Cardiologist not very helpful

[brad]

Have not been on hear for while been waiting to see cardiolgist seen her today like she could notbe bothered wanted me to have heart shock treatment said rather try meds first i have on digoxin 1.25 not working se said go back to your gp see what will do very disapointed and feeling very low today got go back see her 2 months

[BobD Volunteer]

To be fair if you reject your expert's advice this is not unreasonable. I wonder why you were so against cardioversion which is a perfectly normal and sensible step to see if you can be made to feel better.

[Hidden]

Presumably you were offered an electrical cardioversion...Dccv . What are your objections to this ? It's a quick way to get back in sinus rhythm without the rigmarole of more drugs. Did she not suggest different drugs for you at all ?

[brad in reply to Hidden]

No she did not suggest no drugs just said go back and see your GP

[pottypete1]

If your symptoms are bad then you should not reject cardioversion.

I have probably had about 20 cardioversions over the years and in every case it was successful and I was each time I was given a good period of Normal Sinus Rhythm whilst they planned my ablations.

Try not to be frightened as it is by no means as bad an experience as it sounds.

Pete

[brad in reply to pottypete1]

Made me feel much better

Thank you

[pottypete1 in reply to brad]

There is nothing to be ashamed of in being scared.

I am scared of having fillings done at the dentist so now pay for sedation.

For DCCV you are anaesthetised so as long as you can be brave enough for the injection you will know nothing and if all goes to plan feel a lot better afterwards.

I totally sympathise with you regarding the attitude of the Cardiologist. It is just not acceptable to be treated any less than with great understanding.

I have experienced both a Cardiologist like yours and a Cardiologist who cares. Knowing the one I have now who does have a caring attitude I know that it also gives him job satisfaction too.

Hope you can get it sorted out.

Pete

[WendyWu20 in reply to pottypete1]

'Pay for sedation' at the dentist...doh...why didn't I think of that! (Biggest chicken ever!)

Having had a cardioversion, it was so easy peasy compared to a visit to the dentist :o)

Don't worry Brad, you won't feel a thing, you'll wake up feeling much better :o)

[brad]

Thank you for reply has you all know by now i am a big baby when comes to my heart i just wanted think it over now wish i said ok when go back will say yes ok just scared on ebig baby

Thank you for replys

[brad]

Thank you Jo each time i come on hear feel much better and go to bed and relax better too thank you

[Rubymurray25]

I have had two cardioversions and both have worked brilliantly, I had a drip sedative and didn’t even know it was happening and it was over in seconds, both times I was so pleased I made the decision to have them done. Good luck.

[Sean_C in reply to Rubymurray25]

Yep, my experience is exactly the same as yours.

[bushy2016]

Cardioversion....its shocking...i felt the best in years after lot better than medicie

[ijan]

Hi Brad,

Its natural for you to want to think things through, especially if you are new to AF.

I usually research here, on the ALA ,and other arrhythmia websites, so I'm as informed as possible before appointments.

I'm waiting for my first cardioversion and am hoping for a "late notice" date to shorten my time on the waiting list.

Good luck!

PS As Happyjo says, if you change your mind about a cardioversion it might be worth informing your consultant, via her secretary, so you can be added to any waiting list sooner rather than later.

[Gillybean123 in reply to ijan]

You must call back. I have had five cardioversions, just get on and have it done. You will feel 100% better. It is a bit scary but they will talk you through it. Have faith in them.

[RichMert]

I would suggest electro?? cardioversion as they will sedate you so you will be unaware of what is going on and you will not feel anything. Avoid chemical cardioversion (cannot remember name of drug), it is bad news.

[Bagrat in reply to RichMert]

For some people chemical cardioversion works very well.

[RichMert in reply to Bagrat]

Ok, I am a woos. It did not make much difference the first time but second time ended up with blood pressure crashing, the panic alarm being hit and 2 paddles coming towards me. Luckily the movement of the bed being lifted up at the bottom sent me back into NSR. I refused that drug option from that point on. I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and severe cold sweat.

[Bagrat in reply to RichMert]

Oh heck I totally understand your concerns in that case. I had cardioversion under GA the first time which worked. Like you, every time they've tried an armful of drugs it hasn't worked either. ( Well I've gone back into NSR a couple of hours later) When I asked cardiologist why it was recorded as spontaneous conversion he said most of the drugs they used (amiodarone first time and something plus digoxin the second) keep you in sinus rhythm but don't work to cardiovert. I didn't enquire further as it's only happened twice.

[KMRobbo in reply to RichMert]

I had chemical cardioversion by flecainide infusion- it was brilliant, the nurses had to feed the flecainide into me at so many Ccs per minute over half an hour. After 20 ish minutes I converted to NSR with flecainide still left. I had been in high hr afib for 8 days with slight respite one day.

Having said that I would have happily took the electrical shock route to get back to NSR!

[RichMert]

Yes mine was administered in resus. I remember looking up at the ceiling and seeing Max the Monkey flying a Bi-Plane. I was in the children's cubicle, either that or it was a near death experience.

[KMRobbo in reply to RichMert]

Ha! I had similar in A& E when I looked up to see Peter Pan and Wendy😁

[brad]

Thank you all for replies you have all been fantastic on this forum and i mean that cardiologist wanted me to have cardioversion for fast heat beat and irregular pulse anyone had cardioversion for same thing and did it work

[pottypete1 in reply to brad]

I only had it done for AF a number of times and it was always successful. I think the principal is the same for fast heart rate (Tachycardia) but my EP had an ablation planned when I had that problem and he therefore didn’t do both.

All I know is that after each AF DCCV I felt so much better. It was probably a combination of being in NSR at last and the anaesthetic.

Pete

[Cas33 in reply to brad]

Yes I had it done for the very same.

In my case it lasted for 2 to 3 weeks. I had 5 Cardioversions from June 2017 to September 2017.

Then had Ablation in Oct 2017 followed by another Ablation January 2018. Now have a Pacemaker, awaiting AV Node Ablation. I’m 60 yrs old

[inezelsie]

I'm curious about cardioversion - is that where they use paddles to stop and restart your heart? When I first went to the ER with AFIB they brought in paddles, but the ER doc said they wouldn't be using them on me because I'd had afib for 3--4 years and there could be blood clots that the paddles could cause to move and cause a stroke. Am I confusing something else with cardioversion? Or has everyone been on blood thinners so there's less risk of stroke in that situation.

[Bagrat in reply to inezelsie]

Yes that's cardioversion. If you are newly diagnosed ( so not taking anticoagulants) and can pinpoint exactly how long you've been in AF they may electrically cardiovert if it was less than 48 hours before ( some docs say 24 hours, Mine was 14 hours after I started jiggling about a bit!!). Otherwise you have to be on anticoagulants. They can do a procedure to look for clots also if necessary.