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Re: Progression question - 1 year ago

QuoteYuxi Are your taking strontium alone? how much? I recently started taking AlgaeCal, which has 360mg calcium as well as magnesium, vitamin D3, vitamin C, vitamin K2, and boron. I only take 1/4 of the suggested daily dose because I am also sensitive to calcium.. I also take the other supplements you are taking plus Biotin and a couple of other bone supplements.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Progression question - 1 year ago

QuoteYuxi Are you not concerned about your bone health without enough calcium intake? I have osteoporosis and was told to consume 1000mg calcium per day. Ugh, such a dilemma! I am also sensitive to calcium and my doctor recommended strontium instead (not radioactive!) and it doesn’t bother me.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Ablation Insurance/costs - 1 year ago

Quoteswhanson FuzzyDuck- My experience at St David's was very good. One surprise was that I was asked for a $2500 deposit payment when I arrived. I was able to put it on a credit card, but otherwise I didn't have means to pay that with me. Be prepared. Good luck. That must depend on your insurance—with Medicare I didn’t have to do this.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Ablation Insurance/costs - 1 year ago

St. David’s I presume? Best wishes for a successful ablation. And, enjoy the great food—something to look forward to if you are going through pre-ablation jitters!

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Ablation Insurance/costs - 1 year ago

quote=swhanson]How receptive are Ins companies to second, third ablations? I can only speak about US Medicare which pays in full (after adjustments and assuming you have a supplemental policy) no matter how many ablations you need.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Post-ablation impressions - 1 year ago

QuoteMel-O I wonder if my doctor plans to fit me with a Holter monitor. That will be revelatory. Have you been asked to send Kardia readings regularly since your ablation? Some EPs check on you this way initially.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Progression question - 1 year ago

QuoteShiny Sleeves I wondered what the experience of the people here is? Do you find this applies to you or what? I'm looking for personal experience and not what someone has told you. Is your avoiding of triggers having a good effect on you? My story is similar to Carey's. I avoided all triggers, took antiarrhythmic medications and still it slowly progressed for about 12 years until

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: shingles vaccine - 1 year ago

QuoteGeorgeN As others have noted, it is not something you'd want to experience. On the other hand, not to minimize the importance of vaccination, but when a shingles lesion appeared above my eyebrow, I immediately recognized what it was, went to urgent care, started Valtrex the same day, and it was gone in three days with hardly any symptoms. I know I am lucky, but just want to say that

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Post-ablation impressions - 1 year ago

QuoteMel-O Apparently the inside of the heart has no pain sensors! How else can they punch a hole through your septum between the atria and then scorch the lining yet it feels fine? Curious about this? I certainly felt pain for a short time in the Recovery Room until they gave me a hefty dose of Tylenol. They said that it was from the inflammation. They also give colchicine to help prevent it.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Post-ablation impressions - 1 year ago

Good for you Mel-O— pat yourself on the back and send roses to your EP! Enjoy your steady heart and baby your groin punctures for a few more days to protect against a hematoma. I also came out of it wondering why I had waited so long! Well, I have an excuse—mu local EP wasn’t in favor of ablations but thanks to all the experienced patients I met on forums, I made my own decision and self-referred

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Watchman Experience - 1 year ago

QuoteYeah he's that good! Thanks! A great story showing his commitment to patient care.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Watchman Experience - 1 year ago

QuoteMcHale Gotcha! Understood, his office called it a redo or touch-up ablation, my last ablation was 8 years ago. I did have that 4-5 day 110BPM flutter 3 years ago and my chest implant LINQ did catch a brief a few episodes. Yes it's good practice, I'm totally confidant with Natale My situation was similar and pre-procedure they termed it as a probable touchup plus Watchmen. I ha

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Watchman Experience - 1 year ago

QuoteYes they know its a priority, I spoke with Norma Natale's Nurse today and Shannon last week who was going to speak with Natale. I gave them my Prostate MRI report and they aware of my time restraints. Tip: if you go to Austin for your 6 week TEE after the Watchman, you usually get the results the same day. There were several of us scheduled for TEEs the day I was there and we had th

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Watchman Experience - 1 year ago

QuoteMy understanding is after 45 days of device placement, I should be good to go..... I don't want to put off the biopsy longer than 3 months..... I got a Watchman last April from Natale after an LAA isolation 6 months earlier and immediately after placing the Watchman, he put me on a half dose of Eliquis. When I returned for a TEE 6 to 8 weeks later he said I could hold that half dose

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: why am I taking diltiazem - 1 year ago

QuoteWhich is all why I'm leaning more toward the ablation so if I get lucky and get a one-and-done procedure I can quit the drugs and quit the ER visits. Seems like it is time, especially with your gut sensitivities. And as you will have read here, please go to the very best – the travel is well worth it!

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Cleveland Clinic & Dr. Santangeli - 1 year ago

QuoteRolfE I have been looking to possibly get an ablation by Dr. Natali, but as things goes they are very busy. Rolf He does have a cancellation list which often will get you in more quickly if you are able to be flexible with travel.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Sinus Rhythm with Wide QRS - 1 year ago

I can’t read an ECG to comment but there was a period when I got a lot of Sinus Rhythm with wide QRS and it was when Flecainide was giving me heart block. So, yes, just another topic to discuss with your EP. And George is right, keep an eye on your form when holding the Kardia.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: High BNP test results - 1 year ago

Quotecornerbax I wonder what percentage of people do have that issue and what percentage don't. I only had this (and it was intense) when my rate was very high--like over 150. That might or might not be true for others. As soon as I was on meds that lowered the rate, I never had it again.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: High BNP test results - 1 year ago

That was very hard for me too in the early days when I was getting Afib with RVR (Cardiologist had given me no meds!)—urinating about every half hour and near syncope as I made my way to the bathroom!

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: High BNP test results - 1 year ago

Quotecornerbax I searched BNP and to my surprise not a single post regarding it is on this forum. If you do an advanced search for BNP with all dates and all forums, you will find quite a lot of posts.

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Post ablation chest "tightness" - 1 year ago

QuoteShiny Sleeves I understand that after the procedure you may get some chest pain or chest tightness. I wondered if anyone could describe it to me and how much of a burden it is, how long it lasted for you, and anything else you can think of. As Carey said, most people don't feel this though many EPs will give you a course of colchicine before and after to lower inflammation which i

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Difficult choices: another ablation or stay on drug - 1 year ago

QuoteNoTrigger Daisy - my LAA was taken care of during the open heart surgery. Less tricky then I would imagine. I am getting a better understanding of my situation and why my EP, skilled as he is, was somewhat reluctant to do another ablation. Since I have had 3 (not counting the Maze) they know exactly what is going on. Unfortunately, each time they induce flutter, it jumps around and doesnt s

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Bisoprolol and now Breathlessness! - 1 year ago

QuoteShe said it would help us determine if Beta Blockers should be absolutely avoided, and if other drugs, like Flecainide, would be metabolized differently. It should give you that information. My results showed that Metoprolol should be completely avoided whereas Bystolic and Propranolol are okay and Carvedilol is use with caution. For Flecainide a 50% dose reduction was recommended. Interes

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: What does this EKG look like to you - 1 year ago

QuoteAs mentioned, you must pay $299 for the top tier plan as my Premium plan is $99/annually and still says Possible Afib and not ''Afib''. They must have changed their structure. I have never paid for a membership as I was grandfathered in as I bought my Kardia quite a few years ago. Evidently my membership corresponds to the $299 tier as I get 6 possible diagnoses and nev

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: What does this EKG look like to you - 1 year ago

QuoteUnclassified Sometimes, actually often, the unclassified tag is related to "noise," hands not in the optimal position etc. Natale's NP gave me a heads up on this. Try taking your reading in a room with no appliances or electronic interference. Also have your hands on a table right in front of you instead of below, and moisten your finger tips for good contact. At least with

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Difficult choices: another ablation or stay on drug - 1 year ago

QuoteNoTrigger He had said a few weeks ago that there wasn't any other places left to ablate but seems to have changed his mind. Ask him if ablated (isolated) the LAA—chances are he didn’t as that is a very tricky area to work with, but also sometimes the source of really stubborn arrhythmias. Natale isolated mine as it was such a source for me, and that was the move that got me back into

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Difficult choices: another ablation or stay on drug - 1 year ago

QuoteNoTrigger My EP is highly skilled in a major hospital in San Francisco and has suggested either lowering the dose or try for another ablation. He had said a few weeks ago that there wasn't any other places left to ablate but seems to have changed his mind. He has left it entirely up to me to decide. He is also very fond of the AV node/pacemaker option as well - ugh! Would appreciate s

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Ablation - 1 year ago

QuoteDini Sorry, I didn’t not mean rate control I meant antiarrthymic. He did tell me it your only be for 1 month. But I thought I remembered it was a powerful drug. Is multaq a better choice? I’ve had issues with flecainide. Multaq is about the mildest of the antiarrythmics with few side-effects. It took it for two months after my ablation with no problems. It hadn’t worked well for me befor

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Bisoprolol and now Breathlessness! - 1 year ago

Yes, and when I mentioned dose adjustments, with one of my genetic variations those were in the magnitude of reducing the dose by 3/4! Google pharmacogenomics and you can read more about it. With your reactions, I’d suspect that you have some significant variations. It just makes sense to test. For instance Natale tested his patients and found that 1/4 of them were non-responders to Plavix, on

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Bisoprolol and now Breathlessness! - 1 year ago

QuoteMeganMN I tried many of them for weeks/months, feeling awful the entire time. I'm tired. I don't know what I want to put up with as it all seems awful- no arrhythmia and feeling like poo, or arrhythmia and feeling like poo. My next options, according to EP, are.Verapamil, Tikosyn, Sotolol, or maybe another BB like Atenolol or Nebivolol. I expect, like everything else, they will b

by Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM