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Quoterocketritch I brought up the Watchman to Dr Natale following my ablation last week. He said it was too soon and that we would discuss it when I am back in January. Yeah, if your LAA was isolated during the ablation then you're going to need to do a TEE at six months to check the flow velocity in your LAA and a few other parameters. If flow velocity is high enough and the other criteriby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteBrian_og Does Natale do Medicare patients? Just wondering. Yes.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotemwcf Surely a lone PAFr only has a higher stroke risk during an episode and for maybe a week tops afterwards rather than in the weeks/months-long periods between episodes? It would be nice if that were true but it's not. Strokes are more common among afib patients even when they haven't had an afib episode in months or even years. And actually, there's probably no such thingby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteBrian_og Thank you. I guess the next question is if I ever feel that I needed an ablation and want someone like Natale to do it, how do I find an EP that ok with taking care of before and after? Or would working with a good cardiologist work? If their ego can't handle you using Natale for an ablation and asking them to be your local clinical EP then walk away. No EP worth their sby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteBrian_og I read his point that there are other *objective* methods. It's just that they are not the official ones. He's not even convinced CHADS VASc is better than the old one. Yeah, I get that, and as I said I think the article raised some very good points, but I just think saying he doesn't trust CHADS-Vasc is a bit of an overstatement. There is objective data showing thby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
To add to AB's reply, if you're going to go this route you should definitely buy a policy that considers TCAI in-network. That's not hard to do since TCAI accepts most major insurers. Blue Cross, Aetna, Cigna, etc. are all good choices. The state you live in isn't really relevant here. The most important factor is simply choosing an insurer that considers TCAI in-network.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I wasn't suggesting whatever it is you seem to think I was suggesting. I've used potassium and other electrolytes extensively myself and I know all about intolerable. So I don't know what you're going on about with ablations and operations. I simply don't find the current line of discussion useful or productive. Anyone who wants to discuss electrolytes is of course free tby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
There are many things that can cause T wave depression, ranging from completely benign to ominous. If you've had it for 20 years and your cardiologist is unconcerned then apparently it's benign in you. Not sure why you think it has anything to do with your afib, but I doubt it does.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
It is potassium chloride but it's not equivalent to pure potassium chloride. It's an extended release tablet designed to release potassium gradually over a longer period of time. I know from personal experience and a potassium meter that pure potassium chloride causes an immediate spike in your serum potassium level, and that triggers your kidneys to aggressively remove it. The result iby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteElizabeth Thanks for posting, good article, I could never understand why doctors put people on blood thinners when they have only a couple of short AF episodes a year. Because people with afib are at higher risk of stroke regardless of whether they're actively in afib. A large percentage of strokes occur with no recent afib episodes. That said, I think the article raises some veryby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
The patients in the original clinical trials in the US were disproportionately female, so the FDA asked Boston Scientific to repeat the trial with men. I was approved for that trial, so next week I'll be in Austin to have a FLX implanted. I spoke with Drs. Natale and Rodney Horton at HRS2018 and they both enthusiastically endorsed the FLX. In Dr. Horton's words, he wouldn't hesitatby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Y'all can think what you want. I think this thread has become futile.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Was your GP able to diagnose afib? It sounds kind of dodgy. Do you know your CHADS-Vasc score? Is it 2 or higher? If so, then probably yes to the anticoagulants, but you should be getting this advice from a cardiologist, not a GP.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotelibby One can tell PCE by EKG if it's severe enough that there are electrical alternans. Yes, if it's severe, but nobody's going to diagnose it based on ECG. A paramedic might base their clinical impression on that, but the ER is going to do an immediate echo or CT for the actual diagnosis. But I completely agree with your comments about the seriousness. I'm shockeby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
You keep going back to magnesium but I've already acknowledged it's essential. As the quote you cited mentioned, the effect of rising potassium levels is a widening refractory period, and a widening refractory period reduces ectopy and reentrancy. Taken to extremes, the end result of severe hyperkalemia is paralysis of cardiac cells, a QRS that smooths out into a sine wave pattern due tby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I don't know what "CR 74" means so haven't read his posts, but if normal dietary intake was causing him to become hyperkalemic then either he did indeed have some degree of kidney dysfunction or he was consuming outrageous quantities of potassium, far more than you can ingest even in the highest potassium diet imaginable. And if you understand how potassium affects cardiacby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteJackie Carey - I agree that food sources are the best for potassium, but many afibbers don't have a Cardy meter and that can be a big problem if they are taking in too much K-containing foods. It's foolish to load up on potassium as the solution. Unless you have poor kidney function it's virtually impossible to raise your potassium to dangerous levels through diet. It jusby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'm no saint when it comes to diet, but it's generally true that if you're eating a high-potassium diet, you're eating a healthy diet. The two are almost synonymous. The opposite is also true. Poor diets tend to be low in potassium.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteJackie Quite often, it's beneficial to take a measured amount of a potassium supplement so you know exactly the amount you are taking in rather than shot-gun with how much is actually in the prospective food. As someone who spent over two years taking massive amounts of potassium, both in raw potassium chloride form and in time release prescription tablets, I disagree with this ratherby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chlorthalidone is a diuretic, so it's no surprise your potassium is low. Your doctor should have anticipated this. Although the potassium levels you posted are all in the "normal" range, for people with afib the normal range doesn't apply. Four of the five numbers you gave would have been guaranteed afib episodes for me. I would recommend that anyone with afib keep their potasby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I identified dozens of triggers... and then discarded virtually all of them after actually testing them. The only ones that proved reliable were as AB said above: dehydration and the electrolyte imbalances that come with it, particularly low potassium. I came to realize the search for triggers is pretty much just a snipe hunt.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Can I say it one more time? You're in the best of hands. Good luck and let us know how it went as soon as you're able.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think maybe there was a communication problem. Only a massive pericardial effusion produces significant ECG changes, and that's still not diagnostic. Diagnosis is by x-ray, echo, CT, or MRI, with echo usually being preferred.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotepandapab What if cardioversion doesn't work? What if ablation doesn't work...(if we have to go that route)....? First, I agree with wolfpack's comments. I'm a bit surprised your doctors don't already have you on a potassium supplement with all the diuretics going on. Second, your situation is so complex I'm going to limit my comments to what I quoted abovby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Guys, you really had me confused for a moment there. The standard medical meaning of PE is pulmonary embolism.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuotePoppino does L Atrial Flutter progress as afib does? Do I really have it? You've been diagnosed with it so yes, you really have it. No, it doesn't usually progress like afib does, but it never gets better on its own either and it will do your heart harm in the long term. Flutter doesn't give a damn about the supplements you take, and atypical flutter can be just as difficultby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
You don't wait for an appointment to investigate a possible pericardial effusion. Go to A&E.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I've seen mass spectrometry results of certified organic and non-organic vegetables side by side. The differences were minimal, to say the least.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quoteanneh Do you think its ok to add hemp oil (good for GLA) along with the fish oil? I think you're into unknown territory there. Cautious sources say it may interfere with anticoagulants but I didn't see any definitive information in a quick search.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotejpeters Think I'll avoid the whole thing, and stick with food whenever possible Hard to go wrong with that.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM