Today marked the end of my blanking period following an ablation by Dr. Natale in August and I haven't experienced so much as a stray PAC since the procedure. 100% sinus rhythm. I failed five ablations by three other EPs previously, so I know what to expect from ablations, and the complete stability I've experienced since his is not what I expected. Even successful ablations usually havby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, George is right, but that's academic and we're confusing the matter. My point was that with a slow flutter you're most likely not even going to be aware of it unless someone happens to catch it on ECG because it doesn't come with the flopping fish sensation of afib. Only when the rate is high does it become symptomatic. I had at least 5 separate flutter circuits at variouby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Okay, something like a 4:1 conduction is possible, but it would likely be asymptomatic since flutter is typically quite regular. Flutter someone notices isn't going to be slow.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
No, atrial flutter always produces tachycardia. In fact, that's part of its definition. You'd need an ECG or at least something like an AliveCor to know what's actually happening during these experiences. You might find this helpful.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Only 14 patients in that study had a common pulmonary vein, which is a tiny sample. I don't think it's meaningful. There would be a lot more published on this if it were real, and a guy like Natale who's done thousands of ablations would be aware of it. I think you can safely disregard the issue. As I said, what makes an ablation a success is the person doing the ablation, not howby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Afib is a side effect of Corlanor, affecting 5-8% of the patients who take it. So the afib could be a result of the procedure, the drug, or both.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, you have a chance of it happening again, but afib following any ablation is common and often transient. Did your EP not explain the blanking period to you? Any sort of atrial arrhythmia for the next 3 months may be a result of the procedure and shouldn't be viewed as being permanent. Make sure to tell your EP about it. He may want to put you on an antiarrhythmic and/or beta blocker duriby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Millions of people with afib have been on flecainide for decades without problems. I've been on it myself multiple times and never had a problem with it. Overall I think it's one of the safest, most effective antiarrhythmics there are with the fewest side effects. Although now and then you'll encounter someone who did have negative side effects from it, those people are uncommon. Iby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Since none of my EPs ever said anything about this, I got curious and checked with Shannon, who checked with Dr. Natale. Dr. Natale's answer is it makes no difference. Common pulmonary veins don't predispose you to afib nor are they more likely to be triggers.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
No stats but I also have a common pulmonary vein and I'm not the example you're looking for to confirm your conclusions. Don't let that dash your hopes, though. What really matters is the training and experience of the EP doing the ablation. Care to share the data you found that says afib can be more common with common pulmonary veins and that it can be an isolated trigger?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotesafib I see no evidence the Healthy Origins or any other nonpharma grade Mg glycinate product is verifiably better than Dr's Best. Exactly right. Without laboratory analysis by an independent organization, all supplements are equally suspect and all are likely sourced from countries with even less regulatory oversight than the US.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteGeorgeNThe original moderator came up with this concoction to reduce his PAC's, you could see if it helped you < That's the article I read three years ago that led me down a path to being able to completely control my afib/flutter for almost two years with no drugs at all. Although I'm sure it's tasty, I think it's overly complicated for using daily. The only acby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteBarbless Is it possible my AFib event structurally changed my heart to now be an easy trigger for PAC's. Will letting myself have these PAC's make future ablation harder if I get more AFib? Has anyone been able to address these head on? I don't think ablation is worth it at this point until I show more history of AFib. Trying to do my homework because it definitely seems AFibby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quoteemv54 I've had LPAfib for around 10 years What is LPAfib?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Water retention isn't even a rare side effect of amitriptyline, and water follows the law of gravity. You see it first in your lower extremities (ankles) rather than being evenly distributed. Rapid weight gain, however, is a common side effect of amitriptyline and unlike water retention it tends to be evenly distributed. I'm afraid that your friend is gaining weight, but it's probaby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
