Comments on: Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation on the NBC Today Show: A Patient’s Perspective http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/ From StopAfib.org - For Afib Patients, By Afib Patients Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:59:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mellanie http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-4074 Mellanie Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:44:14 +0000 http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/#comment-4074 Nat, I'm so sorry that the PV ablation procedure was a problem. Are your doctors sure that your problem is still afib, or could it be atrial flutter? (They would probably have you wear a monitor for a few days or more to determine what rhythm it is.) Flutter is sometimes a by-product of ablation, but is usually easily fixed with a simple flutter ablation. Good luck. Mellanie Nat,

I’m so sorry that the PV ablation procedure was a problem. Are your doctors sure that your problem is still afib, or could it be atrial flutter? (They would probably have you wear a monitor for a few days or more to determine what rhythm it is.) Flutter is sometimes a by-product of ablation, but is usually easily fixed with a simple flutter ablation. Good luck.

Mellanie

]]> By: Nat Guad http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-4050 Nat Guad Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:51:49 +0000 http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/#comment-4050 Hello Again, I am not a satisfied customer of a pulmonary vein ablation. Prior to the procedure I was in and out of A-fib about twice a week. I would take 600mg dose of propafenone and convert to NSR within 20-24 hours. MY EPS doc put me on Sotolol and I was still getting the episodes. My insurance company approved the ablation and I had it done in March of 2010. I was a-fib free for about 2 months. then I had 3 episodes about 6 weeks apart. I was and still am on Sotolol 160mg twice daily and they keep coming. Each episode lasted about 20 hours. My episodes are now about 2 weeks apart and clearly getting closer together. Any suggestions for topics that I can discuss with my Doctor?? Hello Again,
I am not a satisfied customer of a pulmonary vein ablation. Prior to the procedure I was in and out of A-fib about twice a week. I would take 600mg dose of propafenone and convert to NSR within 20-24 hours. MY EPS doc put me on Sotolol and I was still getting the episodes. My insurance company approved the ablation and I had it done in March of 2010. I was a-fib free for about 2 months. then I had 3 episodes about 6 weeks apart. I was and still am on Sotolol 160mg twice daily and they keep coming. Each episode lasted about 20 hours. My episodes are now about 2 weeks apart and clearly getting closer together. Any suggestions for topics that I can discuss with my Doctor??

]]> By: Mellanie http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-3390 Mellanie Sun, 31 Oct 2010 14:42:22 +0000 http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/#comment-3390 Dan, I mentioned that the "doctor doing the procedure is a highly-experienced practitioner". I also mentioned the Second Worldwide Catheter Ablation Survey - the survey found that the most experienced practitioners and centers had success rates that were higher and risks/complications that were lower. So in the hands of an experienced practitioner, there is less risk from the mapping catheter or any other part of the procedure. But in the hands of a trainee or inexperienced practitioner, there certainly can be risk in any part of the procedure. That's why members of the afib community encourage each other to find the most experienced practitioners. The situation you and Pam experienced is unusual. I hope others learn from it, which I believe is one of the reasons you've written extensively about it. My heart goes out to you both. Mellanie Dan,

I mentioned that the “doctor doing the procedure is a highly-experienced practitioner”. I also mentioned the Second Worldwide Catheter Ablation Survey – the survey found that the most experienced practitioners and centers had success rates that were higher and risks/complications that were lower.

So in the hands of an experienced practitioner, there is less risk from the mapping catheter or any other part of the procedure. But in the hands of a trainee or inexperienced practitioner, there certainly can be risk in any part of the procedure. That’s why members of the afib community encourage each other to find the most experienced practitioners.

The situation you and Pam experienced is unusual. I hope others learn from it, which I believe is one of the reasons you’ve written extensively about it. My heart goes out to you both.

Mellanie

]]> By: Dan Walter http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-3389 Dan Walter Sun, 31 Oct 2010 13:25:16 +0000 http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/#comment-3389 No real risk? A mapping catheter is a dangerous instrument: htp://adventuresincardiology.com/ No real risk? A mapping catheter is a dangerous instrument: htp://adventuresincardiology.com/

