I posted many times on this site about my experience with potassium. I used a cardymeter very successfully and like Shannon I took it with me to the lab whenever I had a blood draw, and would take a cardy reading right after, and found it to be remarkably accurate. This was the older model. I never ever took a cavalier approach to supplementing K, and in fact cautioned quite often about it.by RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
I interviewed three clinics and was able to obtain written information from each of them in regards to their statistics. Bordeaux will provide this to you, and their stats are impressive. You can simply phone or email them and ask for their brochure and statistics. Ronby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
I caught my heart rate with a holter monitor at 279 beats a minute. I was givn er hard at the time it happened. My doctor said to never, ever, do what I was doing again or I could die. At that moment I made the decision to have the long overdue ablation. Pr Jais in Bordeaux also looked at the results and asked "what were you doing??" I know I had pushed myself to this kind of a limby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Congrats again Monty - you must be feeling pretty good about things by now. They will let you out to walk outside, and some fresh air will be good at this time. As everyone else has mentioned, it is a good time to be gentle with yourself. I know there are others who became very active shortly after the ablation, and I was one of them after my first one. After having to climb back up on the stby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
What a good thing you are doing Monty. You are in good hands. All the best. Ronby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Monty - ditto to Mork's comment about Potassium. Hard heart beats plagued me before and after my ablation. I had the benefit of owning a Cardy meter and with it I was able to confirm that the hard heart beat was consistent with times when K was low, or occasionally high. You will be in such good hands when you get into the hospital in Bordeaux. They test and re-test everything so ifby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Monty - the strolling around is not an issue, in fact it is good for you. The food was a problem for me - constantly eating in restaurants contributed to indigestion and relapse. I don't know how to solve this in Paris, but be careful. Same with the mountain biking if it is too vigorous. I know you will hear stories about people who got right back into it and had no problem. My questby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Travis - I don't know the why's, but at 50bbm you likely have sinus bradycardia, as I do / did. Pr. Jais in Bordeaux who did my ablation said that an ablation "favors" those with sinus bradycardia, as it brings the heart rate up. I felt this was not a bad thing because I was previously more prone to going into afib when my heart rate dropped into the 40's. After theby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Monty I just sent you a PM with my phone number. My apology for missing your post earlier. I have had a very good outcome from my journey to Bordeaux. If I had to do it again I would thoroughly search throughout Canada to see if there is an EP who may have developed a superior experience and success rate, and try to do it here. I sort of doubt that is the case yet, but I would again put theby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie - all the best wishes to you. I am only on this forum periodically now as: a) my afib is calm, and b) life has caused me to be very busy with some other issues. You were such a support to me during my struggles and through my ablation and repeat in 2013, and I can only hope that you are now done with it. Here's a little story, about my repeat ablation, that might bring a smile.by RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Sam - as George mentioned I traveled from Canada to Bordeaux. Although I had some anxiety while there I would say the overall experience, and especially the outcome was good. I first of all had a good doctor back home who was supportive of me going there. I also had some definitive holter monitor tests that I was able to package up and send to Bordeaux. I contacted Laurence Bayle and sby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gill - your similar post 3 years ago was one of the deciding factors in my decision to travel from Canada to Bordeaux for my ablation with PR Jais in 2013. I couldn't be happier. Thanks to you, Ronby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Judianne I went through the same thing. My ablation was scheduled in Bordeaux and I was trying desperatly to get my INR in range with warafin, but was not successful. I travelled for the proceedure anyhow and they used Heparin injections as an anticoagulant for the operation. I stayed on it for a period of time after the ablations and my good wife gave me the injections. To the crew in Bordeaby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Paul - there are many things to consider, but I will mention only one that may be of interest to you. There is a lot of supporting anecdotal information that endurance type of exercise is not at all good for afib, and perhaps not good for your overall health. The stress it puts on our bodies seems to be cumulative. As well it causes an increase in free radicals. There is also theory thby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Duke, I was probably over active after my firs ablation, and besides I was in Bordeaux and not as able to look after things as well as I would have liked while I was travelling. Whether it was bound to happen, or I encouraged the downfall, I had the rather un-joyous experience of climbing back up on that stainless steel table again for a re-do. As I mentioned in previous threads, I had the sby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Also I should chime in that I am 14 months post ablation. Both of mine were done by Pr. Jais in 2013, and today I am in a very happy state of NSR. Ronby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barry there is a test specific for iodine that I have taken. As always, it is best to "test don't guess" when it comes to self medicating, and of course when the appropriate test is available. My understanding is in full agreement with you that iodine is mandatory for thyroid and overall health. It is added to salt, so when many of us stop consuming foods that are processed andby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
"it so the patient often merely does not feel the palpatations, and thinks that their still in NSR." Anti Afib - I am very interested to know more about the basis for the above statement. Do you know this to be a fact? (Are you in a position of knowledge - ie a medical scientist or doctor)? I most definitely feel that I am in NSR continuously post ablation as I check my pulse at aby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
I was there last summer. I was in such a fog that I can't remember the final lab work they did, but I do not believe they did it on the day. I had a TEE in Canada before travelling. You are going to be in great hands. Ronby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Fabulous device and worth every penny. My potassium levels varied a lot throughout a 24 hour period. K is the only electrolyte we can easily monitor at home, but you can infer from your testing that your other electrolytes are likely out of balance too. The meter is only one part of the puzzle. One of the first duties is to get your magnesium levels up. Do this orally, with topical sprays anby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Mark - another thing to watch for is that anti arrhythmia drugs can create or exasperate your sinus bradycardia. A cardiologist prescribed bisoprolol and when I did my research, the manufacturer warned against using it if you have bradycardia. I argued with him briefly before firing him and carrying on to have an ablation on my own ticket. Another interesting tidbit is that, in the wordsby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Wow Paul that is quite an excruciating journey. I'm quickly approaching my one year Pr. Jais ablation, and I couldn't be happier. I too did lots of research and interviewed a number of local (western Canada) EP's. Along the way I was given lots of song and dance about what drugs I had to be on before they would operate here. I didn't buy it. The icing on the cake was beinby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Congrats Smack. Nice to wind down off the meds. Randy, I had my ablation in Bordeaux. They have several different protocol than the US ablation community, but are considered one of the top facilities in the world. They took me off Xeralto after about 6 weeks post ablation. I huge difference for me going forward from my ablation is that as a result of having a NutrEval, Exatest, thyroby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Morpheus - for my ablation(s) I used the guy who teaches many of the EP's - Pr Jais in Bordeaux. I made a good choice, now the rest is up to me not to screw it up! Ronby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
As I recall, the written information from Bordeaux states they have not experienced any mortality. Ronby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Liz - that is my feeling, that scooping a bunch of potasium into your system is not a good idea unless you are testing. It is possible to get too much potassium in your system. The sensation is very close to being too low. I can differentiate now because of checking with the Cardy so often, but without it there is no way I would be able to tell that a run of PAC's was accompanied by a lowby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Shannon - you mentioned Dr Verma in Canada, and this is the first that I have heard that there could be a top tier ablationist EP IN Canada. Do you know much about Dr Verma and his track record? I have been successfully ablated, but am keeping my eye open just in case, as I would not want to take the trip back to Bordeaux if there is an alternative where Medicare would covert he expense. Thby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Nancy here is my experience with the PPI after my ablation in Bordeaux. I was prescribed Nexium for one month. I went into the operation still experiencing quite a bit of stomach upset that would trigger afib. I am staunchly anti pharmaceutical, so it was with great reluctance that I filled the prescription, and I was not diligent in taking them. I relapsed 6 times over the next month, aby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Smackman - There is a growing body of evidence against the use of statin drugs (Lipitor). One strong opinion is found in the book called Cholesterol Clarity www.cholesterolclarity.com. This is a drug that has provided huge profit for the pharmaceutical companies, so any "studies" they provide are suspect. I can't comment on your need for it, but it may be worth doing someby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gill - your similar 2012 post came through at time when I was at my darkest moment, so I printed it out and keep it in a small stack of other poignant messages that I use for inspiration now and then. You helped with my decision to travel from western Canada to Bordeaux for my first ablation on June 3 and second one on July 8th - and now 6 months later I am in bliss! The journey was not withoby RonB - AFIBBERS FORUM