Really appreciate the advice and wisdom people have thrown my way. I’m trying to follow your advice with keeping diaries and eating healthy. But some days I haven’t recorded things or eaten as well as I should of done.
I was diagnosed with AF at the beginning of July and was placed on Bisoprolol 2.5 mg one tablet per day. Since then I’ve had my Echo and my heart seemed okay which was a relief apart from minor leakage. But birthing to worry about. Today I had my first appointment with my consultant. He has arranged for me to have a cardioversion and to start taking blood thinners (edoxoban). I had a mitral valve repair when I was 13 (now 33) and did have to have warfarin following that which was a pain. So glad there are new blood thinners on the market. My consultant said he wants to get my heart rhythm back in a normal rhythm and that with a cardioversion they do work 9 out of 10 times (90%). Obviously though I’m guessing there is no guarantee if this will be successful and if so how long for.
How do people generally feel a few days after a cardioversion? I will want little downtime. I know it’s only a small 5 min procedure so hopefully should be fine to get back to work a couple of days after? Are cardioversions normally only a short term fix?
I know diet and a good lifestyle is the key factors now and reducing alcohol to a minimum.
Thanks
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wordzo
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I've had very many cardioversions over 28 years so speak from considerable experience. You can expect to feel fine almost immediately. Maybe a little fragile for 24 hours so take it easy. I would say normally OK for work a couple of days later.
They are not thought of as a long term fix. Mine have lasted varying amounts of time . I've had a couple which have lasted 3/5 years, some 12 months, 18 months, 6 months and a few 3/4 months. ( My last one was in June this year and since then I've had a quite extensive ablation. )
As you mention good lifestyle will help and minimal alcohol or even none at all if you find it to be a trigger!
Hi wordzo, for folk in persistent/permanent AF, a cardioversion tends to form part of a treatment plan for AF rather than being seen as a “cure”, although they do tend to be more successful and last longer for younger patients. As you probably know, a CV is a means of rebooting the heart, a bit like rebooting a defective computer. In both cases, nothing is actually done to change the function of the heart or PC so there is a real chance that whatever caused the problem is likely to return over time. What nobody knows is how long, or even if, the problem will return. There is one important difference though, if the AF patient responds well to the CV and he feels significantly better for being in sinus rhythm, then medics are more inclined to recommend further treatment such as a catheter ablation.
Whatever you do, DO NOT miss a dose of your anticoagulant (Edoxaban) during the 4 weeks before the procedure because they will cancel it. If you do miss a dose, don’t be tempted to fib, the consequences of doing that are potentially very serious. Missing a dose could cause a clot to form and the jolt caused by the CV may well dislodge it ……enough said!
In terms of recovery, you simply want to do everything you can to help the heart maintain regular rhythm for as long as possible so do not put it under any strain for as long as possible. Take a look at the link below. Scroll down and you will find more information about having a CV, together with a short video……good luck.
Great advice FlapJack and thanks for the pointers. Cheers for the link too. That’s really useful what you’ve put together. Just going to focus on getting to a target weight, good sleep patterns and a healthy diet. Thanks.
I'm due to have a cardioversion shortly Flapjack and I can't tell you just how much more relaxed about it I am now that I have seen the video. Fingers crossed mine works too as I've been in AF for a long time and persistent for over 6 months.
I have had three clarifications over the last ten years, each has worked well for between 4 and 18 months before going back into AF and ending an ablation. Had three of these and waiting for my fourth. I found recovery from the clarification went well and I was back at work the next day, although taking it easy
I hope that helps, but it is only my experience and everyone is different. Good luck
I had a couple of cardioinversions in the months before my 2 ablations and they are best thought of as a reboot rather than a reprogram.
I felt great as soon as the anaesthetic wore off but sadly for me ( aged 60 at the time) they did not last long ( two and three weeks) hence the ablation.A word on triggers ..for me alcohol did not and does not trigger af but ( amongst others) sugar free drinks, any form of overeating and strong coffee ( strangely even strong decaf) were occasional or ( with overeating ) almost certain triggers.
Worth keeping a food diary post cardioinversion so you have a record of all you eat and drink and can identify the triggers for you.
