Had first cardioversion this past Thursday. Fairly sure I am not supposed to remember the shock and pain from the shock. It hurt so bad I tensed up, pulled a muscle in my back and bit my tongue which was bleeding when I woke up. It was one of those weird twilight zone experiences where the intensity of shock brought me to consciousness for a moment and then back out again immediately. It was weird and very unpleasant. Anyone here experience anything similar or hear of this before?
By the way I was back in afib after 3 days (last night).
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Could it be that you are resistant to the anaesthetic agent they gave you? Ask what they gave and at what dose and check it out but certainly report it,
Yes. Very first one I had about 7 years ago. Felt like I'd been kicked in the chest and when I came round, it was the first thing I mentioned to the embarrassed and apologetic nurse.5 or 6 subsequent ones ok but last one 2 weeks ago, I felt it again but was told by the Dr, that was surprising as they thought I was zonked out.
On my discharge notes, it said I'd been given 6mg Midazolam but I know I've had 10 previously.
I think they were a bit nervous about giving me too much. Two years ago, I had a TOE and I insisted on sedation as I was panicking about having something shoved down my throat.When they started the procedure, they had to stop the sedation as my spo2 dropped into the 70s.
I think it was my panicking and this tube down my throat rather than the sedation that caused the drop but I think it made them a bit twitchy this time.
You poor thing, that sounds like absolute torture. I've had lots of cardioversions and have always been totally sedated and unaware of anything. I was once in A&E and the doctor in charge decided they would give me a cardioversion right away - without any sedation!! I was horrified and by the time they got back with the kit to do it my heart was back in normal sinus rhythm.
You need to report this to the hospital. I am resistant to some pre meds and General Anesthetics and the ones I am not resistant to I get a reaction to. No I never have pre meds and usually only sedation for operations and procedures wherever possible. It seems that you were resistant to the one given to you so you need to know what it is and the dosage as obviously if you have to have another procedure you do not want the same experience so need to avoid this type.
All the best. Even though you only sustained NSR for a short while you did attain NSR so other treatments such as ablation are still likely to work.
Most certainly needs reporting and following up. This is not acceptable. I've had 27 dccvs ( I'm losing count now..it could be more) and never had anything like this apart from my first one detailed next.
About 30 years ago I had my first dccv and it was an awful experience. In those days they would bring the paddles straight down on to your chest...not the sticky pads use these days. I felt the paddles making contact as if an elephant was stamping on me and screamed out each time. I knew I was screaming and the nurse confirmed and was very concerned at what I had felt. This was done on the cardiac ward and i understand the other patients were horrified at the noise. I was very frightened at the prospect of my next cardioversion I can tell you .
Some years later when I was admitted I was visited by an anaesthetist who wanted to hear about my experiences with anaesthesia. When I detailed the above she was quite shocked and said this would not go unreported today . She wanted to report this but unfortunately the time lapse was too long.
This happened to me on my first one. There was an extremely nervous lady opposite me who kept saying to her husband, she didn't want to be there and wanted to go home.My hubby sat reading husband newspaper, when he heard me scream. So did this poor lady, who apparently hot off her bed and started getting dressed and gathering her stuff up. A nurse and her husband managed to placate her and she was a bit more reassured when I was wheeled out alive 😁.
First thing I asked was "Did I scream?" and the red faced nurse was very apologetic.
Glad I'm not the only one then as that was just what I said ! The nurse asked me to wave to a gentleman in a corner bed to let him know I was OK!!
My confidence in the whole set up wasn't exactly inspired by, earlier in the day, witnessing another patient having the Crash Team called to her bed 🙄. All in all it was quite a traumatic time. The previous night a patient was brought in and I had to lie witnessing the team doing CPR etc to no avail. I did seriously wonder whether I was going to get out alive.....
My first one was about 7.5 years ago and subsequent ones have been fine up to the one a couple of weeks ago. I can only imagine how I would have been if I'd seen a crash team and CPR heading to another patient.I always tell them to make sure that they do a good job and keep me alive as I have 2 cats who love me and a husband who can't cook 😁.
Live had 3 and no issues. Do you know what amount of energy they used maybe it was too high? Most hospitals use biphase which uses less energy the older style were single phase which need more energy, it’s measured in Joules. Biphase usually from 70j to 200j. My last one worked first time unlike the previous which took 3 goes. This time the doctor placed the first pad near my armpit closer to my left breast and the other near the centre of my chest. He mentioned it’s more efficient as it first travels through the left atrium
This is definitely not how it's supposed to happen. I have had four cardioversions and was not even aware that they had happened until they were over. If you felt anything at all, they were doing it wrong. You probably should sue that hospital for malpractice.
I had a bad experience with my first ablation unfortunately whilst under sedation.! I came round in my last hour of the procedure and it was horrible.! It made it worse because the theatre staff were telling me I wasn’t supposed to be talking and asking them to stop.!!!
The anaesthetist then told me he couldn’t give me anything else and everything will be over soon so just relax. When I later saw the EP he did tell me that things went well with the ablation but not so well with the sedation unfortunately.!!
I later had a further 2 ablations under general and it was a breeze.
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I've had 4-5 and never remembered anything.
Cardioversion was not what I expected 
Cardioversion
Cardioversion done & dusted!
I think my first cardioversion failed
