Will cardioversion end all Afib symptoms

In addition to AFib I’ve had permanent tightness and pain in chest and back, and laboured breathing for some months now. Will these symptoms go away if my cardioversion is successful?

[jeanjeannie50]

I've had several cardioversions and hopefully it will get rid of your laboured breathing and you'll have more energy. The pain in chest and back I've never had so can't comment about that.

Jean

[Desanthony]

If these are caused by your AF then yes. These are all symptoms that can be caused by AF. It certainly did for me and I have persistent AF. Then it depends on how long your cardioversion (CV) works for. My CV’s have lasted at longest 15 months. If your CV is successful then it points you in the direction of other treatments which will last longer such as ablation. What medication are you taking for your AF? I found bisoprolol at various doses, verapamil and digoxin at various doses made me feel worse with no energy and breathing difficulties especially at night and my EP has recently decided to stop trying any more rate control medication as my heart rate is generally low anyway with an average resting rate of 53 so stopped taking them and only take apixaban now. I stopped taking bisoprolol at lowest dose when one Saturday morning I couldn’t walk downstairs without stopping for a rest to catch my breath.

[Hidden in reply to Desanthony]

Thanks for your reply. I have been in persistent AFib since April (diagnosed May) and taking Nebivolol and Apixaban. I was experiencing chest and back pain together with shortness of breath for at least a year before. A chest X-ray at the time showed my lungs were ok. A recent ultrasound of my heart showed it was good so I’m trying to understand if my above symptoms are caused by AFib and will go away with cardioversion.

[Desanthony in reply to Hidden]

I have no experience of nebivolol so can’t comment on its side effects. My breathlessness and fatigue were far worse when on rate control medication than when not on rate control medication which is why decided to come off it. I wish you well with your cardioversion and hope it gets you back into NSR and means the end of your symptoms. If CV is successful then you can also stop your rate control medication

[Hidden in reply to Desanthony]

I quite agree with you Re rate control and I monitor what’s going on and only take something if it records a high rate. Otherwise life is not worth living on them!

[BobJohnsonUSA in reply to Desanthony]

Since my Ablation, I have reduced my Metoperol by half, with the plan to be totally of it as we move away from the June 2021 Procedure date. I did not realize just how

much Metoperol reduced my energy levels.... So some of your relief will come from reducing/ending some of the side effects some of the Meds you used before the surgery were causing. I still have occasional bouts of AF, but my O2 and energy levels are way up and my Blood Sugars are down.. Some weight loss I attribute to my body have more O2 to burn calories.

[Hidden in reply to BobJohnsonUSA]

Thanks Bob this is very encouraging! I’m pleased you are feeling so much better👍

[BobD Volunteer]

IF all your symptoms are caused by your AF then if the cardioversion puts you back into normal sinus rhythm (NSR) they should pass.

Cardioversion does not cure anything of course as I am sure you know but it will hopefully show if you can attain NSR which will sign post possible future treatments.

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

Thanks for support but it seems quite a lottery regarding the length of AFib free time the cardioversion gives. I think my symptoms are definitely exacerbated by stress - of moving house and being harassed by the buyer when it’s the solicitors who are taking months to do the conveyancing.

[Desanthony in reply to Hidden]

That's funny I was moving house before my AF was diagnosed. Although I usually don't get stressed but this was actually the worst house move - ever and I have moved many times. It is my last move into a house with a smaller garden and closer to town etc but I don't think even if I had to I would move again.

[Hidden in reply to Desanthony]

We are trying to achieve the same thing as I’m downsizing which is challenging in itself! I too have moved ‘myself alone’ quite a few times because of work and a stint overseas but this experience hell! Brought on by the stamp duty holiday and solicitors taking on more work than they could possibly hope do with the same staff - or less if employees were isolating etc

[Desanthony in reply to Hidden]

Yes it must be even worse now. I have never known things to be so difficult as they were when we were moving, it wasn’t helped that we were moving into a new house which wasn’t finished until 4 months after we moved out of our old place! So we had to stay in a friends seaside caravan during the hot summer months! Normally would have been exciting and fun but it was so hot it was, at times unbearable. The builder was a pain and still is as nearly everyone here has arguments with him! Still it’s so much easier to get around from here and my wife has worked wonders with the garden.

[Hidden in reply to Desanthony]

Wish we had the Scottish system as you have legal certainty once an offer is made and accepted. Builders have ripped off buyers (creating a vast ‘leasehold’ market where people don’t actually ‘own’ their house snd get stung with leasehold charges if they want to add,say, a conservatory or orch. They’ve fiddled the various gov housing schemes to make even more profit and you can’t trust them not to cut corners or use shoddy materials. You can guess I’m not a fan! 😠

[Desanthony in reply to Hidden]

Thing is we were determined not to move into an older house which needed doing up - that is what we did 30 years ago and ended up with a lovely house but dealing with tradesmen etc was a pain getting things done. Our house needed lots of things re-doing like new kitchen and bathroom and we thought yes, wouldn't it be nice to move into a brand new place - both of us had done this before with no problem other than paint kept peeling off one of the windows - probably unseasoned wood used - oh and they had dropped diesel on a corner of our front lawn and grass refused to grow there. Nothing drastic and nothing big. This time our heating has only just worked correctly after 4 years - usually cutting out when we have had freezing weather. Hot water quite often cuts out mid shower - even though there is hot water and despite having yearly checks. Actually I shouldn't say these things because we haven't had a problem with that for a long time so shouldn't tempt paint and we are still waiting for some roofing to be sorted out - it's not leaking and probably wouldn't end up causing a leak but it looks bad and he said over a year ago ill come round - asked how much he would charge because after a couple of years occupancy wouldn't mind paying, no he said ill send someone round - still waiting - then comes lockdown. Will have to get someone else to do it. This is my pet hate with them they promise to come at a certain time on a certain date and don't turn up don't ring you and you wait in all day like a lemon. The excuses for not turning up are very inventive too I think most of my builders could write really excellent fiction! AAAAHHH! Shouldn't get myself stressed out should I?

[Hidden in reply to Desanthony]

Oh dear! That’s a lot to cope with and it would drive me round the bend so I admire your forbearance! I’m sick to the high teeth of all the maintenance and expense (especially heating) that goes with a 3 bed detached and have plumped for a park home on a beautiful site on the outskirts of a thriving and characterful Spa Town. The Manager lives on site if any probs occur so I’m counting the (days hopefully) to exchange.

[Desanthony in reply to Hidden]

Best of luck

[mav7]

Cardioversion produces different results for different people. Ask your doctor for advice and also for the pain issues.

With AF it is very important to take an anticoagulant (blood thinner) for stroke prevention.

[Hidden in reply to mav7]

Thanks Mav I will. It’s awkward nowadays to pester the doc with C19 still high

[Hidden in reply to mav7]

Just to say I take my Apixaban without fail but as I go into bradycardia often I always monitor before taking a beta blocker.

[qp3usavk in reply to mav7]

Blood thinners cannot be given to all AF patients. I have vitreous bleeding behind the eye and Rivaroxaban caused it to bleed to the point where I lost the vision in my eye. After a vitrectomy operation, my sight was thankfully restored but I've been advised not to take them now. I am back in NSR after cardioversion a year ago but still take Bisoprolol to control my BP.

[Hidden in reply to qp3usavk]

How shocking to have that happen to you and thank goodness you got your sight back👏 I couldn’t tolerate Bisopropol which is regretful as it’s said to be the safest and most effective of all. I found I had to be careful taking beta blockers. Doctor’s instructions were to take Nebivolol 2 x daily. However I take readings 4xdaily and often find I’m in bradycardia with bpm around 50-60 so I give it a miss and only take it if my reading is high. Don’t know what I would have done without the monitor!

[Desanthony]

As you say you had some of your symptoms before diagnosis it could mean you were in AF before getting diagnosed. Looking back I realise I probably was too.

[Fullofheart]

I'm having my first cardioversion in 2 weeks. I've had AF for 17 years so not expecting miracles. As I understand it this treatment will, hopefully, create a window where I am in NSR where I, and my cardiologist, can assess the benefits of that and weigh up further treatment, such as ablation. So I'm expecting to learn, following the cardioversion, if my worsening symptoms...very similar to yours...are medication or AF related.Hope this helps.

[Hidden in reply to Fullofheart]

I’m in same position so have fingers crossed!

[Fullofheart in reply to Hidden]

🤞🤞🤞

[Hidden in reply to Fullofheart]

Thanks so much for sharing this. We keep our fingers crossed!

[Snowgirl65]

I'm no expert, Loafinabout, but if the cardioversion sets your heart back in normal sinus rhythm, I would imagine it would alleviate the back and chest pain as well. I too had the symptoms you mentioned.

[Hidden in reply to Snowgirl65]

That’s really good to know thanks very much!

[Snowgirl65 in reply to Hidden]

You're welcome -- and best wishes for success in this!

[Nugger]

Last cardioversion 3 years back, 3 all together, beginning of July my heart went into afib & I cardioverted myself using flecanide & beta blocker, 2 weeks later, did same again, been fine since.Now why don’t they try this kind of cardioversion while under hospital supervision, then once you know your ok with it, your good to go, instead people like my self,that had to wait 5 months with a heart rate of 140/160

[Hidden]

Wow! Very brave (not meant sarcastically) to ‘think outside of the box’ I am on the bradycardia end of abnormal heart rate and already the journey seems long to get my first cardioversion (5 months). I therefore don’t take beta-blocker 2xdaily as directed by the doctor and only take it if my heart rate is in the eighties and above. I am most stable in low seventies as kept pretty fit over years so too much over or under that gives me symptoms. I do think it’s wise to listen to our body, to research and question if things aren’t working rather than blindly taking meds.