Hi Shannon, yes it's been a while. Still in NSR thankfully. I can't imagine how many people you've helped with your sage advice since I was last here.. a lot I am sure I wonder if Mandrola just likes the publicity. How is McHale - How ARE you McHale? (just watched the '86 Celtics footage again)by afhound99 - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yeah Afhound 99 (and good to hear from you!) ... Dr Mandrola is at it again , He brought up this crazy idea in an ongoing EP-oriented twitter conversation that a good number of top level EPs contribute too, including Drs. Natale, Amin Al Ahmad and Luigi DiBiase from St Davids most of us on this forum are familiar with, and EP Lab Director and elite level ablationist Dr Fermin Garcia and Dr. Paby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dr. John Mandrola "at it again"by afhound99 - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes Moerk, I realize this was Dr Mandrola's article and lead in you quoted above and I corrected one word in my reply above to clarify that. What Dr Mandrola fails to even point out in his review that implies that avoiding an ablation (when all other methods have failed to deliver a durable lasting unbroken life of NSR), might still be his preference, is that he does not state or even seby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
-- The title is Dr. Mandrola's, not mine. -- Quoting Dr. Mandrola's text: In the first article, I discussed the good and bad of AF ablation. The good being the increase in quality of life seen in about two-thirds of patients who have ablation. The bad being a study from a Japanese registry which found 1 in 3 patients sustained post-procedural “sub-clinical cerebral ischemic” lesioby Anonymous User - AFIBBERS FORUM
Big news in AF ablation from HRS 2016 By EP Dr. John Mandrola M.D. May 16, 2016 By Dr John. Filed Under: AF ablation, Atrial fibrillation, Doctoring I have recently returned from the 2016 Heart Rhythm Society Sessions in San Francisco. IMG_2201 I wrote three articles for Medscape. I also did two podcasts from HRS. I will link these below. You need to sign up for Medscape (free) to reby Moerk - Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
I read in Consumer Reports Health today that women are at much higher risk of stroke, heart failure, and other ills from afib than men are. That worries me. Incidentally, almost all the AFIB research I read about is done on men. I don't even think it's being studied much in women. Maybe my EP is going to put me on warfarin when I see him in May (for a routine checkup). By the wby Diane98683 - AFIBBERS FORUM
Wow Shannon - that was a great article and strong response! Excellent job. I will join the many who thank you from the bottom of our hearts - (all the way to the LAA, wherever that is..haha)..but truly...THANK YOU for all that you do for all of us here. And a belated happy birthday to Magdelena! ~ Barbby tobherd - AFIBBERS FORUM
It's been nine weeks since my ablation with Dr. Schweikert, and all is well. I'm been off the rythmol for over a month - my weekly EKG transmissions have been normal (albeit with a higher heart rate in the upper 80s), and I go off the lopressor in a month. Other than occasional PACs, it's been bliss so far after 7 years of not knowing when afib would appear. I am truly thankfby Doreen - AFIBBERS FORUM
Excellent, Shannon! Bravo! I am delighted and gratified that you responded. Dr John's position has been aggravating me for awhile, and I've been hoping you would respond. Thank you! Louiseby Louise Emerson - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank You Shannon. I believe you did a wonderful job of explaining your, (our) position on this important topic. Here's to a happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. Johnby JohnB - AFIBBERS FORUM
What a Gem you are! Bravo! McHaleby McHale - AFIBBERS FORUM
You are welcome Dee, And sorry it took me two days after my Medscape letter to the editor came out to share some of this background. It was Magdalena's birthday yesterday and I have been more than swamped with the AFIB Report, and these back to back articles both coming out this same week of all things, in any event. Needed a good day off yesterday :-) Hopefully, some of those who havby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well said Shannon, Thanks for taking the time to explain things. Deeby Dee - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Folks for the kind words, This was a difficult article for me to write and I certainly never anticipated, nor ever wanted, to have to rebut someone else's writing on a mutual topic of interest. I want to underscore, too, that I respect Dr Mandrola's efforts to inform his readers in his regular blog space, and I do agree with quite a few of his ideas and viewpoints and realizeby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well done Shannon!by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for posting! To Shannon----As always, AWESOME response! Thanks for being our advocate. Sincerely, Kenby kls5834 - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Dennis! Shannon, you did an excellent job!! Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Shannon rebuts Dr Mandrola's opinion featured in his Trials and Fribrillations column in this powerfully written article. Now the readers of Medscape know what we have known for years that Shannon is committed patient advocate and valuable resource.for AF patients! Dennisby DennisC - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks so much for all of your responses! You guys are seriously amazing. I actually was prescribed flecainide 200mg (I am 115 lbs) and metoprolol 25mgs to take as pill in the pocket when I go into afib by the second doctor that I saw. I didn't take it during my most recent episode because I was too freaked out to take it at 3am and then go back to bed. Sounds like I need to get overby AnneM - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Anne, I am in KY and I have talked with Dr. Mandrola in Louisville. He is really an awesome doc with some different approaches. to his credit he actually experienced a lone (??) episode of afib, so he is very understanding. I think just talking to different docs can help. Just gives you a bigger picture. My doctor is in Lexington, KY (Dr. Tomassoni) he is very talented and has helped me aby tsco - AFIBBERS FORUM
Welcome Anne, Here are some of my thoughts. 1. I'm pretty self-directed, though early on did have a GP that was very supportive. 2. I'm not sure I'd travel at this stage. Natale is certainly the guy for an ablation, but you're not there yet. Other than reading his blog sometimes, don't know Mandrola. I think he is a nice, bright guy, but not sure he'd bby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Perfectly well said Researcher, right on the mark! I am just back home from Kansas City and returned home last night and am reviewing both this article, and a follow up shorter one on the same topic that Dr. Mandrola put out yesterday that is even more in need of rebuttal in my view. I am writing a formal rebuttal to both right now and will post them here too in this thread likely tomorroby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dr. John Mandrola's current Newsletter: In AF ablation, ask tough questions about left atrial appendage isolation Posted: 14 Sep 2015 05:54 AM PDT A study presented recently at the 2015 European Society of Cardiology meeting promoted electrical isolation of the left atrial appendage as a useful strategy for the ablation of long-standing persistent AF. The study came from an influenby Anonymous User - AFIBBERS FORUM
Like George wrote, Mandrola was using Santageli and Marchlinski as examples for skill level required to do VT/PVC ablations, and did not in anyway imply their skills are superior to other VT ablation elites. I have not read the referred article yet but it looks like an important article about a shift in the thinking the PVC's as non-benign symptoms of potential cardiomyopathy and potentialby researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Any idea why Dr. Mandrola (EP) mentioned Santageli and Marchlinksi as elite ablationists, and not Natale? This occurred in Mandrola's Aug 13, 2015 Medscape article PVCs: Modifiable Risk Factor for Heart Failure . . . Maybe QuoteDr. Mandrola Until we learn more, and until all operators move catheters with the skill of Santangeli and Marchlinksi, it seems best to rely on three basic rby apache - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteThe Anti-Fib I'm thinking that Natale's Ablations are known for that side effect. I dunno. Even John Mandrola says to expect this change. Could be a positive sign. Quote6. Resting heart rate changes: The resting heart rate can increase in the weeks or months after ablation. The increase is usually 10-20 beats per minute more than pre-procedure levels. This phenomenon uby alangford - AFIBBERS FORUM
Aside from Dr. John Mandrola, who himself had afib (although apparently only 1 incident), does anyone know of any EP's who themselves have afib? And more to the point, do you know of any EP's who have an ablation performed on themselves? (Not self-performed, performed by another EP, obviously). I'm hoping the answer is "yes" (and I'm assuming that those EPby apache - AFIBBERS FORUM
The natural healing force within is the greatest force in getting well. Let food be thy medicine. Hippocrates, circa 400 BC Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis [1994] by Alan R. Gaby MD, MSc (biochem) provides insight into preventing and reversing atrial fibrotic remodeling, thus reversing, or avoiding, AF. In this important book Dr Gaby explains that “bone is active, living tissue, continby Anonymous User - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Monty - Regarding your apprehension over the TEE.... I've had at least six of them and not found any to be a traumatic experience with no after-effects of pain or throat discomfort. I was either lightly sedated or fully sedated for all at various heart centers and they all seemed to use similar protocols. I certainly hope the expertise at Bordeaux is similar for you and I wish you the bby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM