Posted by THOMAS C. GLASS on May 03, 2001 at 15:00:11:
In Reply to: Re-schueduled for April 11th posted by John Behle on May 03, 2001 at 14:55:59:
HI JOHN I HAD THE MINIMUM MAZE PROCEDURE ON OCT 4 2000 BY DR. COX. THE MADE 5 INCH INCISION BEWEEN THE RIBS AND USED CAMERA TO SEE FOR LESIONS CUT IN ATRIUMS. DR COX EXPLAINED THE PROCEDURE TO ME BEFORE OPERATION. HE SAID THEY NOW USE CYROBLATION TO CUT LESIONS INSTEAD OF KNIFE. ONLY IN CERTAIN HARD TO GET AREAS DO THEY ACTUALLY CUT AND SEW. I AM NOW AT 6 MONTHS ONE WEEK AND NO AFIB. THEY DID OVER MEDICATE ME IN HOSPITAL WHEN I GOT POST OP AFIB ON THRD DAY.I WAS PUT ON PROCANIMIDE AND THEN AMIODERONE, AND THEN BETA PACE. IT ALMOST DID ME IN. I TRADED NO DRUGS FOR A PACEMAKER TO GET OUT OF HOSPITAL.THEY STILL WANTED ME ON AMIODERONE BUT I REFUSED. AFTER ONE DAY OUT OF HOSPITAL AND NO DRUGS I WENT INTO SINUS. BEFORE OPERATION I WAS IN AFIB 3 DAYS AND IN SINUS 3 DAYS ON A REGULAR BASIS. AFIB DID NOT BOTHER ME. HIGHEST RATE WAS 140 BUT IRREGULAR. I SINCERELY BELEIVE THAT IF THEY HAD LET MY AFIB RUN WITHOUT DRUGS I WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF HOSPITAL IN 8 DAYS INSTEAD OF 17. I WOULD FIGHT TO HAVE NO DRUGS IF I WERE YOU IF YOU GO INTO POSTOP AFIB.I HAVE NOW HAD PACEMAKER TAKEN OUT AND USE NO DRUGS. GOOG LUCK TOM