Cardioversion

[hydrangea]

Hi All

I posted a few weeks ago when my heart rate was 140 - 150. Bisoprolol was increased from 2.5 to 10 mg with no effect. I became so exhausted that it took 3 stops just to get up the stairs to bed. Back to the doctor to discover fluid on the lungs as a result of heart failure. A diuretic failed to cure this.

Eventually I ended up in hospital and after one horrific night in the assessment ward was transferred to cardiology. After two more days where drugs could not control the heart rate, I had a cardioversion. They were happy with the result and an echocardiogram showed no abnormality of the heart. I thought I should be feeling great, but I'm not. I'm taking 2.5 mg Bisoprolol, 200mg Amiodarone twice a day ( was 3x, but next week it will be once a day) and Rivaroxaban 20mg.

I just wonder - can anyone tell me how long it took them to feel 'normal' after a cardioversion? It is 10 days now and I still get so tired. I can get up the stairs in one go, but have to then sit down for a few minutes. If I try to do the shopping I can manage only one shop. I also get a dull ache in my hip which I didn't have before.

I wonder if there is still fluid on my lungs as I still have the cough that went with it. I am supposed to be going to South Africa and Botswana at the end of September, but at the moment I just can't imagine feeling well enough to go.

Thanks for all your help and support.

Sue

[meadfoot]

Hi Sue

Sorry to hear you are feeling poorly. I can't help on the cardio version front but wanted to send my best wishes and hope you can get some relief. Don't hang about speak with your cardi team. The meds might not be helping your condition, check it out and get some support. Don't struggle on on your own.

Take care

Dee

[hydrangea in reply to meadfoot]

Thanks for your best wishes. I'm waiting for a follow up appointment with the cardio at the hospital.

Sue

[hydrangea]

THanks bigleg - I'll look it up today.

[Buffafly]

Missing out on a trip to South Africa would be a big disappointment so I hope you improve soon.

It sounds as though you still have fluid on the lung and that does take a while to clear. I had a bad go of AF last year and felt rubbish for several weeks afterwards, I guess your heart takes a while to recover. My blood tests showed the marker for a heart attack even though my arteries were clear, and you don't recover from that overnight.I have found the BHF website very helpful with videos and leaflets you can download.

Best wishes for a good recovery and a great trip (soooo jealous!)

[hydrangea in reply to Buffafly]

Still haven't decided whether it is a good idea to go. My GP said if I was his mother he would tell me to stick to the UK for now - which doesn't fill me with confidence! I am feeling stronger, so in a month's time I could feel great. It is the idea of falling back out of sinus rhythm and having those 140 -150 pulse rates when I am in the middle of nowhere which is deterring me!

Thanks for your best wishes.

Sue

[Buffafly in reply to hydrangea]

If your trip includes 'the middle of nowhere' I can see the problem although medical care in cities is very good in SA, not so sure about Botswana. Sadly I suspect seasider's comment about insurance will be bad news too.

Perhaps there is a way to defer your trip? I do hope so.

[seasider18]

Have you told your travel insurance company?

[hydrangea in reply to seasider18]

Oh no. Guess that would be a good idea!

[seasider18]

Sadly they may not want to know you as they always take a pessimistic view.

I have had a small aortic aneurysm for around fourteen years that has hardly grown and get silly quotes. One wanted £2000 for a month in America, I asked how much it would be for Cuba and they said only £1000. I used a company who allowed me to exclude it from my cover.

Now with age and newer conditions no one would insure me. The cardiologist said to stick to countries with reciprocal insurance agreements and pointed out that it includes New Zealand.

[hydrangea in reply to seasider18]

Thanks Seasider & Buffafly

I am due to see the cardiologist ( I can't say 'my' as I have never met him - in hospital I was seen by a different doctor every day!) in 2 weeks so hope he will give good advice. I have basic travel insurance through my bank and as I used to live in SA have never felt the need to take out more. This is different though, as I feel quite vulnerable. I'm not even sure what could happen. My heart rate was 140 - 150 for over 3 weeks and I had heart failure before my GP said 'hospital' and three days later I had the cardioversion. If it happened again how urgent could it be? I have no idea.

[seasider18 in reply to hydrangea]

I doubt if bank insurance will cover you for a pre-existing condition.

You will find that you will probably never see the consultant but a series of assistant cardiologists. From visit to visit you are reliant on the note taking of the previous one. If it is like my local hospital at my last three appointments in different departments they did not even have my notes. They have only been partly computerised and are not kept on site,

When I recently spoke to my GP about an appointment I had with a consultant on June 15th. He had not had a letter. My copy arrived in the post today.

I started out seeing an elderly cardiology Locum who was very good but said that he probably would not be there for long but still is four years later due to their inability to recruit.

After complaining (not about him) about waiting time for tests and hospital faults and a badly done angiogram and a forgotten referral for surgery I had a meeting with the head of cardiology who said that in future I would only see him. That happened only twice as he is seldom there. He is at other hospitals NHS and private, teaching or is away at seminars and on courses.

The two hospitals I attend are just over twenty miles apart but in different Health authority areas and cannot access the things like test results and X-rays that are computerised. As a result most tests are duplicated. I actually had an echocardiogram at each in the same week.

Rant over, I hope that you fare better.