RE: A bad experience- cardioversion

[Guest guest]

some people convert on their own (lucky) and some people convert chemically...

and then there are those of us who used to convert on our own, but now neither

convert on our own, or chemically... and for us cardioversion is the only

choice.

I've had three in the last two months, and hopefully that phase is over, but I'd

have another 3 or 6 or 10 without thinking about it... they have a note on my

chart now not to suggest all the alternatives...

Stef

Roxanne Ledford wrote:

Just to respond to your surprise at the attending doctor not wanting to

cardiovert you.

All 3 times that I have gone into the ER with heart rate fluctuating from 90

to over 200 and blood pressure consistently under 90/20 (one time as low as

54/lower) they have always given me heart medicines and I didn't resume NSR

until 12 hours later -sometimes longer.

I was surprised to read that so many of you have had this procedure!

_____

From: AFIBsupport [mailto:AFIBsupport ] On

Behalf Of Bob Yates

Sent: Sunday, October 16, 2005 8:28 PM

To: AFIBsupport

Subject: A bad experience

I'm fairly new to this Afib thing all in all. 5 episodes since Jan.

04. 2 episodes reverted spontaneously, 2 I was cardioverted (300 j)

and the last was yesterday. As has happened in the past it woke me

up at about 2 a.m. it didn't seem to want to revert on its own so it

was off to the Hospital. I saw the emerg doc, who I was to find out

later had been practicing all of 4 years, who advised me that they

don't cardiovert afib any more as the risk of throwing an unknown

clot is too great. after some discussion he stated it was medico-

legally indefencable. in other words it is legally safer for the

doctor to sit and do nothing let you revert to sinus rhythm and

throw a clot after X hours than cardiovert you early incase you may

have an unknown clot sitting in your atria because you did not

recognize you had been in Afib. (I believe some one here said who

doesn't know they're in Afib)I was handed over at 7 a.m. to the

specialist on call who was a nephrologist !??? He examined me and

took a history told me my Potassium was low normal. He said if I

didn't convert within a couple of hours he would cardiovert me. he

started a cardizem and potassiun drip and waited 4 hrs now alittle

after 2 p.m. they came in to do the cardioversion. The previous 2

times I have been cardioverted I was sedated by an anesthetist I

enquired as to where the ansthetist was and was inforned that the

nephrologist was going to sedate me. (critical error on my part I

let him) I was given 50 mcg of Fentynl (i'd never been given that

before) and then Propofol (i had been given propofol the previous 2

times by anestesia. It was like the lights went out and when I woke

up it was all over and the room was empty) this time I can remember

carrying on a conversation with the doctor un till I guess I went to

sleep I seem to have some sense that I could still hear when it felt

like something hit me in the chest that was on fire. It hurt like

hell. Later the nephrologist apologised for maybe not giving me

enough sedation. (Ya think) Any way the point is don " t let this

happen to you. Demand appropriate care, second opinion, your own

Physician what ever it takes.

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