Atrial fibrillation

Just home from my PFA under GA. Experienced no pain whatsoever. Following mapping of my heart, ablation in all four chambers to put my Afib asleep. EP and team were well versed in the PFA procedure and I know they were to right choice for this procedure. Thankful for my wonderful team and all care received since last February when this journey began. EP said my heart is strong with no damage or leaky valves. He is hopeful for success as we move forward with recovery period. Up moving and walking the hallway after 4 hour recovery period laying flat. I have had a bit of emotional episodes crying however as a woman, that is a great release. God is great and not finished with me yet. Find the best EP you can, even if you have to travel and educate yourself. It will give you power.

@earther
We don’t always have a choice regarding surgery. My 4 hour surgery was due to cancer. My afib has been progressing for 5 years being in afib 30% of the time in recent months. I’m very symptomatic so those are lost days with exhaustion and very low BP causing me to be weak and faint. I don’t want to waste 30% of my life or have a stroke. I finally started Eliquis after that last TIA. I’ve had a lot of bad side effects to meds so I say no if at all optional. The 1st EP told me my case would take 2-3 ablations and no guarantee. He handles complex cases. I’m hoping for a better prediction with the second complex case EP I’m hoping will take my case. I recently stopped taking a cancer med that started the afib so I’m hoping the number of episodes will decrease without that x factor. We’ll see. I just had a 42 hour episode so I know it won’t stop completely.

@basgal I understand. I'm a female Afib patient and while I haven't cried yet, I have felt like it. Especially back in August for my first one, then October for some touchup and the Watchman. Just returned home last night from a quick return trip for my first TEE to check on the Watchman. All was well. Yesterday was the first visit I felt calm & relaxed. First two trips I was so stressed . . . nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs as my old Great Uncle Sam use to say (I loved his old sayings as a kid growing up LOL). YES Travel is 100% worth it. Yesterdays trip, we were barely there 24 hours and overnight at hotel, Uber & Lyft are great, and even though this trip wasn't non-stop flights it beats the heck out of driving like we did that first trip in August where it was very close to 2,000 miles there and back. I chose to do that because I hadn't flown since Afib diagnosis and last flights were international in Fall of 2022 right before diagnosis. Unfortunately I do have a leaky valve so will have to start that journey but they said it wasn't urgent but that it could have led to my Afib. Best wishes for your Blanking Period~!!!!

I am currently 75 male. I had AFIB for years (1998) and had a major stroke in 2022 (bleeding) I believer the stroke was caused by taking naproxen with Eliquis after knee surgery. Never take any NSAIDs medication with Eliquis or Pradaxa. I had the chemical Cardioversion one time which was not successful. I refused to do the ablation (Cauterization) which will burn the heart tissue. The cardiologist suggested to install a Watchman and I did. Having leakage after Watchman was installed. Another procedure to plug the leakage. Fast forward to this last June, I was hospitalized for pneumonia. After I was release from the hospital, my AFIB appeared to be gone. No more AFIB detected for at least 6 months now. My reasoning for not doing cauterization is because it is irreversible, i.e. once the heart tissue is burnt or killed, it will never grow back. I was told I still have to take blood thinning medication after cauterization. And if the tissue is not completely dead, there may be a slim chance of the heart will repair itself however small a chance it may be. Please understand I am not suggesting you should do the same. If you keep taking the blood thinning medication Eliquis or Pradaxa and avoid major trauma to your head, you should be fine. The cardiologist told me too much coffee could cause AFIB. I did change my habit of drinking much less coffee and more exercise consistently. I am now a true believer of having good diet and consistent exercise will help. Good luck and stay healthy.

I am currently 75 male. I had AFIB for years (1998) and had a major stroke in 2022 (bleeding) I believer the stroke was caused by taking naproxen with Eliquis after knee surgery. Never take any NSAIDs medication with Eliquis or Pradaxa. I had the chemical Cardioversion one time which was not successful. I refused to do the ablation (Cauterization) which will burn the heart tissue. The cardiologist suggested to install a Watchman and I did. Having leakage after Watchman was installed. Another procedure to plug the leakage. Fast forward to this last June, I was hospitalized for pneumonia. After I was release from the hospital, my AFIB appeared to be gone. No more AFIB detected for at least 6 months now. My reasoning for not doing cauterization is because it is irreversible, i.e. once the heart tissue is burnt or killed, it will never grow back. I was told I still have to take blood thinning medication after cauterization. And if the tissue is not completely dead, there may be a slim chance of the heart will repair itself however small a chance it may be. Please understand I am not suggesting you should do the same. If you keep taking the blood thinning medication Eliquis or Pradaxa and avoid major trauma to your head, you should be fine. The cardiologist told me too much coffee could cause AFIB. I did change my habit of drinking much less coffee and more exercise consistently. I am now a true believer of having good diet and consistent exercise will help. Good luck and stay healthy.

@andrewc999

re: you comment that "My reasoning for not doing cauterization is because it is irreversible, i.e. once the heart tissue is burnt or killed, it will never grow back."

This is from email from the company that makes (and aggressively markets) the Watchman:

The WATCHMAN FLX and WATCHMAN FLX Pro Devices are permanent implants designed to close the left atrial appendage in the heart in an effort to reduce the risk of stroke.

