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Just finished a nice chat with Dr N and his very nice nurse practitioner Kay Zedlitz. I have one more echocardiogram .. A regular thoracic version so no need for anesthesia or sedation like with a TEE ... And if all is well with no added fluid build up in the pericardium as it seems will be the case then I get sprung shortly after lunch just over 48 hours post Lariat installation! I feel muchby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
I much appreciate all the healing thoughts folks, its 1:30 pm Texas time on Wednesday the 7th as I type this update. I didn't get a lot I'd sleep in ICU last night which is par for the course in such places the first night after a procedure like this. Quite a lot of chest pain yesterday and last night mostly in a circular pattern around the whole chest area with the sensatation of heby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks once again for the generous spirit so many of you have shared with me around my Lariat procedure. I'm starting the recovery process now from Cardiac ICU at St. Davids in Austin after Drs Natale and Burkhardt successfully completed tying off my left atrial appendage this morning. Both Docs came in separately a bit earlier to give me the run down and both noted mine was quite a challby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Many thanks everyone! Really us wonderful to read and hear all of your best wishes! I'm in my big ICU room and its a little quiet now. I will post about how it has gone so far in a separate thread title shortly. Have to call my sister and niece in a houston first but wanted to tell you all how much I appreciate all of your kind thoughts!! Will update with some details from my Iphone in aby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Barb, Its 6:50am Tuesday Aug 6 and am sitting here in the prep room after having gotten the IV in place and all scrubbed down waiting for anesthesia to come in and wheel me up to one of the four EPLabs here at St Davids on the 2nd floor. Just took a quick look at afibbers and saw this thread. Its very important to view this research in context. We all come to this with whatever backgroundsby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good to hear Denver! Always nice to hear your periodic reports from NSR- land... A place Im well settled into now as well, also courteousy of Dr Natale. He does have the midis touch ... Be well, Shannonby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Folks, The count down is about over and ready to get started first thing in the morning with the TEE, then one last little wait until 7:30 Tuesday for the second round if anesthesia and the Lariat at long last. And I so appreciate all the nice words of support Had a very nice meeting with Dr Burkhardt on Friday who is a thoroughly knowledgable and competent EP as you would expect too frby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Chukker! And you too researcher and you make a good point.. You might well be right on the reason for Dr Burkhardt's delay. Apparently, he won't even be at St David's on Monday having to travel to a different facility for a procedure that suddenly has come up as a prime priority. Dr Natale can do the full Lariat himself , as can Dr Burkhardt, but they prefer to tag tby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Barb and Tom, And Barb, I will try to get word to Hans or Jackie the same day of the Lariat next Tuesday via my wife or brother who will both be there at St David's if I am unable to access my Iphone or Ipad that first day and night since Ill have to spend that one in cardiac ICU where such electronic gizmos may not be allowed. I should be able to write something by the following dby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Friends, Just a quick update from Houston where my wife and I are enjoying visiting some of my family before we head up to Austin by rental car day after tomorrow on Thursday. As posted previously here, I was originally scheduled for a Transesophageal Echocardiography test at 8:00am Monday Aug 5th in Austin followed immediately by the Lariat procedure with Dr Natale and Dr Burkhardt doinby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Ken, Yes it's all mostly of academic interest anyway. The main thing is you are feeling fine. And thanks for the good wishes on my Lariat. I'm in Houston now visiting family before driving up to Austin on Thursday. I got a called from Drs. Natale's and Burkhardt's office today saying they will be able to keep my TEE test as planned at 8am This Monday Aug 5 morning,by Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Betty, The Lariat is done in the EP Lab, though most Cath Labs are equipped to support it as well. Its a pretty simple procedure from the imaging point of view requiring a Fluoroscopy, TEE and ability to do angiograms when and if needed. The rest is just skill with both an endocardial catheter and transeptal puncture as well as epicardial catheter and skill in puncturing and navigating theby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
That's pretty quick Ken, Some where on the report they will show the total procedure time too. It could be they called your wife toward the end but it may still have gone around 2.5 hours as I know Dr N always waits a while after the burning part before doing the isoproterinol challenge to make sure everything is holding well with no breakthroughs. But however long it was, one of theby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi researcher, We are leaving today for our trip to Texas and the Lariat . Both Dr Natale and Dr Burkhardt are skilled at doing both phases of the Lariat, the endocardial and epicardial phases. And both men will be tag teaming whole doing the procedure with me. Likely Dr Natale is doing the endocardial with tran-septal puncture part that he helped perfect for the EP world not only in determinby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi StephenL and Ken, I wiuld much prefer Xeralto to Pradaxa. At least with Xeralto there is an outside chance if you had a major bleed or accident and you lived near a major Level 1 trauma center that they might be able to save you using PCC (assuming the ER is a large enough one to stock PCC and they would be willing to spend on you the $10,000 per dose cost to administer PCC.... Also with Xby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Ken What was the actual procedure time and the actual RF burn time? That is a moderately extensive ablation and certainly far more than just PVAI-isolation. Should be a good foundation for long term NSR. Shannonby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Bruce, A big 'Ditto' to all that Jackie said above! Especially with your rather infrequent and obviously still paroxysmal AFIB episodes spaced widely apart for the most part. Jackie's recommendations are excellent advice for every one actually, but the protocols above can often pay big dividends in terms of gaining real control and minimizing AFIB episodes for many in youby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
