Hi, I had a cardioversion on Monday. I was in atrial flutter at the time with a HR of 150+. I was expecting to feel instantly better afterwards. HR currently 65 which is good but felt as though my legs had turned to lead and I had no energy during a two mile walk in the park with my hubby. Feel really disappointed.
Has anyone else experienced this and does it pass? I’m wondering if it could have anything to do with the fact I have been told to continue on 7.5mg of Bisoprolol.
I am hoping to restart the gym tomorrow but my husband isn’t sure that would be a good idea.
Any advice welcome - thanks.
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spinningjenny
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Thanks for replying so quickly. You’re probably right. I will slow down for a few days. I feel well in myself but I am an impatient patient. Perhaps I am expecting too much too soon.
Wise advice from potty pete1, I agree with all he has said and I too have had numerous cardioversions. Your heart muscles have spent a while beating out of rhythm and now need to regain strength working correctly. That is quite a hefty whack of bisoprolol you're taking and I think I would ring the hospital where you had your procedure and ask to speak to the AF nurse and see if it would be possible to reduce your dose slightly.
My last cardioversion was three weeks ago and the week following that I went on holiday and found I too got tired when walking far.
Thanks. It helps to know that it can take a while for things to recover. I’ll see how things go with the Bisoprolol, I’m lucky in that one of the GPS in our practice used to be a Cardiologist so I may go to see him in a few days.
Listen to your body, maybe the gym so soon is not a great idea.
My first cardioversion I was left on 12.5mg bisoprolol and felt terrible (but great as I was in nsr, if that makes sense)
Anyway, I contacted my EP after a few days and he hit the roof because the junior doctor that discharged me should have reduced the bisoprolol, I guess someone got a telling off that day.
It looks like I really will have to take things slowly for the next few days. I may well skip gym tomorrow, although it is a rehab gym and the instructors are very tuned in to everybody’s needs. If things haven’t improved by Monday I’ll definitely be seeking some medical advice. Thanks for replying.
Lots of good advice so not able to add much but suggest you bear in mind that Bisoprolol is designed, to amongst other things, to slow your heart down. Because the dose your on is high, it’s likely your heart was beating pretty quick before the cardioversion. Assuming that you are now back in rhythm and your heat is beating a lot slower than before when resting (not jumping around!!) the you should tell your doctor and maybe they can reduce the dose. It may be frustrating, but it would be good to slow down, why risk wrecking the benefits of having a CV before your heart has had the chance to adjust to working properly!
Yes, my heart rate was frighteningly high before the cardioversion. I think exercising at all might be difficult while on such a big dose of Bisoprolol. Already my heart rate is dropping below 60 while watching tv. If it gets very low I shall certainly be seeking more advice. Many thanks for your reply.
You can listen to your mind or your body. Your body is usually far more sensible I have found out and is letting you know loud and clear - don’t try doing so much, so soon.
I have had one cardio version for flutter and yes felt not good for weeks after. The Bisoprolol won't be helping either. The Doc said that Felecanide caused my bad flutter and I believe the higher dose of Bisoprolol caused a less sever flutter before I started the Flecanide, so getting the Meds right for you is essential - unfortunately its a bit of trial and error to get it right.
Interesting. I’ve never been convinced Bisoprolol was doing much. Even on 10mg (later reduced to 7.5mg due to falling asleep after breakfast etc) my heart rate was regularly shooting up to over 140 bmp. I can’t tolerate Flecanide at all, I get symptoms similar to those caused by chemo - so a friend tells me. I suspect there is another ablation on the horizon. Deep joy!
I had my cv 5 weeks ago and as reported elsewhere ("exhaustion and cardioversion")it took a month before I could do much. I was the same the first cv too. I'm able to exercise a bit now, but it really is a bit: 15 min v slow bike ridge (took me longer to get all my stuff ready than the ride lasted!) and short walks: 2-3 miles vs usual 5-6. I was told both times by cv nurse that I'd be running by the weekend after the cv when I could hardly walk out of the hospital. Give yourself time your poor heart has been through a lot.
