I'm feeling much better thanks. Less SOB now when going up/down the stairs and walking fast and some tenderness yet in the groin, especially right side. It feels a little lumpy or knotty under where the punctures were. Not sure what this means. On the surface the punctures are closed and healed though.
I'm back at work but only worked a half day today though. We'll see how I feel Tuesday. I wish I could sleep better but ever since I started on the Amiodarone I have had problems sleeping.
- Rick

The dizziness and passing out feeling were completely gone about mid-day after the ablation so that hasn't been a problem for me at all.

The bruising and soreness in the right groin is still a problem. Sometime Sunday evening I had another bleed into the skin from the puncture site and the bruising about doubled in size and started swelling again. I called the doctor's office Monday morning and they had me come right in to be checked. The doctor wants me to stop taking my warfarin for now and I'm suppose to come back in on Friday so they can check the hematoma and then they will check my INR and then restart my warfarin if the hemotoma is healed enough for that.

I've always bruised really easily and have had a hard time maintaining a steady INR level on warfarin anyway, so to me it is not totally unexpected that I would have a problem like this.

Other than the bruise and soreness in the groin area the only other thing I've noticed is that my heart rate is staying right around 100 bpm. BP is good though and no irregular heart beat or palpatations or anything. Overall I'm feeling pretty good.

Denikae will yyou be able to go off warfarin if this is deemed a success? I think I read that you are a vegetarian also so it's must be as hhard for you as it is for me to stay in range. I haven't been in range for the last three months and still can't figure out why.

Have you tried Pradaxa? Aparently I can't becaue of the valve replacement, but if I could I would surely try it. Glad you are doing so well, continued sucess.

katyreck, I'm waiting to try the new blood thinners until they come up with a reversal agent for them. I'm not sure if I will go off the warfarin if the ablation is successful. Always that fear in the back of my mind that I might have periods of afib that I don't know about and I don't want to risk a stroke. My EP has said I will be on a blood thinner for at least 6 months following the ablation. Even when I wasn't eating a vegetarian diet I had difficulty keeping a stable INR level. If I decide to stay on the warfarin I'd like to look into doing home-testing so I don't have to go to the clinic for testing. That gets pretty expensive since they charge $25 a visit and since I have trouble staying stable I seem to have to get tested 2 to 3 times a month.

I hope you get to do home testing then. My ins. com. won't let me have durable power equipment. I do feel you would be able to control the inr better if you did it at home. When I had the open heart the nurses came to the house everyday to check the wound and the inr. It was great to know on a daily basiis the fluctuations and be able to adjust accordingly.

Continue to do well my friend.

So glad you two are doing better. I am having problems sleeping like Rick, but I think my problem is from NERVES!! So glad you are much better, Rick!!

Denikae-glad you are better dizzy and passing out wise. That is a horrible feeling. I've had it many times. I hope your bruising problem stops. Sounds like they were very responsive to your bruising. Nice to be off warfarin even for a little while, right? Did you feel you needed someone at home to help you or you were able to manage?

I've been on my own since Sunday afternoon. I was able to drive myself to the doctor's office on Monday morning. So far I'm doing OK on my own.

Katy, why can't you get an INR tester for home. Mine was completely covered through my insurance, along with all the test strips I need. I'm so happy that I can test whenever I want too. It gives me such peace of mind. I got mine through Alere Home Monitoring. I call them with my results, and they in turn fax my Dr. So far everything has worked fine. When I go to NY in July (fingers crossed) I only have to take my machine with me to show I've been testing every week. I would question them why you can't get a machine. The only requirement is that you be on warfarin for 3 mo. before hand I believe. Wishing you luck.

Rick, I'm just curious if they did a chest x-ray on you since the ablation. I also had SOB, and I had a collapsed lung. You may have a small pleural effusion that is causing the SOB. To this day if I walk much my groin hurts. I can only imagine after the second ablation how I'm going to feel, but this dizziness...it has to go before I fall and I can't get up. Good luck to you.

Dee: The pleural effusion is a good guess and no x-ray was done. I'm much better now so I think time is a healing factor on this one. I know that inflammation and fluid build up is possible from the procedure, especially when they use a liquid cooled RF catheter. I was told they did administer some kind of diuretic during the procedure to help eliminate fluids though.
- Rick

Tomorrows, my insurance company won't cover durable medical equipment. Since I pay for insurance for an individual I don't have tremendous coverage, just for major issues. The coag machine is $2,000 and the strips are $20.00 a piece. Having to pay for insurance and Multaq I can't justify another expense. My last cardioversion in Dec. was just shy of $3,000 and of course the new deductible started in Jan. I ust saw my cardiologist yesterday and visit and Ekg was $290.00.

OK, I'm going to stop complaining about my HMO insurance provided through work. I'm very lucky to have the insurance coverage I have. I don't know how you handle it katyreck. Just the stress of worrying about how to pay for everything you have to do to treat afib would throw me into afib.

Denikae, glad to hear you are ok by yourself. I am not sure what to expect afterwards...

Rick-glad you are getting better. maybe time will heal all your problems. I am glad the SOB is a lot better.

Hang in there Kayreck..I so feel your financial pain. As you know, I am in the same insurance boat as you. I have a cardio appointment coming next month and I need an echo too. I am getting close to paying off my last ablation and I feel like it starts all over again every time I have to see the doctor again. The pile goes down, then the pile goes back up again :)

Carrie, how much is your Echo? Dec 2010 I paid $495.00, Dec 2011 it went to $2000.05. I told my nurse this year I am going to shop around. There are only 2 places to get an echo here and they are comparable in price.

It is painful for sure!