Thanh, Dr. Natalie is also in San Francisco's California Pacific Medical Center one week out of every month.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hmmm. Would five cups of coffee daily count?by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
GeorgeN, Thanks! That was very interesting, all of it. Mikeby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
How could RF ablation have ever been approved as a first line treatment if there wasn't plenty of evidence, I mean plenty, that it was not just a placebo? It may be a band-aid because we don't know the causes of the remodeling well enough to detect and prevent it through nutritional and lifestyle interventions but certainly not a placebo. If it were a placebo I know it certainly wouldby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Shannon, My LAA isolation was in Feb 2015. I remembered our conversation from Oct 2015 and reviewed it. I'm looking forward to talking to Dr. Natale Friday. I was expecting to schedule another TEE before this visit but it wasn't ordered. I have been feeling better the last few months so thought there might be some positive changes. I have been afib free but not without theby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Don. I'm a 1 because I'm over 65. I see Dr. Natale on Friday, I'll give you an update after. It's a hard decision. The watchman because it's an easier recovery and Dr. Natale does it, or the Atri-clip which is a guarantee of no more possible sources of arrhythmia from the LAA (but a month of recovery and a couple of holes in your chest). I lean towards the Atrby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
My next follow up with Dr. Natale is a week from today. February last year I had my third ablation where the LAA was isolated. My TEE at six months showed a LAA velocity very low so continued with the Xarelto. I've now been on Xarelto for a year and a half. Even before that TEE I researched the next step just in case and settled on the atriclip to isolate the LAA and get it completely ouby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
A recent example of a revamped website that didn't go well (from my perspective): Crossfit.com I went to their site every day for years, read the articles, all of the resources were very easy to get at: just click the link, there you were. The new site is so disappointing and difficult to navigate and unfamiliar I rarely go there anymore. Good luck Shannon, not an easy task. Thank yby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Smackman, Had a similar experience in 2013. Spent a day in the local hospital. They dosed me with metoprolol and diltiazem, I never got below 150 all day. Their cardiologist visited me a couple of times recommending a pacemaker. I requested they call the EP's at CPMC and they ignored me. I checked out, still at 150 BPM. The cardiologist removed my driving privileges as a parting gifby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Great to read this! I'm 67, one year + out from my third Natale ablation. Feeling good now, getting my diet dialed in (see "The Perfect Health Diet"), my home gym is coming along, like yours except kettlebells and airdyne along with the weights, I have a squat rack not a full weight rack. I don't do the TRX stuff but do a lot of hiking and walking. I hope to feel as good aby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Wow. No end to worrying. I'm determined to get off Xeralto, I think it's making me tired and sometimes I get muscle twitches with no cause. Hopefully after my next TEE I can either get off it or get scheduled for an atriclip. I would ignore the good doctors advice as having no basis in experience or study. Pure conjecture.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
A few months ago, following some excellent references by GeorgeN of this board, I found a book, "Perfect Health Diet" by Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet. Very well researched by two scientists, one a cancer researcher. I've learned more about nutrition and how to balance nutrients than everything else I've ever read put together. I'm not totally on the PHD yet but alreadyby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
tsco, I'm still hanging in there at 67. (three ablations, one more procedure to go). I don't do product development now, but failure analysis. There is some stress but it's more intermittent and far less than trying to meet a design schedule deadline. I've found a diet recently, the Perfect Health Diet. It makes more sense and is better researched than anything I'by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks very much Jackie. Very timely, I'm researching statins now for myself and my wife Karen. This interview is a bit long but on topic and verifies much of what you said. Dr. Ronald Krauss, M.D. is the director of atherosclerosis research at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, interviewed by Rhonda Patrick.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Great news Jackie! Thanks for posting positive news.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ken, I had my first afib events in 1995-6 using Seldane then Claritine. I don't use any prescription allergy medicine since. Eyedrops (Systane) and saline nose spray (Ocean Spray) as needed works fine especially since I cleaned up my diet and my allergies are much reduced. I also have an air filter (Austin Air) in my bedroom so I don't have issues when I'm sleeping. Every doctby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you and best wishes Shannon. Our conversations have given me much needed peace of mind and much information. And the same to all of the good people here who share every new bit of knowledge, not just about afib, but health in general. This is an oasis and makes me thankful this holiday season. All the best of the season to everyone. Mikeby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Just had a TEE follow-up from my Feb LAA ablation. Not good news, minimal contraction of the LAA and very low velocity, ~17cm/S. I will have the follow-up consultation with Dr. Natale on Friday. I guess the Atri-clip is the next step, I just hope I can get it scheduled as soon as possible, hopefully by the end of the year. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep my insurance next year andby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Alex, Thanks for posting this good advice. You make an excellent role model. At 67 I hope to be able to post something similar in ten years or so. Being consistent and only picking from the good catagories, seems simple but how could it not work? And being kind to yourself. I have no children but recently I thought "treat yourself as the only child you'll ever have and don'tby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you Shannon. I just now spoke with Sandra at CPMC, she's going to try to schedule my TEE for the middle of next month, then my follow up visit with Dr. Natale a couple weeks after. I'll hang on until then and see what Dr. Natale will prescribe. BTW, a few weeks ago I tried the one gram of glutamine along with 5 mg melatonin before bed. I did get really sleepy, I would sleeby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
I've had three ablations by Dr. Natale, April 2012, May 2013, Feb 2015. Before the first my resting HR was high 50's. In the summer of 2014 it got down to the high 70's. Since the third ablation mid-80's is the lowest I can get. At work during the day (mostly in front of a computer) I'm high 90's. I wish I knew why my experience is different than the usual reporby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you Jackie! Alas, my coconut oil and heavy cream laced coffee gets me going at 5AM, up and off to my 1 hour commute... I'll try to cut back, and look for organic.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
This is good news (for me). I'm somewhat addicted to coffee, 2-3 cups a day. It appears to be good for you in most studies. Any other coffee addicts on board? I still have a high HR but didn't see the connection with drinking coffee. Quit for a few days, other than splitting headaches, no change. Mikeby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ha! Thanks, that was funny. What a couple of characters...by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well deserved for both Shannon and Dr. Natale. All the best, Mike Eby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dr. John has posted his doubts about the BELIEF trial. For myself, having already had extensive ablation of the left and right atrium and LAA and waiting for the follow-up TEE, this was a little disconcerting to read. I am in the group of CHAD score = 1 and was never in persistent AFIB. But I had a good diet and lifestyle (well, except for job stress and a commute from hell), all of my efforby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Sam, It sounds familiar. In my case, anxiety. I hold my breath unconsciously, until sometimes I get dizzy. It happens when I get stressed, then 'skippy's', then tightness in the chest. I find a quiet spot and breathe, full breath in, hold a couple seconds, slow breath out, repeat. In 5-10 minutes I feel better. It keeps happening, I haven't found a way to stay relaxeby Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
I went off Xarelto after my second ablation when given the go ahead by Dr. Natale. If I get clearance to stop taking it after my upcoming TEE (I had a third ablation in Feb, LAA) I will stop without giving it another thought.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
I found this recent discussion which mentioned stem cell research. Sorry, I should have used the search function here first.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM
I read this article with interest. I'm wondering if there is a study of repairing a heart damaged by afib with stem cells.by Mike E - AFIBBERS FORUM