Any experiences with Watchman Implant for A-Fib?

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 Then after the clot’s been removed, the doctor will have to find out what originally made the clot.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

Thanks for your response, Becky. Here's the odd part of all this-- apparently the clot is in or around my heart (it was found during a TEE), and the treatment is blood thinners which are Eliquis and baby aspirin. I already have been taking those drugs and the clot formed anyway. How then can they dissolve it? I'm confused.

It doesn’t mean they won’t do it, it simply means they won’t do it till they dissolve the blood clot with a special medication. Because of several blood problems, I’ve made 4 blood clots over the last year, one nearly killed me when it went threw my heart and lodged in my right lung triggering what’s call a pulmonary embolism. That’s a very, very serious and life threatening situation.

So with you having a blood clot, it’s probably stuck somewhere in your body. So your doctors won’t do anything to dislodge the clot but try to dissolve it before it damages your heart, lungs or brain. You’re a very, very lucky person that they discovery it before it possibly could have killed you. Good luck. @becky1024

Hi-- Brand new to this group (today!) and trying to navigate. I'm an 83 yo techno-nerd. I have heart failure and was recently told, VIA echo, that I have leaking heart valves. Further TEE shows I have a heart blood clot, so no operating procedures can be performed. I'm very confused. Can anyone help me sort this all out?

Both jof my TEE's were done in hospital. My follow ups after the last TEE was by phone.
I would call the doctors office and see if they can get you scheduled for a complete heart check. For me, my doctored ordered a treadmll, Necular Medicine test, ECG, blood tests. I did the Nculear, ECG and blood test all on the same day. Did the treadmill a week later. After those, I got approved for the Watchman and was scheduled for my first TEE to see what shape my heart was in and if there wes anything in there to preent putting in the Watchman. A few weeks after the TEE, I was scheduled for my first Watchman attempt. That one failed, and I got a referral to Dr. Horton. My cardiologist sent a copy of my TEE and all other tests to him so I would not have to do them again. Two weeks later, I had the Watchman put in. Went back for my post-procedure TEE (took a little over two hours to get all done). My 6 month follow up was done by phone.
If you are able to do so, I would go to the Cleveland Clinic. If it works out all in one day that would be great but would expect two days in a motel. The Clinic can work with you on scheduling. Just let them know of your situation with traveling and such, I am sure they will do all they can. Getting in for the initial visit will be the biggest job. All this is not going to be a one day deal. It will take some time so be prepared for that.
Have your doctor send all their info to the doctor at Cleveland Clinin, that should save a few weeks.
I would start with contacting the Cleveland Clinic and try to get things started. Ask them what you need to do to get this going.

Thank you so much again, Phoenix! @phoenix1647

Unfortunately I've become very isolated in the years I've been here. As for neighbors, there are few remaining from when I came, the present ones are strangers. My limited social circle, is rooted in my sons' serious problems beginning in early childhood - first the one, then domino effect - the other. And it lasted a long time.

At least, they have grown up in that they're now loving, appreciative, and remorseful for past pain. Also, worried. (about me). Just got off a ZOOM call for my birthday - (they waited until midnight). Then tomorrow, we'll get together again between the older one's ambulance calls. I have a mountain of gifts to open.

Yes, I've had to hire drivers to John Hopkins. There used to be a volunteer driver service through the Office of Aging but they dropped it because of expense. With the exploding price of gas, it's. all the more daunting. A. great many people here die prematurely because of being unable to access competent doctors and services. It's really awful. None of the big wheels - professors (it's a uni town), lawyers, dentists, and - of course - doctors - go out of town for their own care.

It cheered me to hear one of your TEE check-ups was electronic. As for the tests, I've been ASSUMING I'd have all the tests in one day. How many are there anyhow - individualized I'm sure, but on average?? If I had to I'd just stay in a hotel hoping they'd at least not take more than two days (and that they could be lined up).

The real question, is whether it's worth it to go to the Cleveland Clinic instead of the surgeon "only" an hour away.

Sounds like you are between a rock and a hard place. Not sure I have a solution to your situation. Perhaps a friend or neighbor can do the driving for you. I am fortunate in that I have a neighbor that would do that for me without question. My wife still drives so it is no issue for me. Not sure if Medicare would provide transportation or not, worth checking. Last resort is you will have to pay someone to drive you there and back. No easy solutions.
Yes....just getting in to see the doctors is a big issue too. Maybe they can schedule all the test for one day. It is possible. Would be a very long, hard day for sure. You might be able to do the TEE in your area and have them send the results to Cleveland Clinic. Getting the Watchman put in is fairly routine, it's all the before and after stuff that makes this so difficult. My 6 month follow up was done be phone. So will my one year follow up unless I have some problems (which I don't).
Hope things works out for you.

