Symptoms after cardioversion

[JoDogBlue]

It's nearly two weeks since I had a successful cardioversion after being in permanent AF following an ablation ten weeks ago. I'm on 5m bisprolol and 200mg amiodarone daily. I'm feeling much better for being in NSR and able to do a lot more (I was very symptomatic in AF).

I do still get slightly breathless and have had a persistent low level headache since the cardioversion. It might be coincidence but I'm wondering if that could be down to the cardioversion procedure or a new reaction to the meds now I'm no longer in AF (my heart rate has dropped from 100 to 60 bpm)? I've been told to keep them unchanged until my review in September. The headache isn't severe but not great when combined with rubbish sleep thanks to the amiodarone. Any thoughts gratefully received.

[BobD Volunteer]

Never known DCCV to cause headaches but we are all different. Why not speak to your arrhythmia nurse if you have concerns?

[jeanjeannie50]

It will be you not sleeping well that is causing you to feel heady. I know that feeling from experience.

I have no idea why you are kept on such high doses of Bisoprolol and Amiodarone if your heart is meant to be out of AF now. Keep an eye that your pulse doesn't drop too low. Both of those drugs are to lower the heart rate and if your heart is in normal sinus rhythm, why would you need them at a high dose? I could understand you still taking them at a lower dose to keep your heart reigned slightly.

I had a cardioversion about 6 weeks after my third ablation and now years later I'm in constant AF but at a heart rate between 60-90 and I can cope well with that. It has been decided that I wont be offered anymore ablations or cardioversions.

Hope all goes well for you.

Jean

[JoDogBlue in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks Jean. I've gone back to the arrhythmia nurse for advice. The EP consultant said to lower my bisoprolol dose after my ablation but as I went into AF that didn't happen. I'd like to lower the amiodarone too but don't want to risk slipping back into AF. I suppose I'm still in the blanking period and just grateful it doesn't feel like my heart's flopping around inside my chest.

[jeanjeannie50]

At all costs you must do as your consultant advises but as I said, watch that your pulse doesn't go down too low or it could make you feel dizzy and faint.

Jean

[riffjack846]

I was on Amiodarone for 2 months following my ablation and now on no rhythm drugs and still in NSR 2 years later.

[JoDogBlue in reply to riffjack846]

Thanks for your reply. It's good to hear it worked out well for you, hoping I can get off amiodarone before long.

[john-boy-92]

Administration has suggested that I comment on amiodarone (and it's relative dronedarone). Some people don't have problems with Amiodarone whereas others have a range of reactions including ending up (like me) with pulmonary fibrosis. Hopefully you had a baseline check of your creatine level (liver function) before starting Amiodarone: this will need to be checked regularly. If your urine turns coffe coloured, that's a sign that you need to contact your GP or hospital.

Are you aware that Amiodarone can make your skin sensitive to the sun; adversly affect your thyroid gland, and potentially can affect eyesight through cataracts?

If you start a dry non-productive cough with crackles that sound ike Velcro being pulled appart, you need to contact a respiratory specialist who knows about cryptogenic organising pnuemonia (COP) that is also called pulmonary toxicity. This is a rare condition with approx. 6 in 100,000 people affected. From my experience, a non-specialist may say that it is community aquired pnuemonia and prescribe antibiotics. If it's COP, the antibiotics will have no effect and your blood oxygen (SpO2) will slowly fall, even if you are put on 2 or 4 litres/minute of oxygen via nasal canula. If your GP or other medical specialist needs advice on COP, contact the North Bristol Lung Institute who trated me. My case notes were written up in a paper that was published by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh as Case of the Quarter in 2015. I can provide a link if you can't find it: there's even an image of the x-ray of my lungs! It's very unlikely that this will happen to you, but you need to be aware as it was the third admission, with my scans reviewed by Professor Anne Millar before it was diagnosed. My SpO2 was at 76% before that admission and I was hypoxic at admission.