My mother was diagnosed AFIB about twelve years ago when she was being treated for Aortic Stenosis. The dread that engulfed me when I saw her monitors beep afib every once in a while was the start of her permanent condition. She lived with it, was asymptomatic for the most part but I agonized over it knowing full well it would weaken her heart. A cardioverion lasted all of 24-48 hours so it wasby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
After my ablation in Texas I had my followup TEE at Montifiore here in the Bronx, they tried for 20 mins to SHOVE that elephant trunk down my throat...Horrible! They claimed no anesthesiologist was on duty! The next followup I made sure Dr Di Biase scheduled it with the use of propofol, piece of cake. McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hey Shannon, My main concern at this point is a closure device such as the Watchman, I already had the Cat Scan done when we were at St David's during my ablation. Thanks, McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello All, Been gone for a while here working too much and been taking care of a sick mom who passed in February. After 3 years and 3 months my battery life is almost gone after my Linq was implanted at St Davids after my 2nd ablation and LAA isolation by Dr Natale March 1 2016. My first ablation was back in New York with Dr Natale May 2013. Basically AFIB free, just two somewhat detectable 2by McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Natale just read my CAT scan from 2 years ago when I had my LAA isolated. Guess what ...I have a chicken wing morphology but I suffered a TIA 7 years ago before my first ablation. Thankfully it was a 5min episode where I couldn't speak, a micro-infraction that had no lasting damage. Maybe if I had one of the other three i'd be paralyzed or dead but nontheless I suffered a stroke!by McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have the Empire Plan-New York State United Healthcare/BCBS Swell, McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yep I',m in the same boat, coming up on my two year touch up ablation with Shannon at my side. McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dennis, Secretive group.....are you some kind of law enforcement officer....... McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'm in a similar dilemma....... McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
I pay almost nothing for Xarelto....I think it was $30 for a 90 day supply. McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hey Clay, Glad you're on the other side finally. It's a cakewalk with the Maestro......Dr Natale. Yep even with paroxysmal afib its not usually confined to the PV's if you wait too long. Best, McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dr Natale told be stay on Xarelto and not switch to Eliquis after my 2nd touch-up ablation with him....well it was more extensive then touch-up! I now have low flow velocity from my LAA but afib free.by McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
AliveCor is an excellent app, will almost always detect afib....However as I found out recently it can misinterpret PVC's as AFIB especially if you get them as trigeminy and bigeminy pattern. This however didn't fool Natale as he was able to read thru the noise and ordered up a 12 lead ecg which confirmed this. I've had a nasty run of these as of late. McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Clay, Glad you made the right decision and realized FIRM is a pipe dream at the moment. I got ablated Tuesday March 2 and decided to drive to the Alamo March 4 Thursday morning about 80 miles McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'll be at Montifiore,Bronx NY w Dr Di Biase and Dr Garcia who will perform my TEE this Wednesday after my LAA isolation at St David's with Dr N March 1. Just had my two year stress test Friday which I was told looked excellent, waiting on the Stress-Echo Test results to see the parameters and actually results. McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Flecanide also causes 1rst deg heart block. McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Shannon, Wow I should come here more often, sorry to hear of this recent episode as if you haven't been thru enough to deal with with your afib, lariat leak and ankle! All the while taking caring of us as if we were your family! I too have been getting streaks of rainbow like lights flashing in a as you put in a "thin crescent moon shape flash in the far right periphery of my vision&qby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
I drink moderate amounts of coffee with no issues. Many articles on anti-arrhythmic effects of coffee. McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think Dr John has been smoking some good stuff the last few years.....really everything is connected..Wow! The remodeling process is complex. It happens inside the atrial cells (ion channels), between the cells, in the scaffold surrounding the cells and in the nerve endings connected to the cells. It is so NOT one thing. But why it occurs is not mysterious at all. Remodeling occurs becausby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ken said: Wouldn't 1 round with the good doctor and afib free be a better definition of success? I am not knocking Natale, but repeat ablations seem to be the norm, which I am hoping is not true in my case. Well I waited for 4 years before having a PVAI and I also stroked out before I finally got it done.My disease spread out beyond the Pulmonary veins into my CS and back wall etc.....by McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
How do we measure ablation success? NATALE! 2 Rounds with the good doctor and afib free Just a walk in the park IMHO! McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hey Dennis, Greetings from Santorini Greece. Heading back to Lesvos Island tomorrow afternoon. All good to hear you're enjoying life again! Thanks for your emotional support when I went for round two in Austin! Yep who is that guy in Texas....... Your friend from New York! McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
JohnB, Good news indeed, hopefully he's found a way of refining his LAA isolation technique to preserver contractile function. That reminds me to pop a Zarelto now and to followup with Christina to schedule my 6 month TEE at Monterfiore here in NY. Hoping for the same good news but regardless its wonderful to be in NSR McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hey my good old friend AFhound, Good to hear from you and you're doing good and in NSR.. 'm doing well now, had a touch-up March 1. But I was totally devastated , not expecting a first attack would last 35 days but rather a few mins at first......but NO!!!......it last 35days! So I contact Jimmy Olsen who got in touch with Superman....and I was in Austin Texas on Super Tuesday forby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Clay, Melanie has still not released more info on Dr. Miller's presentation, and should have it today or tomorrow she told you....that was three weeks ago? Maybe she's busy as I know she has lots on her plate,..but with all due respect maybe she's now realizing there is nothing special about FIRM, just longer procedure times especially after chasing all those disappearing rotors oby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Evidently nothing can beat Natale's magical hands; not robotics or sensing catheters. Bulkier and harder to maneuver into tight areas too I read. I had no reconnections of my index PVI prior to my second ablation after 30 months with the Meastro at St David's March 1 as is the case with most of his patients. He did tell me at St Lukes after my 30 day followup he just hasn't seenby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
The Maestro........The Wizard sounds good too! McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
I stopped my Mutaq today after 2 months removed from my second more than a touch-up ablation. McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
Smackman, Have no fear Superman is near! I too was shot thru the heart with high rate flutter after 2.5.years in blissful NSR with not as much as a hint of trouble on Dec 1. My heart rate took off and I waited 5, 10, 15, mins, then 1 2 3 4 5 6 hours to stop but it was off to the races lasted 36 days till I got Zapped again. Totally devastated , not expecting a first attack would last 35 dby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM