I will let you know what I find out. I think I heard the cost was about 40,000.by gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Interesting - I received a letter today from Scripps La Jolla. Letter says Re: Consultation regarding WATCHMAN left atrial appendage closure. "per Dr Natale, you are currently maintained on a blood thinner for stroke prevention, since your ablation procedure." In summary the letter goes on to invite me to make an appointment for a consultation. It says when making an appointment toby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am wondering if the TEE may show changes with time. It has been over two years for me. Maybe I should give Dr Natale a call and see what he says. Im also thinking that with many more people having to deal with this issue, if the medical community will starting addressing the issue of all these people on blood thinners for life. I wonder how the insurance companies will address this large eby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
I can't answer your question about Coumadin. I am in the same boat you are in with regards to the TEE. I have been on Eliquis for over two years. At 52 years of age, hate the thought of being on this the rest of my life. I guess that is just the way it is. Donby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
BillK, I think your statement "it is a good time to be patient" is spot on. Risk of bleeding on Eliquis has been shown to be similar to aspirin. Being that aspirin has also been shown to not do much to prevent afib stroke. It would seem that you being on aspirin with the clip is not much better than being on Eliquis (unless the aspirin is for other risk prevent). For me, when I wby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Shannon for your coments. For me, being afib free and having a 0 score, and also being 52, with no other health problems, being on a anti coagulation med for life is very frustrating. I just know it is a matter of time before thier is a bleeding problem. When I blow my nose and see some dried red, I worry about when a big bleed will come. I also worry about if a big nose bleed occurby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
George, So what does this mean after an LAA isolation? Flow velocity is worse than when in afib without an LAA isolation? And affer an LAA isolation if afib again occurs, then LAA velocity is also lower which translates into a higher stroke risk.by gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, this just added to the confusion for me. Plus the LAA low blood flow after ablation is not black and white either. Low LAA flow with a chadsvasc of 0 is the same as a 2 or higher score. Logic makes it seem as though being in afib with a chadvasc of 0 would at least be the same as being in NSR with a low a LAA velocity with a chadsvasc of 0. Anti coagulation medication is not near a 0 risby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ken, You might want to read this Medscape article.by gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello Ken, My situation is the same. I am 52. No meds other than Eliquis for a slow LAA. Insurance wont pay for a closure device. They may have good reasons. The research does bare out that closing the LAA is better than anti coagulation. That is just the way it is. On a positive note Eliquis was shown to be comparable to asprin for bleeding risk. You may want to switch My own experiencby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
When I spoke to DR. Natale around the first of the year, he said he wanted me to wait for the new watchman device. It appears the new Watchman device has some problems. Also his nurse said that insurance was not approving the procedure for people like me who can take anticoagulants. My LAA measured slow on the TEE test. Im 52, afib free for over 2 years. Only medication I take is Eliquis.by gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had aural migraines after my first ablation. I thought it might be a stroke and went to the ER. They though it might be the Multaq I had just started. I stopped the Multaq and they stopped after a few days. My second ablation I had two of these type migraines. I have read similar comments over the years from a small amount of post ablation patients. I have also read of a higher stroke riskby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Anyone have any information on the progress of the updated Watchman device? Dr Natale wanted me to wait for the update before attempting to get insurance approval for the procedure. Back in January he thoght it would become available around June. Donby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
My second ablation report was very similar to yours. I had the TEE after 7 months. The LAA flow was too low so I am on Eliquis for life. It has been 22 months since the ablation and all has been quiet. I am hoping to have the watchman device to close off the LAA at some point. Now, insurance won't pay for it because I am 52 and can take the Eliquis. Don (Dern iphone, all thumbs)by gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Agree Dr Natale is a good man. Hang in there. Take it slow and easy. Donby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike, I am in a similar position as you. I saw Dr Natale about 6 months ago and he told me he was now recomending the Watchman device over the Atriaclip. He wanted me to wait till the latest revision came out. He expected it would be available around this time. I am 52 with a chadsvasc of 0. I am on Eliquis just because of the LAA issue. Unfortunetly it looks like insurance will not pay for anby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
I started using some supplements to help have better quality sleep. I found them from a podcast I listen to about computer security issues. The host, Steven Gibson, was having trouble sleeping and started doing research on what supplements might help. Through research, trial and error, and feedback from listeners, he came up with this formula: Seriphos, GABA, L-Theanine, Glycine, Melatonin. He rby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Smackman, Alost the same thing happened to me. I went on Sotalol for a few months and it kept the rate under control to the point I didn't feel the flutter. Went back to Dr. Natale. NSR for 18 months and counting after the second ablation. This afib may be a lifetime long battle. Or, Dr. Natale may fix it permanently with a second ablation. Hang in there. Donby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello Ted, I wish you well with your upcoming ablation. I will be there that day to talk with Dr. Natale about the Atriclip procedure. My second ablation with Dr. Natale in Sept 2014 isolated my LAA. The follow up TEE showed blood flow insufficient to stop anticoagulation. This second ablation was for Left atypical flutter. My Chads2vasc was 0, but Dr. Natale still recommended anticoagulatby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
It would be nice if the medical profession did include some of this stuff. Just finding a doctor who can properly diagnose you seems to be a feat, let a long getting into any of this. My Grandfather on my Mothers side tended to be a "bleeder". He needed Vitamin K after surgery to help him clot. My Mother had arrhythmia starting at 30. She functioned fine, was never on blood thinnersby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think you may be on to something. If the test and results are repeatable a few times I would tend to think this is an area to focus on. In any case I have noted in myself that consuming much sugar (sweets) make me feel stiff the next day. I try to avoid sugar. I also need protein to not have low blood sugar after a meal. The numbers seem to be ok, but I can still feel things are not optimal. Iby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
McHale, Dr.Natale said he himself would be anti-coagulated if he had afib and a chads2vasc score of 0. He did not hesitate when stating this. So according to this comment, I believe with a chads2vasc score of 0, he would recommend ant-coagulation. He recommended anti-coagulation for me when I had a chads2vasc score of 0, before the LAA isolation. When I was at a patient conference for afibby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello Jackie, It seems Xarelto has similar reported side effects. It looks like the only alternatives are warfarin , or stop blood thinner all together, I am 15 month post second Dr. Natale ablation. No afib since the second ablation. I had one TEE that showed low LAA blood flow at 9 months after the ablation. I am wearing a Zio Patch monitor this week to confirm no afib. Then according toby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am wondering if any one has used Xarelto for a while and begun to experience some side effects. I have been on Xarelto for @ two years. In the last month I started feeling hot flushing feeling in my leg and arms between 1-2 hours after I take it. I also have been feeling general pain all over my body some days over the last two months. It kind of hard to explain the pain - it feels like I haby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
My experience is similar to yours Chuck. Still on Xarelto. My TEE was in the upper 20's. It has been a year and 3 months for me. 50 years old, no other health problems, CHA2DS2-VASc of 0 (Slow LAA = 2, or who knows) I will doing a 7 day monitor here shortly. If all is clear, I will meet with Dr. Natale to discuss the Atriclip. Donby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Shannon. The more information we as patients can get, the better we can be at peace with our decisions. Donby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie, Hopefully your next 6 month TEE will show good blood flow and no need to have to make this decision. It is looking good for you so far! I was planning on maybe waiting a year or two to decide what I should do. Then I had an injury a few weeks ago. I was on a high dose of ibuprofen for 3 weeks, against the doctors recommendation. This was an old injury, re-injured, so I have dealt wiby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for the information Bill and Shannon. Shannon a while back your generously offered to speak with me about this when the time came. I will try to take you up on that offer in the next month or two before I meet with Dr. Natale. Questions about the Atriclip - The body doesn't reject it as a foreign object? Inert material? This clip is bouncing around with each heart beat, does itby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good information Bill. Thanks for the reply. This was helpful. I will be meeting with Dr. Natale in the next month or two to discuss my options. My LAA flow was rather low also, so that may make the decisions easier. I recently had an injury were I need ibuprofen for a few weeks. Being on a blood thinner can complicate simple things. Donby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM
(This post is an addition to my original post.) Here is a study by Dr. Luigi Di Biase entitled "Can the shape of the left atrial appendage affect stroke risk?" https://www.einstein.yu.edu/departments/medicine/divisions/cardiology/news/shape-of-heart-and-stroke-risk.aspx In patients with atrial fibrillation, stroke risk is managed with oral anticoagulants (blood thinners such asby gmperf - AFIBBERS FORUM