Cardioversion advise please

[Spinbiker]

Good afternoon- I have my first cardioversion in one months time - how soon after the treatment can I begin to be active ( assuming everything works out) I have a business trip to arrange involving a 2 hour flight and I would really like to get back to the gym - light exercise to start of course- - also can I be away for say a month or would I have to be monitored during this time - any thoughts & tips gratefully received - many thanks and best wishes

[Jamse]

I had one yesterday Im liking the sinus rhythm. however im still very beta blocked and blood thinnered . I have a follow up on 11th october to discuss med changes .

2 month ago i had one and moved furniture after 4 days ...blew back to AF so im sticking to 5000 steps a day for now

[Jalia]

In reality you should be feeling fine the next day. Just don't over do things for a few days.

I've had about 20 of these over the years and I believe in the early days there was normally a check up about 6 weeks later.

My last DCCV was in April last year ( some kind of record for me...) and I do recall feeling a little vulnerable the following few days, expecting AF to return. ( it didn't!)

I'm sure you will be fine !

PS you will need to stay on anticoagulants for some time afterwards if you are not already on them long term.

[jeanjeannie50]

I've had quite a few cardioversons. You will feel fine almost immediately, but please don't do anything strenuous for as long as you can hold off afterwards. Let your heart muscles build up strength beating in the correct rhythm. I had one once and then walked up a hill the next day and went straight back into AF, to say I was cross with myself is putting it mildly! Now I know better!

I'm having one in a few weeks time and then going away on holiday to Croatia 5 days later. I've decided that there's no way I'm going to be lugging my suitcase anywhere and am going to put it in the boot of my car and then pack everything into it then. I'm going with my daughter and she'll weigh it when I get to her house. I have no worries whatsoever re the flight itself causing AF to return.

My last cardioversion was in January this year and I went back for a check up 6 weeks later.

Jean

[Hidden]

Hi Spinbiker, some good advice already. I don’t want to be a Job’s comforter but we have to be honest about the part cardioversions play in the process of treating AF. Although we are not medically trained, it is recognised that a cardioversion rarely stops AF for ever and it’s success or failure is impossible to assess and I sense that you are aware of that. The important thing is that if it works, even for a relatively short time, it does indicate that you could respond well to further treatments such as ablation if or when AF returns. I make the point because in my opinion, if your doctor is in agreement, you should continue with your plans but just be aware and be prepared for the possibility of AF returning. If it does, it generally is not any worse than it was before the CV. Taking it easy and giving your heart the opportunity to recover from its ordeal has to be for the better and hopefully you will benefit from the procedure for a good while.....mine lasted around 12 months or so, many talk about years and a friend of mine enjoyed less than 30 min of sinus rhythm. Just make sure your Doctor understands how much better you felt when in rhythm.....best of luck

[Visitingcat]

Please be careful after your cardioversion, I had one on Monday just gone, (after nearly three months in Afib) did nothing for two days ( my husband did stop me from getting the hoover out though) then on Thursday was getting lovely normal 60 bpm readings on my kardia, we went for a slow walk round the supermarket. Halfway round was getting a bit puffed but put it down to the anaesthetic after effects.

That evening after I’d settled down and relaxed I felt my heart thud and race, checked on my kardia and it read tachycardia, next reading was Afib. It felt ghastly after nearly three days of normal rhythm, I was so upset, the only thing that stopped me crying was that I would feel even worse with a stuffed up head as well....

This afternoon it reverted by itself, what a relief!

I really thought I’d wrecked my cardioversion. (maybe I have, who knows when it might kick off again).....

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Visitingcat]

Don't beat yourself up Cat. Cardioversion is not a cure for anything, just an indicator and since you reverted spontaneously that is very good news. I doubt what you did affected anything. What happens , happens.

[Visitingcat in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob, that’s a great way of looking at it : )

I have an appointment soon with the consultant I saw recently in hospital and will plead for an ablation, Afib really disables me, I feel 20 years older and it gives me chest pain (angina? Or just tired heart from 130 bpm nearly constantly ) just for pottering around doing housework....

I’ve done nothing and been nowhere for nearly three months except for one short break early on when I thought I could manage, it was a bit of a disaster : (

That’s why I got so upset, I’d thought hooray and booked a couple of nights away middle of next month. I made sure it was possible to cancel though ( travelodge)! No plans for anything strenuous, just chilling.

How is your new little black cat settling in?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Visitingcat]

Sad story. He only stayed one day . We kept him in the sitting room and he loved it there and came on our laps etc but as soon as we let him out and he met Pete he went ballistic and chased him out . He then rushed round everywhere spraying furniture, walls everything he could reach (where it all came from I have no idea) and then went off in search of poor Pete. When he came back about six hours later we had to take him back to the cattery as it was never going to work. At least he is now chipped and neutered so hopefully he found a forever home. Pete didn't come back till next morning and it took several days for him to recover from the trauma!

[Visitingcat in reply to BobD]

Oh poor little cat and poor poor Pete and poor you, it must have been upsetting all round.

[Desanthony in reply to BobD]

Oh that is sad. My friend has two cats and started off with Tiger and Twosie who were brother and sister. Unfortunately Twosie got knocked down and killed when they were both about 18 months so she got another cat and Tiger went away for 2 days - they thought he had gone for good but he came back. The new cat was kept in for about 2 weeks before being let out. They now, after about 8/9 years live in companiable dislike. It was funny watching Tiger astounded at how Lara could jump sideways and basically act like a kitten - he really didn't like it as he is a chilled, high class, cat who knows his own mind and walks around with an air that he is above everything and everyone! Lara is called Lara because she did all the type of things Lara Croft does - though she has grown out of all those things now. Funny to watch them have a fake scrap. They continually eat each other's food - so annoying when their bowl is full and the other bowl half empty and they go and eat out of the half empty bowl purely because it belongs to the other! Tiger has no road sense though and always looks worried when near traffic - though he does go out and across roads. We don't see Lara on the roads - not to say she doesn't go. They are lucky they have part of an old orchard adjoining their garden where the grass is allowed to grow long and they both love it in there and there are quite often a lot of things to catch and bring home. A few months ago some new cats moved into the neighbourhood and Tiger went around the house spraying for about 2 weeks. The best thing my friend says she bought was a cat flap that reads their chip and only lets them in. As prior to that she had frequently come home to find a few strange cats in the house eating their food. Hope you find a companion for Pete.

[Naderz]

You can resume work and normal life the next day! I’d wait several days to start going to the gym and of course when u do, start gradually! All the best

[Mugster]

Well after mine I felt great. I had it on the Friday, went for a 3 mile walk over the weekend and AF returned on the Monday. I will never know if it was the walk or if it would have reverted anyway.

But as mentioned it was a positive sign as I had a successful ablation the next year. It's now been 18 months clear of AF...

[bennie06]

Statistically around 40% of conversions fail during the first month. Depending upon your meds programme the failure rate then falls off dramatically and reaches a plateau after six months. Success rates around 50% expected after a year. Good advice about taking it easy for the first week. You may feel you can climb the mountain but wear a "steady Eddie" hat and stick to gentle exercise. Remember that a significant percentage of AF is caused by exercise and emotions(stress). Good Luck.

[Visitingcat in reply to bennie06]

I got five years out of my last cardioversion, I had around 5/6 breakthrough episodes of between 48hours and 5 days but they always self reverted until this June, I was hoping to get the same out of this one but it’s unlikely really, the Afib progresses, my chest pain and other symptoms are now much worse than when I was first diagnosed.

I’ll be on edge for a while if it sticks for me this time....

Fingers crossed : )