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A forum for sharing experiences regarding atrial fibrillation and other atrial tachy-arrhythmias.
Re: new to AF forum. - 2 months ago
QuoteHugging For anyone interested I don’t believe I can mention the name of my book on AF but if you are interested reading about my success and being a resource on AF and Mg , my book on AF has a cover with a physician holding binoculars. You're free to mention the name of your book in the course of a discussion where it's relevant. Just don't make it repetitive. The restrictioby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: new to AF forum. - 2 months ago
Hi Hugger, welcome to the forum. Rather an unusual way to introduce yourself but that's okay. Regarding your inability to get published, I'm sure you recognize that a study where N=1 and N=the author is always going to be considered anecdotal. Perhaps try publishing it as a case history?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Is Advil OK to take when on 1/2 dose Eliquis? - 2 months ago
I answered that question directly above your post. The Watchman does not and cannot prevent all blood clots. It can only prevent the 90% that originate in the LAA, so that leaves 10% of all clots coming from somewhere the Watchman can't prevent. There are also other considerations, such as device-related thrombus (DRT). That's a clot that forms on the outside of the Watchman either befoby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Anybody know a good EP in Baltimore? - 2 months ago
Hopefully that cardiologist you're going to see is up to snuff enough on afib to prescribe something effective for you, but it can be hit or miss with general cardiologists. Arrhythmias just aren't their thing so their knowledge sometimes lags. When it comes to recommending EPs for ablation, I stick with who I consider to be the best two EPs in the country: Dr. Andrea Natale @ Teby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Maze, Minimally Invasive AFib surgery - 2 months ago
I can't recall ever seeing anyone here from Japan, and definitely not someone from Japan who's had a Maze procedure. We had a couple of members in the past who've had a Maze but I haven't seen them around in a while. Hopefully someone will speak up.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Pacemaker Necessity? - 2 months ago
QuoteRobertus What's at risk? Might my heart just stop and I die in my sleep? Well, frankly, yes. Your brain needs a certain amount of blood flow to keep functioning. Your heart and other organs do too, but the most vulnerable is your brain so let's just look at that. If your natural heart rate while sleeping is 36 and a drug takes that down another 10 bpm, now you're at 26 bby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Is Advil OK to take when on 1/2 dose Eliquis? - 2 months ago
QuoteMauricio Hi, question is if you have already the Watchman in place why taking Eliquis ?? For the same reason some perfectly healthy people take a daily low-dose aspirin. The LAA isn't the only source of clots in the body. QuoteI had also 2 ablations with Dr. N. (2012-2015) and planning to do the Watchman soon, I'm in Eliquis 5mg twice a day. So, if I do the Watchman the only gby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Anybody know a good EP in Baltimore? - 2 months ago
Personally, I put very little if any value in doctor rating web sites. They're mostly popularity contests. Got a great bedside manner but you're a mediocre doctor? You'll get top ratings. Got a mediocre bedside manner but you're a master in your field? You'll get mediocre ratings. Are you looking for an EP to manage your afib medically or are you considering an ablatiby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Is Advil OK to take when on 1/2 dose Eliquis? - 2 months ago
One of those EPs I mentioned who didn't have a problem with short-term ibuprofen use was Natale. I think your ortho guy is being unreasonable. Most doctors outside of cardiology don't actually have much experience with anticoagulants and they tend to exaggerate the risks and go overboard. I would take the ibuprofen and just keep it to no more than a few days at a time.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Is Advil OK to take when on 1/2 dose Eliquis? - 2 months ago
At least 3 of my doctors (2 EPs, 1 PCP) disagree with your ortho guy. They all think a few days -- less than a week -- is acceptable. But does your ortho guy know something about you that wouldn't apply to me? The combination could definitely be a problem if you've undergone recent procedures or are going to anytime soon.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Are EP’s routinely offering Watchman as an alternative to thinners? - 2 months ago
The winds have definitely changed. Watchman and similar LAA closure devices were once reserved for patients who couldn't tolerate any anticoagulant, so it was definitely a niche item. But insurers have seen the benefits of a large one-time cost vs. years or even decades of expensive meds. Plus there are no patient compliance issues with a Watchman. People are terrible taking anticoagulants rby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: EKG please read - 2 months ago
I'm 68 and although I've been in normal rhythm since 2017, that came at the price of 6 ablations. I had afib and atrial flutter with very high rates (230-250). Yes, I like cycling and hiking. Exercise, including jogging, is always healthy. If you can, you should.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Pacemaker Necessity? - 2 months ago
I think your cardiologist is worried about lowering your heart rate further, which is definitely what rate control drugs would do. With a rate of 36 during sleep you don't have much room to go lower safely. So I think they're being very conservative but not unreasonable. A second opinion is always a good idea, but you need to get it from an electrophysiologist (EP), not a general cby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: EKG please read - 2 months ago
I don't think this was an arrhythmia. Like I said, I think it was most likely just a normal physiological response to the fever. Chills generally indicate you have a pretty high fever.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: EKG please read - 2 months ago
