Cardioversion today

[Purplekatt]

Waiting at the hospital to have a cardioversion for the first time, a bit nervous. been reading the forum which has been reassuring.

Any tips, appreciated.

thanks!

[jeanjeannie50]

I've had several and can assure you there's nothing to a cardioversion and the following is what I've experienced.

You go to the hospital, sit around waiting for about an hour for your turn. You go in, get undressed and put on one of their gowns. You lie on a bed and someone comes and puts a cannula in the back of your hand and you're wired up to a machine that's showing your heart rate. The team turn up all bright and happy (doc and some nurses). You have the sedation (which knocks you right out) injected into your cannula, are zapped and then wake up a few minutes later and for me I'm always back in normal sinus rhythm. The feeling of joy is like no other and gratitude to everyone involved sweeps over me - honestly I could kiss their feet!

At my hospital they want you to eat some toast and have a cup of tea before leaving, that's it! They tell you that you need to have someone with you for the next 24hrs and are told not to sign any documents during that time.

A word of warning though. Afterwards don't do anything to raise your heart rate for a week or so, no walking up hills, or lifting anything heavy. Allow your heart to gain strength beating at it's correct rate. I once made the mistake of walking up a hill the day after a cardioversion and my heart went straight back into AF. Oh, no overeating or alcohol for a while after either.

I love having them and would gladly take your place.

Best wishes

Jean

[Purplekatt in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks Jean! been told it will likely be in about one hour and a half and they want me to stay 2 hrs after. Fingers crossed it will work!!

[Purplekatt in reply to jeanjeannie50]

All done and in NSR, long may it last! BP low 85/56 and pulse 44 but been on 10mg biso, sounds like they want that to drop to 2.5mg straight away from tomorrow.

[Butterfly65 in reply to Purplekatt]

Really hope you remain in NSR. Please let us know what a difference it has made to your energy levels & wellbeing in the coming weeks.

Some say they feel much better immediately afterwards.

I'm envious,

was told I have persistent Afib & HF at end of August last year but still haven't seen an EP or had a cadioversion, despite being on waiting list since last September. Rang HF nurse this week who told me they'd try to find out why there's been such a long delay.

[Purplekatt in reply to Butterfly65]

Sorry to hear about the delay! Currently I feel really good but will take Jean’s advice and take it really easy (I plan to walk home but I live 10 min away, but was only allowed to do that with someone, so husband is coming ). BP gone up to 100/68 so giing in the right direction. Fingers crossed you will get to see an EP very soon.

[Ducky2003 in reply to Purplekatt]

My BP was low after my last one in November so they kept me in a couple of hours longer and made me drink plenty, which did the trick.Keep hydrated and take things steady for a few days.

[Purplekatt in reply to Ducky2003]

Thanks so reassuring. Still feeling very tired, took 2.5mg biso but resting HR still mid 40ies. Not checked BP today, I am drinking lots of water and yogi tea, and will rest for sure.

[Ducky2003 in reply to Purplekatt]

My resting HR is mid 40s anyway, unless I'm in AF, and average daily HR is between 49 and 51 so yours sounds ok ...... unless that's a lot lower than your usual rate in NSR.

[Purplekatt in reply to Ducky2003]

Thanks, before I had AF my HR was high fifties, and with Biso I guess to expect it lower… Just such a change after months of AF and 80 to 90’s resting…

[Ducky2003 in reply to Purplekatt]

Isn't it just. It's wonderful to feel normal again. 😊

[jeanjeannie50]

Drinking water (not too cold) may help bring your BP up, I was once told to up mine in hospital. Please, please take it easy now as it's so easy to slip out of rhythm if you exert yourself. Too late then to be sorry. Try to keep your torso free of anything tight.

Best wishes

Jean

[Jajarunner]

Easy peasy. I've had twelve (11 in last five years!). You may be tired for a while afterwards (for me, days to weeks depending how long I was in fast afib for). Look after yourself xx

[Fannyphasbees]

Relax and let it happen. I felt amazing straight away after one shock. Don’t push yourself after it. I took advice from Jean in the forum and didn’t walk up hills or lift anything heavy for a few weeks. Good luck.🤞

[Ellie-Ann]

Please don’t fret. I’ve had one done before and am waiting for another one. It’s really easy. No pain. Nothing to worry about. Plenty of care. You’ll be ok.keep smiling and think of how good it will be to be in Normal Sinus Rhythm for a while afterwards. My first lasted 20 months. Some last longer.

[Snowgirl65]

I can understand your concern. I've had two, and in both cases I was so eager to get back to NSR, I wasn't all that nervous -- my aim was to just get me back to normal! It was a very easy and quick procedure. I was sedated, didn't feel a thing, and seemed like it was over in an instant. I opened my eyes and was back to normal. I can't describe how good I felt afterward.

[FancyPants54 in reply to Snowgirl65]

I remember that feeling after my one and only cardioversion. It was lovely. It held off for a good couple of weeks but then sank back into Afib. No one bothered. No further treatment was offered.

[Purplekatt in reply to FancyPants54]

sorry to hear that!

[Snowgirl65 in reply to FancyPants54]

I can't really remember how long mine held -- it was only a few days after my first (and rather botched) ablation. My blanking period for that one was more difficult than the two other ablations I had but it eventually held for a couple years. But I'm a big advocate of cardioversions.

[Dodgerguy]

I am happy everything went well! I am new to all this. I was going to have one in July but it was canceled because I converted back to NSR. For my learning I had two questions. 1) what is biso? I take Metoprolol 2) if I ever have to have one and live up stairs, is that going to be a problem? I live in a condo that is up a flight of stairs. Once up stairs I don’t have to walk up anymore stairs. Thank you and sorry if it seemed if I hijacked your thread. -Peter

[Purplekatt in reply to Dodgerguy]

Hi Peter, Biso is the lazy way of writing bisoprolol… another beta blocker to Metoprolol. Stairs should not be a problem if back in NSR, but likely to have to adjust medication. This was my first cardioversion, I was diagnosed mid Nov and went persistant shortly after and quickly had to increase the strength to 10mg and also add digoxin to keep the rate under 100. So now feeling tired on 2.5mg as resting rate mid 40s. So may have to adjust down again. But scared as went persistant after a week on Atenolol that took rest HR to 40’s then shot up to 140 plus in Afib, been on Bisoprolol since.

[Dodgerguy in reply to Purplekatt]

Thank you for replying. Thankfully I’ve been ok since. I was on Digoxin in the hospital then but me on Amiodarone once home. Have been taken off Amiodarone for almost six months . Amiodarone was awful for my body but worked well to keep me in sync.

[OzJames]

i've had a few as well..... just take it easy for 2 weeks let your heart adjust to normal beat, people forget it has to get used to what is normal having been out of sync.

The drugs as my doctor said help dampen down the adrenaline spike i can get which can trigger AF. My first CV in 2022 lasted 11 months before i stupidly got dehydrated and flipped back into AF