This is getting ridiculous. One month after my last I've just come back to my marvellous big teaching hospital (again) and been cardioverted back in rhythm within 2.5 hours of arriving!
But this is getting silly now..... Can't keep going through this....
Guess the EP was right when he recommended a second ablation.
You are lucky to be given a cardioversion so quickly. There's a lady on here who has had around 20. I've had about 10. A&E were once going to give me one without any GA, I think the fear of that put me back in sinus rhythm before they could set it up.
Whatever you do, don't exert yourself for a few weeks and allow your heart to gain strength beating in its correct rhythm. I once walked up a steep hill the day after having one and immediately went back into AF.
Jean
Yes, very lucky. It's worth the hour drive to the teaching hospital because they actually listen to me and my history.I usually feel like rubbish after a VC do will definitely take it easy. Thanks x
You're where I was 11 years ago. That fork in the road (or wall however you look at it) where you have to decide to stay on the merry-go-round ..... or get an ablation. I chose ablation.
My 2nd AFIB ablation (after first one that failed) gave me 10 years of normalcy.
I think I had nearly a dozen CV's early on. At first, IV meds converted me. But that quit working. So they knocked me out with a pill sedation and shocked my heart with paddles.
I also discovered that pill-in-the-pocket Flecainide worked to CV me at home within 20 minutes .... so, no more trips to the A&E, as you British call it, and no more costly bills. Never had to wait for any CV. In USA, we get them when we present with AFIB at Emergency, immediately.
So, apparently you've had Ablation #1. EP's and staff all know that more often than not ... a 2nd ablation is necessary to get the high success rates.
Good Luck! with your treatment and decision . . .
I'm already in the waiting list for number two ablation and your story has given me much needed hope. I've never gone back into sinus rhythm with drugs or pill in pockets it's always the dreaded paddles! Got a nice couple of burns front and back AGAIN!!!!Thanks for the message of hope xx
Mine are itching like crazy 🙄.
Mine too. And I have weals all over from reaction to the many stickers I had on me all day. Like lots of little square jelly fish stings!! (But not as painful)
I've had itchy marks all 4 times. Yesterday was 150j and only took the one blast but needed a big dose of sedation. Last year, it took 3 shots (think last one over 200j) and a wet towel (I kid you not ....... Trans Thoracic Impedance) to do the job. As yes, some of those stickers are a nightmare and bruise when you pull them off. Nurse wasn't gentle getting the cannula out either 😳.
What are they doing over there? ...... burns? Are they turning up the Amps too high? I've had many shock paddles. Never had any burns or sticker rashes (maybe you have sensitive skin?).
If you go for ablation ... I always recommend to get the best EP you can source. Fly there ... whatever ... do what it takes. Good Luck! You're going to be fine.
Just picked up the book: AFIB cure by Dr. John Day. Might be great recovery reading for you (learned about it on this forum). Even though I've had 4 ablations, it's giving me great information to adjust my diet .... lifestyle to minimize arrhythmia events and just improve health and vibrancy generally.
I've got really sensitive skin! Apparently it was a shock of 100 joules! Just one was enough luckily. They use big sticky pads do perhaps it's the glue not the burn?!I'll check out that book too, thank you.
My ablation is with one of the top men in electrocardiology at Papworth, one of our top heart hospitals. Lucky me (well, perhaps not exactly lucky as I can think of better things to do.....🤣
Sensitive skin here too and allergy to the “glue” of plasters etc. Something else we have in common! Take care.
Did your EP direct you to go to emergency to get your cardioversion? If your cardioversion had gone through your EP office for a scheduled cardioversion, would it have taken longer or are cardioversions not scheduled thorough an EP office?
This time and the one four weeks ago I just went straight to A&E (ER). They then inform the electrocardiologist directly (though I also informed them). Its because they now know (and listen when I tell them) that chemical cardioversion never works for me! It is also a huge teaching hospital so they are used to doing this sort of thing unlike my local hospital who were fond of leaving me in very symptomatic afib for weeks at a time. Xx
Good you found that hospital. I fail to understand why patients that are to undergo cardioversion are left for weeks and weeks full knowing AF begets AF. The system is supposed to heal, not let the patient worse via wait time.
Exactly my local hospital has TWICE left me in Afib (albeit controlled by a ton of drugs that made me into a zombie) for FIVE AND A HALF weeks!!!! And yes, I am shouting but not at you, but them!😀
I was left 6 weeks before my first cardioversion which lasted only 3 days and then months after that, so for six months persistent , I packed it in and went to Bordeaux with a totally remodelled and fibrotic heart. Presently, from when I first emailed my EP that I was three days persistent, I will be getting a scheduled cardioversion at day 33 persistent. The other scheduled cardioversion through an EP had taken 8 weeks and one day. I live in Canada. I agree we should shout.
I suppose some people 'schedule' cardioversions through their Cardiologist or EP, but, even then, it is usually performed within the week.
