Cv

[Mazza23]

Well just had 6th cv that proved more difficult they had to shock twice then I had to lie still for 1hr to make sure it hAd worked ahh the joys of AF

[JackyMac]

I am due a cardio version and wonder what the process is? I presume you are anethetised before hand. Does it take long? Does it hurt?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to JackyMac]

Piece of cake. Canula in your arm. Pads on your chest or one front and one back. They pump in some fairy juice and and while you are away your heart jumps back into rhythm. Usually. No it doesn't hurt although if they have to jump start you too many times you may get slight sunburn like marks where the pads go. Some after sun type cream helps .

Relax and enjoy NSR for however long it lasts.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to BobD]

Sorry forgot to say. Five minutes tops.

[Mazza23 in reply to BobD]

They really burnt me this time but they did have to do it twice with a higher voltage so the patches have driven me nuts itchy and sore

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Mazza23]

Just for the sake of technical accuracy the zap is measured in joules which are a combination of voltage and amperage like watts used to be. Watts=volts x amps. so for say a 100 watt lamp at 240 volts (in UK) it draws 2.4 amps. The higher the current (amps) the more dangerous so a 20,000 volt shock off a car spark plug at low current might make you jump but won't kill you whereas a 50 volt shock at 100 amps most likely would. Think of a hose pipe. The volts are the size of the pipe and amps are the water pressure.

Maybe after Thursday we will dump joules and go back to watts? ha ha.

Some aqueous cream gently applied will soon ease your discomfort.

[Mazza23 in reply to BobD]

Thanks bob yes we measure in jules doc gave meme some cream but told me he thought the way things are going I could be in permanantAF as it was getting harder to control grrr

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Mazza23]

Persistent maybe. If it were permanent then the DCCV would not have worked at all but an ablation could still be a possibility.

[Mazza23 in reply to BobD]

I meant I was in persistent but heading towards permanent sorry

[Mazza23 in reply to BobD]

Booked for ablation 14th sept lets hope it's not to late

[PeterWh in reply to Mazza23]

See my comments below.

[seasider18 in reply to BobD]

The way it is going it is us Brexiters who are going to be shocked as our rulers want to ignore the majority.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to seasider18]

Lets keep that off forum please . We like it nice and quiet here since we got rid of all the sales people.

PLEASE!

[seasider18 in reply to BobD]

So sorry

[PeterWh in reply to BobD]

Bob. As an electrical engineer by qualification I have to correct you on a few points.

The UK standard voltage is 230V not 240V.

A 100W lamp would only draw 0.43A not 2.4A (your formula is correct).

Watts is the unit of measurement for power now and 50 years ago!!!

The formula is only correct for resistive loads (eg the old filament lamps, kettles) because it doesn't take account of power factor (eg LEDs, fluorescent tubes, TVs, etc). Many people who are not Electrical engineers or technicians don't realise this (except some other engineers who do basic electrical engineering as part of their own specialisms).

[BobD Volunteer in reply to PeterWh]

Well I am an old fart Peter. When I studied anatomy the atrium was called an auricle!

[millie-becca-187 in reply to Mazza23]

I had 5 shocks and the burns were awful. Took 2 weeks to calm down

[JackyMac in reply to BobD]

Tha'ts really reassuring, thank you BobD

[Stucoo]

I'm booked in for one next month and not looking forward to it at all. I'm persistent AF but asymptomatic and don't notice it much at all At the moment. I'm going to have to take another drug as well ☹️

[PeterWh in reply to Stucoo]

Yes some people can be asymptomatic. However quite a few have minor symptoms that they put down to other things or yo getting older or not being so fit or even forgetting what it is like in NSR because things happened gradually (ie the slope had been very shallow).

I know this from personal experience. I was in persistent AF when formally diagnosed 21 months ago.

Now that I know what AF is and the many factors that contribute and the various symptoms I can look back on things now And realise I had AF for some time before diagnosis.

[Beancounter Volunteer in reply to Stucoo]

Hi Stucoo

Welcome to the persistent asymptomatic club, been at least 3 and half years now for me, and probably 3 or 4 years prior to that, had two CVs one early one did not stick and one later with amiodarone, and that did not stick either. Now I just get in with my life...

CV is nothing to worry about

Be well

Ian

[Stucoo in reply to Beancounter]

Thanks Ian. The consultant wants me to start taking Flecainide a few days before the CV and then the continue afterwards. I take it this drug didn't work for you?

Stuart

[Beancounter Volunteer in reply to Stucoo]

I used Amiodarone for four months before my CV, and that's a bad beasty believe me and much much stronger than Flecainaide, but now didn't help me. Let's hope you have more success

Be well

Ian

[Mazza23 in reply to Beancounter]

Amiodarone almost killed me I have lqts

[Denise-]

Take care

[JackyMac]

Hi PeterWh . What's the difference between persistent and permanent AF? I wouldn't know I had a problem now only by feeling my pulse, doing a reading from Alive ECG, or walking too fast or uphill. Does that mean I'm asympotmatic?

Jacky

[JackyMac in reply to JackyMac]

please! excuse my manners

[PeterWh in reply to JackyMac]

OK.

[PeterWh in reply to JackyMac]

Persistent means that someone has AF 24/7 but that they can be returned to NSR either by having a cardioversion (DCCV) or chemically using drugs.

Permanent is when someone is in AF and cannot be returned to NSR by a DCCV or drugs or naturally.

There is also another term which I believe is one that has crept in over the last year or two which is long term persistent AF.

As for you I would say you are symptomatic because of walking too fast or uphill.

[JackyMac in reply to PeterWh]

PeterWh . Many thanks Peter, that explains everything nicely

[BobD Volunteer]

Sounds like it JackyMac. Many people are quite unaware that they have AF until it is found by accident or they have a stroke. Many would say you are one of the lucky ones if you have no symptoms..

[Spoiler]

I cannot imagine not knowing, I know the minute I go into it. I go from the rate of 40's to 150's. Immediately feel SOB and sweating. If it goes higher, chest discomfort.

[JackyMac]

When I had PAF I could always tell immediately it came on but now its permanent and the pulse is fast I wouldn't know without checking. yes, reading other reports, I am lucky,

[PeterWh in reply to JackyMac]

However that does not mean that you won't become more symptomatic in the future. In my case when I was formally diagnosed with AF in Sep 14 I would say (now) that I was mildly symptomatic because I had various of the standard symptoms but not too much and ones that I put down to other things such as getting older. However I am worse now than I was at formal diagnosis.

[JackyMac in reply to PeterWh]

PeterWh . What is the way forward for you? are you able to exercise. Keep well.