AF

[TheKnitter]

Hi I've have just been diagnosed with AF and still trying to get my head round it, thousands of questions are going round in my head I don't know where to start, but can anyone tell me what will happen if you have cardioversion and it doesn't work, I am waiting an appointment for this procedure within the next couple of weeks

[jimmyq]

First of all, try not to worry. It doesn't do any good.

All these questions that are going round in your head: write them down, take them with you when you go to the hospital and ask them. Make sure you get answers you understand. Don't let them fob you off.

[IanMK]

Cardioversions tend to be only a temporary fix. If the symptoms can’t be managed by medication then a cardiac ablation is another possibility. Do you have any symptoms? Any treatment is only to improve quality of life.

Don’t worry as anxiety will only make things worse. AF is not dangerous in itself but you need to mitigate stroke risk by taking an anticoagulant.

You’ll find more help and support in the AF Association forum on the HealthUnlocked site.

[TheKnitter in reply to IanMK]

Hi yes I have all the symptoms, breathlessness, tiredness, palpitations and dizziness, I was discharged from hospital last Friday but not given any recommendations apart from the medication to take (beater blockers and anticoagulants) don't know if I can drive and do I just treat life as nirmal

[IanMK in reply to TheKnitter]

Beta blockers can also drain your energy. It can take a while for your body to get used to them. At a guess you will be on Bisoprolol. If you really can't tolerate this after a few weeks then ask for an alternative. AF isn't dangerous so don't be anxious and try to carry on as normal as best you can. You should be OK to drive as long as you don't believe you will be unduly distracted by your symptoms. AF doesn't need to be notified to the DVLA. You may want to notify your insurance company 'for full disclosure' but most people's experience is that they don't want to know if the DVLA don't.

If you have a follow up appointment at the hospital, make a list of your questions and concerns to take with you. If possible, take someone with you - two people are better than one for remembering what is said.

[TheKnitter in reply to IanMK]

Thank you for your reply, has made me feel better again thank you

[Carokai]

Have a look at the work of Dr Sanjay Gupta (the Cardiologist at York Cardiology, not the Neurologist with the same name)

He has published a number of Youtube videos on the subject, wwll worth watching.

[tunybgur]

My experience of AF is that it helps to be proactive.

My consultant first put me on Sotalol which was like a medical cosh for me! I lost all my energy and the AF was no better, my heart was just going much slower. After a few weeks I stopped taking them and felt much better, but still in AF.

Bisoprolol helped a bit but wasn't the answer, still AF and low energy.

I had cardioversion and it worked first time (as it does for most people) but I went back into AF after a stressful incident a few months later. Stress hormones are not your friend, but many people do stay in sinus rhythm after cardioversion, most sufferers know when they are in AF by their erratic pulse.

I didn't wait for my next appointment but contacted my AF nurse straight away. She did an ECG and confirmed i was back in AF, but after a chat she suggested Flecainide (I found it so much easier to talk to her than the consultant, she just seemed to have more time).

Within a couple of hours I was back in sinus rhythm and have been for the last few years.

The point I am making is, don't suffer in silence! Different drugs affect different areas of the heart and if one doesn't work let them know and try something else, we're all different.

[Rosei]

The knitter, in the Avenue I live in, there must be eleven of us, including me who have AF, two have had ablation and seem to be ok, one person has had it done twice and several can't have it, including me because we are too old.

I knit for the great grandchildren, it's very soothing.

[fantasyfanuk]

Hi I’m a keen knitter too and have paroxysmal AF although currently bisoprolol is helping a great deal. I haven’t needed any other treatment because mine only happens for seconds/minutes at a time. Wish you well with your procedure and hope you get sorted soon.

[Dockdog]

I developed AF due to severe stress coupled with constrictive pericarditis, I was grateful at the time because it brought my surgery forward to instant / urgent. It took several attempts with reversion to bring me back to a sinus rythmn and subsequently following the pericardiectomy I have not gone back into AF and am taking medication as a precaution to reduce the risk. Stress still causes me breathlessness but I am coping better. I am taking Ramipril now but this seems to disagree with me. Hoping you will get a good resolution to your problem. Make sure you get referred to the right cardiologist, sometimes the ones in our own NHS trust are not always the best so do some homework on this too.

[nobby1st]

Hi I have had three then just discharged with no follow up, Apixpan twice a day and beta blockers i presume for life .

[VizslaMumxxx]

I had a cardioversion in April and went back into NSR. Had two short spells in AF since, but apart from that I’ve been fine. The procedure was nothing to worry about as I was sedated and didn’t feel a thing apart from two patches on my skin which felt like I had sunburn. This went after a couple of days. Try not to worry about it x