The actual procedure is no big deal. I cried with relief when I came to because my heart felt so steady. Unfortunately after four days, it all went hay wire again. In total so far, I have had two ablations, then one cardio version, then one cryoablation. The cryo worked well but after eighteen months my heart rhythm is playing up again. I have an app on the 12th Oct, but on the telephone. What good is that? I own my own Kardia Mobile so it is all there for a specialist to view.! Very fed up as my problem just goes on and on. Good luck with yours.
Only had one cardioversion, which worked. NSR restored, but my kidneys took 2 days to wake up from the GA. I put on 12lbs in water weight and developed a horrific UTI. My heart was fine, though. I stayed in NSR, ablation 5 months later, and only 1 episode of AF since, when I got covid.
It was a few days before u felt ok. But when I was very symptomatic for 5.5 weeks it was three months before u was back to full normal, which for me is running, cycling and a physical job. But I am the slowest healer I know! Good luck
I had a CV 18 months ago - it was a wonderful relief to be back in SR - the procedure was very easy and I felt elated after - I’m still in SR since but I have identified alcohol as the trigger - so I avoid it these days - best wishes and no worries 👌
Hi Wordzo, the main thing I'd want to get across to you as a CV newbie is; there's nothing to it. If your hospital operates in the same way you'll attend and sit with several others in a waiting area then be called to change and sit in a cubicle.You'll be interviewed and give your details etc, then trolleyed into a room and given a sedative.
A few deep breaths from a mask and you wake up in a different room wondering why you'd been nervous.
If you're lucky like me you'll hear the heart monitor beeping out your sinus rhythm.
I felt great there and then, having suffered 8 months of horrendous AF.
A year on its still holding, although I get lots of ectopics.
If it doesn't work for you then there are plenty of other ways they can help you.
Bottom line is: don't be worried about it, it's painless and easy.
Please do not hesitate to visit the A F Association heartrhythmalliance.org/afa... for a wealth of information and online patient resources \ videos that will help provide answers to your questions, alternatively, please do not hesitate to contact the Patient Services Team info@afa.org.uk who will be happy to help. I would highly recommend you register for our virtual HRC2021 A F Association Patients Day taking place from Sunday 3rd October heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...
I'm 19 months after my successful cardioversion and still in NSR so far, after persistent AF for 9 months. I felt better more or less straightaway - more get up and go, but it sounds a good idea to allow time in case recovery takes a while.
I've made quite a few changes to my diet by observation. I noticed that any aged food seemed to trigger a few ectopics later in the day for me, so out went any bacon whether with or without additives, sausage, ham including Parma ham, mature cheese and smoked salmon.
I found this article helpful when I was thinking about what might help me keep AF at bay. drafib.com/blog/afib-after-...
There are also other foods I was already avoiding/ wary of, for other health issues, which interestingly are all on Dr A-Fib's list.
I had two cardioversions during my 25-or-so years of living with a-fib and two ablations. Each cardioversion gave me completely normal sinus rhythm and I felt on top of the world. I don't know if the wonderful feeling was caused by the relief of no longer being in a-fib, or maybe from a chemical reaction in the brain which brought on a mild euphoria. I was completely fine the moment I came to from the procedure.
I had one cardio version … l actually thought that it was fun … zero side effects … it definitely is not a permanent fix … but is helpful … l felt perfectly normal afterwards and throughout the ensuing days but l did have a few short lived events following the cardio version… a few months apart. Diet, exercise and ZERO alcohol seems to work well for me … and l loved my martinis!!
Everyone reacts differently to (CV) Cardioversion. After suffering with Afib 24/7 for 3 months, I had a CV. I was fine for 2 weeks then lapsed back into Afib. Started on a Supplement program that takes 8-10 weeks to show benefits, but it was worth it for me. After 8 weeks I was back in SNR and have stayed Afib free for 3 months now. After reading how many people went back into Afib after Ablations and CV, I take it one day at a time. Every day feeling great is a gift for me. Check out natural alternatives with supplements for Afib sufferers. Doctors will always recommend drugs because there are not enough trials with supplements and majority of doctors are not educated about supplements..
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