Cardioversion.

[mmxo84]

Hi,

My Mom is going in for the second time for a Cardioversion. Has anyone had success with this and what type of medicine did you take to maintain the hearts rhythm after?

 

[Johnz]

I had cardioversion to bring me out of a 210 bpm rhythym because I had ventricular tachycardia. They gave me some "loopy juice" to take me out of it 'cause it's, well, a shock. The shock worked right away. Afterward I was put on Toprol. Ultimately, my condition was completely resolved by Dr. Mehta using catheter ablation at Mt. Sinai in New York City. Has your mom investigated that option?

 

[mainframe]

I had a cardioversion almost 4 weeks after my surgery to get me out of afib. (Was in ICU for more than a month). It was successful and Amiodaone was prescribed for a couple of months after. A year later no more afib or amiodaone.

 

[Adrienne]

Cardioversion two months before surgery

Cardioversion two months before surgery

I went into a-fib in August 2005 while I was in the midst of getting a zillion opinions about whether I needed surgery or not. I went to the ER, had a cardioversion which worked and was put on Amiodarone and Cardizem (sp) to keep me from going back into it until I finally had my surgery almost two months later. The surgery would have been almost right away, but the surgeon I had already spoken to whom I knew that I wanted was going away for two weeks. I had the choice of getting it done right away by anyone or waiting for the best. When I had the surgery, the surgeon also did a Maze Procedure. Knock on wood - I have not had a-fib since.

 

[coach14]

I went into A-flutter about 4 weeks after my surgery. It was discovered on my first day of rehab. I was put on Amiodarone for about a month to see if it would go back in rhythm. It did not and I went in for a TEE and cardioversion. The cardio thought there was a possible clot from the TEE and I had another month of Amiodarone and Coumadin. Then went back for the cardioversion. Got me back in rhythm with 1 zap, I was out for about 5 minutes. Been in rhythm every since, which has been a little over a year. Stopped both the amiodarone and coumadin about a month after the cardioversion.

 

[mmxo84]

Thanks Everyone for posting, I'm on the phone with my Mom now.

In 2003 she had open heart surgery at Deborah Heart and Lung in Brownsmills NJ. She then developed Scar Tissue which lead to her heart to go out of rhythm 7 years later (today). About three months ago she went to the ER for a fast heart rhythm, they then did tests and found she had a-fib. They made plans for her to go get the cardioversion but found a blood clot in her leg. Put her on Coumadin, and it worked the blood clot when back into her system and went away. So then they made official plans to get her to Deborah again for this cardioversion. She had her first one done a month ago, it worked! They put her on sotolol and monitored her for 48 hours, everything was great. Sent her home and on her second dose while she was home gave her swollen feet and she couldnt walk. She blew up like a balloon. They told her to get off of it and to come back asap for another set of medications.

Well she couldn't take off of work again because she is a school teacher and they only allow so many days. I had a heart to heart with her that this is her life, forget her job!

So while she was "crossing her fingers" the heart was going to stay normal with no support from meds - it obviously went out again and now she has to go back for the cardioversion all over and try Amidarone.

I really hope this works. My dad is another story. He has a leaky valve...

It's super hard to have sick parents and be 26 with as an old child. I appreciate the support on this tread and the success stories.

 

[Bryan B]

I had A-Flutter and they were going to do a cardioversion but had to abort because of a blood clot in my left atrium. After 6 weeks of Coumadin to dissolve the clot I was readmitted but they decided to do a catheter ablation instead. They said they have been getting better long term results with patients not going back into A-Fib or A-Flutter using catheter ablation versus cardioversion. I am only on Vasotec and Lopressor which is for my dilated aortic root and leaky valve.