Outside of a clinical trial, I think he would use the most current legally permitted, what I see referred to, I believe, as v 2.5by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotecapitana1952 Hello everyone on this great forum. My name is Salwa Beheiry. Cheers, Salwa Nice to meet you Salwa, and thank you for being part of Dr. Natale’s team over the years, and for your work that ultimately contributed to my and many others successful outcomes as patients. Everyone at TCAI/St David’s is pretty dang amazing. And that new wing I had the pleasure of touring with Careyby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
So the not so shiny new Watchman FLX I was fortunate enough to have implanted as part of the Pinnacle clinical trial recently released their 12 month findings. Mine was implanted about 21 months ago. More info here: They used Watchman v2.5 as the baseline for comparison, and the numbers look fantastic from my layman’s eyes.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Glad to hear you are doing better every day and that the Natale work is holding its own.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteDriver Well since I rarely use THC besides in hi anxiety situations and CBD for minor joint pain I'm just list give it 2 weeks prior to abalation. Ill just keep to myself about past use. Another person told me they were allowed Valium morning of procedure in Texas, sure insurance wouldn't bat an eye about that. But Marijuana is the big bad wolf still I took a benzo thby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Congratulations Que...I'm coming up on my 3 year Natale ablation. Hats off to Dr. Natale and his amazing staff.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
That's quite the proficient typing you're achieving Shannon! Excellent hand surgeon indeedby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had ocular migraines before my AFIB diagnosis, but also probably had AFIB then. This is going back 10 years. After my first ablation, the frequency increased dramatically, continuing through a Watchman 18 months ago. Post Watchman they decreased in frequency. 6 months ago when i switched from Eliquis to low dose aspirin, there was a dramatic drop-off in frequency. For me, in hindsight, there apby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
I too have posted about aural migraines, pre and post ablation(s) and Watchman. The most surprising situation for me is that last July when I switched from low dose to Eliquis to aspirin, I didn't have an episode for almost 4 months. And since then only 3. Prior to that I went through a sort of bell curve frequency - stretches w/o, and then periods where I often had several a week. Allby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
No regrets about my LAA being isolated or occluded. Perhaps the biggest concern with an isolated LAA is the potential consequences from just one missed dose of AC. I had phone timers set and I never left the house w/o 2-3 days supply with me. It just becomes an important part of your life that you accept as a result of not having afib anymore, until/if you have the LA occluded.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Had I been better informed and met Shannon earlier in my journey I wouldn't have the regret of the hell that are anti-arrtyhmics, and also following a good EP who bought into bad science and left me in worse condition than I was. In everyone's defense, afib is complicated and we don't realize the difference in quality between our local EP's and the top tier is so great.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Multaq didn't do anything for me but apparently cause long conversion pauses, which are pretty frightening and potentially dangerous. I did take it a 2nd time after my Natale ablation, for 3 months, but I was in NSR the whole time.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Congratulations Ken. Here's to a lifetime of NSR. And we have an Olympian too, very impressive.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotepamela Anyone have success wearing an apple 5 watch to monitor heart rate? The Series 5 would work great, as would the slightly older Series 4 or even 2 or 3. I you want to take single lead EKG's, you'll want a Series 4 or 5.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quoterocketritch We did discuss yesterday that I should have a sleep study done. I really don't show any classic symptoms but he felt it would be prudent with my history. This was me 2.5 years ago. Neither my local EP or I thought I had OSA, but after a sleep study, turns out I do. I've worn the CPAP every night since. I adapted (and accepted) it quickly, and I felt better within aby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotegmperf Stopping Eliquis this morning feels very strange. I have taken it religiously for almost 5 years. It will take a few days to get used to this new normal. Glad to hear your news was good. I echo the strange feeling of stopping a med that you previously were told missing one dose could have catastrophic consequences. I felt the same, and definitely took more than a few days to feby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotegmperf I will be doing the second Watchman TEE tomorrow. Best to you on your results. What's curious, and I will ask Dr. Natale about Monday, is the aspirin v eliquis thing. His NP claimed he was insistent that I go off the half dose Eliquis I was still on at the one year mark, and switch to low dose aspirin. This seems to conflict with the either/or it's your choice Carey wby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Whether you take an anti-platelet, a NOAC like Eliquis, or opt for nothing post-Watchman, you still receive the benefit of the Watchman - to close off the LAA and thus prevent stagnant blood that can form a clot in the LAA from escaping and causing catastrophic damage. So many things in life are a trade-off. I accept the bleed risk associated with an aspirin over the risk of a clot originating inby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotesmackman How did you find out about a Clinical Trial with Dr. Natale? My understanding is that the FLX clinical trial(s) that had been done up to the point in time this one started, LAAC trial, had a statistical weight towards females, so this one was organized and included only or mostly men. Because TCAI research/St. David's were/are a participating implant center, it came down toby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
I’m in a clinical trial along with a couple others here, having had the Watchman FLX implanted in the summer of ‘18. I believe we all had our LAA’s electrically isolated by Dr. Natale. It’s been a very safe procedure and apparently effective too. I believe the complication rates so far show an improvement over the current Watchman being used in the states, which itself is very safe and effective.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Welcome to the club. It’s a wonderful feeling, something I don’t take for granted. I had a higher resting rate after my Natale ablation, for a good 9 months. Getting back into my exercise regiment helped, once I convinced myself I really was fine.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
I’ve posted this before, but it’s worth a look for those affected by benzos. This is still, as far as I know, the Bible for getting off of benzodiazepines. This is a few years old, but nothing has changed.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Just to clarify. Can I get an confirmation or otherwise that what we laymen refer to as irregular heartbeats, whether they are PVCs or PACs, or "extra" or "missed" beats can all be lumped into the category we refer to as ectopics? As a way of describing a heartbeat pattern that isn't technically an arrhythmia and generally of short duration if not frequency?by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for the responses....looks like Ill be donating.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Interesting. Is aspirin considered an anti-platelet or is it an anti-coagulant, or for this purpose, are they the same?by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
You're in the best hands possible with a supporting staff that is unequaled. In < 15 days you'll likely be in durable and sustaining NSR. It's hard dealing with the issues you are dealing with, and that unwelcome stress is challenging. The valium should help wonders and the backyard oasis will be great. Very best to you.by AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Trying to save an email in to TCAI by asking this austere group. So my afib is, I guess, technically, in remission. Hopefully forever of course. I'm 2 ablations (one by Natale) and a Watchman (Natale/Horton) in on this journey. I take BP, cholesterol and a low dose aspirin every day. I know when I was on Eliquis I couldn't donate blood, but now I'm wondering if it is safby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
Welcome Patrick - The info you'll find here is fantastic. Sometimes it helps just sharing your experiences in this community. There's lots of well-informed people here, and they're not always in agreement on things like treatment or medications, but you can become knowledgeable and make smart decisions from info here and your own personal health care team. I can say if wasn'tby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM
It will certainly be a huge relief with your gallbladder issues - here's hoping that stays silent until at least a few months after your install. Hope you have an enjoyable upcoming stay. I imagine you'll be in the new EP wing that just opened up. I almost asked for the nickel tour while I was there, but they have much more important business at hand. My TEE Monday morning went greatby AB Page - AFIBBERS FORUM