Seeking advice about heart ablation procedure.

"Sandy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

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"Peter Jason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

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I don't like this "being off work for two weeks" thing,
and I'll ask him about this. I also expect him to fix it
permanently because I find

hospital

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stays boring. I have also a mitral valve prolapse which
means the valve will need a

trim;

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but I'm waiting for the doctors here to perfect the
robotic method since

I

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don't want my sternum chainsawed open. I could wax long
and loud about

my

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complete mouth restoration involving an oral surgeon and
numerous

titanium

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implants and many visits to athe hospital - but I fear
it might distress you.

Peter, the prolapsed mitral valve alongst with PAT is
common in people with genetic neurocardiogenic syncope-
low blood volume. There are several sub categories of
PAT's, find out for certain which one you have. ATrial
Flutter is just one of several.

What happens genetically is the patient does not for some
reason produce enough blood to keep the heart turgor full
and since the heart is depended on that internal pressure
to determine it's full growth it does not grow as large as
it should, however the valves continue to grow and hence
they are too large for the openings. I too have a
prolapsed mitral valve. Salt is a vital component to your
dietary needs or any patient with PMV as it helps keep
blood volume up.

Typically a high fluid diet with high salt is the best
treatment, sometimes meds are then used to help hold fluid
in the patient too. You can ask your dr. about this too.

I too have had my sternum "chainsawed" open and I do not
recommend it to anyone if you can help it... it's a [censored]!

Good luck with everything, give us a report. And, what
happened to your mouth?? Did someone pop you there?!
*wink* Take care, Sandy

Thanks; I have booked myself in for the 16th June for a
"Electrophysical study and radiofrequency ablation" which
will take about 1.5 days at the latest estimate. The
cardiologist says this will fix the ahrrythmia and I can
then stop taking the beta-blocker (sotalol). And yes, I will
take notes and report back.

On Tue, 1 Jun 2004 16:32:53 +1000, "Peter Jason" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Thanks; I have booked myself in for the 16th June for a
"Electrophysical study and radiofrequency ablation" which
will take about 1.5 days at the latest estimate.

where can I read some detail about that sort of
"Electrohysical study"? Is it always performed (I mean,
before applying the RF procedure)?

Quoted message said:

The cardiologist says this will fix the ahrrythmia

did he mention the success rate?

Regards an best wishes
--
uplbet
(in email reply delete 01234 from the address)

On Tue, 1 Jun 2004 16:32:53 +1000, "Peter Jason" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Thanks; I have booked myself in for the 16th June for a
"Electrophysical study and radiofrequency ablation" which
will take about 1.5 days at the latest estimate. The
cardiologist says this will fix the ahrrythmia and I can
then stop taking the beta-blocker (sotalol). And yes, I
will take notes and report back.

What has been your experience w/sotalol?

I have been taking if for about 7 weeks and still have daily
and hourly episodes of irregular heartbeat and shortness of
breath. Several times a week I still get the feeling that I
might pass out.

My diagnosis is A Flutter. I have a pacemaker for sick
sinus syndrome.

E

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Eliska said:

What has been your experience w/sotalol?

I have been taking if for about 7 weeks [...]

dosage?
--
uplbet
(in email reply delete 01234 from the address)

"Eliska" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Peter Jason said:

Thanks; I have booked myself in for the 16th June for a
"Electrophysical study and radiofrequency ablation" which
will take about 1.5 days at the latest estimate. The
cardiologist says this will fix the ahrrythmia and

I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

can then stop taking the beta-blocker (sotalol). And yes,
I will take notes and report back.

What has been your experience w/sotalol?

I have been taking if for about 7 weeks and still have
daily and hourly episodes of irregular heartbeat and
shortness of breath. Several times a week I still get the
feeling that I might pass out.

My diagnosis is A Flutter. I have a pacemaker for sick
sinus syndrome.

E

remove those pesky SPOTTEDELEPHANTS to reply

I have to say that the Sotalol works very well indeed. I
take one 160mg tablet half on waking and half going to bed,
ie 2x80mg/day.

My ahhrythmia is not serious, but I want to nip the problem
in the bud.

uplbet said:

Eliska said:

What has been your experience w/sotalol?

I have been taking if for about 7 weeks [...]

dosage?

80 mg BID

E

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On Wed, 02 Jun 2004 03:51:58 GMT, Eliska
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Hi Eliska, I am a paroxysmal afibber and have a pacemaker.
For your information, after almost two years of "trying for
fit" with unsatisfactory results, I am now on 160 mg of
Sotalol since late 2003 with very good result. Matter of
fact, my cardiologist has just delayed to next year the RF
ablation that was initially scheduled end of this month.

I should add that l am also on Flecainide 150 mg daily since
late 2003, in association with Sotalol.

My personal conclusion: each patient, in cooperation with
his cardiologist or EP, should *patiently* find his best fit
treatment. (too bad that best fit may change with time ...)

Regards
--
uplbet
(in email reply delete 01234 from the address)

uplbet said:

On Wed, 02 Jun 2004 03:51:58 GMT, Eliska
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Hi Eliska, I am a paroxysmal afibber and have a pacemaker.
For your information, after almost two years of "trying for
fit" with unsatisfactory results, I am now on 160 mg of
Sotalol since late 2003 with very good result. Matter of
fact, my cardiologist has just delayed to next year the RF
ablation that was initially scheduled end of this month.

I should add that l am also on Flecainide 150 mg daily
since late 2003, in association with Sotalol.

My personal conclusion: each patient, in cooperation with
his cardiologist or EP, should *patiently* find his best
fit treatment. (too bad that best fit may change with
time ...)

Regards

Patient - hmmmm. I still feel terrible and am really
tired of it.

I've been taking 80 mg twice daily for about the past 7
weeks. The AFlutter seems to have abated, but I am short of
breath, feel sometimes like I'll faint and have
uncomfortable feelings in my chest. I also still have
irregular and funky feelings to my heart.

Today my EP said to cut the dose in half in response to my
description of these symptoms. I don't know how you managed
for two years. I *hate* feeling this way

E

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Eliska said:

I don't know how you managed for two years.

from so and so to very badly, with a dozen of ER.

Quoted message said:

I *hate* feeling this way

did you consider RF ablation? I understand its success
rate is quite high for aflutters, surely higher than
for afibbers.

Regards
--
uplbet
(in email reply delete 01234 from the address)

uplbet said:

Eliska said:

I don't know how you managed for two years.

from so and so to very badly, with a dozen of ER.

3 ER's and subsequent hospital admissions so far since
march. Of course, over the years, when this was
intermittent, I had a few ER visits where I was sent home
w/a pat on the head and a 'there, there - you're just
fine, nothing's wrong - have you had any anxiety in your
life lately?'

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I *hate* feeling this way

did you consider RF ablation? I understand its success rate
is quite high for aflutters, surely higher than for
afibbers.

I'm definitely considering it. Want to find someone reliable
though and I need to have been at my job a year to qualify
for Family Medical Leave - I almost lost my job because of
this. I'll be there a year in November.

I don't know how to determine if the EP I now see is
excellent at the ablation.

So right now I'm hanging on and wondering what will happen
now that the sotalol has been reduced

Thank you for taking time w/me. I appreciate all the
feedback I can get

E

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uplbet <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

On Tue, 1 Jun 2004 16:32:53 +1000, "Peter Jason"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

where can I read some detail about that sort of
"Electrohysical study"? Is it always performed (I mean,
before applying the RF procedure)?

Quoted message said:

did he mention the success rate?

Regards an best wishes

An "electrophysiological study" typically involves the Radio-
frequency ablation during the mapping and plotting.
Basically, they insert a catheter in your groin vein and
lead it into the heart, sometimes will need to put more
than one to check pressures in each chamber, etc. and then
after "mapping and plotting" your own special heart they
will understand what pathway is making your heart go into
the weird heart rhythm and then they will oh so gently
apply pressure with the cauter tool and then kill it by
applying heat.

It is an amazing modern cardiology advancement that I've
personally witnessed the rapid growth of... in my lifetime
I've personally witnessed and participated in the old
dinosaur open heart cryoblation (freezing) to the closed
heart radio-ablations (burning) procedures.

This way many people can live lives without dangerous heart
medications (in most cases) and can eliminate this
particular heart problem to help insure a healthier old age.
An unchecked arrhythmia can cause a stroke, or sudden death
and this way you get a lease on life and health. Hope that
helps explain!

(Sandy) said:

An "electrophysiological study" typically involves the Radio-
frequency ablation during the mapping and plotting.
Basically, they insert a catheter in your groin vein and
lead it into the heart, sometimes will need to put more
than one to check pressures in each chamber, etc. and then
after "mapping and plotting" your own special heart they
will understand what pathway is making your heart go into
the weird heart rhythm

can they understand that even if the patient is in regular
sinus rhythm at that mapping/plotting time?

Thanks a lot for all your inputs, regards

--
uplbet
(in email reply delete 01234 from the address)

Quoted message said:

It is an amazing modern cardiology advancement that I've
personally witnessed the rapid growth of... in my lifetime
I've personally witnessed and participated in the old
dinosaur open heart cryoblation (freezing) to the closed
heart radio-ablations (burning) procedures.

As I mentioned in a previous posting I had an open
heart version

of RF ablation. It is a very new procedure (described as a
mini-maze) and was carried out at a specialist heart
hospital in London (they only accept heart and lung
patients). Their success rate was about 50-70% but it did
not work for me. Last time I was there I was told that they
are considering using micro waves in future. Diana

(Sandy) said:

An "electrophysiological study" typically involves the Radio-
frequency ablation during the mapping and plotting.

snip

Quoted message said:

This way many people can live lives without dangerous heart
medications

Can you elaborate a little more about 'dangerous/
medications

Which ones and what dangers?