With all medical procedures there are risks associated with the implant procedure and the use of the device. The risks include, but are not limited to, accidental puncture of the heart causing fluid to collect around the heart possibly leading towards the need for an additional procedure, allergic reaction, anesthesia risks, altered mental status or confusion after procedure, arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), bleeding or throat pain from the TEE (Trans Esophageal Echo) probe, chest pain/discomfort, congestive heart failure, renal failure, excessive bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, groin puncture bleed, bruising at the catheter insertion site, groin pain, anemia (reduced red blood cells requiring transfusion), hypotension, infection/pneumonia (example: in or around your heart or lungs), misplacement of the device, improper seal of the appendage or movement of device from appendage wall, clot formation on the device, blood clot or air bubbles in the lungs or other organs, stroke, transient ischemic attack (temporary stroke-like symptoms), cranial bleed (bleeding in or around your brain), thrombosis (blockage of a blood vessel or vein by a clot) and in rare cases death can occur.

Be sure to talk with your doctor so that you thoroughly understand all of the risks and benefits associated with the implantation of the device. SH-2109508-AA

I am currently 75 male. I had AFIB for years (1998) and had a major stroke in 2022 (bleeding) I believer the stroke was caused by taking naproxen with Eliquis after knee surgery. Never take any NSAIDs medication with Eliquis or Pradaxa. I had the chemical Cardioversion one time which was not successful. I refused to do the ablation (Cauterization) which will burn the heart tissue. The cardiologist suggested to install a Watchman and I did. Having leakage after Watchman was installed. Another procedure to plug the leakage. Fast forward to this last June, I was hospitalized for pneumonia. After I was release from the hospital, my AFIB appeared to be gone. No more AFIB detected for at least 6 months now. My reasoning for not doing cauterization is because it is irreversible, i.e. once the heart tissue is burnt or killed, it will never grow back. I was told I still have to take blood thinning medication after cauterization. And if the tissue is not completely dead, there may be a slim chance of the heart will repair itself however small a chance it may be. Please understand I am not suggesting you should do the same. If you keep taking the blood thinning medication Eliquis or Pradaxa and avoid major trauma to your head, you should be fine. The cardiologist told me too much coffee could cause AFIB. I did change my habit of drinking much less coffee and more exercise consistently. I am now a true believer of having good diet and consistent exercise will help. Good luck and stay healthy.

I am currently 75 male. I had AFIB for years (1998) and had a major stroke in 2022 (bleeding) I believer the stroke was caused by taking naproxen with Eliquis after knee surgery. Never take any NSAIDs medication with Eliquis or Pradaxa. I had the chemical Cardioversion one time which was not successful. I refused to do the ablation (Cauterization) which will burn the heart tissue. The cardiologist suggested to install a Watchman and I did. Having leakage after Watchman was installed. Another procedure to plug the leakage. Fast forward to this last June, I was hospitalized for pneumonia. After I was release from the hospital, my AFIB appeared to be gone. No more AFIB detected for at least 6 months now. My reasoning for not doing cauterization is because it is irreversible, i.e. once the heart tissue is burnt or killed, it will never grow back. I was told I still have to take blood thinning medication after cauterization. And if the tissue is not completely dead, there may be a slim chance of the heart will repair itself however small a chance it may be. Please understand I am not suggesting you should do the same. If you keep taking the blood thinning medication Eliquis or Pradaxa and avoid major trauma to your head, you should be fine. The cardiologist told me too much coffee could cause AFIB. I did change my habit of drinking much less coffee and more exercise consistently. I am now a true believer of having good diet and consistent exercise will help. Good luck and stay healthy.

I am currently 75 male. I had AFIB for years (1998) and had a major stroke in 2022 (bleeding) I believer the stroke was caused by taking naproxen with Eliquis after knee surgery. Never take any NSAIDs medication with Eliquis or Pradaxa. I had the chemical Cardioversion one time which was not successful. I refused to do the ablation (Cauterization) which will burn the heart tissue. The cardiologist suggested to install a Watchman and I did. Having leakage after Watchman was installed. Another procedure to plug the leakage. Fast forward to this last June, I was hospitalized for pneumonia. After I was release from the hospital, my AFIB appeared to be gone. No more AFIB detected for at least 6 months now. My reasoning for not doing cauterization is because it is irreversible, i.e. once the heart tissue is burnt or killed, it will never grow back. I was told I still have to take blood thinning medication after cauterization. And if the tissue is not completely dead, there may be a slim chance of the heart will repair itself however small a chance it may be. Please understand I am not suggesting you should do the same. If you keep taking the blood thinning medication Eliquis or Pradaxa and avoid major trauma to your head, you should be fine. The cardiologist told me too much coffee could cause AFIB. I did change my habit of drinking much less coffee and more exercise consistently. I am now a true believer of having good diet and consistent exercise will help. Good luck and stay healthy.

@earther
We don’t always have a choice regarding surgery. My 4 hour surgery was due to cancer. My afib has been progressing for 5 years being in afib 30% of the time in recent months. I’m very symptomatic so those are lost days with exhaustion and very low BP causing me to be weak and faint. I don’t want to waste 30% of my life or have a stroke. I finally started Eliquis after that last TIA. I’ve had a lot of bad side effects to meds so I say no if at all optional. The 1st EP told me my case would take 2-3 ablations and no guarantee. He handles complex cases. I’m hoping for a better prediction with the second complex case EP I’m hoping will take my case. I recently stopped taking a cancer med that started the afib so I’m hoping the number of episodes will decrease without that x factor. We’ll see. I just had a 42 hour episode so I know it won’t stop completely.