Cardioversion

[Raspicat]

What is the effect of repeated cardioversions.  I have had an irregular heart rate for 11 years and have had at least 20 cardioversions.  I will be going in for my 2nd ablation therapy next week .  My heart rate has slowly declined from 74 to about 60 over the 11 years.  I also feel like I am taking deeper breaths and this is uncomfortable.

[BobRBob]

As far as I know, pacemakers are not used to treat AFIB unless the drugs required to control the AFIB cause serious bradycardia. The pacemaker keeps your heart rate up in this case but doesn't deal with the AFIB per se.

Regarding electro cardioversion, there seems to be a lot of variance in its use. I have never had one but have often wondered why. My paroxysmal afib progressed to persistent over the past year but a cardioversion was never part of the treatment. Now I have just had my first PVI ablation and am 11 days into recovery from that. Today I am in NSR so that's good. One day at a time!

[penny_aus]

my mother had a cardioversion for AFIB, it only lasted 3 months. the cardiologist didn't want to try another one, she's taking atenol now to maintain a normal heart rate

*cardioversions are normally just a quick method to get it back in rhythm, not really a good permanent treatment, here in australia doctors treat AFIB with drugs, if the drugs fail it's a pacemaker

[Raspicat]

Thanks for your response........I have since spoken to my doctor.  He advised that the purpose of the medication was to protect my heart by making it operate in a particular range.  As I have been on the medication for so long my heart rate will probably permanently operate in the current range with the exception of increasing slowly as I age.  Thanks also to Jerry_NJ
for his post.

[Jerry_NJ]

Are you talking about Electrocardioversions (shock)?  

I don't know if there is a limit, but can say my cardiologist gave up on me with a lot fewer than 20, over about the same period of time as your experience.

I had two that each resulted in me being in NSR for about a week each.  Now my cardiologist says he will not try and isn't even willing to try some of the powerful anti arrhythmic drugs.. but my AFib symptoms are tolerable, so I am told.

The breathless and any other new problems need to be discussed with your doctor, as already noted.