AND "where" you have it done and by what doctor is paramount. You don't want to go to the Walmart of ablations... research where you are planning on having it done. Don't automatically trust what you are told... check it out. petey

I'll ask him personally but that's what I was told as he relayed that to a patient of his...the signature part.....any way his reputation is stellar for a reason! God I just need to get thru this week I'm racked with anxiety! MariKay have you had an ablation?

No McHale...I haven't. At least not yet. I think you are in good hands, good decision to go with the best. It will go well...think NSR.

McHale,
Sorry if I missed the news...when is your ablation? And I of course I agree 1000 percent with the idea of getting one of the "superstars" to do the ablation. I think it was one of the Docs from the Cleveland Clinic that suggested that if the ablation is a failure, unless you REALLY trust the EP, get someone else. This guy has done follow up ablations and noted that areas that should have been ablated were just "missed" completely.Congrats on getting Natale and good luck. if you are this close, maybe it is time to STOP doing research! The more I read, the more confused I get....particularly if it is something questioning my ablation decision!

Bill

Good luck McHale. Please keep us posted. I am anxious to hear how about your experience with Dr. Natale.

Thanks everybody I appreciate it.
I go in next week May 28 to meet the MAN, Then have a heart cat scan then get ablated the next day by DR NATALE!
I'm still hesitant but I just confirmed I'm booked!
I already had a TIA and blood thinners only really protect you 85-90%
and those odds are over 20 years and more I may live........
I'm afraid if I have to stop the blood thinners due to a bad bleed and I'm in persistent AFIB I stroke out. There's also peril in not doing anything when I have a real chance of a "cure" with the like of Dr Natale! As I was told you have a gift from the universe take it and be grateful as there are thousands willing to take your place right now!

Bill,
You are so right I've brain Fu...Ed this to death time to go forward and stop researching and reading!

McHale,
VERY well put! A gift from the universe. I feel the same way...when I was able to get in to see the brilliant Dr. Calkins after only a one month wait (a long story which while wonderful would take an hour to type!) his nurse said "Your guardian angel was involved in making this happen." I truly believe that, and you have been equally blessed as well (and MANY would say MORE blessed!), so now you just need to have faith in THE MAN (the G guy as well as the N guy!) and go for it! If you get a chance to read CANMAN's entry that might help you as well. I found it helpful. God speed McHale!

Bill

"The brilliant Dr. Calkins... " is the doctor who almost killed my wife.

Dan, sorry for your loss and I agree with a lot of what you say.

This procedure should not be done at a "local hospital". It should only be done by the top Dr.'s in the top hospitals.

As you can painfully attest, that alone is not even enough. One must seek out answers to the questions you pose before you agreeing to proceed..

I also agree that Natale is one of the best, if not the best, currently available.

Having said all that, I do believe there are also other exceptional Dr's at great hospitals who can perform ablations at exceptional success rates.

I have had 3 ablations. One (RF) for right side flutter in 2007 and never had a recurrence of that arrhythmia. One for left side a-fib in January of this year (cryoablation). That arrhythmia has also not returned -- although I did have left side flutter develop which needed to be treated as a "repeat ablation"; this time using RF. This procedure was done this week. So far so good -- no flutter. All procedures were performed by Dr David Callans at U. of Penn who has amazing success rates.

If I recall the numbers, he is close to 100% for rt side flutter. 70% for left side paroxysmal Afib on the first try and close to 100% if a repeat ablation is done.

While I am sitting here scared to death that my flutter may return, I am confident that my selections of a Dr and facility were done wisely and well informed.....but I agree that if my afib/flutter returns, I am likely heading to TX to see Natale. BTW, Callans mentioned Natale's work in one of my discussions with him. I am confident that Callans, like Natale, is truly in this to help people. I'm sure he had made enough money to support generations of his family and is now in this for noble reasons.

I also consider him to be one of the top Dr's in this field today. But there are other great ones too.

Terribly sorry for your loss.

Thanks very much Ivan. I'm glad things are working out for you.