Hi I am going on Monday for my 1st cardioversion, I'm am really scared can anyone give me any info to help me feel better about it. Thanks

[Julia59]

Will I feel anything , do you shout out and if you do why ? I was going to watch it on you tube but decided not to as it said it is upsetting to watch , hence this has not helped me.

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Julia - You'll be given a general anaesthetic so no you wont feel or be aware of anything. It doesn't take long at all (perhaps 10 minutes) and hopefully you'll just wake up cured. I had my last one in November and I was just so grateful to the nurses who did the procedure. There's nothing at all to be afraid of. Please report back to us how you get on.

[Julia59]

Thank you for that , it's the fear of the unknown more than anything, I will let you know on Tuesday how I got on and thanks again

[BobD Volunteer]

Nothing to worry about. Canual in arm, pads stuck on chest or chest and back. Milky stuff goes in your arm and the fairies get to work on your ticker and make it all better. We hope. You may have some mild "sunburn" where the pads go but that clears up quickly with some after-sun lotion. Ten minutes is probably over estimate to be honest. Some people are "cured" first hit but others don't get anywhere or revert to AF in a day or so. Be prepared for this as doctors may not tell you that.

Bob

[mallet-head]

Hi Julia,

Firstly, it is only to be expected that you (or anyone else for that matter) might feel somewhat apprehensive about something you have not experienced before. I had my first one (DCCV) last July. I can assure you, that you will not feel anything as you will be under general anaesthetic, and then only for about 5 minutes generally. You should know before you go home from the hospital whether it was successful or not. Sometime people say they have a little soreness/tenderness for a day or so, where the de-fibrillating pads were attached, but I did not even experience this.

I was very nervous before mine, but it was unfounded I assure you.

Best of luck for Monday, you will be fine. Come back on here afterwards, and let us know how smoothly it all went !!

best regards, Mallet-head

[shadski]

Hi Julia I too am having my first electroconversion on Tuesday. I've been researching it. Yes I feel a little scared - they are doing something to do to my heart. But Everything I read or everyone I talked to said that it's more emotionally worrisome than physically dangerous.

[Julia59 in reply to shadski]

Where are you having yours done shadski , I'm going to leeds

[Julia59]

Thank you everyone , to hear from people who have been through a cardioversion has made me feel a lot better, and I will let you know how I got on, here's hoping it works or next step is catheter ablation. Thanks again everyone

[shadski]

I'm in the US about 1 1/2 hr north of San Francisco. I am assuming it is going to work, a least for a tiem. So we haven't really discussed next steps

[Julia59 in reply to shadski]

I'm hoping mine works , it's not till you come on here you realise how many people suffer from af, good luck for Tuesday and let me know how you go on

[shadski]

will do and good luck to you. Let me know how your's goes too.

[rosyG]

Good luck to you both- let us know how you get on!

[Julia59 in reply to rosyG]

Thanks rosyG I will do

[Alil]

Hi Julia

Having my first Cardioversion tomorrow as well. I'm trying hard to keep my anxiety level low with distraction activities! Pre AF I would have just gone for a run but I'm mostly knitting and reading. Good luck - it's great to read all the reassurance on this site from everyone who's been through it all before us.

[Julia59 in reply to Alil]

Hi alil, it's nice to hear someone else is having it done tomorrow, first timer like me lol, where are you having yours done , I'm going to leeds in England , I'm having mine in the morning and its been so helpful to come on here and be reassured thats it's not as bad as you think, friends who don't understand why I'm so anxious just say what you bothering about it will be fine , if only people understood this illness they would know how you really feel, just because you don't look Unwell means its nothing really wrong . Please let me know Tuesday how you got on, good luck and I know we will be fine x

[Alil in reply to Julia59]

I'm just up the road! Having mine done at Bradford Royal Infirmary. Have a relaxing rest of the day x

[Julia59 in reply to Alil]

So near, I wish we were in together, you to enjoy your knitting its years since I've knit, il be thinking about you tomorrow x

[Alil in reply to Julia59]

Hope you've had a good afternoon. It is reassuring to read everyone's experiences. I'll be thinking of you in the morning x

[Paul_M]

.... I've had one cardioversion and am waiting for my second.... I've had a lot of health probs the last few years with many operations and CV is the only time I ever go into hospital feeling bad and come out feeling great! And I get a 10 minute sleep!

I met a nurse who is part of the CV team in another hospital and she loves doing it because of that instant change.

Good luck - and remember it may be the biggest thing for you but it's just another day at the office for the cardio team.... it's what they do and they're very good at it.

Paul

[Hidden]

Hi Julia -- please try not to worry . I have had very many cardioversions over the years & used to feel petrified at the idea in the beginning -- it somehow sounds quite ' barbaric ' doesn't it ?! But in reality you have nothing to worry about -- it is all over very quickly . You will have acouple of patches on your chest , a canulla in your arm for the anaesthetic and in no time you will be back on the ward , hopefully in normal rhythm again. I had my last one 2months ago & was really well looked after . ( My 1st was 20 years ago ) You may have an imprint of the patches left on your chest but they soon fade . I was advised not to drive for 24 hrs .

All the best

Sandra

[Offcut]

I have had a number and it was only the first that left a burn. It is a very common procedure and I for one would not be worried about having another.

Be Well

[Julia59]

Thanks everyone for your reassurance , it's been very helpful

[billbo47]

hi julia my name is bill and i am 47, when i was 43 i was diagnosed with AF and i have undergone cardioversion and i can really recomend it, your placed under a general anasthetic and you know nothing about it the only side affect is a heavy feeling in our chest like you have been thumped but no pain whatsoever, unfortunatly i have recentley slipped back into AF so i may have to undergo cardioversion again but i have no worries about it, take care and don't worry, let me know how you get on

[Julia59 in reply to billbo47]

Thanks bilbo , it's true what the others say I've been in permanent af since July so I've forgotten what it feels like to be "normal" lol , it will be nice to walk the dog up and down hills again as I can only manage the flat at the moment.

[billbo47 in reply to Julia59]

having it done is like a new lease of life x

[Julia59 in reply to billbo47]

I should be running about tomorrow lol

[billbo47 in reply to Julia59]

now now tiger take it easy, you need to give yourself some time to recover, good luck for tomorrow not that you will need it

[excalibur]

Hi Julia,

I've had 5 cardioversions over the years. You didn't mention what type of AF you had but I assume it's probably persistent.

As many of the others said, it's nothing to worry about. My first one was done by the anaesthetist in the pre-op room at Harefield.

As has been said, though most cardioversions are initially successful, some aren't and some revert to AF after a few days/weeks so it's the start of a journey.

I had permanent AF and my first cardioversion didn't work - in this case they normally do 2 or 3 attempts first with the paddles on your chest and then one final one with one paddle on your back and one on your chest. I had some slight burning of the skin from the final one, but they gave me some ointment for it and this helped.

Hopefully your cardioversion will work, but if it doesn't there is another way of doing it via a catheter that has a near100% success rate. I had my last 4 cardioversions this way and they all worked.

Hope it all goes well for you and that it works for you

Lance

[Julia59 in reply to excalibur]

Yes it's permanent and has been since July , thank you for your help , I never realised so many people have this complaint.

Julia

[abihel]

Hi I had my cardioversion last November and I feel so much better...really is nothing to worry about I just had a sore chest and back for a couple of days...a bit like sunburn. My heart is now in sinus rhythm just hoping it stays there.My INR had to be between 2 and 3 for four consecutive readings. You definitely won't feel anything and you will be amazed when you wake up how normal your heart is beating.....you are not asleep very long and I woke up feeling fine the whole procedure from going in at 8:30 am to coming home Good luck

[abihel]

Hi I had my cardioversion last November and I feel so much better...really is nothing to worry about I just had a sore chest and back for a couple of days...a bit like sunburn. My heart is now in sinus rhythm just hoping it stays there.My INR had to be between 2 and 3 for four consecutive readings. You won't feel anything and when you wake up your heart will be normal SNR (fingers crossed). You are not asleep very long the whole procedure took 3hrs, arriving at hospital at 8:30am and was back at home for 12 noon. I did watch it on youtube and I didn't find it frightening at all, in fact it made me less nervous. Good Luck xxx

[Julia59 in reply to abihel]

Thank you for this I'm feeling better all the time for all the info I'm getting from everyone xx

[Julia59]

Hi everyone ,

Had the cardioversion this morning and I'm back home feeling absolutely fab with a normal rhythm , can't belive how good I feel . It took 3 zaps but eventually worked. Thanks again everyone x

[Alil in reply to Julia59]

That's good news - hope today has been ok. X

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Julia59]

Its such a wonderful feeling after a successful cardioversion isn't it! I wanted to cry with relief when I had my last one in Nov 2013. So pleased for you.

[dedeottie]

Well done. Glad all went well.

[Julia59 in reply to dedeottie]

Thank you

[niloct]

Hi Cardioversion is painless you will be given an needle in the back of your hand then the next thing you know you will have someone standing by your side saying hello how do you feel, No pain No shouting nothing, and if your worried about anything going wrong there's possibly more chance of you being hit by a bus on the way there, You have absolutely nothing to worry about my friend.

[BStanding56]

Hiya Julia,

It sounds bad but no it isnt, I have had three , I would rather a cardioversion than going to the Dentistxx