Feels like I've been dealing with afib forever. In reality it's been about two and a half years. Most likely my own fault as have been overweight most of my life, smoked for 20 years, drank too much alcohol for 15 to 20 years, and had had a diet like a teenager.
Fast forward and here we are. A small handful of drinks in the last 3 months, eating better, pretty regular exercise, no cigarettes for 13 years, could still lose some weight but it is what it is.
Ablation scheduled for the day after Easter. It will be the radiofrequency ablation and if all goes well that well no additional procedure. If needed we can go back and make some fine tune adjustments. So looking forward to this working and getting off some of the medicines. The anti-arrhythmic medicines are so expensive it is financially impacting my wife and my life.
Wish me luck, thank you
Written by
BobL123
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Good luck Bob, and welcome to the healthy lifestyle club! 👍👍
I'm guessing you are from the USA then?
I sure hope that we don't head down this road, but the NHS is being sold off piece by piece.
I wish you well with your procedure, your back story sounds very much like mine , I will say that you need to work on your weight as much as possible, that is a huge issue. I'm finding it very hard to do this.
Don't forget to rest lots. My ablation was two years ago this week!!
Reading about your concern re cost of medication - makes me and I'm sure others on this forum realise how very fortunate we are (uk) as if you are (as I am retired) Or, on a low income/unemployed/still in education and I think if pregnant (?) You qualify for free prescriptions & sometimes dental care but... they are cutting back now on certain items eg: certain pain killers,gluten free products,skin products + some others
+
in Wales all prescriptions are free.
The cost if you have to pay is about £9+ per item but I could be wrong (I'm sure someone will put me right).
When my daughter lived in USA I could hardly believe it when I had to go with her to see her gp, I thought the medical centre was a 5* hotel!!! Marble floors and water fountains even! She had a very bad sore throat - they took bp & temp & a heart & chest test & throat swab before being called in to see gp! But, the medical insurance cost taken out of salary was very very high as was the medication paid for on top.
It must be difficult having the worry of affording the necessary meds you need but, I'm sure after the ablation you perhaps will be able to come off some - do let us know how you get on. It's interesting to compare the treatments and care compared to the UK
The comparisons are unbelievably surprising. My medical premium is approximately $13,000 per year and has a deductible which I must meet out of pocket $7,500 per year. All US dollars.
My wife and I recently retired and are very uncertain how we will make it. You are correct that concern about medical expenses is not a benefit to someone who is prone to AFib already. It's just another stress that aggravates the mind which controls the heart. Very much appreciate everyone's kind of notes of concern. Bless you all
This must be so worrying for you both. I do hope you have a great outcome.
Both my husband 80+ & I have private health insurance and as you say the differences are just incredible and really inexcusable. I think combined we pay about £4,000 annually but need to pay the first £200 annually of any claim. We have limits and I know I have had to pay some top ups for certain treatments but in the hundreds rather than thousands.
The reality is that unless there is some very radical re-think of how healthcare is delivered and paid for in both countries it is unlikely that a good proportion people in 2 of the richest countries in the world will be able to access anything other than emergency treatment.
The scenario (as with BobL123 ) in the USA makes my blood run cold and he has my sympathy.
We also have private medical insurance and the last few renewals our premiums have increased by about 10 percent each time. What started as a very reasonable outlay years ago is now £5000 a year (two 68 year-olds, me with AFib). But medical insurance is one area (it seems) where one can't just 'shop around'. I tried two years ago and was eventually told to stick to the insurer we have (Aviva Medios) and just swallow the increases. I am too worried not to.
I would have happily paid much much more into the NHS all my working life provided that the money was ringfenced for precisely that.
Good luck & speedy recovery. Well done for achieving the life style changes you have! There is always more but you have done the hardest bits so now it is just keep on doing more, step at a time. Best wishe
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