Yesterday my EP attempted a fourth ablation. He aborted when he felt resistance going into the atrium. So now I have to heal up a bit and try it again. However, there is something new in the mix this time. My EP is the head of Cedars-Sinai EP program in Los Angeles. He is using a new mapping device called ACUTUS that was just approved by the FDA. He's done about 20 cases and says that the device is quite promising because it allows him to see the electrical transmission pathways in the heart on a per beat basis if I understand the technology correctly. Which in turn helps him to know where to create the burn lines. At any rate - he says that if this works on my heart (quite difficult AF, A Flutter) that it bodes well for others in the future. Will keep you posted when I go in and try it again.....
And incidentally, I've tried every alternative therapy and intervention imaginable. Some have helped, but none so far have eliminated the arrhythmia. However, there has to be an underlying cause. Even if this ablation works, it is still treating the symptom not the cause. Need to dig deeper.... Thoughts?
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Toomanyablations
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Good on you mate. Indeed this new technology is similar to the new Cardioinsight where the EP can also see the pathways on beat to beat. Its awesome and I had mine ablation done using this technology. It was done by Dr. Koonlawee from Los Angeles but be did it in Bangkok. Its very precise and brings time down to 2 hours. I had afib and flutter procedure and it really made a difference.
Even if the ablation does work, I think it's very good to improve all the risk factors for heart disease (no alcohol, no smoking, diet, exercise, avoid stress etc.). If you don't have a diagnosed heart disease then the cause may simply be unknown to science at this time, but modifying risk factors is always going to help.
There are quite a few comments on using lifestyle changes to address the causes of afib and the interaction between the vagus nerve and the heart. If you look up carneuny's comments on diet and food choices you will find some useful information. There are quite a few comments regarding exercise . Too much and you may die suddenly, too little you will get flabby and lose muscle tone), weight control (Body mass index), alcohol and coffee. There are survey results from large samples that go along with this.
Most people commenting on this site accept that there are triggers that will set you off. All you have to do is find them and choose to avoid them.
Thank you for the response. I'm a professor at UCLA and specialize in exercise science. Additionally I work with the mindful awareness research center. I'm extremely healthy and am aware of all the risk factors. Now I'm looking into the validity of electromagnetic fields and how they might affect the electrical conductivity systems in the body. Basically leaving no stone unturned. I'll look for the suggested posts. Can't hurt to keep looking...
Hi, TMA. Thank you for a great post and wonderful updated information. My thoughts about triggers are-as we all know- very varied, numerous, individual; with some still to be discovered. it has always been interesting to me why Atrial Fibrillation seems to have become almost epidemic. My own has been mostly attributed to years of undertreated hypothyroidism. I'm sure there were other triggers but this is thought to be the main cause. I am 74, a retired R.N. and believe that if complete (read much more than checking TSH and free T4 on symptomatic patients) thyroid workups were done routinely on patients with early cardiac symptoms this one trigger might be eliminated thereby lowering the number of us who develop A-fib. At the present I am in my eighth year of AF and currently very stable. From the beginning I have taken a very active role in my care and fortunately have an Electrophysiologist who is not intimidated by this. I am in permanent AF; had a 'pace and ablate' procedure in 2016 after many problems with various meds and unsuccessful cardioversions. I have no symptoms at all now, take no meds-not even anticoagulants as I had a LAAO with a Watchman fitted this past January. All is well so far and am happy to be out of the clutches of Big Pharma. I hope you soon become stabilized and are able to be symptom-free. Take care. irina1975
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