ECG Monitor

[Dottilind]

Having been on warfarin for a few weeks I now have an appointment at hospital to be fitted with an ecg tape for 24 hours. Does this restrict you in any way? and what can they tell from the readings?

[BobD Volunteer]

You have three or maybe four sticky pads attached with leads to a small box. No bath or shower for the day othewise live normally.

The idea is that if you are having AF events it will pick them up for the doctors to see but they little boxes seem to have magical powers in that AF hides whilst you are wearing them.. Other than trying not to strangle yourself whilst sleeping easy peasy. as they say.

[Dottilind in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob D, thanks for that. Hope I dont move in the night, dont fancy being taken in to A & E people thinking I had been trying to strangle myself. Thankyou Dot

[Christo4]

Dottilind.

I had one one on for two weeks no problems was able to take it off for a shower,they can tell a few things from the results AF being one of them.do not worry you will be fine just carry on as you would normally.

Christo.

[jennydog]

I struggle to understand how a 24hr monitor can pick up AF accurately. I can go for days without symptoms. I recently had a 7 day loop recorder fitted and it picked up 3 episodes. This was the 3rd recorder in 5 years. I was told to keep the 1st one in my pocket but didn't like that idea so I knitted a purse which I wore like a huge locket. No problems sleeping with it round my neck. The only difficulty is the extreme itchiness of the electrodes .

[Rellim296 in reply to jennydog]

I had 7 days of itchy irritation with no episodes recorded. Good thing I didn't have a blood pressure monitor at the same time.

[Emsysy in reply to jennydog]

Don't want to be alarmist.....but wait until your in permanent AF. No probs then in picking up your misfiring.

[Lizziefin]

I had one last week. 5 electrodes, 2 at the top of my chest and 3 beneath my breasts. They are plugged into a small device which I wore on a strap around my waist. When I felt symptoms I checked the time on the device and noted it on my diary. Date and time, what the symptom was and what I was doing at the time. I had a lot of episodes of palpitations when wearing it so I am hoping it will show enough for a diagnosis. I have an echocardiogram this week and then I hope to meet the cardiologist to see what is afoot!

[Offcut]

My first one was an old portable tape recorder and I found sleeping with the noise of the tape kept me awake within an hour of them removing it I went into AF. I was fine while it was on.

My last one was a small solid state bit of kit and no noise and easy to do day to day actions it was only when the wires poked out my t shirt it looked a bit strange

Hope it goes well for you.

[Dottilind in reply to Offcut]

Thanks Offcut at least you made me laugh. Dot