Thank you again, @phoenix1647 As I read through your prompt reply, it seems to yield the same six visits I got counted after talking to a nurse at the nearby (an hour) surgeon's office: 1). consult 2) testing 3) TEE 4) Watchman procedure 5) TEE either right before or. after the procedure to make sure there are no clots 6) some kind of check-up after ~45 days to ensure the device has been sealed in by new cardiac tissue .

Of course, that presumes no complications or need for additional testing.

As I said before, that's not even counting post-op check-ups (6 months, after one year and thereafter annually.)
Distance is a super major problem for me for out of town procedures (and for anything remotely complex that's necessary) . I've traveled three hours driving alone (not counting anything where I've had anesthesia). If I can't make it alone, I need to pay for travel expenses (airfare, taxis, hotels and possibly hiring drivers). And as a singleton, I also need post-op help for recuperation (unless I can go to a rehab center.).

That major spinal operation (9 hours) involved numerous trips before and after the actual surgery and the auxiliary expenses mentioned above added up to a LOT even though insurance covered all the actual medical part. (As I said, I had 8 consults to choose the surgeon as the operation is so dangerous.
That was about the same distance from home (NYC). The older I get, the harder it becomes to travel to another location. After all, my only problem isn't. AFIB.

I. certainly regret moving to this location because of the lack of quality medical care. At least, one son has been there for every surgery (the surgery itself) but one - knee joint replacement. -. I managed that entirely alone.

I suspected the Cleveland Clinic would be hard for me and now I'm thinking it's probably not going to happen because of all the visits required. I see there are three specialists there who perform the Watchman and even though their reviews were stellar, all patients commented on having had to wait a LONG time to see the surgeon. Three months on average - and even the local surgeon can't fit me in for two months for the consult. Meanwhile (confession), I've stopped taking Xarelto owing to fear of the other disease which is aggravated by oral anticoagulants.

Specifically, I was recently diagnosed with "wet" macular degeneration, an incurable blinding eye disease.. It involves. small, fragile capillaries growing into the retina and leaking - the blood scars your macula and destroys your central vision bit by bit. Naturally, I don't want to accelerate this process by taking a blood thinner which effectively turns me into a hemophiliac! FWIW. all this research has been done on my own.

What fun - choose between a stroke or blindness (and besides, strokes themselves often lead to blindness)! But oral blood thinners carry risks too, besides which they can make hemorrhagic strokes immediately deadly - extra likely for anyone like me who's a fall risk. (Thank YOU - sarcasm - spinal surgeon!). Besides, other things can lead to ischemic strokes (AFIB is behind only ~ 15%), and apart from my age (75) and gender, I'm pretty OK in those regards: normal BP, weight and regular aerobic exercise.
Aging is NO FUN especially when you can't count on decent medical care to soften the blows!

Yo.u will need to do a TEE before the procedure. This will take about one hour or less. For the procedure itself, if you do the Cleveland Clinic, I would suggest you go the day before the procedure and stay a night in a motel then go to the clinic the morning of the procedure (that is what I did for my first procedure). The Watchman procedure itself will take about one hour to do. I had to report to the hospital at 7 am.Once the Watchman is in, you will spend about 2 hours in the recovery area. You will be flat on your back the whole time and not allowed to move your leg. Then you will spend the night in a regular hospital room. The next morning, they will remove the bandage and replace it with a clean one and send you home. You will have to have someone drive you home as you will not be allowed to drive. If you are four hours away from home, you will need to do several "rest" breaks on the way home to get out and move around a little bit.
You will have to do another TEE at some point after the procedure to see how you a re healing. After that, if all went well, you will be done. I am not sure what your doctors will want to do before the first TEE as to what test they want to do. They might want to do a stress test on the treadmill and some x-rays. It's a bummer you are so far away from the clinic.
For both TEE's, you will need someone to drive after the test.
I will also add, when you get the procedure done, take a good robe with you as you will be required to get up and do some walking at some point. A good robe is a lot better than wearing two hospital gowns.