Update to All, Momto3, upbeat663, Jerry, Betty, etc..

[notahypo]

Hi everybody,

I just wanted to inform you all that after the onset of Multiform PVC's that have lasted for almost 4 weeks now, I have decided to get the EP-Study "finally" done, followed by ablation for BOTH my PVC' s and the now less occuring PSVT (AVNRT/AVRT) . I wnet to my cardiologist here in NJ who's Ep-doctor on staff, I finally agreed to see! Oddly enough when I arrived the cluster and  runs stopped ,as luck would have it. But then I said to Dr. Cheema, let me EAT somethinh and lay down, I am certain they will start up, they did! A 12 -lead ECG was done and they were captured! Thank god.. since they always think we are crying wolf! At first he thought I had some foci on the  RVOT but after  evaluating the rhythm strip I had just did, he said it looks like I was wrong and you have a "single focus" (I hope) which is easier to ablate as opposed to mutiple lesions and that he thinks it's on the inflow tract and right heart sided. ) I also hope) he said hecouldn't do the PVC ablation and I ONLY a few doctors are highly skilled in this area. He referred me to a renown EP-Doc ( Dr. Frances Marchlinski) @ the University Of Pennsylvania who pioneered the procedure for both left and right heart foci ablation for "PVC's. As far as the PSVT he said most EP doctors are apt at doing that procedure w/no complications or pacemaker. That will be done by the NaviStar system using Cryo ablation to reduce the chance of damaging the sinus/atrio nodes, and if so the freeze can be reversed. The PVC's ablation can be done at the same time, I'm told, using RF-ablation? Hey he's the doctor,not me.. Nevertheless, as terrified as I was for 15 years I am going through with the procedure, provided Marchlinski wants to do it after the preliminary consultation which isn't until January 21st, that is how in demand this guy is! Just do a search on his name and check out this link http://www.pennhealth.com/WagForm/MainPage.aspx?config=provider&P=PP&ID=1412  I have also conferred with my cousin who was rated one of 534 TOP doctors in NJ monthly Magazine, she stated that Penn Cardiac Care is an excellent center! The more I hear about this guy the more confident I become. I just hope he tells me the same thing the NJ Ep-doctor told me..that initially referred me to him? So, wish me luck and say a prayer. I either will drop dead on the table (as morbid as that sounds) or have a high probability of being cured , even if it's only the PSVT.. and some of the PVC's, at the very least are single focus and are/is in an area that can be ablated without complications. I decided I NO longer want to suffer with the BAD episodes and the racing heart as well. 15 years was long enough. If the outcome is good, I only wished I would have had the nerve to do it sooner and NOT have wasted 15 years that affected the quality of mylife.  It's in the LORDS hands first than the very skilled doctor's, that's ALL I can hope for. I will keep ALL of you posted. I only hope my double procedure goes as well as, Betty's did!

[twinbee]

Look into Dr. Gerstenfeld or Dr. Callans or Dr. Lin at Univ of Penn. They are all top doctors working with Marchlinski. I have talked to other people on different forums who have had ablations done by these doctors and they are all pleased with the result.  I live in NJ also and I checked into EP's in New York (St. Lukes and Clombia Presby and NY University hospitals) and I also looked into Robert Wood here in NJ because that is my "everyday" hospital and I also met with doctors at Mass General, John Hopkins and Cleveland Clinic. I choose Univ of Penn.

[notahypo]

That's true this doctor ONLY sees patients ONCE a week because he is always lecturing or traveling!   My preliminary appointment is in January 21st unless there is a cancellation! So, I hope the ablation procedure ,"if" indicated and performed, after the study,etc.. is not too far off after the consultaion and review of my records and rhythm strips. Luckily my relative Doctor at least knows his principal investigator and she is looking into more information for me about who else's name she can hopefully come up with  or refer me to, at the Penn Cardiac Care facility/University. On the other hand,I have been in contact with other few select EP -specialists in New York as well, in the event I need a back up EP- Doctor/procedure, Mt. Sinai, Beth Israel, St Lukes/Roosevelt also Columbia Presp. that also have very good EP doctors , who also are excellent from what the local NJ EP-Doc I just saw, told me, as well as,my relative Physician who is also highly regarded as a top doctor but for infectious disease. She knows many of these EP-doctors or/and their collegues, from where she went to med school(Georgetown Univ) and studied and taught Hannahman Hospital & Robert Wood Johnson  Univ..So, again as terrified and chicken as I am, I am NOW "more" confident  that I will be in good hands and am praying, I will  get some relief if not a full cure.That's good enough for me, and as morbid as it may sound, if I see that white light calling me and NOT sending me back, what can I do. Like my friends said  jokingly.. You'll never know your dead and that your loved ones are grieving, which worries me the most after having lost my oldest brother to a drug overdose at only 31 years of age in 1984, I don't know if my mother can handle another loss. I may be putting the cart before the horse and dwelling on the least likely and worst possible senerio but then again, I was always a pessimist. I am trying to be as positive as I can be and am hoping for the best and when my eyes open it isn't the pearly gates I see but  but my wife and 13 year old "excuse the pun" polly-wop (Italian and Polish)  son Joey. And if ALL goes well at now 53 years of age, I will be grateful and "Prasie the Lord" but I will also wonder why I didn't do go through with this 15 years ago and allowed myself to suffer, when my cousin and cardiologists and others, all suggested it way back as an alternative to a lifetime of trial and error of Meds that do very little and more harm from the side-effects ! Wish me Luck all, I will keep those of you interested in little ol' me and my results/prognosis posted.

[twinbee]

I had my ablation for a-fib and a-flutter by Dr. Marchlinski at Univ of Penn in January. You will be very pleased with him. From what I understand it can take up to 2 years to have an ablation by him because he is in such demand. I did not have to wait long because I was considered an emergency and I was fit into his schedule..

[Momto3]

WOW!!  That's some update!!  My ablations were RVOT and LVOT for PVCs and I consider myself very, very fortunate to have had a highly skilled EP.  Sounds like you're gonna be in good hands.  I had RF ablations with Navistar something or other both times, no cryo though.  

Hey, you're not gonna drop dead on the table.  You're gonna be just fine : )