How to move on now?

[sue5511]

Hi, I was offered a cardiovasion that I decided not to have after reading it isn't very successful. I visited specilist at hospital yesterday who has now discharged me. He mentioned that I'm in a high risk of a stroke band.... being female, age 66, tablet controlled high blood pressure person he put it as a 3 out 4 person. Now this has made me rather worried. Don't know where to go from here. I'm on warfrin. Anyone else in the same position?

[CDreamer]

Most, if not all of us in the same position - regarding increased stroke risk.

But you are on Wafarin so as long as your INR stays within range your risk is reduced.

Cardioversion does work for many and even if it only last seconds, it demonstrates that your heart can go into NSR, that means a possibility of treatments, I would have hoped that his would have been explained,

I suggest you go to the AFA website and download and read all the information leaflets.

Yu don’t say whether your AF is paroxysmal, persistent or permanent?

[sue5511 in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you for reply. No I didn't know about the NSR.

I was told yesterday that I will be taking Warfrin for life now so it must be a permanent thing.

I need to read up on this as you have suggested.

[CDreamer in reply to sue5511]

The risk may be permanent but the AF may not be.

What type of AF have you? Do you have episodes which come and go? Is it there all the time? Or is it asymptomatic - ie you don’t know as you have no symptoms?

[Bagrat in reply to sue5511]

Sue NSR means normal rhythm wasn't sure if you knew that ( normal sinus rhythm)

[sue5511 in reply to Bagrat]

Thank you.

[jeanjeannie50]

Cardioversion has been great for me and they are no big deal. Can't understand why you didn't just try it. I'm 66 too.

Jean

[sue5511 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you Jean for reply. I suppose I didn't ask enough questions to start with. Then I was told I had left it to long and the possibility of it working were very low. Glad it has worked for you.

[Bagrat in reply to sue5511]

My friend's husband had been in persistent AF all the time for over a year. He's had a cardioversion and still in normal sinus rhythm 6 weeks later

[sue5511 in reply to Bagrat]

Thank you for reply.

[doodle68]

Hi Sue you say...

''How to move on now?''

Not wishing to sound like a stuck needle or in any way patronising but have you looked hard at your lifestyle.

When diagnosed with P-AF earlier this year I decided there and then to do something about my condition myself rather than relying on the medical profession, they are to be a last resort held in reserve for a time medication may not work.

Since then I have lost a stone in weight, I have another stone to lose to reach my goal of a BMI of 25 and I won't be putting the weight back on because I am not on a diet but have made permanent changes to how much and what I eat and make sure I get some exercise daily .

I am still getting occasional episodes of AF but they don't bother me now or make me feel ill as they used to, the beta blockers have put a break on my heart rate and blood pressure and anticoagulants provide a degree of protection from a stroke.

There may come a time when I can't revert to NSR on my own and then I would consider cardioversion to try to 'reset the clock' for however long it lasts, I am hoping to delay that time so it doesn't come too soon if at all.

[sue5511 in reply to doodle68]

Thank you. Yes I agree I am eating a lot more healthier now. No alcohol and walking more. Hopefully this will help my old ticker last longer.x

[rosyG]

Hi,

I think you may have misunderstood the figures you were given as the stroke risk for AF is not 3 out of every 4 patients. A study was done by Gage some years ago before proper anti-coagulation ( some were on Aspirin- no other treatment) and showed even those with a Chads Vasc score of 6 only had a risk of stroke of 18 per cent- and remember these patients were not on warfarin which, if you keep your INR in range, reduces the risk by 60 or more per cent. they followed over 1700 patients and the risk started at just over 1 per cent. Normally it is thought to be around 4 per cent if your score is around 3, but then reduced by taking Warfarin, Make sure your INR is within range- self testing helps a lot with this.

regarding cardioversion, it has worked for some for a long time but you are right that it does't work for everyone.

Make sure you are eating potassium rich foods and discuss a magnesium supplement with your GP if you increase potassium in your food. Lose weight of you need to and dump any alcohol and caffeine!! Bossy boot s here!!

The main thing is that you are anti-coagulated.

[sue5511 in reply to rosyG]

Thank you for this sound advice. I have altered my lifestyle a lot in the past year, I need to read up more on this A.F. I didn't realise potassume rich foods helped.

[BobD Volunteer]

I think you need to speak to an electrophysiologist who is a special cardiologist dealing in rhythm disorders. It does not sound to me as if you have been given anything like the correct advice. Cardioversion can show if your heart will accept NSR even for a short time and this can direct future treatment. Don't just sit there and accept what you have been told. Research, read and then bang some desks till you get some proper treatment.

[sue5511]

Thank you very much.