Convergent Ablation not successful
Posted , 5 users are following.
As some of you may know I was scheduled for convergent ablation on 12/28. This is where a thorasic surgeon makes an incision in your chest to get to one side of the heart and ablate and then the second (EP) surgeon goes thru your groin to get to the other side of the heart.
Unfortunately, the thorasic surgery could not be done because there was no fluid in the paracardial sack that holds my heart, causing my heart to adhere to the sack with scar tissue and there is no way to get thru that scar tissue to ablate other than open heart surgery. This possibility had never been mentioned and needless to say, I was extremely disappointed.
Fortunately, the EP was able to successfully complete his ablation and was quite 'excited' (his words) about being able to touch up the pathways that were not successfully ablated in March. Hopefully this second ablation will get the job done.
Unfortunately, the thorasic surgery incision is quite painful with 7 stapes in it and I feel like i've been thru the war without fighting a battle!!
Has anyone out there experienced this?
Wishig you all a healthy and ab-free 2017! Suzanne
0 likes, 16 replies
gwen81475 suzanne48640
Posted
I'm so sorry to hear your news, poor you! Hopefully your surgeon is right and the work he has done will be successful.
Let us know how you get on in the coming weeks and months.
Xx
suzanne48640 gwen81475
Posted
hhanover suzanne48640
Posted
Wow. I hope all goes well for you. I had never heard, since the MAZE procedure, of opening the chest cavity to ablate for af. Just when I think I know everything, I don't. All the best to you for an af free life from here in.
suzanne48640 hhanover
Posted
wendy36535 suzanne48640
Posted
Hi
did you get this on the NHS? How .long did you have to wait? I thought of going private if it's recommended and I have to wait a long time what do you think
suzanne48640 wendy36535
Posted
What is NHS? England health care? I'm in the United States.
gwen81475 suzanne48640
Posted
The health service in the UK has two tiers. The National Health Service which every citizen is entitled to and is free for everything except prescriptions. The only down side is the waiting time which can take years.
The alternative is private health care and although it's fast, is very expensive.
I am in France which is very different. The state pays for 60% of our healthcare and we pay an annual top up insurance of around 2000 euros per couple depending on age only and not medical history. I have just had two hips replaced which cost nothing to me and was done within weeks.
Any illnesses which is life threatening I.e. heart, cancer etc are not charged to the top up insurance but provided free by the state.
Every country has it's own system but I do prefer the French way.
suzanne48640 gwen81475
Posted
I believe here in the US, your waiting time really depends on your doctor's schedule -- which can be quite quick or take months. I waited 4 months for my surgery that i just had beause the two surgeons' schedules had to be coordinated.
gwen81475 suzanne48640
Posted
Well that's reasonable, but do you have to pay for it?
suzanne48640 gwen81475
Posted
Absolutely have to pay for it!! Insurance gets a negotiated rate that you pay which is much better than what they actually charge. Each insurance plan has a different out-of-pocket payment depending on the monthly premium you pay. (I had to pay $10,000 myself before insurance covers 100% of the bill til the end of the year.) It's expensive any way you look at it but it looks like our wait times are better than yours.
gwen81475 suzanne48640
Posted
Wow, that's an expensive outlay even though you do get it back! I don't know how long the waiting list is in the UK for heart matters, but in France it is just a couple of months and it's free.
in the last two years I've had three cardioversions, two ablations, two total hip replacements (around 15,000 euros) all for nothing plus all the x-rays, scans, ECGs, specialist appointments, prescriptions, crutches, compression stockings, the list is endless.
For my hip replacements, I only had to wait a month.
Anyway, how are you feeling today? Are you in sinus rhythm?
suzanne48640 gwen81475
Posted
That $10,000 I do not get back unfortunately. It's out of my pocket.
Im so sorry for all the things you have gone thru. I hope for a healthier 2017 for u. U deserve it!
im hurting from the chest incision but hopefully that will get better in 10 days when I have the follow up visit with the surgeon and he will remove the staples
I know what's mean about X-rays and scans, etc. I've had so many in 2016, I think I must be radioactive!!
gwen81475 suzanne48640
Posted
Sorry I misunderstood about the charge you paid. That's incredible, how do people manage?
Perhaps Mr Trump will sort out the health service in your country!
I obviously don't know how you feel about him but I think change is good - the UK has just voted to leave the EU, which could seriously affect our residence here, and this year France is having an election which again could affect us. I'm not worried either way because these changes will be good for the UK in the long run.
I do go on don't I?
Take good care and good luck with the healing. Xx
suzanne48640 gwen81475
Posted
It is very sad how bad our health care is here. Many people have to literally decide on whether to eat or get their pills/medical care. The Affordable Care ACt is a farce. They brag about
how many people carry an insurance card that does you no good if you can't find a doctor that who will
take it. The premiums, deductibles, and out of pocket costs continue to rise.
Hopefully it can be repealed and a new plan put into place with the new administration. As u say, change is a good thing especially what u had before is not working.
Good of luck on what's going on for you. Hoping 2017 is a healthy year for u.
gwen81475 suzanne48640
Posted
Thank you Suzanne. I'm still having bouts of afib and flutter but I really don't want another ablation. My GP is also a homeopathic professional so next time I see her I am going to ask whether there are any natural remedies that I could try. I'm sure there must be other ways of dealing with afib and I am willing to try anything.
I'll let you know how I get on.
Xx
suzanne48640 gwen81475
Posted
I don't blame u for not wanting another ablation. I just had my second and certainly don't want a third. Please let me know if you find out about any natural remedies. I'm so tired of all these pills. I wish u luck.