Been diagnosed with atrial fib. doctors will do cardioversion soon. anyone been through it?

doctor says my atrial fibrillation likely caused by longtime heartvalve problem. They are going to try an electrical jolt to kick heart back into r hythm. just wondered if anyone else out there has had the procedure, was it successful and how things went afterwards. I would like my life back, to be active again. Anybody's good e xperiences or bad ones will be equally welcome because I just want to assess my possibilities and hoping for the best outcome, but preparing for the worst, is equally important. So, anyone who can relate to this, with something to share, I'd like to hear from you.

This is a common procedure done in hospital, many times now as an out patient procedure. I have assisted with many of these and they will sedate you for this. Most people don't remember a thing. All that I have ever assisted with have been very successful. There are many people out there that have this problem and are usually treated after this procedure with medications or are able to perform the Valsalva's maneuver to convert themselves back to a normal sinus rhythm.

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They should be doing an echocardiogram prior to cardioversion to make sure that you don't have any blood clots in your heart chambers, which can dislodge and go to the brain, causing stroke. They will sedate you for the procedure, and give you a shock which will be quite uncomfortable, but only lasts less than a second. Whether you will remain in normal ("sinus" rhythm or revert to A fib depends on many factors and hard to predict, but some people may be put on medication to keep the heart in regular rhythm should electrical cardioversion fail. If you are persistenly in A fib despite electrical or pharmacological cardioversion attempts, you really should be on a blood thinning med called warfarin.

The most common form that this 'jolt' takes is by using a difibrillator, which are designed so that a child can operate them, basically it just resets the contractions of the heart as in atrial fibrillation the heart does not pump efficiently as different areas of cardiac muscle contract randomly. It is very common and usually only causes problems if it is not picked up and treated, so you should be able to resume a fairly normal life. for more information visit the NHS direct section which has lots of links to information - http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/art...

yes,my dad went threw that...nothing to worry about.its a real simple operation. you will be just fine.

I have had heart rhythm problems, although mine are more serious even than yours--I experienced four bouts of ventriular tachycardia and possible fibrillation. I survived (to some surprise among the docs), and I now have an implanted cardiac defibrillator. I imagine they are either going to give you one, too, or at least they are going to consider it.

All in all, the cardiiversion procedure is a lot scarier sounding than it is in reality. You will be sedated, although you may not be fully asleep. There will be no pain. And the whole thing takes very little time.

Even installing a defibrillator, if your doctor goes that route, is not a very big deal, although I won't pretend that I wasn't nervous about it. I live in a major city, so the procedure is available at several different hospitals fairly near to me. Most of them are community hospitals that don't do heart surgey. But I decided that I wanted it done at the hospital that had full surgical backup. The chance of something going wrong was about one in 4,000, I think they said. But it was MY one in 4,000, not some statostical "average" person's. :-) In the end, it was a big nothing. I was in and out in about 4 hours, including the time for paperwork and the time to watch over me afterwards.

So, you have every reason to believe you will be fine. I wish you very good luck!!

I have had this procedure done. It is a simple one and usually its done in day surgery. You probably wont know much about it because they'll give you a light sedation.

This procedure works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for your question. My husband is having this procedure done in the morning. He has been in the hospital for 5 days now on meds that were to hopefully help his heart rhythm get back to "his" normal rate. Unfortunately, the meds haven't changed anything.

Of course, I am quiet concerned. He has had 2 heart attacks within the past few years, a portion of the wall of his heart is dead, 100% blockage in one valve, a stint in another and now this irregular heart beat. Although the doctor is confident of this procedure, I am praying.

Reading the responses to your question has given me more confidence in this procedure also. Of course, I realize that there may be differences in your situation for this procedure then my husband's.

Best of luck to you. I understand your quest to get your active life back. My prayers are with you also.

It will be a temporary solution. You probably have heart muscle and conduction disorders unless the A. Fib is an acute episode and than the conversion will be able to terminate it. You will have to be on anti arrhythmic meds and will have to address the valvular disorder to prevent recurrence. The cardioversion is frightening experience but if done properly will cause no harm.

I personally have not been through it, but I have witnessed it being done. They give you a shock that will change the rhythm hopefully on the first try. They may give you a mild sedative to make you a little groggy to help with your nerves and the jolt. It was said to me that it felt like getting punched. I have been punched and I am sure you have too so I wouldn't worry about that part.

The thing to worry about is staying in atrial fibrillation. In this rhythm it is very possible to form a small blood clot in the heart and then have it shot out through your blood stream until it lodges somewhere.

Brain = stroke
Lungs = pulmonary embolism
limbs = peripheral embolism
or back in the heart = heart attack.

I think I would rather have the shock and get out of Atrial fib !!!

:o)
Jerry

i have been through it and im glad that they did the test, its alittle unplesant at first but it showed that my heart was totally irregular and that i nedded a ICD. it has shocked my heart back into rythmn once 2 years ago, and i thank god for it every day. I cant do all the things i used to but im still around to see other ppl enjoy them, Good luck

i have not been their be 4 but i no a lot of people who have u will be ok just pray to the lord and he will get u throught it when u wake up all of your friends and familey will be beside you.

I have taken care of patients who have been the "electrical jolt" to get them back into rythm. You will be in a sleeping when they do that, so no worry, go for it.