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While on the mend, I'm on the mend, again

moto-rama

moto-rama

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Location
San Francisco
Moto(s)
'22 R1250RS
'17 KTM 690
'07 Bonneville
Name
Jim
So my incredibly successful cardioversion/ablation recovery was going well, until I started feeling progressively shitty just before the Memorial Weekend.

By Saturday I actually "let my wife drive me" to the ER. So you KNOW I was Hella Knackered.
4 units of whole blood, later, I was feeling marginally improved. A round of tests revealed Upper GI bleeding.

Bummer!

The good news is: Heart stayed in normal rhythm, and I didn't die, but no one in town to repair /stop bleeding till the following Tuesday.
Tuesday came, it took a whopping 37 minutes to find and repair the problem.

However, it can takes months to feel whatever normal is when you are down a few pints.
Anemia really is a thing, as it turns out. I did, however manage to ride from SF to 1/2 Moon Bay and back on Friday. Now Im still not recovered from that.

Lesson
If you ever have definite signs of internal bleeding , do NOT wait for it to get better on its own. And dont go to the ER on a Holiday Weekend!
 
What is the cardioversion/ablation procedure like?

I've had AFIB for a couple of years now but it hasn't stopped me from going to the gym or jogging slowly 4 miles a week.

My wife is pushing me to get the procedure now when I'm in relatively good health vs later when I'm older. She has a point but I don't like "procedures".

What has been your experience? What were the before and after results? Was it worth it?
 
greenmonster said:
What is the cardioversion/ablation procedure like?

I've had AFIB for a couple of years now but it hasn't stopped me from going to the gym or jogging slowly 4 miles a week.

My wife is pushing me to get the procedure now when I'm in relatively good health vs later when I'm older. She has a point but I don't like "procedures".

What has been your experience? What were the before and after results? Was it worth it?
Click to expand...
Man, I was in persistent afib for 50 weeks straight .
My cardiologist at Kaiser just kept whining about my "complexities".
So, I bolted and cashed in my union retirement chips to get a top tier PPO.
Off to UCSF, where I hired their top ablation dude. Baboom, 5 hours on the rack, and so far, just Sweet Sinus Rhythm....
Pulsed Field Ablation by the master.
In at 8 am on a Monday, out by 10AM the next day.
About a week to heal the little holes and then back to life.
UCSF Electrophysiology Dept. = Gold Standard for Pulsed Field Ablation


😀
 
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moto-rama said:
Man, I was in persistent afib for 50 weeks straight .
My cardiovascular at Kaiser just kept whining about my complexities.
So, I bolted and cashed in my union retirement chips to get a top tier PPO.
Off to UCSF, where I hired their top ablation dude. Baboon, 5 hours on the rack, and so far, just Sweet Sinus Rhythm....
Pulsed Field Ablation by the master.
In at 8 am on a Monday, out by 10AM the next day.
About a week to heal the little holes and then back to life.

😀
Click to expand...
You did berate the Kaiser wankers, I hope?
 
Not enjoying the Anemia.....

Apparently when you lose 1/3 of your blood, it takes a long time for bone marrow to replenish the RedBloodCells.

5 weeks since repair job of bleeding duodunum, 6 infusions of iron, but still at about 60% of normal stamina.

No wonder vampires are so persistent.
 
UCSF has a good cardiology department. Two of the world’s finest cardiologists used to work there. They then went to Stanford and are now retired. Also, almost 40 years ago I witnessed my first balloon angioplasty at UCSF. It was my introduction to the world of medical devices.
 
As for technologies for taking care of afib, there are several. And you want a physician who has had a lot of experience.
 
ST Guy said:
As for technologies for taking care of afib, there are several. And you want a physician who has had a lot of experience.
Click to expand...
My cardiologist is one of the more experienced at UCSF....my Electrophysiologist is actually a diety
Kaiser cardiologists only succeeded in making me discouraged after 3 years of testing , drugs that made me sick and excuses.
My EP said one thing "Let's fix this!". Then he did.
My kind of doc!
 
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Drugs don’t cure afib. They only reduce or mask symptoms. And, as you have learned, there are side effects to the drugs. So far, the only way to cure afib is a good technology in the hands of a good physician. And the procedure doesn’t always work.
 
FYI, one of the companies I worked for was developing a new technology for treating afib. It was a great technology which showed a lot of promise but management drove it into the ground for political reasons. The CEO now sells medical supplies door to door in Greece.
 
Glad you are mending. It takes 120 days for a red blood cell to be called upon in the marrow
then mature to full use, and your marrow had been called upon alot. Also need excellent iron and B’s along with your other nutrients. If you like liver, eat some a few times a week. Or take it as liver in a pill to boost your own blood. It takes awhile. Heme based iron is more assimilable than the ferrous sulfate version, thus the liver (and marrow too actually if you can get it+there are pills).
 
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Hang in there Jim.

Do the work and the Vampire in you will rise again!!! :devilish:

Seriously hoping the best for you.
 
easy wind said:
Glad you are mending. It takes 120 days for a red blood cell to be called upon in the marrow
then mature to full use, and your marrow had been called upon alot. Also need excellent iron and B’s along with your other nutrients. If you like liver, eat some a few times a week. Or take it as liver in a pill to boost your own blood. It takes awhile. Heme based iron is more assimilable than the ferrous sulfate version, thus the liver (and marrow too actually if you can get it+there are pills).
Click to expand...

I've devouring lamb, beef, pork, but normally I am less carnivorous. Im not much of a liver lover, but I'll take it under advisement. I've had a few iron infusions since and am due for a cbc test this week.

No nrbcs running around last time, so improving, but rbcs almost to 4. so improving. Was 2.3 ...
 
ST Guy said:
FYI, one of the companies I worked for was developing a new technology for treating afib. It was a great technology which showed a lot of promise but management drove it into the ground for political reasons. The CEO now sells medical supplies door to door in Greece.
Click to expand...

door to door sales, and I thought my sales career with VW-Porsche-Audi was tough.

"Mr. Tidylips , any chance I can interest you in a 911 Turbo? Let me check your creditworhiness, and we'll take a look at that Cabrio in your driveway. "
 
Last edited:
moto-rama said:
Man, I was in persistent afib for 50 weeks straight .
My cardiologist at Kaiser just kept whining about my "complexities".
So, I bolted and cashed in my union retirement chips to get a top tier PPO.
Off to UCSF, where I hired their top ablation dude. Baboom, 5 hours on the rack, and so far, just Sweet Sinus Rhythm....
Pulsed Field Ablation by the master.
In at 8 am on a Monday, out by 10AM the next day.
About a week to heal the little holes and then back to life.
UCSF Electrophysiology Dept. = Gold Standard for Pulsed Field Ablation


😀
Click to expand...
Who is your attorney suing the Kaiser doc for ya?
 
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