What's the medication? And is it limited to swollen ankles or a more generalized retention with weight gain?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteElizabeth It would depend on a person's age, if you are younger than 75 than an ablation and any succeeding ablations, watchman any blood thinners meds would be different. If one is in their late 70s and beyond then I say again "why go through one or more ablations, maybe a watchman and blood thinners. Sure, age matters, and so do other factors, but when considering ablation I tby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotemwcf I just looked a list of Flecainide interactions here: and if that's to be believed one pretty much can't take ANYTHING (including Ranolazine) along with Flecainide - including any BB to take with a PiP Flecainide dose as many here have done/do (including me). That link is inaccessible, but if it says you can't take beta blockers with flecainide it's dead wroby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I don't think it matters in the least. A properly done ablation blocks the sources of afib, so what caused those sources isn't particularly relevant. If the errant signals are blocked, they're blocked. I also think all afib except that due to obvious causes like valvular afib has a genetic component. The fact that your mother and her sisters had it doesn't makes your afib aby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Your risk of embolic stroke (stroke from a clot) is much, much higher than your risk of hemorrhagic stroke (stroke from a bleed), so I'm afraid he's quite right. Any well informed doctor in the world would agree with him on this. You're in the same boat as people who are afraid of flying. They're perfectly happy to drive to the airport, which is by far the most dangerous paby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'm another one of those people. In exchange for an isolated LAA, I got rid of afib and intractable flutter at rates of 230-250 that multiple EPs had been unable to stop. Best trade I've made in my entire life, bar none. People with afib who undergo no ablations at all usually remain on anticoagulants for life too, plus they're usually on beta blockers and often antiarrhythmicsby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotejennifer92151 I have a cardiologist who is worthless. Where do you get serum testing? Through a lab or by working with a doctor? I would like to know my levels, but I don't know where to start. You start with a doctor and a routine physical. Basic blood work from any GP will include an electrolyte panel, which is something that anyone with diabetes should be doing periodically. Youby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I would urge great caution with potassium supplements to anyone with diabetes, and that includes artificially boosted foods like LS V8. Diabetes and kidney dysfunction go hand-in-hand, so any use of potassium should include frequent monitoring of electrolyte levels and kidney function. In fact, although I've used very high doses of potassium with great success, I always tell people with diabby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
It's not a matter of it working or not. It's a matter of purity. The Chinese have a dismal quality control record. If they can't be trusted to manufacture baby formula that doesn't contain toxins added to reduce cost, what can they be trusted with?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good question and nobody can predict what insurance companies will do or when, but my guess is you'll see them start covering it in the coming year as 5-year data becomes available. It won't be all of them at once, of course, and no doubt there will be holdouts, but I think it's on the horizon. How insane is it that American health care is dictated by for-profit companies that hby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteJackie Just FYI….. I just learned that Doctor’s Best was sold to a Chinese company last year. Sigh... there goes another good source. Thanks for posting this. I won't take drugs/supplements manufactured in China because, quite frankly, their track record with food and drug safety is miserably bad.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteGeorgeN 300 mg is the standard PIP flec dose for those who weigh more than 70 kg (154#'s), 200 mg for those who weigh less. Good point. QuoteThis excretion can be so strong that potassium is also excreted as the body tries to keep the sodium potassium ratio in balance. Best practices are to supplement with 5g/day of sodium (about 12.5 g sodium chloride salt) and additionally potaby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
That's great but most likely it won't last. Cardioversions aren't curative.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
50 mg is actually a pretty small dose. The usual dosage for using flecainide as a PIP is 300 mg. However, checking with your doc first would be wise. I very much doubt that fasting makes you more (or less) vulnerable to afib. Not being on an anticoagulant is the risky thing you're doing, especially with the diabetes and being female. I don't know how old you are but that makes yoby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quoteanneh thnx maybe I shouldn't even be on it if my risk is so low, its because I am 79 that they put me on it, I worry alot about getting a hemorrhagic stroke from being on it =:0 anne h No, being 79 and female with afib, your risk of ischemic stroke is much higher than your risk of hemorrhagic stroke. You need to be on it, but being off it a couple of days is no big deal.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM