I had a afib attack 3 weeks ago and was admitted for cardio version. 2 days after I felt worse, heart rate was normal but experienced numbness on left side, dizzy and nausea. Was admitted to the icu for surveillance as they thought I had a stroke. Luckily it wasn’t but the neurologist said sometimes your brain takes longer for your body to reset after afib and cardioversion.
3 weeks after now I get breathless climbing stairs or over exerting myself with simple tasks and start pouring with sweat. Heart rate is normal only a few flutters but nothing stuck in afib
Anyone else had similar after cardioversion? It’s driving me mad feeling so slow after 3 weeks 🙈
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I had my first cardioversion in Jan 2020 and was put on Metoprolol 100mg x2. Between the cardioversion and the medication, I felt really poorly. I adjusted the medication after talking to my then doctor and it got better. It was the medication and after a couple of years finally got it changed to Diltiazem, and it was a night and day type of difference. Not sure what medication you are on but if it is something new or an increase I would recommend talking with the prescribing doctor to see if you can get it adjusted.
I’m only on blood thinners, I was on verapamil but came off it a year ago with help from cardiologist and have been doing a pill in pocket scenario. I thought it might be blood thinners but they said couldn’t be that. Have an appointment with cardiologist for check up next week. Will let you know thanks again 😊
If you are still on medication after your cardioversion it maybe that this needs adjusting. I was always breathless on beta blockers, calcium channel blockers or any rate rhythm control medication and they tried all types and all doses over about the first year I had AF. Best to see your cardio or preferably EP or contact the department where you had the cardioversion and ask to discuss changes that need to be made now you are in NSR.
’m only on blood thinners, I was on verapamil but came off it a year ago with help from cardiologist and have been doing a pill in pocket scenario. I thought it might be blood thinners but they said couldn’t be that. Have an appointment with cardiologist for check up next week. Will let you know thanks again
If you're on a beta-blocker like bisoprolol you may get symptoms like this. I was on it for six months after the c/version and occasionally take it now when I get a lot of random beats. Other medications may do the same. If you're doctor is happy, start trying to build up your fitness with walking or other gentle exercise, I feel much more energised doing a fairly fast two miler 1st thing.
Hi, I too had the same after a recent ablation, two weeks after op, heart beat good but felt drained, nothing was said about altering my drugs bisoprolol and digoxin . Doesn't matter now anyway as I'm back in A/F.
When you write, "I had a afib attack 3 weeks ago and was admitted for cardio version," can you tell me more about the attack?
I ask because I have episodes about every 10 days that last from 10 to 14 hours.
My GP and cardiologist are aware of this, but so far, they have not suggested that I seek to be admitted for cardioversion.
They seem to think I should ride it out, and perhaps take flecinaide, although this seems to be something that I will have to push for.
I'm 77, so maybe that has to do with their approach.
Perhaps more important, I'm in the U.S.
Maybe in the U.S. there is far less treatment that seeks to prevent, and much more of a Let It Be mindset -- or. more charitably, a Let's Only Mitigate mindset? Ideas?
I’m now on eliquis twice a day but metoprolol didn’t really work for me and other beta blockers made me bradycardic so that’s why channel blockers I felt were better with less side effects
I was on verapamil after trying beta blockers that didn’t work. Channel blockers were the best for me
A year and half ago I decided I wanted to try come off the verapamil with advice from Cardiologist. I then had a pill in pocket when needed
I wasn’t on medication and only had a few attacks that got stuck in afib for ten mins then after taking x2 80g verapamil it would stop
This last attack my heart rate was at 178 I took some tablets then went to sleep but when I woke up it was still high. I know this because my cardiologist had given me the Kardia mobile so they get the readings sent directly
Based on these readings she told me I needed to go to hospital for the cardioversion . At that point it had been in afib bouncing from 178-138 and stuck for 15 hours
Maybe you can ask your doctor for the Kardia mobile device so they can see directly what’s going on?
I hope this helps but I would definitely recommend looking at the Kardia mobile if you can get it in USA
I do have a Kardia mobile device. That's how I know I've had episodes about once every 10 days. These devices are easily available in the U.S. for about $130, plus an optional $12 per month for extra determinations and extra service.
So in your 3 years, you must have had quite a few episodes? I gather that because you talk about changing meds when one did not work.
And then it looks like you had more episodes that you handled with pill-in-pocket? And these did not last long?
So I'm gathering that the episode that sent you to hospital was much more dramatic than the others. I've shown my docs that I've had many episodes like that, but they haven't suggested that I go to an emergency room.
Any opinions on why? Am I undertreated? Am I considered safe from a stroke because I'm taking anticoagulants? Was that the concern with you -- the chance of a stroke because you were not taking anticoagulants? (You do say what kind of tablet you took when you tried to sleep.)
Or am I too old to get this treatment? Is it matter of U.S. "healthcare" and insurance bullshit? Is it better to ride it out, on account of risks and after effects of electrical cardioversion?
Another aspect is that nearby emergency rooms aren't very good. Good ones are a very long drive, over dangerous rural roads that often wash out or are under snow.
I had a very big attack at 203bpm when I first got diagnosed properly but paramedics managed to bring it down with vagal manoeuvres
Then after I was put on the beta blockers
Had a few after yes so then moved onto Chanel blocker
I can’t really say why I was sent for emergency cardioversion as it was a bit of a shock for me as I thought my cardiologist would just recommend taking more pills
I know she said it was better to get it done quickly as I wasn’t on blood thinners so could be that’s yes you are less of a stroke risk as you are already on anticoagulants
I ended up in icu 2 days after cardioversion with effects so whilst my sinus rhythm returned to normal not sure I would want to go through all that again but I know it’s different for everyone
It sounds like your system is very different to ours in Europe Unfortunately
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