Your post got me curious so I did some initial searches of the literature, and my take is that the connection between DOACs such as Xarelto and macular degeneration (MD) is very tenuous. There doesn't seem to be an established connection at all unless there's something you've seen that I didn't find.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I still stand by that answer George posted. I can find the guidelines, which I believe were updated in 2019, if anyone wishes.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
This is a good CHADS-Vasc score site. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/801/cha2ds2-vasc-score-atrial-fibrillation-stroke-riskby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
It's a rate control drug, not an antiarrhythmic, so yes, I would consider your ablation successful. If you don't need it for hypertension and don't need it for rate control, why are you still taking it? You should ask.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I did nothing different. I don't think lifestyle changes are going to make much difference in the success of an ablation. See my monkey cage analogy for why. What lifestyle changes can do, however, is make a big difference in your health going forward. You stop exercising, get fat, get diabetes -- your risk of developing other cardiac problems increases. It probably also increases the riby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotesusan.d But you had over 5-6? It wasn’t a one and done success story. How many patients would consider an ablation knowing it’s possible they may need 6? It was five, and that's what makes the success of #6 far more remarkable than a one-and-done. I was an extremely complex case with multiple flutter circuits and afib and scar tissue from previous ablations. In fact, prior to seeingby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotegloaming What does an ablation run, about $15K a pop? Cash price in the US is about $150-180K, but the price negotiated by Medicare and insurance companies is typically about 20 cents on the dollar, so they end up paying about $20-40K. But if you're some wealthy dude coming to the US for an ablation and paying out of pocket, you'll be paying the $150K+. As for number per week,by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteMac I’m highly skeptical that 70% of afib cases in the US are resolved after one ablation. At least if “resolved” means afib free for a year or more. There are a number of large studies showing exactly that.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteMaria23 When you say "about 70-75% of all ablations are successful on the first try", what is the definition of success? 1 year afib free? 5 years afib free? The definition is one year free of atrial arrhythmias without the use of antiarrhythmic drugs. One thing you need to keep in mind is that afib is a progressive disease. If you're free of afib and off drugs for a yeaby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
It will be six years for me this coming August. We have others here who've gone much longer than that. And it's important to keep in mind that a forum like is heavily biased toward people who have not resolved their afib. It's not at all a random sample. The people who have one ablation and it's fully successful don't come here to post about it. They go about their livby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think what he means is he wants you off flecainide and all the drugs before the ablation. Most EPs want that because they want your heart to be as prone to afib as possible during the procedure so they can find the sources. What he wants you to do after the ablation is a totally different question, and it's likely he's going to want you back on some sort of antiarrhythmic like flecainby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I've never heard of it doing that, it's not listed as a known side effect, and it's actually known to lower blood pressure in some people. I doubt it's the cause.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteBookNerdCarp My weirdest effect is a burning left butt cheek...go figure! You win the prize for the weirdest side effect I've ever heard of.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think you're going to have a very hard time qualifying for disability. Have you ever had an ablation? If not, have you considered it?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotehacksman Dr. Horton did not discourage me from putting the ablation to the test in this way. If it kicks off afib/flutter, I guess it means the ablation wasn't fully successful and I will need another procedure eventually anyway. So far, so good! That's exactly what it would mean. After the blanking period afib caused by any normal activities is proof the ablation isn't coby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Many people experience symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, and even fainting. With a systolic BP of 100 I'm not surprised you feel that way. The propranolol doesn't help because it lowers your blood pressure and your heart rate. It's probably why your heart rate stays well under 100 bpm. Talk to your doc about taking the propranolol only when you take the flecainide instead oby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quoteskinman Scroll to 1:20 ... further on note Jais' method - never isolates the LAA Scroll to 7:00 Saying "never isolate the LAA" is a bit of a dated statement, or at least one not in agreement with the current forefront of afib treatment.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
The January episode means nothing but the April 10 episode does. Were you off the sotalol by April 10? If not, are you off it now? If I were you, I would give it some time off the sotalol to see how it goes. I wouldn't rush into another procedure. While you're on the sotalol you can't know if the ablation was successful or not.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
When did the episodes occur?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
It's usually effective and generally safe, but it doesn't seem to be a common approach. Quotetriplea This was mentioned by my EP for followup for atrial tachycardia after an ablation.. I don't understand what you're saying here. Are you saying he's going to do an ablation and then do a second ethanol ablation after that? Or you've already had an ablation that leby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
With normal kidney function you can ingest as much potassium as you want if you get it via food. It's a natural way of doing like George does by taking it slowly over the course of the day except that it's delivered to your body more slowly and evenly. An interesting thing about potassium and salt is that humans evolved in a potassium rich, salt poor world. Think about the average Neby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotehacksman I have a couple of questions regarding the ablation recovery period. Are my previous triggers (alcohol, stress, anxiety, adrenaline surges, lying on my left side) now unlikely to cause afib/flutter episodes? Does the fact that I haven’t had any episodes suggest that the source was in fact the PV’s or the posterior wall of the left atrium which Dr. Horton ablated? I was never in aby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Drugs.com lists it as a not uncommon side effect. I would mention it to the doctor who prescribed it, but unless it comes with other symptoms it's probably nothing to worry about.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteNancy M Speaking of side effects, I have been on Eliquis for about a week now and I've suddenly developed a purple coloration on my knuckles, and about an inch above and below the knuckles on both hands. Are you sure they're not just bruises? Many people find they bruise more easily on Eliquis (or any anticoagulant). In any case, if it ends up being a problem you can try Xaby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteMark I’m kinda curious now what would have happened if I had trudged over there. Six hours of boredom lying in an ED with an IV in your arm.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteGeorgeN That being said, I don't think it is perfect. No, it's not perfect. I've had it give me an afib indication due to bigeminal PACs and also flutter with a variable rate. The variable rate flutter even fooled me. Looked just like afib but my EP pointed out the subtle clues. But for the most part I found Kardia to be very accurate. For most people if it says afib, itby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, most of the complications involve either people who don't manage themselves well or have comorbidities, but warfarin is still a drug with a longer list of serious side effects and interactions than most of the drugs most people take. I wouldn't blow it off as a nothing as long as you manage yourself well. And since you may know more about this than me, have there been or are theby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
A Kardia reporting "possible afib" means it's reporting what it has identified as afib. I don't think it ever gets more certain than that. Lawyers made them add the word "possible," not the doctors and engineers who built the product. You're definitely right about not going to an ER, but you're wrong that they won't do anything. They'll do an Eby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteAL777s All in all I do think there are less high maintenance drugs than warfarin for anti-coagulation but as for side effects, nah.... not at all. I'm afraid you're wrong about that. Many people take it for years without problem, but just because you've escaped problems doesn't mean everyone will (or that you always will). Warfarin comes with a very long list of very sby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotegloaming Why not tape the electrodes into place? Unless they must have a conductive medium between them and your skin, direct-to-skin contact will suffice, and the electrodes can be strongly adhered using 3M 'Strong Hold' tape for sensitive skin. It's blue, available at that Big Market on line. She could cut off the adhesive portion of the electrodes and use tape, but theby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM