I’m having my first cardioversion in 6 days time and they told me to shave my chest. They did say that they would do it if I can’t but they made such a hash of shaving tiny bits for the ECG that I’d rather do it myself.
What they didn’t say though was how much or where to shave. Do I need to shave the whole thing, chest & stomach or just the upper chest. As someone that has more body hair than the Yeti, the problem is once you start, where do you stop but I’ve only once completely shaved my whole chest and it itched like mad for over a week as it grew back so, whilst I know I’ll look stupid, id rather keep the area as small as possible than do everything.
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Peakoverload
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Ah the old chest shaving conumdrum but not as bad the the groin shaving one for an ablation. ( I did a Brazillian for mine lol )
I had to help make a documentary film once about AF shortly after some procedures in hospital where I had to simulate a cardioversion. Since I had already had a real one a week or so earlier I already had two bald patches on my chest when the "doctor" opened my shirt calling dramatically for the paddles. I looked ********** stupid!
On a practical note frankly I would let them do it since not all DCCVs are done with two pads on your chest. I have had several with one front and one back.
vanity shouldn't come into it for a hospital procedure. You need front and back, neck to navel. as I've always been unconcious when they did my cardioversion, I don't know where exactly they put the pads, but the impression is there's more than 2. Hospital can do it, but they used a blunt plastic razor on me and that was the sorest part.
Had my 2nd Cardioversion last Tuesday, one pad on centre of my back, one on chest. They shave me, nipple to nipple and neck to tummy button, if that helps.
Sadly mine failed 😞, first one last year, lasted one hour.
I've had pads front and back and in different positions so I'd let them do the job........ just to add, I'm female so I've never had the chest shaved as, fortunately, they've been in the warmer months before I've begun to grow my Winter coat. 😁.
Thanks all for the replies. I’m assuming that as they said to shave my chest that they’ll stick both pads to my front and as I’m not a contortionist, I can’t reach my back anyway
Decided to shave my chest as they had to shave a couple of patches when I had an ECG at my pre-appointment and that hurt enough to not want to let them shave a bigger area. It’s done now. Feels very weird but at least it didn’t hurt.
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