I could also feeling it beating properly ALL the time to begin with which was a bit u serving.
Same here. The nurses at the hospital seemed to think I would be back to normal very quickly. I’ve been in a mixture of flutter and af for so long I’ve forgotten what normal feels like.
Had the same in July after an ablation in April, went into flutter with 145bpm steady, basically doing to much and walking too far, too fast recovering . After the cardioversion it took about three to four weeks to feel I had any energy and got back to walking a mile or so, now built up to 2 mile+, I'm on bisoprolol 2.5 and find that OK, anymore for me and my legs are like lead and I'm tired all of the time feeling drained, and it's not well tolerated form other board members I've read.
I personally would ask to reduce the dose and also take your time pushing yourself after such an ordeal as its not worth causing more instances and distress.
Thanks. I will see how things go and pay more attention to what my body is telling me. I know I’m on a hefty dose of Bisoprolol but the hospital didn’t want to reduce it.
I chat to your ep if possible, hospital wanted me back on 5mg, but he said 2.5 was fine and am at 55-65 at rest and no problem with fast tach, maybe worth a chat.
I had a similar issue with atrial flutter and a heart rate of 150, before during and after exercise. After cardio version my resting heart rate became 42 and I never stopped going to the gym. I had no other symptoms before or after and so far no recurrence after 2 and a half years. however if I had the symptoms you describe I would have waited until my body was ok with exercise.
wow 7.5mg of bisoprolol 5mg knocked me out on the heavy legs i find this all the time ive had one cardioversion which didnt work for me and felt extremely tired after it whenever a bout of a-fib comes on the first thing i notice is how heavy my legs are especially using stairs
I hear that all the 'lol' drugs are beta blockers. I started on 50mg Metoprolol Tartrate twice a day and I was a total zombie and wasn't alive... It was like being in a tub of cotton wool with an elephant sat on me...It was not worth living. I phoned the quack and said I wanted to half the tablets. He agreed so I started taking 25 mg twice day and felt much much better. Did that from April to three weeks ago and the pulse was 60 all that time. I am a 70 pulse sort of guy over the last 30 years at least... I am now down to 12.5 mg mornings only and my pulse is back to 70 and I feel great... I am done with all medication next Wednesday.. Careful cutting down if you do, and take it very slowly as you will spin back up to 150 pulse if you rush it.... ps being Yorkshire, I always chuckle at taking tartrate (t'heartrate)
Thanks to everyone who has replied. It never ceases to amaze me how kind everybody is on this forum. It’s also fascinating how different people respond differently to the same treatment.
I suspect I have been kept on a high dose of beta blockers because it is expected that I will slip back into arrhythmia sooner or later. I was told that “this isn’t a cure it’s just to give your heart a rest while we decide what to do next.”
For now I am going to take things easy for a while.
I was diagnosed with PAF three years ago purely by chance as I'm symptomless- I had been put on an antibiotic for a cut on my leg from a spiky plant and it had become infected. It transpired that this medication did not agree with me and I started profuse frequent vomiting until I vomiting specks of blood. I phoned the GP who instructed me to come immediately, and an examination and after an ecg , it was found I was in Afib - I was then sent off to a cardiologist as my GP was worried about the blood (which was from the irritation caused by the vomiting from the pill) By the time I reached him I was in NSR, but he kept me in hospital for to nights and prescribed 2.5 mg bisoprolol with the instruction to return if I had a repetition of AF(which was difficult with no symptoms). Any how while I was in hospital he took me off my BP medicine as my BP was normal. As it happened, this action caused my BP to rise dramatically, and I was put back on my BP meds.. When I went for a checkup six months later, he told me I was in AF and would I like a cardioversion, as I was at the hospital where he maintains rooms, I said why not, and I was sent to a ward and later had the procedure. I had no side effects whatsoever, but had to wait for a lift home because of the mild sedation. The only way I know I'm in AF is by taking my pulse - have stopped myself from doing this as it was becoming an obsession, so I have no idea if I have been in or out of AF for months,
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