Re: Cardioversion question

[Guest guest]

Wanda, perhaps the most important reply is that after an ablation it is not at

all

uncommon to have some episodes of AF for up to 6 months. Different docs

handle intervening problems differently, some trying antiarhythmics (as yours is

doing), others going back quickly to do touch-ups. I have a close friend who is

3 months post-ablation with Natale in Cleveland, and they have finally decided,

after slow deliberation, that he should have a touch-up in the next couple of

months. In other words, they gave the heart plenty of time to seek its way back

into the normal rhythmic patterns that it had lost, with a little help from

antiarrhythmics, before doing anything drastic.

The big issue is your confidence in your EP/surgeon. Does s/he have a lot of

experience with ablation? This is a tricky illness and you need to be with

someone who is known to be good. I don't know many names but people on

this forum do, and if you mention a name I'm sure you'll get some feedback as

to the known quality of the work.

Kathleen (24/7, atenolol, digoxin, coumadin, a little lasix)

[Guest guest]

Kathleen, thanks for the feedback. I did go into the ablation

knowing there would be 'some' episodes of AF, I guess my definition

of some and reality are grossly different. I'm hard dealing with

feeling worse after than before and want to cling to hope. I'm

having difficulty concentrating at work and today in a meeting twice

said the opposite of what I meant to say. GRRRRRR

I have confidence in my EP - DeLurgio of Emory Crawford Long in

Atlanta. And given the knowledge base I've accumulated here feel

that I can ask more intelligent questions as to why do you want to do

this or that.

Wanda

> Wanda, perhaps the most important reply is that after an ablation

it is not at all

> uncommon to have some episodes of AF for up to 6 months. Different

docs

> handle intervening problems differently, some trying antiarhythmics

(as yours is

> doing), others going back quickly to do touch-ups. I have a close

friend who is

> 3 months post-ablation with Natale in Cleveland, and they have

finally decided,

> after slow deliberation, that he should have a touch-up in the next

couple of

> months. In other words, they gave the heart plenty of time to seek

its way back

> into the normal rhythmic patterns that it had lost, with a little

help from

> antiarrhythmics, before doing anything drastic.

>

> The big issue is your confidence in your EP/surgeon. Does s/he

have a lot of

> experience with ablation? This is a tricky illness and you need to

be with

> someone who is known to be good. I don't know many names but

people on

> this forum do, and if you mention a name I'm sure you'll get some

feedback as

> to the known quality of the work.

>

> Kathleen (24/7, atenolol, digoxin, coumadin, a little lasix)

[Guest guest]

> Is there anyone on the list who has received more than just a

temporary

> (days, weeks, months) benefit from cardioversion?

********

I had 4 cardioversions in one month at the beginning of my

afib " career " . The longest any of them lasted was 4 days.

[Guest guest]

> > Is there anyone on the list who has received more than just a

> temporary

> > (days, weeks, months) benefit from cardioversion?

> ********

> I had 4 cardioversions in one month at the beginning of my

> afib " career " . The longest any of them lasted was 4 days.

>

..................................

My first lasted 16 months while on Amiodarone (moderate intake of

alcohol put me back into afib). Second lasted 12 months. Third

lasted 9 months.

When the Amiodarone was discontinued and replaced by Sotalol I had a

bunch of the buggers. Seems like every month I was getting zapped.

Now since back on the Amiodarone, NSR for 7 months and then bam. Now

4 months and counting.

P <MI>