cardioversion

[NLGA]

hi

Looking for any ideas . This week I was booked for CV at my pre op my AF was non existent as it comes and goes but the hospital before didn’t seem to want to listen to that even though I check it twice daily at home

But my question is I take Amiodarine and Beta blockers 15mg now if these are to control it I thought I would be told to stop or reduce them prior to the ECG in tne pre op but I wasn’t so does AF show in a ECG even with medication to stop/ reduce it

Thanks

[etheral]

Hi, if you are in NSR at the time of your scheduled CV they will cancel the procedure. Amioderone lasts a long time in the body and you may want to discuss the longterm plan for management of your afib. Best, etheral

[NLGA in reply to etheral]

Thank you It would be nice to have the chance to fully discuss things with a doctor who hadn’t got 5 mins to live

The bit I don’t understand is as I’m not permanent AF why would they allow me to stay on the medicine that controls it for the cardioversion is that normal ? Only I thought it would be reduced

[etheral in reply to NLGA]

It can take months for the Amioderone to leave your body. Scheduling you for a CV while you are in NSR and taking a very effective medication that seems to be working for you seems non-sensable. There are serious possible negative effects on your thyroid, lungs, liver, etc and long term strategy should be discussed.

[pottypete1]

Cardioversion is a procedure to return you to NSR when you are in AF. Cardioversion will achieve nothing if you are in NSR.

Like you I used to have PAF (Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation) and it was when I got stuck in AF episode a cardioversion was of value to me.

It was a series of ablations that ultimately has given me relief from these most upsetting episodes of AF.

Pete

[NLGA in reply to pottypete1]

Thanks Pete what were your symptoms ? Mine is a definite flutter no chest pain but I was breathless and having what I thought was air hunger now they have discovered during the period they missed that I actually had a bacterial infection in my lungs which I think could have been behind a lot of my problems

[pottypete1]

My symptoms of AF were a chaotic heart rate that was easily identified by feeling my pulse. I always felt pretty awful with nausea and palpitations. Another side effect that others have also identified were the urge to pee more often.

You need to see an EP to get the correct checks done on your condition.

Over a period of 30 years I usually managed to return my heart to NSR using a rate control drug called Flecainide. If this did not work I was told to go to the hospital within 48 hours and to be anti coagulated with an INR between 2 & 3.

I have had about 20 cardioversions during that period and 7 ablations ( I am unusual, most often 1 or 2 ablations will do the trick.

Pete

[Ducky2003]

They will normally give you Amiodarone prior to a DCCV to help maintain NSR after the procedure so they certainly would not stop it if you already take it.As others have said if you're in NSR at the time, they won't do the procedure.

[NLGA in reply to Ducky2003]

To be honest I am only out of NSR for about a hour 4 times a week some weeks not at all as I explained to them many times , I check my HR twice daily . I am not really sure why they are looking at CV or had been for 3 months and now seem to have dismissed it .

[Ducky2003 in reply to NLGA]

Oh, I thought they were wanting you to have a DCCV still. The AF won't show on the ecg if you're not in it. The Amiodarone will probably be suppressing some of the AF, which may be why you font have many episodes.It does seem bit strange to be offering you a DCCV rather than an ablation.

[NLGA]

The Ablation has never even been mentioned . I think they convinced themselves that I was in AF 24/7 as I was in the hospital but then this is the hospital that didn’t notice I had bacteria infection in my lungs at the same time