Seeking reassurance post-cardioversion

[LadyZ13]

Hi everyone,

As I've posted before, I had a DCCV on Tuesday of last week after being in Atrial Flutter for 6 weeks - 2 months. The flutter has come about after open heart surgery to repair a large hole in my heart.

My levels of anxiety about the Flutter returning are variable, however much I try not to worry. I have a Fitbit that has been showing much more consistent heart rate that's much more proportional to my exertion since the CV - apart from one weird peak of 116bpm on a car journey earlier today (so I'm already scared this is the start of weird behaviour again).

I have also noticed some odd heart hiccups - not like the flutter which I'd describe as tadpoles, but more like a little double breath in. I'm wondering if these might be ectopic beats. Is this normal post-CV?

I have a BP machine that shows arrythmia if it detects during a reading and my husband's Fitbit to take an ECG and both show NSR for now.

Part of me expected the CV to suddenly spring me back to normality and wellness when in fact it's left me quite sore and with slightly different cardiac sensations. Plus being able to hear my heart very loudly at times!

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Just having a bit of a wobble (another one!) with today's weird peak-at-rest.

Thank you for any wisdom you can share.

[CDreamer]

I think we all get into the realms of ‘magical thinking’, willing this treatment or that new drug will be our saviour, occasionally it is but more often than not it is a temporary relief from one Arrythmia only to be replaced by another. Does sound like ectopics that you are experiencing but only an ECG would confirm. Take heart, literally, that ectopics are common after converting to NSR and they can hang around for a month or two but often will reduce and then resolve of their own accord.

Try the LSD breathing techniques - Long, Slow and Deep breath in, hold, and Long, Slow breath out. Focussing on breath helps in many ways to reduce anxiety which sounds like is your nemesis.

You are super conscious of your heart so distraction and getting immersed in something will help. Take it easy and increase your exercise very slowly and keep a positive outlook on life, managing your anxiety really will help.

[LadyZ13 in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you so much for sharing this with me. I think my resilience is stretched super thin at the moment - I've had a really tough 12 months starting with work this time last year that led to a collapse, the diagnosis out of the blue of congential heart disorder, then a heart attack, and the promise that the surgery would resolve this apparently Very Big issue that had not given me any trouble... So I went in to theatre fit and well, prepared for 3 months of slogging back to 'normal', but no one prepared me for ongoing cardiac issues immediately afterwards.

It's very heartening (another literal pun!) to hear that ectopics are common after conversion to NSR - this will help me not panic when I feel something odd. The heart has quite literally had a shock, after all...

Being back in work does help as it occupies my mind during the day and helps wear me out for better sleep. I have been using Headspace to help me with remembering to take time out to breathe and focus on the breath more. Yet to attempt any exercise beyond walking but it's not been a week yet! I'll also get some advice from the cardiac rehab team about building back up again post-CV. Thanks so much again for the advice, especially on managing the anxiety.

[OzJames]

Last December I had a CV then 5 weeks later after a sugary day, my fault! I started with ectopics, I panicked and they got worse as shown on Holter they lasted 6 days, hops, skips and jumps you name it. Bob and others here suggested deep breathing and another suggested a book by James Nestor called Breath. I now practice my breathing every day and am mindful of the importance of breathing the right way. I cannot thank the good people here enough as I now only get ectopics on rare occasions

[LadyZ13 in reply to OzJames]

That's really good to hear - I'm starting to see this as a mental battle as much as a physical one and I will check out the book. Keeping calm is key, but you know if you don't keep your anxiety under control it can result in worse outcomes which can create a really vicious cycle! Have a lovely day!

[Jajarunner]

It took me three months to feel better after cardioversion when I was in fast AF for 6 weeks. Even a four hour episode ended with urgent cardioversion took two weeks to get over. Then there is the terror if it returning even though everyone says "Don't worry"as if it was that easy xx

[LadyZ13 in reply to Jajarunner]

That's a long recovery time but helps me put a timeframe on the CV recovery. The booklet from the hospital makes it sound like 24 hours recovery but I'm noticing that it is taking me longer, so to hear it took you two weeks encourages me that I'm almost half way there... Not worrying is so, so hard and takes so much energy and strength. But we have to try! xx

[Jajarunner in reply to LadyZ13]

I know! I was told I could run after 48 hours. As if!!I'm a slow recoverer too though, sure you will be quicker

[Belle11]

CVs can last very variable times, and ectopics don't necessarily mean you will go back into AF. I've been in NSR for 3 years 8 months since a CV, and have had periods of time when I've had quite a lot of ectopics. As well as breathing, what I eat seems to make a difference - someone else mentioned sugar as a trigger for them, and for me, processed or fatty meat also seems to be a trigger. The ectopics go away again when I eat better. John Day's book "The AFib Cure" which has been recommended by lots of people here has quite a bit about ways of eating to minimise the risk. And his website also has a section on AF triggers.

[LadyZ13 in reply to Belle11]

That's really helpful, thank you Belle11. I normally eat fairly cleanly but do occasionally have more sugar than I probably should! And yesterday we had a pub Sunday Roast that turned out to be massive and incredibly salty so maybe that didn't help. Because my Flutter was provoked by surgery I was hoping I wouldn't need to change my lifestyle but I guess it all helps. I will check out the website, thank you

I'm very encouraged to hear you've had NSR for over 3 years since your CV, that's great news, and that the ectopics didn't herald a reversion to Afib. I will keep my fingers crossed for the same! Have a good week!

[Belle11 in reply to LadyZ13]

Fingers crossed for you too!

[Buffafly]

Ignore the Fitbit - those devices do that just to scare you. My fitness watch shows even higher peaks but as I didn’t notice them at the time why worry?

[LadyZ13 in reply to Buffafly]

Thanks Buffafly, I have now turned off the HR monitor on my Fitbit to reduce my anxiety and am only using it for exercise. I definitely feel weird 'bumps' and 'trickles' throughout the day, but the pulse is still regular! Appreciate the advice.