Guest guest Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 > My doctor said that my body is resisting all medication and he > suggested that maybe I should consider having an ablation. Would this > proceedure stop all fibrillations? Would I still have to continue > with medication? [sNIP] > Thanks, > Penny Hi Penny That depends on how well your ablation goes. Some people are completely free of AF and all meds. Some people are free of AF but need to take meds (sometimes meds that don't work before the ablation start working after). Some people remain the same and some get worse. Around 1 in 4 people require more than one ablation to achieve success. The chance of success is extremely dependent on the skill/experience of the EP performing the procedure. Personally, I would say you should only consider ablation if you are very symptomatic when you are in AF - though others will disagree with this view. see Worldwide Survey on the Methods, Efficacy, and Safety of Catheter Ablation for Human Atrial Fibrillation http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/111/9/1100 and Summary of clinical studies...(3 pages of tables) http://www.nature.com/ncpcardio/journal/v2/n3/fig_tab/ncpcardio0137_T1.html (which has a link to to other pages with tables on) I had my first ablation in February but sadly it looks like I'm part of the 1 in 4 that will require another. All the best. -- D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Penny, You might find this interesting, it is a video of them doing an actual ablation plus a discussion by some doctors about afib, ablations, etc. http://www.or-live.com/Stph/1316/index.cfm?r=orlive There are different techniques used by different groups. However, I am told it works in 80% of the cases. 80% being " improvement " . Within that 80% you have some that the relief they get is simply the medications will now work, but others get off all medications (my hope of course). As this field is changing so rapidly, I would look for statistical articles and such that are fairly recent. They do keep developing their techniques so hopefully they get better. Also my EP said that it was more likely to work if you had not reached the persistent state yet, so I would read articles with that in mind. I have heard before that it is better to have the afib " under control " to some degree. With me, I am unconvinced that meds help at all. I have found no triggers either. It just seems like when my body wants to afib it does. The periods of high afib activity have happened on all meds (and none) as have a couple of weeks being afib free. It truly seems like a random event. Judy At 11:41 PM 5/1/2005, you wrote: >My doctor said that my body is resisting all medication and he >suggested that maybe I should consider having an ablation. Would this >proceedure stop all fibrillations? Would I still have to continue >with medication? I have been having episodes four or more times daily >for the past year and I'm really getting tired of them! > >Would love to hear feed back on this. > >Thanks, >Penny > > > > > > >Web Page - <http://www.afibsupport.com>http://www.afibsupport.com >List owner: AFIBsupport-owner >For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email, >send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help > >Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should >be acted upon without consultation with one's physician. > > > >---------- > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 > >> My doctor said that my body is resisting all medication and he >> suggested that maybe I should consider having an ablation. Would this >> proceedure stop all fibrillations? Would I still have to continue >> with medication? [sNIP] >> Thanks, >> Penny ................................................................ Hi Penny, Before you commit to anything I would suggest you get and read thoroughly Han's Larsen's " Lone Atrial Fibrillation-Towards a Cure (Volume 2). The chapter beginning on page 202 has some eye opening information regarding the success rate of the procedure among different doctors and facilities. After reading this there are very few doctors I would want to perform the PVI procedure on me.......... Good Luck, Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Penny, an ablation is to isolate you afib, the electrical pulses that are causing you problem. Its a new procedure perhaps on around for the last five years or so. You have not mentioned where you are in the world, I am asking this as the Drs who perform this certain ones are in their infancy. I.e. in Australia and the Uk there are very few drs working on this procedure. If your in Italy or France then there are many more dRs. In the USA there are quite a lot more of them performing this procedure but you have to pick this right one. C UK >>> My doctor said that my body is resisting all medication and he >>> suggested that maybe I should consider having an ablation. Would this >>> proceedure stop all fibrillations? Would I still have to continue >>> with medication? [sNIP] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 > >In the USA there are quite a lot more of them performing this procedure but >you have to pick this right one. How do you know how successful certain doctors have been? We know of Natale, but obviously there must be others out there who are pretty good. As far as Penny goes, if the meds aren't working, her choices are getting limited. Yes, you can try the supplement route (I never saw any difference with supplements either), but it turns out a lot of the people who are taking all those supplements also had an ablation to reduce the afib to a more workable level. They credit the supplements, but they also had an ablation. Judith B. Currier Fairfax, Virginia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Judith, I, personally wish to be crystal clear about MY ABLATIONS and MAGNESIUM. I had a surgeon rabid to do multiple ablations. He did three in fact. Three failed. AFTER his 3 failed ablations, carpet bombing all parts of my heart, I went into AF and other tachychardias, PVCs, PACs. With the help of fibbers, I was able to investigate MAGNESIUM. I learned it is STANDARD PRACTICE TO USE MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENTS AFTER ANY INVASIVE HEART PROCEDURE OR HEART PROBLEM. So, I took it. I was obviously hypomagnesium. I suggest EVERY person be AWARE. PREVENTION magazine, May 2005, says: " " Studies linking these minerals (MAGNESIUM & POTASSIUM) with sometimes dramatic protection from diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. E. g. last year, researchers conducting the Honolulu Heart Program found that among the 7,000 men studied, those with the highest magnesium intake had a 45% LOWER risk of heart disease than did those who consumed the least. " " More than half of women (66%) and men (64%) aren't getting the RDA of magnesium. " " Most men (90%) and most women (99%) don't get enough potassium. " LJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 > >> >>In the USA there are quite a lot more of them performing this procedure >> but >>you have to pick this right one. > > How do you know how successful certain doctors have been? We know of > Natale, but obviously there must be others out there who are pretty good. ........................................................................ Again, Lots of specific imformation on doctors and facilities in Han's latest book.... LAF Towards a Cure(volume 2)....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 At 01:18 PM 5/2/2005, you wrote: >Judith, > >I, personally wish to be crystal clear about MY ABLATIONS >and MAGNESIUM. Sounds like I offended, and I didn't mean to. I know I looked into magnesium and got scared away because of the interaction with the kidneys. There is also such things as the following that I read: " Signs of excess magnesium can be similar to magnesium deficiency and include changes in mental status, nausea, diarrhea, appetite loss, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, extremely low blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat [<http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/#en5>5,<http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/#en5\ 7>57-60]. " Barring access to a physician that would help me adjust the levels of the various supplements, it sounded like I had the capability to harm by self medicating. Then I had the head of the heart transplant unit here go into a tirade about the unknown side effects of supplements (I didn't take it totally to heart, but decided to be a little more careful). Judy >I had a surgeon rabid to do multiple ablations. He did >three in fact. > >Three failed. > >AFTER his 3 failed ablations, carpet bombing all parts of >my heart, I went into AF and other tachychardias, PVCs, >PACs. > >With the help of fibbers, I was able to investigate >MAGNESIUM. I learned it is STANDARD PRACTICE TO USE >MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENTS AFTER ANY INVASIVE HEART PROCEDURE >OR HEART PROBLEM. > >So, I took it. I was obviously hypomagnesium. > >I suggest EVERY person be AWARE. > >PREVENTION magazine, May 2005, says: > " " Studies linking these minerals (MAGNESIUM & POTASSIUM) >with sometimes dramatic protection from diabetes, heart >disease, and osteoporosis. E. g. last year, researchers >conducting the Honolulu Heart Program found that among the >7,000 men studied, those with the highest magnesium intake >had a 45% LOWER risk of heart disease than did those who >consumed the least. " > > " More than half of women (66%) and men (64%) aren't getting >the RDA of magnesium. " " Most men (90%) and most women (99%) >don't get enough potassium. " > >LJ > > > > > >Web Page - <http://www.afibsupport.com>http://www.afibsupport.com >List owner: AFIBsupport-owner >For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email, >send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help > >Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should >be acted upon without consultation with one's physician. > > > >---------- > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 > > My doctor said that my body is resisting all medication and he > > suggested that maybe I should consider having an ablation. Would this > > proceedure stop all fibrillations? Would I still have to continue > > with medication? [sNIP] > > Thanks, > > Penny > Hi Penny > That depends on how well your ablation goes. Some people are completely > free of AF and all meds. Some people are free of AF but need to take > meds (sometimes meds that don't work before the ablation start working > after). Some people remain the same and some get worse. Around 1 in 4 > people require more than one ablation to achieve success. The chance of > success is extremely dependent on the skill/experience of the EP > performing the procedure. Personally, I would say you should only > consider ablation if you are very symptomatic when you are in AF - > though others will disagree with this view. > > see > Worldwide Survey on the Methods, Efficacy, and Safety of Catheter > Ablation for Human Atrial Fibrillation > http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/111/9/1100 > > and > Summary of clinical studies...(3 pages of tables) > http://www.nature.com/ncpcardio/journal/v2/n3/fig_tab/ncpcardio0137_T1.html > (which has a link to to other pages with tables on) > > I had my first ablation in February but sadly it looks like I'm part of > the 1 in 4 that will require another. > All the best. > -- > D Well said, . I have had two pulmonary vein ablations and a flutterline ablation since 2002. Prior to that I had experienced (at first) occasional episodes of a-fib which become more and more frequent over a period of about 12 years. The drugs (primarily Flecinide and Metaprolol) worked to a point but often didn't control things completely, even at relatively high doses. After first PVA, I was able to cut back on Flecinide somewhat, and after the second PVA I was able to cut back even more. With the flutterline, I have ben able to cut back the Metaprolol. Now, I am still on these drugs, but they are more reliable and I take much lower doses. That being said, I would recommend looking at ablation therapy in cases where the medications aren't fully effective, or have bothersome side effects. -ElwellDW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 9, 2005 Report Share Posted July 9, 2005 , it wasn't done in Michigan! It was an accident,and I would rather not say where It was done. Colleen,thanks for the good words. WEM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 WEM, You¹re very welcome. =0) Colleen > , it wasn't done in Michigan! It was an accident,and I would > rather not say where It was done. Colleen,thanks for the good > words. WEM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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