Re: What am I nervous about re EPS and Ablation?

[Guest guest]

Germaine ...

Your fears are reasonable and only you can decide what's right for you. Your

#2 is what happened to me with the SVT ablation. I was definitely one of the

small percent who not only didn't get fixed (and the SVT ablation has a much

higher " cure " rate than the a-fib ablation) but the procedure caused me heart

damage. Now I can't take any of the meds for a-fib because of that. I took

months to decide to go ahead with the procedure. It took a great deal of

courage for me to do it, but I had faith and I did it. And it went badly ...

very

badly. Am I sorry I did it? Yes. Do I still hope for something that will

fix the a-fib? Yes. So in spite of it all, I'm not real sure I'd not go ahead

with an a-fib ablation and take the risk again. Of course, I've been in a-fib

since 4:40 this a.m. and am shaky and scared and frustrated, so this may be

coloring my view. At this moment, I'd do anything not to ever go through this

again. I would recommend finding someone with more experience on the

procedure though. That may help your comfort level a bit. Good luck with

whatever

you decide. Talking about your fears must help, heh? Thanks for sharing it.

Nice to know others fear the same things I do. Being alone in this is the

worst part.

Toni

California

[Guest guest]

> Hello,

>

> >>snip>>

>

> 1. My EP doctor, although a Scholar, is relatively

> new in EP and has spent the last two years telling me the

> ablation procedure he does does not work that well on AFIB.

>

> 2> 3. My doctor is keeping the idea of a pace maker " in his

> back pocket " to quote him. I guess I don't want that to be

> sooner as I am only just turned 52 and may be afraid this

> procedure may make him want to put the idea in his front

> pocket. It all seems too much for a 'benign' concition!

>

> Anyway, sorry if I bored anyone.

>

> Germaine

> Canada

>

> Hi Germaine,

First don't feel like you bored anyone, this is what the group is for

to offer support and advice. It is a depressing thing to feel tired

and drug out all the time and is frightening when you go into a-fib

and don't know how long it will last.

If you don't feel comfortable that your doctor has enough experience

look for another EP in your community with more experience and get a

second opinion. If you live in a community with a university that has

a medical school that would be a good place to start.

My EP also told me that curing a-fib with a radio frequency ablation

is often an experience in " chasing your tail " his words. They ablate

on trouble area and another pops up, but then on the other side

sometimes they can tell with an EPS that there are relatively few

spots causing the problem and take care of them.

Be sure and ask more questions about the pacemaker option. My EP

offered that to me in lieu of the drug I am now taking. However he

did tell me that the pacemaker wouldn't " cure " the a-fib but it would

control the heart rate completely so that my heart couldn't beat too

fast when in a-fib. He also couldn't guarantee me that the sypmtoms

I had when in a-fib, short of breath, tired, dizzy and light headed

would be eliminated. He thought they would be but wasn't sure. I

was only 49 at the time and decided to try the medicine instead even

though it is one with the potential for very serious side affects.

My cardio whom I trust completely thought this was the best option at

the time and that technology was advancing so fast in this area that

in a couple of years there might be some more choices.

The main thing is keeping asking questions until you get all the

answers you need to feel comfortable making a decision.

Look in the ablation database and there maybe someone who has an

ablation that is in your area or close to your area that could give

you some names of other EP's in your area.

>

> Beverly

>

>

>

>

______________________________________________________________________

> Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca

[Guest guest]

Hi Germaine in Canada,

One thing I have learned and through the hard way, YOU HAVE

TO TRUST YOUR DR.

He is going to get paid and boy do they get paid well, if the

procedure works or it does not work.

He should not be looking at a pacer and when I went to France

I asked about a pacemaker and was assured there was no need

for one in a PVA.

You only have one heart and one life. I feel you don't trust

your Dr, and I would seek alternative advice, if only to put

your mind at rest.

Remember this is the real thing and not a rehearsal.

JOHN C

>Hello,

>

>Thanks to from UK for asking me this question as it

>forces me to think through the reasons. I am nervous

>because;

>

>1. My EP doctor, although a Scholar, is relatively

>new in EP and has spent the last two years telling me the

>ablation procedure he does does not work that well on AFIB.

>

>2. Right now I hate the tired dragged out feeling from the

>AFIB and my heart pauses really scare me, but it is all

>episodic. Also, AFIB is supposed to be a 'benign'

>condition and I am afraid that poking around my heart may

>leave me worse off. I fear that I may be one of the one

>per cent who have a stroke or heart attack or at least a

>bad bleed after being on coumadin for two years and only

>being off it five days before the procedure. I am afraid of

>being worse off after the procedure than I am right now.

>

>3. My doctor is keeping the idea of a pace maker " in his

>back pocket " to quote him. I guess I don't want that to be

>sooner as I am only just turned 52 and may be afraid this

>procedure may make him want to put the idea in his front

>pocket. It all seems too much for a 'benign' concition!

>

>Anyway, sorry if I bored anyone.

>

>Germaine

>Canada

>

>

>

>

>

>

>>>

Codling

Hornchurch Essex England

[Guest guest]

on Wed, 7 Jan 2004 at 20:11:27, john codling

wrote :

>Hi Germaine in Canada,

>

>One thing I have learned and through the hard way, YOU HAVE

>TO TRUST YOUR DR.

Yes, / Germaine, but first find the right one to trust !

My " gut feel " over the inexperience of my first possible EP was proven

right by another member of this board, and made me change tack - in the

end I got a better deal and a better result :-)

Best of health to all,

Vicky

16 months and sinusing