Best wishes

Hi Paul,

I had my ablation a couple weeks after yours and I am still doing well. My ep thought there was a 20% chance of needing a second ablation within 10 years.

Wishing you a successful ablation and recovery.

opsyn

Don't you love the medical establishment! If you all recall, I have a Reveal LINQ monitor imbedded in my chest. It records my AFIB activity 7/24. I had a remote monitoring box next to my bed that would communicate with the implant each night and send the data to the monitoring center. I starting seeing bills for near $400 per month for monitoring, and the insurance was screwed up on the doctors end (and I have great insurance), so after 18 months I had the remote monitoring discontinued. Instead, I go to the arrhythmia clinic where the dump the data off the implant and give me a full report (with remote monitoring I was getting no feedback). A much better solution.

Soooo... today I called to make sure that I could get another remote box for monitoring after my ablation. Guess what, they said that since I had the service discontinued, I'd have to buy the remote box for $3,000 if I wanted it back. They said the first one was included in the price (which initially was $17,000). Like I said, don't you love the medical establishment.

The long and the short of it is that I'll probably get stuck with the external monitor with the sticky pads and have to call in the data, even though I have a monitor embedded in my chest.

I'm still psyched about my ablation next week. Maybe they can get it all this time and I'll be free of this (until next time). Keeping a stiff upper lip., and smiling about the insanity of it all. Yours truly, Paul.

And if they kill me this time, at least I won't have to deal with the doctors any more -g-

Wishing you a successful ablation and a speedy recovery, Paul. Please keep us posted.

Paul,

You are well aware when your in afib right? you are on blood thinner right? Your getting your ablation next week right? Why don't you tell then they can shove it!!!!!

Just a soldier's way to look at things I guess.

Scooby

I pretty much told them to shove it, and yes I'm very symptomatic. But I'll still need some sort of monitor for some time after the ablation.

Here's another tidbit. Last weeks Time magazine had an article on "SURPRISE BILLS". When you go for a procedure with a doctor that's in your plan and a hospital that's in your plan and then get bills from lots on out-of-network providers. I did some research an found that this is rather common, particularly with anesthesiologists. Of course, then my paranoid side kicked in. Found lots of articles on surprise billing, tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. I found a number of lawsuits against the anesthesiology group that does most of the work at the hospital I'm using. The patients always lose. So I followed up by digging up the bill from my procedure two years ago where there was no surprise bill. The long a short of it was that a different group does the cardiac anesthesiology for any cardiac work. I'm safe for now..

I had similar Reveal implant but it was rejected twice. I guess my body did not like plastics. I was shocked to see how much it cost but Medicare paid all. In the end I sent the desktop monitor back. Last fall my paroxysmal a-fib started coming in clusters, a few weeks nothing and then 3 times weekly and quality of life was rotten. In December my doctor implanted pacemaker-transmitter and two days ago I had AV node ablation. At my age (80)it is the best solution. A-fib can do its mischief but my heart keeps pumping as long as the pacemaker works. I stayed in hospital overnight and feel sort of Ok now. Tired and a bit soreness in the chest. Eventually I can stop taking Tikosyn and stay only on Warfarin. I hope your ablation goes well and you can enjoy the gym and find work that is better suited for you. I am waiting for good news from you. Marya

I think I mentioned this on here before, but after my ablation the doctor had the monitor company send me a monitor to wear for 30 days. I got it in the mail, attached it, turned it on, called the company to activate it, and was all set. A few days later I thought I should check with Anthem to make sure it was covered...nope...real time monitors aren't covered...only the kind where you call in and send the recordings over the phone.

I called the monitor company and told them I was going to send it back and to send me one that was covered. I thought worse case I was going to have to pay for a couple days worth of monitoring on my own...nope...they told me as soon as I activated it I was going to get billed $3,895 whether I used it for 30 days or 10 seconds.

The doctors office claimed they cleared it with Anthem, Anthem says the didn't....6 months later either my company or Anthem wrote it off because it wasn't my fault. But it was a lesson learned. Don't assuming because your doctor sends you something that it will be covered.

Best wishes Paul! Everyone has you in our thoughts and prayers.

Paul,

4 days left sir! Are you starting to sweat yet?

Keep us posted cuz we'll keep buggin!

Scooby

Today I got my pre-surgery $14.00 haircut. I figured if they killed me, at least the wife won't have to spring for the $200.00 the funeral home charges for a haircut.

For the last ablation (for those of you who weren't here for that exciting time), I got married, so the fat guy in Trenton won't get 16% of my assets from dollar zero if they killed me that time around. New Jersey has the countries most draconian Inheritance AND Estate taxes.

Hi Paul,

Man you are very funny :-) Getting a haircut before an ablation, LOL.

I wish you lots of luck for your second ablation. Sorry to hear that you have to do it again. Hopefully this time it will be perfect. I am sure everything will go well and you will be okay. The ablation technology has come a long way. It is really a piece of cake for EPs any more.

Just to let you know that my ablation was NOT perfect either. I still have episodes here and there. I manage it by avoiding my triggers and taking 25 mg of Atenolol as PIP when I go to afib. Usually it stops within 20 minutes or so. I am trying to avoid another ablation as long as possible. We shall see.

I bet your ablation team love to see a clean cut guy like you :-) Usually getting a haircut is the last thing in mind when somebody goes for a procedure, LOL. But, I like your reasoning.

Good luck, Paul.
Scott

Paul, best of luck on your second ablation!

Hi Paul:
I have been thinking of you today and praying your ablation went well:) Hope you'll be up and around soon. Take it slowely and don't overdo! Looking toward to some news when you are up to it!
Hugs
Christine

Paul, when you're doing your pre-op this time, be sure to ask them for the "full Brazilian".

;-)