Stress and the heart - post cardioversion

[MarkoVan]

1 month after a successful CV and the bruising seems to have gone, but I've noticed I can be very sensitive to stress. Especially from work, the area can feel tighter. (Feels better after a good nights sleep). Have others experienced this? I confess I haven't done any exercise in about 5 months since the AF started and I'm looking to get back into strengthening the heart with a gentle training program soon.

[BobD Volunteer]

Sorry Mark I don't quite understand the bruising. Cardioversion may leave a slight surface burn on the skin where the pads were attached . This normally fades in a day or two with some after-sun cream or similar. Never had a bruise myself. Do you mean cardioversion or was it an ablation you had?

Bob

[MarkoVan in reply to BobD]

Sorry Bob, what i meant by saying cardioversion was cardioversion and believe me, after 3 zapps, it was more than just a slight mark on the skin. I could feel the ache in the surrounding muscles for a good few days. You may have been lucky enough to revert after one zapp.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to MarkoVan]

O K Tough. Shows how different we all are. Never hear of that before. One more for the archive. I know of one lady who had a really bad burn, suspected to be caused by fluid, on her back which took months to heal but never a bruise.

Bob

[jedimasterlincoln]

I needed 3 shocks the first cardioversion and had bad burn on the chest and back for a couple of weeks, and aching neck and shoulder..... but no real bruising!

[lizwright]

I felt very stressed as well and got anxious over keeping appointments and time keeping but it did pass.

[MarkoVan in reply to lizwright]

Thank you Liz, the whole Af experience certainly makes me more aware of how my mental state effects my heart. When my body tells me to slow down now, I actually listen. A lot of people have told me that the AF episode is your body's way of saying you need to change your current lifestyle.

[lizwright in reply to MarkoVan]

I agree and as a result I am actually grateful to my AF for making me change the direction I was heading in.

[Hidden]

Hi Mark -- In spite of what others may say , having a cardioversion for many people IS a BIG DEAL! I have had very many ( 13 ) & certainly for the first 6/7 , prior to my ablations, I found them frightening & stressful. This was not helped by my first experience ( 22 years ago ) when I was not given sufficient anaesthetic & felt a ton weight on my chest & screamed out. An anaesthetist I spoke to recently was appalled & said that this would be properly investigated nowadays. Anyway I usually required 3 zaps if I remember correctly & was left with the imprint of the paddles ( in those days ) for a week or so .

Well, that is in the past now & since my ablations one zap usually does the trick to put me back in sinus rhythm. I now think of them as ' a piece of cake ' & a great relief from fast AF or flutter when I have been resistant to drug treatment.

Hope you soon feel well enough to resume your normal exercise pattern . Don't let AF 'take over'!

Regards

Sandra

[MarkoVan in reply to Hidden]

Goodness Sandra, that first experience sounds terrible, I commend you for persisting with the CVs after that. And certainly take heed of your last comment.

[cbsrbpm]

Oh dear, I have my 1st cardioversion on the 30th, scared stiff now as previously everyone was saying it was a piece of cake!!!

B

[Hidden in reply to cbsrbpm]

No! It IS a piece of cake! I am talking about something which happened 22 years ago and I have absolutely no problems with cardio versions these days . I have had two this year and it was all over in minutes. Sticky pads are put on your chest these days instead of the paddles and I can assure that there is nothing to worry about. Concentrate on my last paragraph! ........ So sorry to have alarmed you. Sandra

[Hidden]

Brenda ... a PS to my post 2hrs ago... If you wish you can message me privately & I will do my best to allay your fears, or you can phone if you wish. I have had alot of experience with AF! Honestly these days CV's are a very routine procedure even though, as I have said before, they ARE a ' big deal' to many going in for the first time.

Sandra x

[cbsrbpm]

Thanks Yatsura for your reassurance, I have had PAF for 12 years until last July went I went into Persistent AF during a particular period of stress and overdoing things. Life is just starting to settled following the death of my Mother and I am hoping that the cardioversion will put me back into NSR. I must say that the need to be back in rhythm is outweighing the fear. Thanks again, keep well.

Brenda