Post CardioVersion issues

[Afibflipper]

Hello everyone, after a hair raising 9 weeks of persistent AF I was cardioverted on Friday back into NSR which is brilliant

However, I’ve had a permanent headache/migraine needing painkillers and anti sickness roughly every six hours! Not only that I’ve had chest/abdominal pain which I can’t tell if it’s indigestion & hiatus hernia or post CV pain.

Also a little funny turn today don’t know if BP dropped but pulse went up (still NSR) and felt a little faint

Anyone experienced the same thing, is it just recovery (thank you in advance)

[mjames1]

Sorry. Could be related to the cardioversion. Did they give you any new drugs to take after? If so, maybe that as well. In any event. you should check in with your doctor and report it.

Jim

[Afibflipper in reply to mjames1]

Thanks Jim, started the Flecainide the night of CV but came home with migraineThey cut the bisoprolol from 15-5mg

Yes think will try to call tomorrow

[Paulbounce]

Hi Afibflip

I can't say I ever had anything like that after a CV. You said you have chest pain - my suggestion is call 111. Now don't panic but play safe - any chest pain should be checked out. I'm sure your be fine but a call to 111 won't hurt. It could be because of the effects of the CV and any 'burning' as a result of this. Feeling faint as well is another reason to call - I'm not a medic but that could BP. So my take is to call 111 and see what they say.

Paul

[Afibflipper in reply to Paulbounce]

Thank you Paul, I will call and check, they dropped my bisoprolol from 15-5mg but the headache was when I came home before started new regime & FlecainideI will call to just check but online side effects but Dr never mentioned any other than the skin, possible stroke or AF coming straight back

[Paulbounce in reply to Afibflipper]

OK Afibflip. Good luck - I have to say 15mg of Bis is a very high dose - dropping to 5mg could be the cause of your problems ? I'm not a doctor though so maybe talk to him / her about that. All best

Paul

[Afibflipper in reply to Paulbounce]

Thank you much appreciated

[pusillanimous in reply to Paulbounce]

Could the 15mg of Biso be a typo? because 2.5mg made me want to go to bed! Cutting it 1.25mg when I felt I needed it (Cardio's consent) made all the difference. I do take a couple of other things to keep blood pressure under control but had been taking them for years before AF diagnosed, but never felt so sleepy as I did when the 2,5 Biso was added!

[Paulbounce in reply to pusillanimous]

I agree Pusill. 15mg of Bis a day does sound a little high to me. Personally I would find it hard to even to exist with that sort of dose. Maybe it was a typo. 15mg a day is very high but I can't second call the doctors if that's what they have said. For me personally on that sort of dose I would want to reduce it more slowly ie 10mg for a few weeks then drop it a few weeks later to 5mg.

Your HR would need to be pretty high to take 15mg of Bis everyday. It would slow it for sure - maybe a little to much !

I'm not a medic - just want to point that out.

Paul

[Afibflipper in reply to Paulbounce]

A few weeks ago couldn’t get HR down from 130-140 and sometimes up to 160 hence Meds increased

[Paulbounce in reply to Afibflipper]

OK Afibfipper - I understand. A HR of 160 is very high but the Bis would lower that I think. I wish you the best of luck anyway. Please keep us updated on how you get on.Paul

[qp3usavk in reply to Paulbounce]

I was on 15mgs of Bisoprolol in hospital after my afib episode, as I had a HR of 180+!!!!! Now on 10mgs and do feel tired sometimes, but lead a pretty normal life!!!

[Paulbounce in reply to qp3usavk]

Hi QP180 is high. I'm amazed they didn't give you a spark (CV) at that level. It's good news the Bis is working for you though and you are leading a normal life. I must say though (for me) at 180 bpm I might insisit on on a CV there and then to get back in to sinus. Done it once under sedation and you don't remember a thing. Might hurt at the time but you won't remember. I think for me at 180 bpm it's CV time - there's always a doctor in A&E who can do this. You need to ask and push a little but it can be done.

Paul

[Afibflipper in reply to qp3usavk]

Glad all going pretty good for you (oh my I thought my heart rate had been fast but 180+ I feel for you big time) we’re you not offered the CV was it straight to meds?Take care and 🤞 no more issues for you

[Afibflipper in reply to qp3usavk]

I wondered why you weren’t offered CV if this was first time you’d had AF I was under the impression but could be wrong, if CV given when AF just starts that’s the best time to get it for an effective outcome - unless maybe it settled at which point they can’t do the CV if in NSR or maybe you have other risk factors - rooting for you to stay well

[Afibflipper in reply to pusillanimous]

Hi no I was put up to 17.5 but was nearly passing out so reduced to 15 (7.5 twice a day) the consultant agreed with it but since CV on Friday it’s been dropped to 5. I’m actually going to see

My consultant tonight in a clinic as this chest pain is also moving now to opposite side and still getting dizzy on going up stairs or turning head (the bisoprolol was at 12.5 for a couple of years and I was fine until recently

[Paulbounce in reply to Afibflipper]

Just read your second post about Bis. Wow - 17.5 mg of Bis a day is a lot. Sorry but I coundn't function on that. Do you think there could be other treatments that might help more ? As explained I'm not a medic but I wonder if a pacemaker could be a better option for you. Maybe worth a chat to your doctor about.Paul

[Afibflipper in reply to Paulbounce]

Not sure Paulbounce on way to consultant now so not sure what they’ll say but just exhausted with it all now - feel like a very wilted 🥀

[Paulbounce in reply to Afibflipper]

Don't be wilted AF - you are doing rhe right thing. Stop those nerves and over come that fear. You are on the way already - in fact you have pretty much cracked it. If you let it you let drain you then you'll lose. Who will win - you will. Kick that door down and get stuck in AF. I promise you'll crack it. You'll deal with this - I just know you will.

Paul

[Afibflipper in reply to Paulbounce]

Wilted as exhausted the fear has actually gone 😂 feel better since saw consultant take care and thank you 😊

[Paulbounce in reply to Afibflipper]

"the fear has actually gone"Now we'll talking - well done you and keep up the good work. You will - no doubt about it. Keep that door open.

Best,

Paul

[pusillanimous in reply to Afibflipper]

Thanks you your reply, but what does it do to your BP, didn't that high dose make you hypotensive?

[Afibflipper in reply to pusillanimous]

I did go hypotensive but was on other bp meds too - those were removed and the bisoprolol split 7.5 am & pm and on its own I was perfectNow the cv has been done that dose is now 5 am & pm but need to see - I guess the dose was increased over many years so tolerated it I guess

[Jalia]

Having had 22 dccvs I can confidently say that I have never experienced anything like you describe. It's certainly not typical but I'm not a medic. I've usually felt back to normal after 24 hours. Do bear in mind that any chest pain should be checked out. If it has not resolved give 111 a call

[Afibflipper]

Thank you Jalia - it said online chest wall pain and I just thought I’d been over doing things and expecting too much but think I will just call - that’s why I thought I’d ask everyone on here as they been through it

[Buffafly]

Please tell us how you get on ❤️‍🩹

[Afibflipper in reply to Buffafly]

I will thanks, I thinkMy consultant has a clinic tomorrow so will see if I can have a call, when I’m resting and take the pain relief I’m seeming stable - don’t think emergency but will get advice - the other thing they changed a week ago is removed my Losartan for BP control to as and when instead of daily and the BP has been very slightly up so I’ve just taken a tablet to see if it helps with headache overnight - thank you

[Afibflipper in reply to Buffafly]

I have been squeezed on to the consultant list tonight as can’t take deep breath and pain has moved xx

[Singwell]

When I started Flecainide I had the headache nausea and a bit of dizziness so it might be that. Chest pain obviously would be different. Just an idea - if AF had kicked in and the Flecainide did its job, it might possibly cause that spike in HR? Takes 10-14 days to adjust to Flecainide in my experience.

