QuoteDaisy After reading my Natale ablation report my local cardiologist (not an EP) said that he didn’t even know they could do that stuff! At least he was honest. I don’t think the EP or general cardiologist ever read my report(s). They did not make it very easy for me when they learned that I had made an appointment out of-area. After 2 failed ablations, I would think they would have aby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey Translation: Does not know how and hasn't read the literature. You’ve got that right Carey!!by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
George, thank you for responding. I was diagnosed with AFIB in 2016. I was asymptomatic and treated with medications. My issue was always high heart rates. After my second failed ablation, I went into persistent AFIB. My heart rate would go into the 130s+140s but would always come down. The high rates could last for hours. During the 6 months in persistent AFIB/AFlutter, I knew I had toby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey Those were anesthesia-induced hallucinations, not auras. Auras are pretty predictable and follow patterns that don't involve objects like people, cars, etc. They're typically just colorful geometric shapes that kind of vibrate, often forming a shape like the letter C, but they can come in many forms. They're never recognizable objects. Carey, when I had my 2 failed ablby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteDaisy I think most of us have an enlarged left atrium as that goes with Afib. What does your echo say about how enlarged it is? There are some reports of it reducing in size after a successful ablation, though I think most of us just watch our echocardiograms for any changes. Dr. Natale wanted me to have an echocardiogram done for his review prior to my procedure in Austin. It came baby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey Those were anesthesia-induced hallucinations, not auras. Auras are pretty predictable and follow patterns that don't involve objects like people, cars, etc. They're typically just colorful geometric shapes that kind of vibrate, often forming a shape like the letter C, but they can come in many forms. They're never recognizable objects. Thank you, Carey, for providingby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey Can you describe the "visual hallucinations" you experienced? I've experienced both auras and actual anesthesia-induced hallucinations and they're quite different. When I closed my eyes I saw bright colored, vivid images. They were of many different random objects….people, cars, trees, etc. I do not quite remember, but I thing some were moving. I never experiencby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteDaisy I believe that the consensus is that these “auras” are associated with the transseptal puncture rather than CT scans with contrast though no one seems to know exactly why. I got them after the implantation of a MitraClip which involved a transseptal puncture but no CT a scan. I also had them after my index ablation—again no CT scan. I believe that Dr. Natale has commented on the appaby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Several months ago there was a post related to this. I did not respond, but now that Dr. Natale is using CT scans to replace some TEES post Watchman, I have been thinking about this. Before my ablation with Dr. Natale, I had a CT with contrast. He proceeded with the 2 1/2 hour ablation once he had the scan results. All went well with the ablation. However, the night of the the ablation and thby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have been dealing with a left atrium enlargement. It will be reassessed in six months. That will be one year after my watchman placement. Anything I can learn from anyone who has/is experiencing this is appreciated.by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotegloaming The only time I'd maybe take umbrage with that single word is if they had done a scan of my brain and reported seeing..... Great one, gloaming!by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks, Carey and gloaming. I did take the response NONE as good news! When thinking about it, though, I wondered if I should have received more detailed information. I am not sure why, except that I was overthinking again, Soooo, my first instinct was correct and that was great news.by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteThe Anti-Fib If it was me, I would get the report, then go from there. If there is something you don't understand, you could ask the Dr. at your next office visit, or even post a question about it here. How would you interpret the response “none” listed on my original post?by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteDaisy My pacemaker report is uploaded to the TCAI My Chart once a month and though some of it is over my head, most of it is easy to understand. For instance it will give the date and duration of any “Event” — like a couple of weeks after my ablation there might have been an entry that said 23 seconds of Afib. If there are no Events, it is NSR all the way. You could ask for your report to beby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteThe Anti-Fib Ask them for a copy of the report, just like when you could do with any other diagnostic test, like an Ultrasound. You may have to go in person. On mine, every HeartBeat was recorded, in miniature print. Thanks for the response. I appreciate it. I am wondering, though, how I would decipher the report myself. I would prefer that they do that and then tell me in detail what iby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Six months after a short touch-up ablation and Watchman implant, I was on a 7 day heart monitor. That is the protocol for the EP I see. I waited several weeks for the monitor results and finally reached out to them. I was given a very short general response, telling my average heart rate during that time and stating there was no significant arrhythmia burden noted. I then asked if the responby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey It doesn't take weeks. You need to talk to your NP contact and see what's going on. Carey, they have received the CD. I asked 3 times about the results. My TEE was 3/28.by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have been waiting for many weeks for Dr. Natale to review the images from a 6 month post Watchman TEE I had done by a cardiologist he referred me too. His nurse gave me the preliminary results from the written report. My main concern all along has been that the films will not meet his expectations and I would need to return to Austin. If that would be the case, I will have lost so much time kby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotesusan.d Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks CA where Natale performs his magic three days a month has an online patient portal that shows labs but not imaging nor procedures nor doctor reports such as ablations. One must send in a request for medical records and wait for them to be mailed or come back and pick the records up after a few days. Or wait for your follow up appointment in hiby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey Well, electronic medical records (EMR) aren't universally adopted yet, of course, but the acceptance rate in the US is so high that I haven't had a medical visit with anyone in several years where I had to request paper records or discs to be sent. So either the people who did your TEE or the doctor you're having the results sent to aren't on board yet. It happeby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey These days with electronic medical records you probably won't have to do a thing. Once the radiology place does the scan, it will appear on your medical record and be available to almost any doctor you see instantly, including Natale since he's the ordering physician. CDs are rarely mailed around these days. For example, I went to see a podiatrist recently for a caseby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Daisy and Susan for responding.by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am glad to hear about the CT option, Daisy! That was not given to me when I had my TEE 7 months ago. Do you know if his protocol is to have a 12 month TEE also? If so, I am assuming Dr. Natale would be fine with having both CTs done locally. I wonder if he has a referral letter for the CT like he does for the TEE, specifically stating what he is looking for. I am making the assumption thaby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotemtwomey Hi all, just a followup as this group as been very supportive and helpful to me (thank you). I will be out in Austin next week, having my ablation w/Dr. Natale on Wednesday. I'm excited but also nervous. The experience so far has given me nothing but confidence, but it's a first for me. I will also be traveling alone for this procedure, which I'm fine with - I have a hby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Carey, for responding. I will definitely be asking.by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for your response, George. I was told by a prior EP that it was for rate control during AFIB episodes. I was using metoprolol with it. Dr. Natale kept me on the dialtiazam. One of his APNPs told me he thought it was for rate control, but now I don’t know.by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey The definition is one year free of atrial arrhythmias without the use of antiarrhythmic drugs. Carey, some websites list oral diltiazem as an antiarrhythmic drug and others do not. If someone is one year free of arrhythmias, but still on diltiazem, would you consider that a successful ablation?by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
That is great news, gloaming! I look forward to hearing about your progress.by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Great news, gloaming. I, too, wish you the best!by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteAmara Those sound like great Medicare plans! I like that they are a PPO plan and let you travel out of state. I'm not yet on Medicare and have private insurance. . Amara, I am sorry I missed the part about you having private insurance. Maybe the information JakeL and I provided will be helpful in the future, Good luck with everything.by Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM