Any experiences with Watchman Implant for A-Fib?

Thanks for your comments and info. Something new comes out all of the time. I hope the Watchman is a presently good choice for those of us affected. I've lived with Afib for almost 12 years. Eventually, one ceases to worry about it....

I myself am looking into having a Watchman procedure performed.

I certainly wish you all the best, but do be aware that the Watchman is not designed to eliminate AFIB but rather to allow you to avert strokes without taking blood thinners (after that initial healing period).

I decided to have a Watchman because blood thinners carry with them a special added risk to my wet macular degeneration (they add risk for the retinal bleeding which is what kills the macular cells and leads to blindness).

There are other significant advantages to avoiding blood thinners too:
if you have a hemorrhagic stroke, while taking them you are pretty much a goner as the reversal agents are few and far between (even if you were able to get to a hospital carrying them in time, the cost is $25K for the first dose, and another $25K if you need another. The cost is the main reason hospitals don't carry it).

Also, anything causing bleeding, is hard to control while taking blood thinners.

Many doctors advise against older people taking them , because of their greater fall risk (especially because they might cause cerebral bleeding).

So you will end up ahead no matter what even if you continue to have Afib.

Best of luck1

Best wishes.

On blood thinners since 2005 with atrial fib, 3 stents, several ablations and cardioconversions. On Eliquis and Tikcosin for a long time. Afrer an extended battle with renal failure, I recovered and took several tests to determine my heart strength. I was implanted with a Watchman 13 September,2022 and so far so good.In 4 weeks I will srart a couple of tests to assure the implant is good - then at about 45 days I may be able to eliminate blood thinners and maybe see an improvenent to my atrial fib.I tnink it is worth the effort. I am 87....

Let me clarify. Following the installation of the watchman my friend was told he can then stop taking eliquis, that was the problem. He immediately went back on the drug no problems since.

Thank you for your insight and experience. You're like a newly found support team member, which I badly need. My wife passed last October four days after my birthday, and now I live alone. No family here. That would be OK normally, but then these medical problems came up. Ah, the joys of getting old!!

If they find D-Dimer in your blood, I believe it indicates your blood has the right condition for making clots. That way your doctors can use that information to determine what exactly is wrong with your blood that is causing you to form blood clots. So once they correct the problem, a D-Dimer test can tell if more clots are forming somewhere in your body. If it is, like me, my doctors ordered a special technology to find where in the body the clot or clots are forming, so they can be dissolved. First they do the whole upper body, then the next scan does the legs. Since your own body defense can dissolve a clot over time, I believe D-Dimer is what is released into the blood as the clot breaks down. Glad I could give you my knowledge. Becky

Becky, I never heard of this D-Dimer test. I go to the Heart Failure Clinic here in Rome, GA this Friday and I'll be sure to ask about it. Thanks for the heads up. Richard.

One thing I forgot to ask you, were you given the D-Dimer blood test. Its a simple early warning that trouble from a clot may be in your body. If the results are above 0.5(zero point five) it could indicate you have a clot your body is trying to dissolve. Mine was 3.66 but age can cause it to read higher. Unfortunately, I didn’t need a test to tell me I had a clot in my right lung, the excruciating pain told me that.

Not good news, it just complicates things. One thing my blood problem is my platelets (make blood clot) are to sticky. Since you tried the first line of defense but it didn’t work, now they’ll have to bring out the big guy, TPA. The Thrombolytic drug also known as the Clot Buster. They try not to use it because of its side affect of causing bleeding since the blood (platelets) are less sticky.

If that fails, the only option they have left is to go in after it. I know this all is scary, I’ve been in the same situation twice. Once with the Pulmonary Embolism in my right lung, the other was even more terrifying to me when a large clot plugged up the opening to the stent in my left Atrial Chamber and the blood flow was almost stopped.

Your cardiologist should be talking to you about your opinions because a blood clot can be a life threatening situation. Then after the clot’s been removed, the doctor will have to find out what originally made the clot. My clot’s started in November, 2020, then another in January 2021, February 2021 and the last in March 2021. They worked on the one cause, I was making to much Estrogen hormone and a blood problem. I’m trying not to upset you but having going thru it myself, I know how you’re feeling. Personally, I chose the drug and they kept a close eye on me for any bleeding. I nicked myself with a knife and had to be rushed to the doctor to have s chemical coagulant applied to stop the bleeding. Please take care of yourself and let me know how things turn out. @becky1024