I only had 1 that was scheduled and performed by my Cardiologist. It was performed the morning after seeing him. The rest were performed without notifying anyone. I just presented at Emergency and they do it immediately. No wait lists; none of that in USA.
No waiting list in A&E here either. But they like to try chemical CV first, do that delays it while they try that. You'd only have to wait if you were stabilised and well enough to wait +at least in theory, though not always in practice as my two lots of 5.5 week waits in very symptomatic Afib show!)
In western Canada, you can go to the emergency room and request a cardioversion. I did that after my first ablation when the Bordeaux EP requested an electrical cardioversion. (It ended up being a nightmare as the emergency doctor twisted my arm for chemical with disastrous results. Then an electrical one had to be done anyway.). The first cardioversion, ordered by an AF incompetent cardiologist was supposed to be three weeks but ended up almost six when "time was of the essence " during the persistent period pre -first ablation. While waiting, my heart had a great jumping time partying ,remodelling and becoming fibrotic. My third cardioversion after my second ablation and ordered by my EP ended up being an eight week one day wait. Now I have to have a fourth cardioversion which from the time when I first contacted the EP to cardioversion will be 30 days. So much time is spent shuffling paper around here just to get a procedure.
Sorry to hear that, Cuore. I'm currently reading the book The AFIB CURE by EP John Day. I was a little taken aback when he said ...... the heart negatively remodels with fibrosis when left in AFIB in just a couple of weeks. I'm paraphrasing here, but it's scary. Time is of the essence with cardioversions, apparently, just as you so accurately describe in your post.
When I was first went persistent in January 12, 2017, I had read Dr. Hassigaurre's paper on the electrical signals spreading to four rogue areas during six months persistent and to seven if left for one year. I went persistent because my GP had been trained by an incompetent cardiologist to whom he sent me. In other words, just gave me rate control and when I was going three days in AF and three days sinus, the GP ridiculously replied it is the drugs working. The hospital in which this incompetent cardiologist resided had a disorganized or beginning AF department at the time so more delays. I knew exactly that my heart was being remodelled at a lightening pace so I screamed to see the EP by going to the manager of the cardiology department. This feat was accomplished at the five month persistent stage only to be told by the EP that an ablation would take place three to six months and beyond which would mean that I certainly would be in long-standing persistent.
I packed it in and within one month I was in Bordeaux having an ablation. But, my heart was so fibrotic that I was one of the most complicated cases at the six month stage . These words came from an EP who helped pioneer the ablation procedure. I have had to have three ablations. Presently I am in AF . (I blame myself because I tried to stop the anti-arrthymic drug) I emailed my EP on day 3 and it will be on day 33 that I will get a cardioversion. All I can say is that it is an improvement from 8 weeks and 1 day. For myself, It will always be a battle to stay in sinus rhythm.
That God "The Afib Cure" has been written. It will help get the word out to not let patient vegetate in AF drugged by potent drugs. It's too late for me, but hopefully many will be saved from developing a totally fibrotic heart.
That's quite a sad commentary on AFIB healthcare you received. However, the AFIB CURE book offers up a bit of hope.
Dr. Day said most Cardiologists and EP's give up on their patients too early. He said the good, competent ones never give up ... even on the most complex cases. There can often be a miraculous outcome in those cases.
In reading the many posts here .... I get the feeling that many patients are getting the short shrift. They get put on 'wait list' .... postponed ..... told pace and ablate is their only option .... told GP will manage them on meds; no EP referral necessary .... told no further treatment offered; stay in permanent . . . on and on.
I don't hear any of that 'surrender' from the world-class EP's I follow.
I totally agree with your statement with one nuance. It is up to the patient to never surrender. It is up to the patients to ask themselves is this the best treatment for me and act accordingly? How can then the patient make that determination?
The patient must educate themselves about the disease via various methods that need not be stated here. If the patient prefers to take a passive role, then the patient is accepting a path to permanent if the disease has progressed that far. My world-class EP is in Bordeaux, but I was never in the French health care system. Now back in Canada, I will not allow my Canadian EP to "surrender" on me, and I'm sure he know it. He knows that I will never surrender, and he knows when he throws medical terminology at me, I understand. I already said "no" to him for the first ablation due to the waiting time would lead me to permanent. (There's more to the story of "EP surrender," but I'll stop here)
You poor thing. I hope you get sorted soon.
I was finally discharged from hospital last night after waiting to be cardioverted since Friday! First ablation due later this month 🙄.
Stay calm ......... r e l a x ......... it's really routine now. One day ..... in and out .... no pain, just tiredness. Back to feeling normal again in a week or so (without the jumpy heart. Well ... you'll have some jumpiness for 90 days or so. But not the extreme stuff).
Oh no not again, you poor thing. My heart ❤️ ( excuse the pun), goes out to you.Take it easy and try and have a rest, sending you a virtual hug 🤗 oops sorry forgot all those horrible sore bits.
Thinking of you,
Shirley
Thanks Shirley. The virtual hug was fine on my sore bits 😂😂😂😂. I'm definitely being a real drama queen lately. I want my boring life back!!!!!!
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