just wanting to make contact with anyone who has had the watchman device fitted. Today i have requested a consultation appointment with a Cardiologist in Manchester who carries out this procedure. Who knows, someone on this site may well have had this procedure carried out by the Cardiologist i am hoping to get an appointment with.
What is the criteria needed to qualify a person for this procedure?
Have no idea if i will qualify to have implant done at this point but do know i am not suitable for ablation due to enlarged heart. At the moment i am prescribed apixaban which i am reluctant to take after being admitted to hospital this year with symptoms of a suspected stroke which was quickly ruled out then brain bleed was suspected because i am take apixaban, hence had a CT scan. CT after admission did not confirm a brain bleed. However, the consultant did inform me, before discharge, that all my symptoms and behaviour (memory loss, loss of time, confusion) did suggest that i had indeed had a brain bleed which could be confirmed with another follow up CT scan. Unfortunately, A+E does not do repeated CT scans to prove or disprove brain bleeds and i was discharged with BP of 200 which had not changed since i was first admitted.
Literally so afraid of taking apixaban now and have increased my risk of having a stroke by not taking them. As far as i am concerned the best option is to go for Watchmam procedure (been in afib for two days now). Just hope i meet the criteria enabling me to have it done.
Really would appreciate some feedback.
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dragon51
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I don’t have any experience of the device, though there are quite a few videos on YouTube about it. Many from the US, so they can have a bit of a sales pitch for the individual hospitals. Here is one from York Cardiology in the UK.
You must be feeling in limbo, worrying about taking/not taking your anticoagulant. You can really only go by what the medics advise - if advised still to take them, then personally I would.
ETA - strangely, I have recently heard of a few people who have had those frightening symptoms with no sign of stroke, and it has been ‘transient global amnesia’.
hi I’ve been on it for 3 years no side effects. I’ve knocked lumps out myself and haven’t bled to death. The benefits far outweigh the risks especially with AF.
First, good luck with the Watchman procedure. This would seem the best way forward for you. I'm sorry I can't be much help with regard to apixaban. Because of AF I have been prescribed apixaban 10mg a day. My AF is not even noticeable, and was only spotted when I was being treated for shingles. I have been told there nothing otherwise wrong with my heart, but it seems I am to remain on the apixaban and a beta blocker forever. I have asked the gp if I can wean off these meds, and have been told no - with a stern reminder that I am more likely to have a stroke if I don't take them,
my cardiologist also keen for me to have Watchman but not sure.seem fine on edoxoban and now going through tests for cancer so do I really want more invasive surgery.just want to enjoy life and living.xxx
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