I'm taking sotalol and not too impressed yet

E

remove those pesky SPOTTEDELEPHANTS to reply

uplbet said:

On 4 Jun 2004 21:56:49 -0700, [email hidden]

(Sandy) said:

An "electrophysiological study" typically involves the Radio-
frequency ablation during the mapping and plotting.
Basically, they insert a catheter in your groin vein and
lead it into the heart, sometimes will need to put more
than one to check pressures in each chamber, etc. and then
after "mapping and plotting" your own special heart they
will understand what pathway is making your heart go into
the weird heart rhythm

can they understand that even if the patient is in regular
sinus rhythm at that mapping/plotting time?

Thanks a lot for all your inputs, regards

I was told that if I have the ablation, they first take me
off sotalol for a few days so that my heart will do the
salsa and the cha-cha : ) IIRC, they also have ways to
encourage it to act up

E

remove those pesky SPOTTEDELEPHANTS to reply

uplbet <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

On 4 Jun 2004 21:56:49 -0700, [email hidden]

(Sandy) said:

An "electrophysiological study" typically involves the
Radio-frequency ablation during the mapping and plotting.
Basically, they insert a catheter in your groin vein and
lead it into the heart, sometimes will need to put more
than one to check pressures in each chamber, etc. and
then after "mapping and plotting" your own special heart
they will understand what pathway is making your heart go
into the weird heart rhythm

can they understand that even if the patient is in regular
sinus rhythm at that mapping/plotting time?

Thanks a lot for all your inputs, regards

I'm not sure that I completely understand your question but
I think I know what you're asking. You're asking if they can
determine if your in sinus rhythm OR tachyarrhythmias? Yes,
they can. They can know every tiny detail about your
heartbeat and they can even control it, or even stop it at
any point during the procedure. I always feel very very safe
during these procedures because I know they can resucitate
me whereas if I'm out somewhere and have the arrhythmia I
don't have that insurance so close at hand. Please feel free
to ask any other questions you may have. Take care, Sandy

[email hidden] wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It is an amazing modern cardiology advancement that I've
personally witnessed the rapid growth of... in my
lifetime I've personally witnessed and participated in
the old dinosaur open heart cryoblation (freezing) to the
closed heart radio-ablations (burning) procedures.

As I mentioned in a previous posting I had an open heart
version

of RF ablation. It is a very new procedure (described as a
mini-maze) and was carried out at a specialist heart
hospital in London (they only accept heart and lung
patients). Their success rate was about 50-70% but it did
not work for me. Last time I was there I was told that
they are considering using micro waves in future. Diana

Hi Diana, good to hear from you. What year did you have
this mini maze performed? And why did they opt for open
heart? Did they feel they could not do a closed heart? Did
you go in for a prolapsed mitral valve repair and they did
the maze on top of it? If so, I'm sorry the maze did not
work for you, it usually would free you of a lifetime of
blood thinners. Specifically what rhythm were they going
after in the maze? Was it Afib or Aflutter? Did you also
say you had a pacer put in? Is it on demand? Good to hear
from you, Sandy

(Sandy) said:

I'm not sure that I completely understand your question but
I think I know what you're asking. You're asking if they
can determine if your in sinus rhythm OR tachyarrhythmias?

(apologizing for my poor english) that is not what I am
asking. Let me try in other words. Let's assume the patient
is affected by a paroxysmal form of afib/flutter, and that
he/she is generally under synus rhythm for 14 consecutive
days out of 15.

Now, if he/she luckily gets ablated right in that 15th day,
he will get "mapped" when his hartbeat is disrhythmic, so I
figure out that the EP study will easily localize the
ongoing anomalous electrical circuits in his heart tissue.
But what about if he/she gets ablated (much higher chance)
in one of the 14 days of regular rhythm? Will the mapping be
as effective?

Regards
--
uplbet
(in email reply delete 01234 from the address)

If I'm not mistaken, the physiological "defect" in your
heart's pacing mechanism is still there even on days 1-
14. It depends upon the arrythmia and the skill of the
EP, but I believe that even on days 1-14, the arrythmia
can be recreated during the EP study ... and then
corrected by ablation.

Larry E.

uplbet said:

On 5 Jun 2004 12:00:04 -0700, [email hidden]

(Sandy) said:

I'm not sure that I completely understand your question
but I think I know what you're asking. You're asking if
they can determine if your in sinus rhythm OR
tachyarrhythmias?

(apologizing for my poor english) that is not what I am
asking. Let me try in other words. Let's assume the
patient is affected by a paroxysmal form of afib/flutter,
and that he/she is generally under synus rhythm for 14
consecutive days out of 15.

Now, if he/she luckily gets ablated right in that 15th
day, he will get "mapped" when his hartbeat is
disrhythmic, so I figure out that the EP study will easily
localize the ongoing anomalous electrical circuits in his
heart tissue. But what about if he/she gets ablated (much
higher chance) in one of the 14 days of regular rhythm?
Will the mapping be as effective?

Regards
--
uplbet (in email reply delete 01234 from the address)