]]> By: Bruce Solov http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-2933 Bruce Solov Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:16:09 +0000 http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/#comment-2933 I have been living with a-fib for quite some time. I am in the healthcare field myself as a cardiovascular technologist (echocardiographer). I have had three a-fib cardioversions since 2001. The first one lasted about a year, and nothing was done for a long time to correct it. This was because I am asymptomatic. I had another cardioversion back in May 2009, which lasted 6 months, and still another cardioversion back in January 2010, which lasted a little over a month. My doctor at this point has decided that an ablation was the way to go. I am meeting with a surgeon in a couple of days, because they have to use a different procedure on me. I was born with Atrial Septal Defect, a congenital heart defect, in which the hole in the fetal heart does not close completely after birth. That was corrected in 1972, when I was 4 years old. I was told that they are going to have to go trans xyphoidally to perform the procedure, which is a bit more invasive than the normal ablation. The end result is the same, no more a-fib. Will see what happens. I have been living with a-fib for quite some time. I am in the healthcare field myself as a cardiovascular technologist (echocardiographer). I have had three a-fib cardioversions since 2001. The first one lasted about a year, and nothing was done for a long time to correct it. This was because I am asymptomatic. I had another cardioversion back in May 2009, which lasted 6 months, and still another cardioversion back in January 2010, which lasted a little over a month. My doctor at this point has decided that an ablation was the way to go. I am meeting with a surgeon in a couple of days, because they have to use a different procedure on me. I was born with Atrial Septal Defect, a congenital heart defect, in which the hole in the fetal heart does not close completely after birth. That was corrected in 1972, when I was 4 years old. I was told that they are going to have to go trans xyphoidally to perform the procedure, which is a bit more invasive than the normal ablation. The end result is the same, no more a-fib. Will see what happens.

]]> By: uberVU - social comments http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-2915 uberVU - social comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:13:44 +0000 http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/#comment-2915 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by StopAfib: What was wrong w/ NBC Today Show coverage of live atrial fibrillation ablation? http://bit.ly/cVOYpf #afib... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by StopAfib: What was wrong w/ NBC Today Show coverage of live atrial fibrillation ablation? http://bit.ly/cVOYpf #afib…

]]> By: seth http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-2907 seth Sat, 13 Feb 2010 03:38:51 +0000 http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/#comment-2907 Nat, I can understand the concern with a change of medication, I've taken 80mg sotalol 2pd for the last 6yrs also have pacemaker. the sotalol is to slow the heart rate pacemaker to control heart rate. I have Afib which can last for 24 hrs but since my cardiologist put me on coversyl 2.5mg (blood pressure tablet} the Afib has really eased. My G.P. told me that was the aim for being placed on coversyl 2.5. {Hope this can help.} Seth. Nat, I can understand the concern with a change of medication, I’ve taken 80mg sotalol 2pd for the last 6yrs
also have pacemaker. the sotalol is to slow the heart rate
pacemaker to control heart rate. I have Afib which can last for 24 hrs but since my cardiologist put me on coversyl 2.5mg (blood pressure tablet} the Afib has really eased.
My G.P. told me that was the aim for being placed on coversyl 2.5. {Hope this can help.} Seth.

]]> By: Nat Guadagnino http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-2901 Nat Guadagnino Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:13:06 +0000 http://atrialfibrillationblog.com/ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation-on-the-nbc-today-show-a-patients-perspective/#comment-2901 My cardiologist just switched me from Metoprolol to Sotalol 80 mg twice daily. FYI. This is a combo of Beta blocker and anti-arythmic drugs. In addition to my hypertension I have an episode of A-fib every 6 to 10 days that doesn't convert to NSR without a single dose of 600mg of propafenone. After searching the web for detailed info on Sotalol I am very nervous about switching. Most of the literature on the web states that this med should be initiated while in the hospital for up to 3 days for close monitoring. My doctor did not mention the need for a hospital stay. Can You give me some advice about this?? I would like to communicate with some people who are actually on this drug before I switch from metoprolol to sotalol. Nat 210-492-1733. cell 210-865-1733 My cardiologist just switched me from Metoprolol to Sotalol 80 mg twice daily. FYI. This is a combo of Beta blocker and anti-arythmic drugs. In addition to my hypertension I have an episode of A-fib every 6 to 10 days that doesn’t convert to NSR without a single dose of 600mg of propafenone. After searching the web for detailed info on Sotalol I am very nervous about switching.

Most of the literature on the web states that this med should be initiated while in the hospital for up to 3 days for close monitoring. My doctor did not mention the need for a hospital stay. Can You give me some advice about this??

I would like to communicate with some people who are actually on this drug before I switch from metoprolol to sotalol.
Nat
210-492-1733.
cell 210-865-1733

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