QuotePoppino How do they explain it? Your heart rate is perfectly normal and doesn't need explanation. The only reason you think it doesn't happen during sleep is because that's the one time you're not constantly checking your pulse. You should try that while you're awake for a more stress free life. Joy's, not so much. Sounds like she's probably experienby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
There are ways to do ablations without fluoroscopy, which eliminates the radiation, but most EPs find that the benefits of fluoroscopy outweigh the trivial amount of radiation it delivers. I wouldn't make an ablation decision one way or the other based on whether they use fluoroscopy. And keep in mind that the older you are, the less radiation matters because the harm it causes generallyby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
The U of M will have more and better doctors than your local ones, but do you really need better? The average EP can manage afib medically just fine. It's only when you consider ablation do you need the best of the best. If mine was only going to monitor my afib, prescribe drugs, etc, then I wouldn't drive a lot farther for a better one. I would, however, insist on an EP. Many general cby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteJaydee212 I was told that I had to try various drugs first. So, it is NOT first line for me anyway. When was this and are you sure it was coming from Medicare?by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotesmackman Generally, Medicare Advantage plans are much cheaper but most only cover the Hospitals in your Home State you reside in and generally even then not all Hospitals are covered. It's even more restrictive than that. Advantage plans are basically HMOs and you can only use the hospitals and providers in their network. You won't even have the option of going out of network andby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotesafib Surely Medicare must stipulate something. Sure, a diagnosis of afib. Ablation is an accepted first line treatment so why would they quibble about details like burden? A single ECG would be sufficient proof of the diagnosis.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, Medicare covers ablations as first line therapy. Ablation is now widely accepted as first line therapy by pretty much everyone.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sheesh! Okay, so now I'll add super critical power plant operators to the list of super critical employees who have to work ridiculous shifts.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Okay, if you know they're PVCs that's different, but they still weren't caused by your ablation. You're just "lucky." They won't generally treat PVCs until your burden is in the 20,000 per day range, which is about 15 per minute all day and night. But like Susan mentioned, sometimes beta blockers can stop them or greatly reduce them. Sometimes the antiarrhythby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I don't think you have reason to be concerned that you'll end up back in afib after 8 months of NSR. That's extremely unlikely at this point. No matter how much stress you might be under, the afib is hitting a brick wall of scar tissue and always will no matter how hard it "tries" to break through. It's in a cage it can't get out of. What kind of job do you dby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Not that it matters to how you feel, but those are probably PACs rather than PVCs. PACs originate in the atria while PVCs originate in the ventricles. They're not really a result of your ablation. They're caused by the same mechanism that caused your AF; ie, cells in your atria are firing when they shouldn't. It's just that now that you've had an ablation, it's pby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
So I gather your doctor stopped the metoprolol and replaced it with amiodarone? And the plan is to just let you remain in that 150 bpm rhythm for a week or two until it kicks in? Have they said anything about a cardioversion to get you back in normal rhythm? You shouldn't be spending a week or two in tachycardia like that, not even days really. If just sending you away and expecting you to pby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi MM, welcome to the forum. Sorry you found the need to be here. Sure, plenty of people here have experience with amiodarone. It's the heaviest hitter of all the antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) and almost always helps for that reason. But it also comes with some pretty hefty side effects and so it's not something most people want to be on for any length of time. Can you tell us morby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
CABG and afib ablation don't really have a lot to do with each other, at least not as long as they're not occurring within months of each other. If you've had a CABG and recovered successfully, but you still have afib, an ablation is perfectly feasible. There's nothing about the CABG that would prevent you from having an afib ablation. As for Natale, he's still the saby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteJuggsy75 What’s your opinion on the royal Brompton and Sabine Ernst?? I don't really have an opinion on them as regards ablations. I know of her through her research, and I know she does ablations and has pioneered some robotic work, so she's probably highly experienced at ablations, but that's about as much as I can say.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I don't think anyone here who has spoken up in the last few years has had an ablation following CABG. I think there have been a few ablations at CC, but I don't remember who they might be. I don't quite get what you're trying to ask.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
The first and almost the only question you should ask about this doctor is how many afib ablations he has done in total, and currently how many he does per year. (Not other kinds of ablations.) The answer you want to hear is thousands in total, or at least many hundreds, and more than 4-5 per month. The same criteria apply to the center where he will do the procedure. You want to be in a center wby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuotePompon Are there risks exercising while in afib, as long as I can ride my bicycle securely? Nope. The only risks would be for people who are prone to syncope during afib, but that falls under the heading of riding your bike securely.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yeah, the marathoner I mentioned only found out he had AF when it was discovered in a routine physical. He said he hadn't had a physical for several years before that, so who knows how long he was in AF without realizing it? This is how people die of strokes. But the typical paroxysmal afibbber feels every damn beat and knows instantly when they're in AF. I'm the same way withby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Some don't have a rapid rate but others do, although probably not super high. Hard to imagine a rate of, say, 180 going unnoticed for long. If they're over 100, they definitely need to be on rate control. At least two of the people I mentioned (the marathoner and the cyclist) are on beta blockers. It doesn't seem to bother them at all. Allowing a rate of over 100 to continue foby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotevanlith when a person tells me they don't feel Afib i say to them.....stress your heart strongly with exercise + then tell me you still don't feel it.....only then is when i believe them because when i was in afib i was like a 4cl. car running on 3 cl. at best + if i put my foot on the gas peddle i sputtered + near stalled quickly + i am extr. healthy + fit....although i was prettyby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think cutting the dose in half first and seeing how it goes makes sense. Plus if you've been on a beta blocker like sotalol for a long time, it's generally better to taper off, so definitely get your EP involved.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuotePoppino Im losing hope that atypical flutter cant be cured. Yes it can and I'm living proof. It took 7 years, 4 EPs, and 6 ablations but my atypical flutter has been completely eliminated for almost 4 years now. If I had gone to the right guy in the first place, I'm confident it would have been solved in a matter of months by 1 EP and 1 procedure, 2 at the most. But you'by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Your age is no problem whatsoever. Waiting times for people during 2020 were kind of all over the place because of COVID, but things have settled down now. I would expect a month or two at most from the time you contact them until the procedure. Getting the ball rolling takes no more than a phone call. Keep in mind that AF brought on by major surgery is often temporary and resolves on its ownby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
You don't need to do anything. Just keep taking the Eliquis and propranolol and call your EP if it's still going on Monday morning.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
No, you don't need to go to the ER but you do need to continue taking the Eliquis twice daily from here on out. And don't stop just because the AF stops. So call your EP on Monday and have them call in a prescription. I would also ask for a rate control drug to slow it down.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotewolfpack Lilly, Fire your doctors. I’ve done it. It’s not fun, but remember you’re number one. Lilly, I agree with Wolfpack. You're getting bad medical advice. Where do you live? (Just city or region) We might be able to help you find someone.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think you're good and these episodes will subside on their own in the next few weeks. Keep us posted how it goes.by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteNotLyingAboutMyAfib Notes in the EP report for LAA 6. Successful ablation of the left atrial appendage without isolation. That's excellent!by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotejennifer92151 Thank you so much for posting. Can this cause clots, or harm the heart? It's been going pretty consistently like this for the past few days, although right now it is almost PAC free. Thanks, George, for helping Jen get it posted. Jennifer, you ask a hard question.The short answer is yes, it can cause clots. I have to assume you have the underlying pathology of AF orby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM