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I've started sotalol several times over the years. No hospital stay was ever required. I think you'll find that most EPs will only want a hospital stay if you already have a somewhat wide QT and not a lot of room to spare. Being female will also make it more likely because women have naturally wider QTs and are more prone to long QT syndrome.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCaliGuy I was cardioverted last night at the ER. I'm now in Sinus Rhythm with Supraventricular Ectopy at 92 BPM. Not perfect - but better than tachycardia at 140 BPM. Have you contacted your NP yet? Natale might want to put you on an antiarrhythmic for a while to keep things quiet.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
All kinds of things will affect that number. Lead placement, stress, beta blockers, exercise, you name it. It's not worth worrying about and certainly not worth trying to do anything about because it's pretty much irrelevant to your health. Almost all medical tests have "normal" ranges, and it can be alarming when you see a number that's outside the normal range, but yby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
It appears the problem has been corrected now. Is anyone still seeing the problem?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Relax! There's a reason you didn't hear about this from a doctor, and that reason is they saw it and weren't concerned. Your QTc is slightly widened but it's still a full 30 ms away from being a threat. All that number means is you might not be able to take Tikosyn and possibly sotalol. Otherwise, it's meaningless and you are not in danger.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
It's typically about mid-day but that can vary depending on how busy they are. It won't be early morning and it (probably) won't be late afternoon. Yes, your wife can stay with you in the room overnight. All the rooms are private and they have a recliner she can stretch out to sleep in.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diltiazem (Cardizem) and verapamil are both calcium channel blockers so they'll have similar effects. But I checked and diltiazem is on the Israeli government's drug registry, so it's used there. I'd be very surprised if it wasn't. Most likely the EP simply doesn't know the US brand name Cardizem. When you talk to medical providers overseas, I would stick to genericby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I would make sure to hydrate very well and then I would try to get some sleep. The tachycardia isn't going to hurt you. Do you have a beta blocker prescribed? If you do and you haven't taken it, take it. And then tomorrow I would let the NP assigned to you know about these tachy episodes.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotetsco I believe Natale would def suggest my EP Perhaps not after hearing how you were treated. I completely understand why you feel insulted and I would move on if I were you. Ask Natale and if repeats the name ask him who else and tell him why.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, Moderna is working on a bivalent booster that covers omicron and other strains better. It's projected to be available this fall. But if you received the third vaccine over 6 months ago, you can get the current booster now. I intend to get that in the next week or so, and will almost certainly go for the new booster this fall.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Susan, I think you should mention that you were going through a pretty rough period at the time.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
His staff is generally as capable of answering questions like this as he is. Give them a call.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuotePixie Carey, wouldn’t it be wise to wait until after the blanking period? Also, I had 2 cardio versions in the past and one worked for about a week and one for 2 days. The vast majority of people here who have afib had absolutely no problem with the vaccines. I don't see any good reason to wait. And since you're still on sotalol I doubt you would go back into afib folloby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Any vaccine creates some level of inflammation in the body, and afib doesn't like inflammation, but there is nothing you can do that would put the ablation in jeopardy. What's done is done, and no vaccine can undo it. The worst that could happen is the vaccine could trigger an afib episode since you're still a month within the blanking period. But that's no big deal. If it doeby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteDaisy So, I have started the process for an RFA in Austin with Dr. Natale. Should I need a touch up later, PFA might be a possibility. Glad to hear this!by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
All the questions you mentioned would be entirely appropriate, especially how many total, how many per year, and success rate. Honestly, 500 ablations in 7 years isn't a lot. At all. I'm sure he's a fine EP but he isn't who I would choose. Make it 5000 and we're talking. The generally accepted criteria of success is complete freedom from sustained atrial arrhythmias foby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I agree with George. That was normal sinus tach. No need for the flecainide. If it bothers you and you've got a beta blocker, take that instead.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuotePavanPharter I see there are 9 responses to this but I can't read/see any of them. Something wrong with the forum? Yes, our web host has been having issues for several days now. Hit the refresh button and the responses should appear. I'll PM you also to make sure you see this.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
The usual order of things is like this: Day 1 - Lab work and possibly a chest CT. Day 2 - The procedure followed by an overnight stay. Day 3 - Discharged. Hang out in your hotel or get out and see Austin. Lots of great food. Day 4 - Same as day 3. Day 5 - Return home.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well, neurologists are the ones who diagnose and treat nerve issues, but a neurologist would likely be skeptical of a self-diagnosed vagal nerve problem due to long COVID without a referral from another doctor. I think they'd want to see other issues ruled out first by a cardiologist, so a cardiologist is where I'd start.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteGeorgeN Ah, now I understand why you aren't a fan. Unless you specifically look for a device or app that will record beat to beat, they all average. Actually, I forgot that I replaced my Polar chest strap several years ago with a Viiiiva 4, and it does record beat to beat. But with afib, it also produced inaccurate results.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
If customs is just going to confiscate it then why waste your money buying it online? I'd say you're going to need to get on that bus.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have no idea how it records beats. I never cared enough to ask that question. I just know that it does so highly inaccurately during afib and periods of lots of ectopics. But not flutter, presumably because flutter is a regular rhythm.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
BP readings taken manually by someone trained to do so correctly are always more accurate than machines, and that's especially true during arrhythmias. A human can hear the irregular pulse and judge it more or less correctly, but it completely confuses machines. A machine might get your systolic pressure approximately correct during afib because all it has to do is identify the first beats iby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteDaisy For instance, is regurgitation the problem that is related to Afib, (and if that is fixed does it cease to be a contributing problem) or might the genetics associated with valve problems be more at the root of the association? That's a hell of a good question but it's always been one that baffles me. Why do valve problems cause afib at all?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotealfrae13 I have paroxysmal afib and am on propanolol 60mg. When I go into afib I take 100 flac. It stops usually after several hours. The thing is my HR stays steady in the normal range but my BP drops, sometimes the systolic going below 100 even after afib stopped. Is this to be expected I wouldn't say it's normal exactly, but it's probably also nothing to be alarmed aboutby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I wish you health and the best of luck with your plan of treatment, but I think it's maybe a little dangerous. By all means be skeptical and question, but don't be blinded by your skepticism.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yep, only about 5% of the population has afib, but far more than that are smoking, drinking, diabetic, obese couch potatoes who don't have afib. I think ultimately afib will be found to have a strong genetic component with a few other non-genetic causes such as chronic atrial enlargement (athletes and hypertension), hyperthyroidism, alcohol abuse, major injury/surgeries, and heart valve pby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sounds great! Are you taking any sort of antiarrhythmic drug?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM