When Dr Natale ablated me 8-6-21 he had me only on eliquis. He also told me to not count anything for 6-8 weeks. At week 2-3 i had an episode that lasted a few hours but self converted. Of course i counted it lol. Ive been NSR since 8 plus monthsby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think for me and Jay and Susan and Barb! Lol we all just got the Watchman Flex and an article like this catches my attention for sure. Knowing Mandrol s similar history of bad news articles. Of course none of us are guaranteed a 100% safe procedure of any kind. Mandrola absolutely grasps at as Jay says - bad news sells. Having a guy like Natale do the Watchman then the TEEs etc helps ensure a gby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
I read the article. For me im not alarmed at all. Manrola seems to thrive on dark news if he can find itby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
During the past 12 months ive had: 2 atypical flutter ablations 2 cardioversions 2 ct scans 1 echocardiogram 1 watchman procedure 2 TEEs 3 trips Charlotte to Austin and back multiple ER trips and Covid!!! 12/29 - 1/10 But……Dr Natale s 8-6-21 flutter ablation so far is durable. He put a Watchman Flex in me 2/16. My 6 weeks TEE was 3/31 here by Dr Holshouser who called me yesterday to say: the watby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
A watchman is almost always for people that have an LAA isolation or cannot tolerate anticoagulant meds Most afib ablations rarely involve the LAA. The appendage is ablated in left flutter or maybe persistent afib. I get what you are experiencing! Been there. My adice again. Make a plan. Slow down. Get a date. Go for some therapy. I did! And feel confident you ll get fixed. Cause you will!by Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sorry for the delay. George asked me to chime in. Carey put it well. Im a type A driven perfectionist. Sounds good but isnt. My past 12 months was hell: 2 ablations 2 ct scans 3 trips to Austin 1 Watchman procedure 2 cardioversions 2 TEEs and covid!!! I sought therapy and its helped alot. I agree that anxiety panic adrenaline can absolutely contribute to afib pvc s pac s flutter etc. getting ablaby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Also yesterday i refused the throat spray. He did say it might help with gliding the scope he but had no problem with me not getting it. My throat is a tad irritated but little He read the ingredients after i stated no!!! Stimulating anything. He didnt seem to guarantee that as the list was at least 10 things i cant pronounceby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
From Dr Holshouser’s office this morning the report says : Watchman well seated and occulded. But more details to come. Ill assume occulded means sealed? Anyway his nurse read the report and sent me a 😀 faceby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Carey! I feel betterby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Im home from my TEE 6 week post Natale watchman placement. Well the cardiologist was gone when i woke up. No results. Now im told theyll be sent to Dr Holshouser then Dr Natale. Ive already sent a portal request to Dr Holshouser. I woulda liked at least an initial interpretation I hate waiting. Watchman Flex has on average a 10% leak risk. Maybe Dr Natale is a little lower? No leaks on day oby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thankyou Barb. My 6 week TEE at 1 pm today so your post is timely. Of course ill need to see wether my Watchman is leak free but i kinda knew about the 6 month TEE. Its interesting to me that there would be a leak at 6 months when none was there at 6 weeks but it must be possible. Anyway happy for you!by Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thankyou Shannon for sharing this news. It saddens me for sure as Dr Natale has done 2 procedures on me since August I talked with him alot and shared a few laughs. We even talked about Italy as wifev& I vacationed there a few yrs ago. Ill be sure when appropriate to write him Tomby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Just speaking for me: after my 3/29/21 failed ablation by late May i Me. I. Decided i wanted to go to Dr Natale as id learned of him many yrs ago on this site. He began at the Cleveland clinic btw. So i advised my EP here who i have a 12 yr relationship with & love him. He was totally supportive. So in May Austin called me with a 7/5/21 date. I went. Natale sent me home lol. Saying he wasby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
The entire goal of an effective ablation is to no longer rely on meds like propafanone or flecanide or multaq etc. maybe theyre taken for a short period ? But after 3-6 months no Work on scheduling!by Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
I took no. Zero anti arrhythmia meds. I was on eliquis due to my LAA being isolated. Flutter a different animal than afib so this is not apples to apples. You have afib. A much easier fix than left atrial flutter. But i had afib too so both! But since 8/6/21 zippo episodes. Im Very pro ablation. Imo you shoulda been ablated a while back but its never too late with elite EPs Im Strong on opby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
After my ablation in 2012 i went 9 years before developing atrial flutter. During those 9 yrs my EP did just that. Eliquis as soon as i started any episode which were 1-3 a year lasting 30 mins to a few hours. So i just kept it on hand. I though know immediately if an episode begins as all. ALL have been 115-155 bpm. So im in the camp of pip unless you are unaware of being out of rythm. Slow quby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Natale. My EP here in Charlotte I hold in high regard. A rocket scientist. But…..after a failed atypical flutter ablation 3/29/21 he said - “ go to Natale”. I did 8-6-21. 8 months of perfectionby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
That is wonderful news Susan we re happy for you ! Nice that it went so quick too. My TEE is Thursday at 1. Here in Charlotte then disk transmitted to Austinby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Great question! Carey has addessed this before saying in Europe they do nothing but here protocol varies and that cardiology seems to have a need to do something! Lots of variables like: another TEE at 6 months? Another at 1 yr? I cant wait to see answers. Im sure Watchman has a recommended protocol alsoby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Natale told me that after LAA is isolated as was mine 8-6-21 that the odds of it being functional at 6 months was maybe 20%. He basically told me to forget it. He was correct. He called mine silent when he did my Watchman. A dead fish. Thats the great thing about him. Hes seen it all. He knows. The human heart to him is us brewing coffeeby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
In the past ive had propofol or brevitol for cardioversions. I definitely was out. For my Watchman in Austin i asked the anesthesiologist what they use: propofol first so Carey is correct. After that its another sedating med. All good stuff!!by Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
My research seems to indicate that its epinephrine that causes the heart to speed up. Just like at the dentist so i think we re ok BTW ill set the new alltime Afibbers record for being put under in 1 year: 6. 2 ablations 2 cardioversions 1 watchman 1 TEE. Shannon can just mail Me my Gold Medalby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barb just had hers she should know. What jay is saying sounds like they do spray us down!by Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes im sure we ll be propofoledby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Im having my 6 week post watchman TEE next week 3/31. Do they spray your throat with Lidocaine??? Is that not stimulating as is novacaine??? Ill ask but i dont want it! Ive had 2 TEE s since 2005 but was under prior to cardioversion. Dr Natale agreed to let my EP Dr Holshouser do it here in Charlotte then results Are sent to Austin per their instructionsby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
George i guess ive watched you here for years and you’ve managed it. I know no cure but the tweaking etc is pretty amazingby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
So Kirk. My point is this: your gastro issues could be due to long covid but caused by mental trauma not a real tissue damage physical condition. Just my personal opinion from experience. I even had 2 days of fever weeks after covid. Why? Psychogenic fever. A real thing. Not every single heath malady has a physical damage cause. Our minds make water come out of our eyes. Our minds increase HR.by Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM
Here s my 2 cents. No 1 George is in my top 3 most respected people on this site. Incredible. I had covid 12/29-1/10. Rough. But no hospital no meds etc. for The next 4 weeks i had rapid heart beat headaches numb feet fatigue: i HAD long covid!!! My opinion now: there is no such thing as long covid. It cannot be diagnosed. What I believe happens : our autonomic nervous system is reved up due toby Poppino - AFIBBERS FORUM