Cardioversion

[Stinky1953]

Good afternoon everyone.

I'm now 9 weeks post 2nd ablation and had my third post ablation cardio version yesterday. My question - is there a limit to how many cardio version one can have?

[pottypete1]

No, in principle I don't think there is a limit. I have had 15 -20 cardioversions over the years.

However it all comes down to clinical assessment really.

Your EP will advise.

Pete

[Stinky1953 in reply to pottypete1]

Pete thanks for that. Since posting I've had a call from the hospital with a date for a follow up ablation - 18th August.

Tim

[pottypete1 in reply to Stinky1953]

That's good news

Hope it sorts things out for you.

[seasider18 in reply to pottypete1]

Reading in your other posts that you have had six ablations and your 15/20 cardioversions it does not give any newcomers hope of a cure. What medications are you on as well ?

[pottypete1 in reply to seasider18]

Yes I can understand your concern.

However, I post on this forum not to deter others but to hopefully offer my support given that I have experienced a lot of what others fear.

I have had AF for 26 years and in the first 17 of those years I was not offered anything other than drugs. Throughout all those years I have been taking Flecainide and Bisoprolol with the added protection of Warfarin as an anticoagulant. I could not get on with Sotolol in the early days nor Amiodorone when they tried that in the latter years (it works for some).

There have been significant advancements in technology and understanding of the condition throughout the recent years and the type of equipment they now have at their disposal is awsome.

It has to be understood that during an ablation the heart is beating, often irregularly, the catheter has to be guided and the inside of the heart, under a microscope, is like the craters and mountains of the moon. The fact that they achieve anything is nothing short of a miracle in my opinion.

The ablations I have had have been 2 for flutter and 4 for AF. Having a repeat ablation is not considered to be "another attempt' but often to touch up what has gone before. For the vast majority of patients circa 80% the procedure is successful first time for that reason you should not see my experience as negative.

Statistically I am well into the minority.

For the record I was told that the last ablation I had would be the last for AF. Now I have SVT, this is different altogether and I am advised by my EP, in whom I have the greatest trust, that an ablation for SVT is much more likely to be succesful circa 90% successful first time.

We have made progress.

Pete

[seasider18 in reply to pottypete1]

It must have had a very disruptive effect on your life. It is a terrible condition that for most at least on this forum seems on going and happens through no lifestyle fault of their own unlike some other conditions.

My AF was initially brought on by my aortic valve replacement and then twice by procedures that affected my vagal nerve. Now it seems that my wife is about to join the club. She had an ECG last year that said Borderline ECG, **Unconfirmed** Left anterior fascicular block, rSr (VI) -probable normal variant that had not concerned him. She was being a bit breathless at times recently and her GP detected ectopic beats and prescribed the minimum dose of ramipril for a month to see if it would help.

This week he thought that he detected a missed beat and wondered about AF or an indication of heart failure so has arranged for a BNP blood test and an ECG.

[pottypete1 in reply to seasider18]

Yes you are right is sure has impacted on my life.

You are also correct that for me and many others the root of it is unknown and the diagnosis is Paroxysmal Lone Atrial Fibrillation. My lifestyle is good apart from a relatively sedentary occupation but I have exercised regularly and I am not overweight.

I do not understand all those terms regarding your wife's condition, all I can advise is do your best to get a good cardiologist (EP if rhythm related) and ask lots of questions.

The missed beat and extra beat issue is one us AF sufferers regularly encounter and they are known known as Ectopic beats but normally there is little to worry about with them.

Pete

[seasider18 in reply to pottypete1]

I had ectopic beats for about eleven years prior to my aortic valve replacement. I was aware of them but they were not a problem

[Hidden]

Not as far as I am aware.......

[Stinky1953 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks flapjack - good to know.

[Maggimunro]

True about the different sucess rates re ablations for SVT and AFib.

Best of luck.

[Rellim296]

Presumably you mean how many in the fullness of time, not how many at one go?

18th August is not a long wait!

[Stinky1953 in reply to Rellim296]

Correct - in the fullness of time. The reason for the question was the A&E doctors seem to see cardio version as a last resort - they like to try drugs first - and I wondered if their reluctance was because of possible damage from doing too many.

And yes 18th August is not long to wait but they have now said they will only do it if I'm in AF or SVT and if not they want me to start amiodarone which I am not happy about.

Tim