The Curcumin mixed with olive oil is a good way to extend its bioavailablity, Or you can get the phosphorylated form as 'Meriva' curcumin from several manufacturers like Source Naturals, Dr's Best, Thorne labs and others that sell the patented form Meriva which does all the work for you so that you don't have to break open curcumin capsules and still get dramatic improvement iby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Ken, Good report, most docs are still learning about the NOAC drugs, as is everyone else and are still just making somewhat educated guess's about what their side effects might be. We wont have a clue about the full extent of possible side effects from these drugs for another few years yet. Like all new 'wonder drugs', they all look great coming out of the chute. It alwaysby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Jackie, Iodine supplementation is a big key for not only thyroid health but in helping balance the metabolic pathway of many essential hormones. Take Estradiol, Estrone and Estriol for example. Estradiol is the main anabolic hormone for women resposibile for most everything feminine in the female body as well as supporting bone and muscle tissue health, collagen formation, skin health as weby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dr Schweikert is one of the really excellent EPs out there John21. You've made a good choice! Shannonby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
HI Researcher. Yes in theory it doenst have to be two EPs doing the Lariat and certainly some Lariats have been installed with one EP doing the endocardial and a Cardio with catheter training in pericardial access doing the epicardial phase. Assuming the EP is highly skilled at transeptal puncture, then the most difficult part of teh procedure will fall to the Doc doing the pericaridal acceby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Nancy, You may not need as much Mag as you are taking in right now. With your program of Epson Salt baths, topical Mag and oral Mag and now adding in 3 grams of IV Mag you could have temporarily exceeded your needs of IC Mag. When you woke early did you wake quickly like with a start or startled feeling? Did you have trouble getting back to sleep or possibly have some intense dreams orby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi BruceS, Great news... You are truly in the best possible hands for a man in your shoes with 7 priors ... sounds like a rap sheet at the police station Ha ! In my many visits to Dr Natale's offices in both Austin and San Francisco over the years I've had the chance to meet and compare war stories with easily a couple dozen people at least waiting to see him, either as a first aby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Betty, A little post procedure pleurisy is not too uncommon.. Anytime you get some chest discomfort during the first month or two post ablation start first with Motrin or Advil as Dr Zn advised. This works too with the typical mild pericarditis (inflammation) right afterward as well. The best way to minimize any inflammation flare his is to adopt a good post ablation anti-inflammatory supby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
RonB, All of the above are possible contributors but you said you have had this prior to ablation for sometime I gather? If so low thyroid function can be a fundamental culprit if that is part of your equation? Do you also have any issues with morning fatigue that tends to get a little better in the late afternoon or evenings? Are issues with constipation, dry skin (especially around the elbowby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
You are more than welcome Barb, Really glad to hear they are working out a date for you. I have every confidence you will be very glad you did when this is all behind you. And yes, my Lariat is set for August 5th in Austin. Magdalena and I are leaving Sedona a week from this Sunday for Texas stopping in Houston for a few days to visit my sister and niece who is the trauma doc at Hermann Medby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Barb, We can all certainly understand and sympathize with the difficulty of your decision in light of your husband's unexpected serious illness. We've discussed my view on the phone and I appreciate how it can seem overwhelming when the time comes to make a decision with your husbands treatment now getting started. I've heard of very very few .. none really ... where theby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
I can understand Dr Hao's reluctance to guess if you are finished now. It would just be a guess in any event and the best he could say was that you've had the major part if your work done and it may well be enough to keep you quiet for the long haul, but there is roughly a 20% to 30% chance you could need a touch up to anywhere from the next 6 months on out with the likelihood of needinby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Iatrogenia. Some work on the back wall of the left atrium is a very common non-PV area for ablation. Most more advanced ablationist will look to do this for most patients unless they are confident they are truly only triggers from their PVs alone. Typically, either where they find some degree if fibrosis, or a longer history of AFIB and possibly with longer episode duration and definitely wby Shannon - AFIBBERS FORUM