Hi TomB, Sorry to hear of the continued hassles, I know its no fun but hang in there, it can still sort itself out without necessary meaning any more work is going to be needed anytime soon. And Hans is right, Flec and Flutter do not tend to make good bed fellows! That is what I discovered the hard way around 3am on a late May 2008 morning in the small central Holland town of Nijmegen (by Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Great to hear Gehauser! Sounds like you are off to a great new start! Take it easy and heal up.. Shannonby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks MikeF and everyone! I'm really glad some of you find some of my musings useful, we all learn from each other here for sure, which makes this one of the best such medically-oriented patient sites I know of. And many, as always, much appreciation goes to Hans for creating and keeping it going so well for so many years! Take care, Shannonby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Liz, Its always a good idea to give a good try at the diet and supplement approach not just as a temporary trial, but as life style modifications for a healthier life. But you are also very right Liz, that it is not by any means a promised or even likely panacea either for everyone, or perhaps not even a majority. Considering the majority of people really going to the lengths that many oby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
McHale, Regarding your desire now to go ahead with a FIRM ablation, all I can say is you have to do what you feel is best for you. Ive pretty much covered my feelings about it at this point in time based on what we all know. The final question to ask yourself is, why would I want to get this top EP who has done limited FIRM ablations so far ( Im assuming you mean Dr. Reddy?? ) and convinceby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good Question Bill, As I understand it Dr. Natale prefers to first isolate the LAA, only if and when it is found to be a major source of triggering for you. The reason why and not just obliterate the LAA is taht even though that will indeed remove any electrical and mechanical connection between the LAA and LA and rest of the heart, there can still be triggering activity just on what was theby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi McHale, Below is a link to a few interesting videos of various ablations ablations and a Watchman device installation by Dr. Reddy I thought you might enjoy! he loves to explore new technology ... Dr. Reddy videos Cheers! Shannonby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good to hear it went relatively smoothly, at least the urine catheter implies they used an irrigated catheter which is standard issue these days and a good thing! But the foley catheters are usually no fun, especially when they yank them! Anyway, take it easy and don't rush back into anything strenuous for a while. Shannonby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi McHale, Yes that is the theory Topera/Narayan is promoting, and it sounds very similar to the theory of CAFE only ablations from soem years ago taht also had a very compelling story and some selected case studies to back it up. Lets see how is works in the bigger world of independent testing. The main point I have is not that there might not be some worthwhile contribution in helping toby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
That's good to know, EB, I asked Dr, Natale if and Atriclip would be a better option for me than Lariet-II, if they had a minimally invasive method of installing it as I liked the look of the Articlip when exploring it on their website. However he said Atriclip requires a significantly more invasive procedure ... ala a mini-maze/5Box or even open chest cardiac operation for which the Articliby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
You are welcome Neroli and Laura, And Neroli, be sure and ask for the newer Philips In-Ratio-2 INR home meter. I find it easier and more reliable than the CoaguChek Laura has and that I had from Dr. Natale when I lived in Amsterdam and was traveling a lot back and forth from Europe and Hawaii. Laura, Maybe newer versions of the Coag-u-Chek and their strips have improved by now?? Nevertheleby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Tom, I agree that it must be the right kind of fats, and of course there are always individual variations in response to every protocol .. there is no one size fits all miracle cure when it comes to the vagaries of individual biology. However, I would still encourage you to read one or both of Gary Taube's books which is now supported by a rapidly growing number of MDs including a bunby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
The low fat theory is as dead as a door nail, even more and more mainstream Cardios are on board and the evidence is huge and very difficult to refute. Here is a superb link for education: Why Do We Get Fat? Dr. Gary Taubes PhD is probably the most respected and thorough of all the nutrition/health researchers and reporters out there. His first very indpeth book that has convinced 10sby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Afhound, so you just had the ablation on Friday? Where did you wind up going and who did the ablation? For sure report to your EP tomorrow, but this is still very early in the blanking period of course when some breakthroughs can happen that don't necessarily imply the need for more ablation. Normally a postural trigger like that implies a vagal response, but that may not be so jsutby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Here is another good overview of the Pathophysiology and Clinical Outcomes of the LAA in AFIB also from the same issue of JAFIB.com. www.jafib.comby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi EB, Yep this is a good case study, and was mentioned in another post, glad you put the link up. I had sent a couple of these articles as PDFs to Hans for me to link to on the site, but got side-tracked with other things the last week and posting the link slipped my mind. This article is one of a number studies coming out showing increasing awareness and investigation into the LAA as a keby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Neroli and Laura, You should absolutely have your EP prescribe a PHilips InRatio-2 home INR meter.. Its a god send! That is a reliable machine, and the only trick to getting excellent comparable results to the venous blood draw is to compare each new box of 'strips' you get from Philips ( 12 strips per box and or ask for two boxes at a time with the same Lot number particularly forby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Neroli, You mentioned your COPD and need for oxygen, is that something you need every day now? And can you give us an idea of your age as well? Just curious since if I understand it correctly this was your first ablation right? Were you in persistent AFIB or if paroxysmal had you any long episodes exceeding 24 hr duration prior to the ablation? Dr. Natale told me that he has discoveredby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Sam, That does pose a conundrum living in Ireland with only one or two ablation EPs... Is Ireland medical and UK medical the same where you could go to England for an ablation? Though I don't of know of any considered elite ablationists there, perhaps there are a few and other UK people here could better advise on that front. Of course, if and when it comes down to it there is alwaysby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi and Wow Neroli! What a roller coaster ride!!! So glad you are on the mend and that you went to the Pulmonologist as soon as Joan recommended you do that ASAP! Although it sounds like by that point it didnt take much convincing to get you there? And aspiration pnuemonia of all things ! .... that is a first that I've heard of from anesthesia during an ablation, though I guess it hapby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi MIkej, Top EPs on a redo will first confirm if any PVIs have reconnected. The more skilled the EP, the less percentage of his cases will have reconnected PVs to begin with. Then they check other anatomical structures and all other potential 'hot spots' either at ganglionated plexi, CAFEs or at the LAA as does Natale's group and Bordeaux. Keep in mind that one of the mainby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi McHale, That is always the dilemma when you are currently in NSR .. everything is sunny and 'who needs an ablation', but as soon as the beast returns with a vengence you kick yourself for not having done it sooner .. and so on it goes ... often until finally one day you realize you procrastinated too long and wind up in 24/7 flippies and you cant get out other than a cardioversion,by Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Alexandra, Some models of digital basal thermometers are okay provided you change the batteries every month to two months max. Just be sure they have two numbers to the right of the decimal place indicating greater accuracy and make sure you keep it under your tongue for at least 3 minutes and dont remove it once the beeper sounds in 30secs to 1 minute. That is too short for the kind of coby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Sam, I just posted my two cents on your situation in the thread with your initial post on the subject. Shannonby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Sam, The things that come to mind reading your story above are as follows, For the sudden very fast, jumping through the rib cage kind of AFIB that makes you very exercise intolerant even or especially from mild exercise or activity, that reminds me very much of adrenaline and/or excessive T3 surges ... and both can easily go hand in hand as part of a rapid depletion in adrenal reserveby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Gianfranco, With your vitals spelled out above, I would encourage you to give the whole Strategy protocol The Strategy a serious and dedicated try for the next year and see if that doenst help buy you as much NSR while further strenghtening your overall health .. in addition to the drug regime you are now on. I would not be on Pradaxa if you have no heart disease, not TIAs and no high Bby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
You are welcome Heather, And Jackie's recommendation about Iodine is very important as a first step in helping your own thyroid system perform as good as it possibly can on its own without the supplemental help of proper thyroid hormone repletion ... and thyroid hormone repletion is the same principle as your HRT that you are understandably noticing some benefits from now. With regard toby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM