so that the most urgent cases will be done first. This is to say that there can be a wait time of two or three months dependiby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotegloaming You'd be surprised at how much of what we use in volume comes from India. Yes, even most of our “brand-name medications” that we would assume were made in the United States are made in India, Turkey or some other country, though at labs owned by the big pharmaceutical companies.by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM