Based on a few others who have posted - I agree with Gordon on the age factor. They do ablations at 80 if the patient is healthy so you have time to make a decision if that's the route you choose to go. Good luck. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
benj - If I were you, I'd make the contact back with Dr. Pinski, but delay doing any procedures until you are sure this is a continual occurrence. It may still be too early to jump into a second ablation. I'd err on the side of caution even though we all have great confidence in the skill of Dr. P. I agree with George about trying the on demand protocol - I find that the use of the Bby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Robert - I presume you are doing the garlic for the antiplatelet activity? I have the A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions and it says under garlic that: Garlic has been shown to help prevent atherosclerosis perhaps by reducing the ability of the platelets to stick together. Interferring with the action of platelets results in an incrase in the tendency toward bleeding. Standardized eby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Robin - I agree with Marian that finding an EP will be worth the drive. How far are you from NYC? Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Carol- I'm just guessing but because of your previous history of having a stroke, I would think that is why they didn't risk putting you under anesthesia - so they could be able to give you immediate attention should you suffer another moving clot. Others have told that at Bordeaux the anesthesia is also minimal and the pain is fairly significant and I believe the one from India saidby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Scott - not long after Dr. Natale relocated to the SF area, one of our posters was able to have ablation there... check this and ws very satisfied. You canprobably contact him directly. Good luck. FWIW - when I had my ablation 4 years ago, I had light sedation. They don't want you to be totally under because you need to be able to respond if they need you to do that. There were aby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Elaine - I'm sorry to see you are having such a time of controlling the afib. To answer your question...yes I would do it again but only with either Dr. Natale or one of the other top EPs... you mention Dr. Pinski as a possibility - I'd definitely have a consult with him quickly and then decide after you hear what he has to say. Several of the afibbers here have glowing reports to offby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Wil - the sensations may or not may not be imaginary with the atrial tach. As I've mentioned previously, I gets short runs occasionally of sinus tachy and I'm definitely not imagining those and they were caught on the holter and diagnosed for me by Dr. Natale. I feel them; ignore them. I figure after an ablation, my heart is probably not ever going to act as it did before AF or abby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Kate - read this on taurine and see if you find something there that indicates why it would be reactive when added to Red Bull.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
John - I definitely know that it's perfectly okay to take supplemental magnesium without additional calcium. The reverse, however, is not okay. The issue of free calcium becomes important and calcium that is not directed into bones where it belongs is free to deposit in soft tissue as bone spurs or arteries and large blood vessels like the aorta. All this becomes relative in the management ofby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Peggy - you are undoubtedly correct. The info on Toprol XL says not to crush but you can divide the tablet. So, most likely, the chewing or crushing negates the extended release..... no matter...it works just fine for the purpose intended.... lowering the HR quickly to facilitate conversion with the antiarrhythmic. Gregg - That's what was prescribed as preferred by Dr. Natale. He didn&by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Liz - I think it's important to state how various supplements affect us individually as we are all unique and have different reactions. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Anna - Among those posting here who have managed to eliminate the afib symptoms with diet and lifestyle changes, they have all reported it coming back when all conditions are right for it to do so. Ablation just renders you asymptomatic. It does not correct the impulses from forming .. it's just that after ablation, typically, they can't go anywhere ...unless of course, some of the bby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
John - calcium and magnesium should be taken together... but I don't recommend any afibber taking extra calcium until they know their IC level of magnesium because of the very high tendency for calcium to occupy and dominate the cell rather than the magnesium...especially if one is at all low or deficient. You could have answered your own dilemma. If I were you, I'd stop the calciumby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jimmie - That's a great report. Please keep us informed regarding your healing progress. Nice way to start the New Year! Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barb - glad to know this - I woudn't either - but it's good in a pinch and good to have on hand if someone gets the flu and has diarrhea. Your drink would be a better option to keep on hand. However, the most available emergency drink is apt to be Gatorade and it's fine to take that in a situation where one is dehydrated and risks afib, MI or worse. I did a google on Sustainby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes - it does help boost the immune system. I'm working as quickly as I can to get these segments out... and have them relatively short... this is a huge topic - there are countless numbers of books on the topic and I'm working to combine about 4 of the well known authorities to give you a sort of compilation of what some of the best 'heads' say. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - I have no explanation as to why the XL - but it does get in quickly... within 20 minutes or half an hour, my HR is always slowing down. To help that along - I always chew it and wash down with water. Others here have crushed the tablet in water for the same purpose. It lasts long enough so that if the first dose of flecanide doesn't work, then I can add a second dose of 100 mgby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Kate - I'm sorry to read this. I do not know of any such reaction, but anything is possible, I suppose. Stop the taurine and see if that eliminates the terrors.... if so, then it's either something in the product itself - an impurity - or an incompatibity with your biochemistry. I think taking it during the day may be helpful as well. You'll have to experiement, although I woulby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Anna - I've had an ablation and that was before I committed to gluten free eating... and sorry to say even with that, I've had some breakthrough arrhythmia. However, the big plus for my body is far less inflammation and pain that was manifesting as fibromyalgia pain. I used to have sinusitis-like symptoms which are also gone and I also had some occasional migraine-like headaches.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dennis - the mechanism on how it works is described in this first post.. <. Rogers> I'll be covering more as I go on with this. It's hard not to re-write the many books on the topic in a few posts but I'm trying to summarize the highlights. The most important thing to do is determine if there is under or over-stomach acid production... and also if you have H.pylori whichby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
This is very true Mark. One of the projects that the national dental association (ADA) took on years ago was to create awareness in patients who were users of tobacco or smokeless tobacco. On my operatory bulletin board I had some dramatic (gross) photos of the manifestations of oral cancer brought on by smokeless tobacco. I had a couple of the blackend and stiff lungs from autopsy compared toby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
You are absolutely right, Mark, every afibber is striving to make substantial gains in health improvement in the hope that something will reflect in the status of their afib. In the case of UTIs, I recommended Isabelle get on a good probiotic immediately as antibiotics destroy a major portiion if not all good bowel flora and it's known that because of the close proximity of the intestine toby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jean - I doubt if anyone will make that blanket statement. We deal with tendencies rather than absolutes. In view of the various stages of health or non-health and blood viscosity - thickness of blood - plus inflammatory factors in the blood or other cardiovascular risk factors that can be present in any one individual at any given time, it would be impossible and also unwise to make a blaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Isabelle - yes - get some probiotics. I'll email you since this is off topic. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Kate - I've had a monitor for a very long time. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jean - we're discussing here those events that last longer than 48 hours. At least for my EP and cardiologists at the CCF, they never wanted me to be in AF longer than 48 hours if not on warfarin because the thinking is the longer the heart is fibrillating, the more potential there is for clots to form. Dr. Holsworth explains it in terms of blood viscosity or thickness of blood. Bloodby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Steve - I have had both experiences.... going on and staying on warfarin and not being on it - having the cardioversion and nothing given either. I think it depends on the doctor and what the particular situation is. I realize that's a pretty vague answer but from what I was told at various times, "they" have found that by 48 hours of continual afib, clots tend to form.... inby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
We often say it's important for afibbers to hydrate adequately. That's true but for endurance athletes or anyone doing exertional exericse that promotes a loss of electrolytes through perspiration, it's critical to remember to hydrate but also use electrolytes. Even Gatorade with all the stuff in it we don't like to see is better than just plain water. So... just be awarby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
This is off-topic, but important now with the focus on clean/green energy promoting the use of the new energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs. Since everyone and especially afibbers should avoid mercury contact... it's good to know the following: “What to do if a CFL breaks or smokes" Compact fluorescent bulbs contain small amounts of mercury, a neurotoxin. If a bulb breaks, follow these instrucby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM