Re: Jack,Mike,Carl,Angie,Pati,Henry , and all the rest calm me down!!!

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Posted by mjp on March 20, 2003 at 00:18:22:

In Reply to: Jack,Mike,Carl,Angie,Pati,Henry , and all the rest calm me down!!! posted by Allie on March 19, 2003 at 23:13:30:

Yeah Allie they were really busting his chops. Come on - we are all on the same side here. Right?

http://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?f=2&i=9738&t=9738

Author: Wayne Cook (---.cooksys.com)
Date: 03-07-03 13:40

Its been 9 months since my ablation at Cleveland Clinic with Dr. Natale. Since the operation I have not experienced afib at all and even my Pac's are down by about 90%. I hope for the day when they are gone totally. I think they will. I have had several bad colds during this time and I use to have to go and get a antibiotic to keep down infection and irritation because it triggered my afib. The doctor took me off my medicine (Tambocor) the morning I awoke from the procedure and I have been off ever since.

Three months after my procedure I went back to CC and took a few test and scans and there was no narrowing of my veins whatsoever. Dr. Natale is a skilled professional and he does his best to drive down his already low percentage of Stenosis. I can't remember what his staff said exactly but I think the stenosis is less than 2% which means there is a great chance that there will be none.


I am glad I did my research and made the decision to go ahead and get it done. I drink coffee, wine, work out like I use to and I lift weights again. I eat what I want within reason and I no longer am a slave to afib. As time goes by, I visit this and other sites less and less and I guess someday I will not visit at all. I say this to make the point that I am not bragging but encourageing all of you to get fixed. The cure for most of you is here now. It wasn't a few years ago ,but it is now. It has a very slight risk but clearly acceptable. Yes if you wait the risk will continue to drop more but you will miss that vacation you always wanted to go on and that coffee you love etc.

I believe that for most Lone afibbers, ablations at the top centers and ( not at just any place) that do the pulmonary vein ablation ,is the cure of choice. I would not have done this here in Memphis where I live because at this time they don't do enough of them and haven't specialized like Dr. Natale and his staff has. I wouldn't go here for that. I say this to alert you to the fact that I see many people on this and other BB in the past that have had ablations that didn't take and the reason must be experience and equipment. I have a local EP and after I discussed what I had on my mind he said " I don't blame you at all for going to some of the more experienced centers".

I hope this helps some of you that is considering you options.

Good luck and God bless.


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Re: Nine months since ablation
Author: mparrish (---.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net)
Date: 03-07-03 14:12

Thanks for posting Wayne. It is always nice to hear a success story. I've always kept an eye out for your posts because you were talking about the ablation around the same time I was diagnosed with afib and discovered this board. Glad to hear things are going well. Best of luck in the future. mjp


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Re: Nine months since ablation
Author: Char (---.modem.xmission.com)
Date: 03-07-03 14:24

Thanks, Wayne, for taking the time to relate your experience. And, Congratulations! It's encouraging to have the reassurance of knowing that you experienced success. I am scheduled for August 11, 12 and will be traveling 2000+ miles to Cleveland. Even though the medical community here is renown for many many things...PVA is not one of them. At least there is no one here with the experience and track record that Dr. Natale has apparently earned. I only wish it were sooner as I am in AF more than out now. Quality of life is everything and I have tried everything else. Best wishes for your continued good health and freedom from all medications! Char


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Re: Nine months since ablation
Author: Richard (---.gh.centurytel.net)
Date: 03-07-03 14:50

Hi Wayne,

Thank you so much for letting us know how you are doing. I'm happy for your success. I am working on my diet and will continue to do so forever, but am setting up an appt. with CC, as I do want additional testing, to see what they find and may consider an ablation, if I can't kick the AF. One thing I wanted to ask was about your insurance. Did it cover an out of state hospital? I have Premera Blue Cross in Washington state, running a family of 4 $1,000/mth, and they said it is their policy to only cover half of all costs. Do you have any idea of approx. how much the costs were, as well? I know money doesn't matter as far as one's health, but I am just curious. Thank you.

Richard


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Re: Nine months since ablation
Author: Jim W. (---.ashe.nc.charter.com)
Date: 03-07-03 16:36

Hi Wayne,

Thanks for your post. How long did you have AF? How many episodes where you having per week/ day, etc? How long did your episodes last? I'm curious because I somehow tend to think if one has had AF long standing, and episodes are every day or so sometimes lasting 4-5 days at a time( or is in AF 50% or more of the time) that ablation may not be as successful.

Jim


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Re: Nine months since ablation
Author: will (---.scvwd.dst.cs.us)
Date: 03-07-03 18:39

Congratulations Wayne!

I wonder if ablation is effective if you also have MVP.

-will


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Re: Nine months since ablation
Author: Frank (---.sympatico.ca)
Date: 03-08-03 06:06

Great going Wayne,I will be having my PVI hopefully in spring 2003,thats how backed up it is here in the Toronto area.Im not sure if you had PVA or PVI that Dr. Natale does.Did he ablate all 4 veins?Please keep us posted and its great to hear there is a cure out there for us.
Reagards Frank


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Re: Nine months since ablation
Author: Wayne Cook (---.cooksys.com)
Date: 03-10-03 13:58

To answer each of your questions, I was diagnosed with afib in 1995 and progressively I began to experience more and more in spite of the meds that I was on. Tambocor seem to work best for me but I started to lose it even with it. I had about 4 episodes per year and they lasted about 12 hours each during the last year. I never had it as bad as some but the trend was getting worse and the cure was there and I took it.
Yes it was a PVA and all four pulmonary veins were ablated. They found lots of signals in 3 of them and even some signals in my Vena Cava. They ablated it as well.
My insurance did cover it even though it was out of state. I can't answer whether a person with MVP would have the same results but I would ask CC's Staff and they will courteously answer all of your questions.
Dr. Natale told me himself that many of his patients are in chronic afib and have been for ages and they can be cured just as I was.


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Re: Nine months since ablation
Author: Richard (---.gh.centurytel.net)
Date: 03-10-03 17:14

Thank you, Wayne, for your information and response. I wish you all the best of health for many years to come. Keep us posted on how you're doing.

Richard


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Re: Nine months since ablation
Author: JAMES GILMARTIN (---.cvx11-bradley.dialup.earthlink.net)
Date: 03-17-03 16:00

I AM 3 MONTHS BEHIND YOU AND READ MY COMMENTS, PLEASE. GIL



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