Doctors & patients are saying about 'A-Fib.com'...
"A-Fib.com is a great web site for patients, that is unequaled by anything else out there."
Dr. Douglas L. Packer, MD, FHRS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
"Jill and I put you and your work in our prayers every night. What you do to help people through this [A-Fib] process is really incredible."
Jill and Steve Douglas, East Troy, WI
“I really appreciate all the information on your website as it allows me to be a better informed patient and to know what questions to ask my EP.
Faye Spencer, Boise, ID, April 2017
“I think your site has helped a lot of patients.”Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, MD
After 5 Years A-Fib Free, Terry Shares “I Wish I Had Seen an EP Sooner Than I Did”
For over 15 years Terry Traver, Thousand Oaks, CA, suffered with A-Fib. At first, he’d have a 15-hour episode every three months or so. Over the years, though, his A-Fib progressed to persistent and severe to the point of being unable to work.
Sadly, during this time, he was never referred to a cardiologist (and certainly not to cardiac Electrophysiologist). Luckily, a friend put him in touch with a clinical electrophysiologist (EP). In March 2012, he had a successful catheter ablation with a touch-up ablation the following July.
Terry’s Lessons Learned
Terry Traver’s regrets
After being A-Fib free for five years, Terry shared his A-Fib story with our A-Fib.com readers. His ‘Lessons Learned’ include these two regrets:
• I would have had the ablation much sooner. No G.P. [family doctor] ever mentioned ablation as an option. I only heard about it from a friend!
• I had never heard of an electrophysiologist (EP), and wish I had seen one sooner.
Finding the Right Doctor for You
I’m still amazed when an A-Fib patient tells me their family doctor didn’t refer them to a cardiologist, and more importantly, to a cardiac Electrophysiologist.
GP, cardiologist or EP?
Consult the right type of cardiologist: Most cardiologists deal with the vascular or pumping functions of the heart (think ‘plumber’). But Atrial Fibrillation is a problem with the electrical function of your heart (think electrician).
It’s important for A-Fib patients to see a cardiac Electrophysiologist (EP)—a cardiologist who specializes in the electrical activity of the heart and in the diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm disorders.
Educate yourself on treatment options: It’s so important for patients to educate themselves to receive the best treatment. Terry writes that in his 15 years with A-Fib, his GP never referred him to a cardiologist or an EP. Thank goodness a friend stepped in to help him.
Urgency! A-Fib is a Progressive Disease
The longer you wait, the worse A-Fib tends to get. Look at Terry’s story. His disease progressed to Persistent Atrial Fibrillation and was incapacitating.
To learn how to find the right doctor, go to our page: Finding the Right Doctor for You and Your Treatment Goals.