[Afibflipper in reply to Singwell]

Thank you Singwell - after everyone was so kind with their replies I noticed that every time I got up and moved I go the headache (to me I thought BP) but usually waited a few minutes before doing a BP check as is recommended) so last night I decided I’ll take it more or less after getting the headache and moving- it was raised from recent lows which were the high does of bisoprolol- so I decided to take half a dose of as and when daily dose of Losartan before bed - woke in the night about 3am only slight headache not requiring painkillers, took BP again and it was better. I’ll take again in a while The chest pain - read on BHF.org

After your cardioversion, you may get headaches and dizziness from a drop in your blood pressure. You may also feel a small amount of discomfort in your chest where the shock was given. Feeling sick is also a common side effect of an anaesthetic. I think that is a somewhat improved today so may need the BP meds maybe the BP is an issue and the pain is where the pad was but inside (I also think that haven’t eaten a lot since CV on Friday and maybe the pain killers have upset the stomach) so as there is some improvement I will see how I go the next few hours following meds etc and no more feeling faint

[Singwell in reply to Afibflipper]

This sounds positive. I know some people breeze through a cardioversion but it's am electric shock that stops and restarts your heart. Why wouldn't our bodies react?

[Fullofheart]

It took me quite a few days to feel right after cardioversion. Blood pressure and heart rate were both low so I was dizzy and weak.I also had visual aura like I had following ablation.

I would say worth checking out.

Best wishes.

[Afibflipper in reply to Fullofheart]

Thank you see my reply to Singwell - may just contact them later today for advice - don’t feel in imminent risk and the NSR is still there - both the Apple Watch ecg and the BP machine which has the intellisense to pick arrhythmia up is clear

[Afibflipper in reply to Fullofheart]

Thank you seeing consultant tonight

[dogsneedwalking]

Hello - I had a cardioversion last April and still experiencing pounding head/dizziness when going from sitting to standing. I was changed from Bisoprolol to Sotalol last October as the Biso didn't work for me. I also have a Pulse of around 43/45bpm but my blood pressure can be all over the place. I now keep a daily diary [my own choice] and write down any A Fib episodes/headaches, etc so that I can take it to show my GP or Cardiologist. Just an idea for you. Hope you get some answers. Take care.

[Afibflipper in reply to dogsneedwalking]

Yes I have it all entered on the health app on phone and linked to Apple Watch so I’ll print off before I go tonight

[mav7]

Hi Afib

Did they schedule you for a post op consult either in person or by phone ?

If not, please schedule. Being on the right medication and dosage is always important, especially after a CV.

[Afibflipper in reply to mav7]

Thanks Mav7 I am going to appointment now but he was saying post CV he’ll see me in 2 weeks

[qp3usavk]

Hi there!I had a cardioversion nearly 2 years ago, 8 weeks after waking up one morning in afib for the first time!!!! In hospital for 6 days and put on Digoxin 20 mgs and Bisoprolol 15mgs. Plus Rivaroxaban. Was discharged and then, after successful cardioversion, had my Bisoprolol reduced by the Cardiac Nurses to 10mgs, without tapering. Cue chronic, horrid and debilitating headaches lasting for 2 weeks. They stopped then I had chest pain, which the GP diagnosed as Costochronditis, but maybe due to paddle pressure on chest during cardioversion. No proof, obviously. Headache and chest pain then went so they were consequences, I am sure of the whole event. However, like me, you need to get checked out with Cardiology; though the headache could posdibly be Bisoprolol withdrawal, as that's quite a reduction!!! Good luck and really hope you remain afib-free!!

[Afibflipper in reply to qp3usavk]

Thank you for that that’s reassuring, consultant did say my body may not have kept up with its new changes and discussed possibly adding in split dose of bisoprolol 5mg am & pm but didn’t want to mess up my system more - We don’t want to take out the Flecainide as that risks the AF return so following ECG last night going to see if settle in few days or do repeat ambulatory ECG monitor to see if it picks up anythingStrangely I’ve felt what we think are extra beats which I thought oh no AF trying again but it’s just one then goes so hope that’s the Flec doing it’s job

Thanks for your support and hope you stay well and stable from now on with no more issues