Normal response to fever. Your pulse rises 10 bpm for ever 1 degree centigrade (1.8 F) of fever.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Afib alert in sleep everyday , no symptoms - 2 months ago
If I had a dollar for every false-positive I've seen from wearable devices, I could buy one.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: zio patch report interpretation 4 months after ablation - 2 months ago
It's not your lack of understanding. It's just terrible reporting from the device. The report says it recorded "Total Number of Heartbeats (beats): 10853 (2h33m)". Okay, so that's a heart rate of about 70 bpm. Perfectly normal. But then it says "Total Number of Ventricular Heart Beats: 76". Huh? 76 heart beats in 2.5 hours is less than 1 per minute, whichby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: zio patch report interpretation 4 months after ablation - 2 months ago
Quoterayfes Total Number of Ventricular Heart Beats: 76 Over a span of 2.5 hours? I think not. What is that thing actually reporting?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Decided to have an Ablation - PFA - Questions - 2 months ago
Quotembd I think that would be great. How do I make that happen? Who do I contact? His scheduler's name is Norma. Give her a call at 512-615-6205. (That's her direct number.) Tell her you're considering an ablation and would like to schedule a telemedicine consult with him. She should be able to get that done for you.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Decided to have an Ablation - PFA - Questions - 2 months ago
If they have decent insurance or can afford to self-pay, they most certainly can. If that's really what you want then just find an EP who does only cryo. Finding an EP who uses RF or PFA and who does only PVIs even if more is needed will actually be more difficult.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: AV Node Ablation - 2 months ago
Then he absolutely needs to get that flutter stopped and an AV node ablation won't do that. It will reduce the ventricular response to a normal rate, but the atria will remain in flutter and that can contribute to worsening the cardiomyopathy.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Decided to have an Ablation - PFA - Questions - 2 months ago
Quotembd I feel the worst decision would be to go with an EP who thinks he can fix non-PV sources, What?! Seriously? What do you mean "thinks" they can? They do it day in and day out. I'm a living example and there are dozens more here like me. I think you've elevated this issue far beyond reason. Once your PVI is complete but you're still in afib or it can still bby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: AV Node Ablation - 2 months ago
There is a member here named Susan (susan.d) who has had one. Maybe she'll come along and chime in. Meanwhile, if you don't already know, you should know that an AV node ablation is the nuclear option. Once it's done, your husband will be dependent on a pacemaker for life. It cannot be undone, and he'll probably be ineligible for any new treatments that come along. So it&#by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Decided to have an Ablation - PFA - Questions - 2 months ago
Quotembd I’ll give my logic one more try…….Can we agree that 90% of paroxysmal AF can be stopped by PVI and these 90% do not have triggers outside of the PV’s. That means in 90% of these cases the mapping procedures above would be unnecessary. Agreed? No, not really. If that were true, success rates for cryo should be 90% and they're not. Quote “The two EPs I recommended will defiby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Decided to have an Ablation - PFA - Questions - 2 months ago
I think you've gone a bit far down this rabbit hole of mapping and are misunderstanding it a bit. You can't test the success of an ablation without a mapping catheter even if it's just a PVI. Mapping is a crucial component of any type of ablation. A good EP will map the entire atria, and the PV ostium is part of the left atrium. That's the opening in the left atrium where theby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Decided to have an Ablation - PFA - Questions - 2 months ago
I disagree with some of your conclusions but the top two EPs in the US would be Andrea Natale at Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute and Pasquale Santangeli at Cleveland Clinic. I would look no further than those two. They both participated in the PFA clinical trials so their experience is going to match or exceed pretty much any other EP.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Decided to have an Ablation - PFA - Questions - 2 months ago
Quotembd Are you suggesting that for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and a first ablation the LAA/CS should be either isolated or ablated? No, nothing should be ablated that isn't a source of afib. Mapping carries no risk and there's absolutely no reason not to look for sources of afib beyond the PVs. If found, it would be negligent to just ignore them. But no EP goes around ablating nby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Decided to have an Ablation - PFA - Questions - 2 months ago
Quotembd “Conclusion: In patients with recurrent AF despite durable PVI, no ablation strategy used alone or in combination during the redo procedure appears to be superior in improving arrhythmia-free survival. Left atrial size is a significant predictor of ablation outcome in this population.” You said “in the right hands” your results are significantly better. Intuitively that should be tby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: Decided to have an Ablation - PFA - Questions - 2 months ago
Quotecjkdm If the Left Atrial Appendage is a potential source of triggers and future ablation I assume you would lose the ability to ablate there down the road if a Watchman is placed? Nope. Just as a PVI doesn't ablate the pulmonary veins directly, ablating the LAA doesn't ablate the LAA directly either. In both cases burns are made around the opening of the vein or LAA. The goal isby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Re: 6 years post ablation follow-up - 2 months ago
Quotelibby One last question, how long does one need to be on Eliquis before an ablation? Three weeks is the usual number cited, but it can be as short as 1 dose. If it's less than the time the EP deems necessary, they'll just do a TEE before beginning the procedure.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM