So this morning, one day short of 3 weeks after a successful cardioversion, I’ve woken up in AF. Heart rate 105 and rhythm is utterly all over the place.
Don’t know whether it was the heat, the fact I’d had a fever for 3 days just before, or whether just being a bit more active the past couple of days after feeling better.
I guess it could revert back to NSR but I’m not confident.
What I don’t know is what to do about it. The hospital gave me no information beyond that I would get a follow up appointment in 6-8 weeks after the cardioversion. Am I supposed to inform my GP, although there is nothing they can do about it? Or am I just supposed to wait until the follow up appointment?
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sorry to hear this. I know the sinking feeling when you realise it is back. Do you have a consultant or arrhythmia nurse? As a first port of call I usually ring the nurse for advice. I hope you get some information soon. X
Yes you should let your GP know and ask you are still under the care of the hospital where you had the cardioversion let them know too and your cardio/EP
Bad luck. I would phone your GP's surgery and explain. Cardioversions seem to fail quite often judging by emails here (but that is a tiny proportion of the population, of course). I have read that having stayed in NSR for quite a while is a good sign, however, and is information that will help your cardiologist.
Did they put you on any meds post CV. Please get in touch with them as they may instruct you to book another appointment and start taking meds in the meantime to help get back into NSR. FYI I had my first CV end September and then again mid December… the 2nd one seems to have held me in NSR so don’t despair
Here is the information I have gleaned from seeking advice from doctors over the phone at 2:00 AM or other odd times with the "on-call" doctor and from ER care.
Try to relax and do something to take your mind off of it. Having a friend to talk with is always nice. (not someone you argue with!) Try to eat lightly, move around normally and enjoy something of the day. Check your BP and HR periodically. If they seem dangerously extreme call the doctor.
If you develop pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or just feel seriously fatigued or strange, call the doctor or go to the ER.
If the Afib lasts more than 24 hours, call the doctor.
I am not a doctor, so this is second-hand advice, but I think it is pretty standard. I went to the ER the first couple of times I had Afib episodes and was confused and a bit embarrassed when they acted like, and at one point actually said: "So, why are you here?" One ER doctor told me she "had other things to do!" I did not know I would be better off at home, but we soon learn.
Well, I’m currently on holiday and won’t be home for another 4 days. I’m still in AF but heart rate has come down a bit to around 85bpm resting. The only meds I’m on are blood thinners which I’ve been on for about 2 months and propranolol which I’ve been on for years.
Interestingly I’ve noticed that whilst activities (walking etc) do feel like they require more effort, it isn’t as bad as it used to be pre cardioversion and that most of the time I don’t really notice it. I don’t get the dizzy spells, the really slow heart rate, the feeling of being out of breath whilst doing very little. I still don’t like it but and it definitely doesn’t feel as good as when I was in NSR, but it’s not awful.
I notice that everyone keeps mentioning to speak to my cardiologist, nurse etc (not so much in. This t thread but generally across the forum). I genuinely have no idea who my cardiologist or nurse is. I don’t know if people are in different countries or if thee NHS in the U.K. does things differently in different areas of the country but I got referred to the hospital by my GP who had diagnosed AF from an ECG. I then got a phone call from the hospital telling me they were going to do a cardioversion and that they would make me an appointment. All other communication has been via the NHS app when they make appointments for me. However the appointments never say what they are for. For example, after my cardioversion I had an echocardiogram, the appointment for it in the NHS app just said “Face to Face” and gave me a time, date and place.
After I had the cardioversion I was discharged with a letter and told that if I had any problems within 24hrs to give the Cath lab a call. A few days later I was getting loads of ectopic beats so gave them a call to ask if this was normal and what I should do but they weren’t interested and just said to call my GP.
I had a cardioversion last year it lasted all of 5 days i had persistent AF so it was a pain in the bum i had to travel 900 kms but i had to do it before i could be referred to an electrophysiologist..
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