Great article trav....hope brian does well. And I hope you are doing well too my friend

A little over a yr. ago, Everyday Health contacted a lot of us asking us to share out story. Brian probably used a Username that was different from his name.
The thing is Travis, the majority of folks who hang out here get ablations. The ablations are at some point successful, and folks do not continue to stay on DS.

His DS name was Canman. If I remember correctly, his last post was over a year ago or so and he reported that his ablation was a success.

Wishing everybody NSR. Heide

Thanks Pianoman! I am doing well but ironically I'm on the tail end of an afib episode right now...lol. Other than that I'm just grand:)

@yogacat - well I suppose that's a good thing that people don't hang around here anymore if they no longer are fighting the monster! That's awesome. I hope I can be one of those guys someday...although I think I'll stick around here anyway just to help people out in any way that I can.

Travis

Thanks for the link. Canman is a pretty cool guy and his wife was having a child at the time. His old posts are worth reading.

The doctor in the Canman article downplayed the definition of success in a way that I think Dr Walid Saliba did:

"You cant say that ablation cures atrial fibrillation because it may come back, but in people with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, it may eliminate symptoms up to 70 percent of the time, said Vasaiwala. "

Elimination of symptoms is the thing that everyone agrees on with ablation. I still think Saliba was slightly misquoted. He runs one the best electrophysiology labs in the country and is involved with the consensus statements and any EP gathering on afib. He isn't a kook. He may just very conservative in what he is willing to say. He must have seen thousands go through the Cleveland Clinic he heads up. He has nothing to gain by being negative about ablation. I always pay attention to those that are "ablaters" when they limit what they say about ablation. Dr. Hugh Calkins, another prominent EP who heads up Johns Hopkins says similar things. It's about the symptoms. I saw him. I made an appointment for a second opinion. He also said don't think you are getting off the Pradaxa after ablation as my age dictates it. He DID say he could convert me with drugs to see if I felt better (older males tend to downplay their symptoms/fatigue). Dr Eric Prytowsky says the same thing about symptoms. He a top EP also. These guys write the consensus statements.

petey

Gang,
Good detective work running down his DS moniker! NOBODY can hide here! Canman was a big proponent of using magnesium in eliminating the post ablation palpatations. As I recall, in his last postings he said his ablation had been 100% successful, especially when he was able to eliminate the extraneous beats with the mag. Wonderful success story! Hope he is continuing to do well.

Bill

Travis, Ill hang around here, unless the crowd becomes unruly. :) Brian is one of the lucky ones. I question that 70% number. Point being, if someone is ablated, and months later dies of brain swelling, lung issue, etc, cause of death is not listed as "Ablation". Theres lies, damned lies and statistics. Of course they (MDs) will never use the word "cure" for any condition. Ill take my chances with the condition.