Any cardioversion success stories?

[Zachary_rodway]

I had persistant af with rvr when i was 18 and was cardioverted immediatly. Its now been two years and still no a fib. However im becoming more and more worried that it will come back. I have daily PVC's that continue to get worse. Im wondering if anyone has remained in normal rhythm indefinitley after cardioversion, or if i can expect another episode in the future.

[rosyG]

I think this will be hard for people to answer as you are very young. It may depend on why you had AF in the first place and only your cardiologist, with your full history to hand, would be able to answer that.

I hope you stay well- try eating healthily- no processed food, alcohol ( some will argue with this but it is thought to be a trigger) no endurance sport, and make sure you have enough potassium in your diet ( bananas, salmon, fruit and vegetables) and enough mgnesium ( nuts are high in magnesium amongst other things,

best wishes,

[Dadog]

Hi Zachary. RosyG is right. You are young and AF seems to be a respecter of age! Nothing to do with cardioversion, which simply puts you back onto SR but hasn't any curative properties. I first had AF when I was 33 years of age (...sigh...those were the days!). I'm now 78 and over those years have been back into AF three times with plenty of good years between each episode. Only in the last 3 years, following the last event, has it been a harder job to control and treat. That has to be an age thing.

It's not good to worry and anticipate the next attack. (easy to say and not always easy to do). Carry on as normal. Take a laid back attitude to AF...it isn't, in itself, particularly dangerous - and get yourself treated if it does rear its head again. The odds are it won't but AF is a fickle and contrary condition and often proves us wrong. Do let us know how you get on.

David

[Hidden in reply to Dadog]

Thank you, David. Your post was optimistic and cheering as opposed to so many posts that talk of AF with doom and gloom. As you say, in itself it's not dangerous and is a pretty stable entity. I remember a cardiologist friend years ago telling my mother that AF was the most stable of rhythm disorders and I don't think they know much more than that now. After all, what would one rather have - AF or cancer? AF, without a doubt.

[Rellim296 in reply to Hidden]

I'm not too sure on this choice. There's doom and gloom about cancer too, and so many cancers can be successfully treated and are gone for ever. And even terminal cancer can be held at bay.

[Dadog in reply to Hidden]

So right, petalline. I had a wife and then a partner who both died with cancer. The first over a period of 19 years, full of anxiety and disappointments and the second, given a terminal diagnosis and who chose not to have further treatment so she could use the time she had in some comfort. Both of these lovely people, I'm sure, would prefer to have had AF.

I get annoyed at times, when my AF revisits - but never doom and gloomy! Positivity works. Hope all goes well with you.

David

[Hidden in reply to Dadog]

Hi David

I'm so sorry to learn of your losses. But I'm glad that you have such a positive attitude and seem to keep reasonably well. It is incredibly worrying when one gets these funny beats. I get episodes of ectopic beats which last hours and feel awful, though it's the forceful beats that upset me so much - don't (fingers crossed) get pain, breathlessness etc, just intense anxiety. I've had times over the last 18 years when the episodes have come and gone, and always been told they're benign ectopics and that my heart's structurally normal. The last time I saw a cardiologist was 2 years ago - same outcome. I even had an angiogram some years ago - and was told it all looked great. I don't really want to see another cardiologist, too stressful. The funny thing is that, once an episode passes, I feel a lot better - it's as though my autonomic nervous system has been reset - until the next time. It could just be relief, I suppose. I wonder if other people find this to be the case.

Anyway, kind regards and good health.

Petalline

[Rellim296 in reply to Dadog]

Sorry to hear this David. Despite my comments above, I too would wish AF on close family instead of what carried them off half way through life.

[Dadog in reply to Rellim296]

Thanks Relim. There's a lot of diverse thought on these illnesses and conditions. Some cancers can be cured and others periodically give hope only to emerge again. It's that sort of cruel illness. Conversely, I have sometimes wondered if I could cope with a severe stroke (heaven forbid for any of us). It is that quality of life thing that worries me. I shall keep taking the tablets!!

David

[Rellim296 in reply to Dadog]

Yes, cancer can be very fickle and has no respect. It so often takes off the deserving.

I don't want to cope with a severe stroke and have expressed my wishes with a signed and witnessed document and my GP and EP have copies.

Sorry, Zachary_rodway how did we get here from your original question?