Saturday 17 October 2009

Cardioversion

Got the results through from this week's blood test yesterday. Disappointingly I scored a 1.7 (needs to be above 2.0), so I phoned St Thomas' to let them know. They explained that this means that I won't be able to go ahead with my Cardioversion on the 27th, because the clot risk would be too high. I need to be in the "therapeutic range" for a period of 4 consecutive weeks before I have the treatment. Otherwise, there is a possibility that any clots that form whilst my score is too low won't have had time to be sufficiently dissolved (not sure if this is the technical term!) before I get zapped.

Obviously I was disappointed with the test result and asked the hospital whether there was any way in which we could carry on with 27th, but they explained very clearly why this wouldn't be a good idea. On reflection, it hasn't taken long to get over the initial disappointment. Whilst I want to get the treatment done as soon as possible, get into a regular rhythm and hopefully feel the benefit of it, for the sake of a few weeks it's really not worth worrying about.

The anticoagulation clinic has upped my dose a little - l now have a couple of days this week when I get to have a pink 5mg tablet - so it's fingers crossed for a better blood test result next week.