Posted by Bill Kilgore on October 30, 2003 at 15:58:23:
I wish to thank the creators and contributors of this web site who have led me to a probable cure for atrial fibrillation at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and who have provided so much encouragement and sharing of information with all of us. I am grateful to God and good doctors. Upon my very first visit with Dr. John Seger in Houston four years ago, he told me that I would never be rid of atrial fibrillation without a difinitive procedure. He has encouraged me to seek an ablation. It is old news that I tried the procedure in Houston and could not be made to hold still even with deep sedation. A month prior to my long-awaited procedure date I began to keep an a-fib log and was surprised and concerned to see that my episodes had begun to endure for up to 30 hours, whereas for years the episodes rarely lasted for more than half a day. I had done pretty well on Norpace, Zebeta and Warfarin for four years, but these longer episodes were disturbing. Just five days before my procedure date I contracted a head-cold virus with fever, chills, body aches and congestion. I called Michelle in Dr. Natale's office and she said that I must get over the fever, but that a cough would not prevent me from having the procedure. So, I saw a doctor, stayed home and took claritin D and anti-biotics to avoid getting a sinus infection. By Monday I was ready but still concerned about the coughing reflex. At CCF they assured me that the sedatives would keep me from coughing during the procedure. On the morning of the procedure I went into a-fib while sitting in patient admissions at desk H10 at 9:00 am. When I told that to the nurse, she checked with Dr. Natale and determined that I did not have to have a TEE. I had only just begun an a-fib episode. Following the procedure Dr. Natale told me that it went well. Once during the ablation one of the nurses spoke to me and I replied and asked for a progress report. She told me that I was already in normal rhythm. Those were sweet words. During the procedure I perspired so heavily that I soaked all the sheets. I perspire a lot. They kept wiping my brow with a cool, wet cloth which was very, very nice of them to do. Following the procedure I was quite dehydrated and my blood pressure plummeted three times. They pushed 2.5 liters of saline directly into my veins over 12 hours and once injected atropine to keep my blood pressure up. The next day after discharge my kidneys recovered and I began to get rid of some of all that fluid. My wife was there every minute and I am so indebted to her. I actually thought I could handle going to Cleveland by myself if my wife was delayed in Europe on a business trip. I was wrong. I am lucky she got back from Europe in time to go with me as we had always planned. I only wish that I could remember the name of every medical professional I came into contact with on the Atrial Fibrillation team and in the hospital. Every one of them has made a lasting impression upon me. For those of you who are going to have this procedure, please plan to spend an extra night on campus following your release from the Clinic unless you live in Cleveland. You really need that extra night to get over the anesthesia and to allow your chest to recover from the ablation. You will be a little sore for the first 24 to 48 hours.
- Re: PVI/Ablation on October 27, 2003 Agnes Combs 05:57:35 8/11/2004 (0)
- Re: PVI/Ablation on October 27, 2003 Anne Rowthorn 17:11:28 11/12/2003 (2)
- Re: PVI/Ablation on October 27, 2003 Val Bohne 01:45:16 8/11/2004 (0)
- PVI/Ablation in January Bill Kilgore 22:03:18 11/12/2003 (0)