cardioversion

[Snowydragon]

hi! My dad is having a cardioversion procedure next weekend and I am quite concerned, can I hear some of your experiences with this procedure please?

Many thanks

[MummaSoap]

Hi Snowydragon

I don’t have any personal experience with cardioversion but I can empathise with you feeling concerned for your dad. As well as being a hearty, my dad is too and sometimes it’s very hard being the person “watching from the sidelines”.

I just wanted to pop by and say how you’re feeling is very natural and that hopefully others who are better informed about cardioversion will be along soon to help answer your questions.

Sending good luck to both you and your dad for the procedure, let us know how he gets on.

Best wishes

Soap 🧼

[Snowydragon in reply to MummaSoap]

hello! Thank you very much, it’s definitely difficult watching from the sidelines

[Zeinmassri]

honestly you have nothing to worry about I have done over 10 and he’s not going to feel anything and it’s going to correct his Rhythm. It’s very quick it will not take longer than 5 min and it’s painless

[Dizzylady305 in reply to Zeinmassri]

I agree I was petrified before mine but it was fine and I felt better after. It was thanks to all those on this site who reassured me before hand as I nearly cancelled 👍

[beardy_chris]

My experience of having a cardioversion is that they take you in, do lots of tests (ECG, etc.), try to scare you with very improbable risks, take you into the cath lab, you manage to get forty winks and wake up feeling great. They then do more tests, give you a sandwich and you're on your way.

Much easier - though slower - than having a tooth drilled!

[ChasNick]

I have had two cardioversions in the past 12 months. nothing to it. All I can remember is that they stick a couple of large pads on your chest and you wake up and all done.

[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 GA 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 alcohol for a while after either.

Best wishes

Jean

[Laurap18]

I had one last year. It was super fast and painless, nothing to be worried

[Golfgirl3]

My husband had this in 2018. Fast, painless and he said he felt much better immediately

[allotmentman]

Hi Snowydragon,

I had a cardioversion two years ago and it was a painless and quick procedure. The hardest part of the whole process was finding the correct ward in a poorly signed hospital. However once done, it was a case of a quick check up and ecg, sitting around for about an hour, wheeled up to the operating room, quick sleep and woke up with heart in normal rhythm. After this back down to the ward, ecg check, a sandwich and cup of tea and an hour later I was picked up and went home.

Nothing to worry about. Expect lots of other people their having the same procedure. On the day I was in it was eight in the morning and eight in the afternoon. Plenty of people to chat to as you wait your turn.

Hope it goes well.

[Douglas91]

it seems a really scary prospect to under go but it’s very routine these days. Your dad will be absolutely fine I’m sure. He’ll no doubt be sedated so shouldn’t feel much pain and the procedure itself takes seconds to complete so it will be over before he knows it. Good luck 🤞 x

[Anon2023]

hi. I had one last year. I was put under a general anaesthetic and woke up about 30 minutes later. I felt absolutely nothing and went back into sinus rhythm and have stayed in it ever since. The only slight discomfort was a little bit of irritation where they put the paddles but a bit of moisturiser sorted it out. Please don’t worry, he will be fine.