Fitness band???

[rickster21]

I guys can anyone recommend a good fitness band that monitors the heart.I have looked at a fair few on line,I cycle and run a fair bit so I wanted one that could show data even when I sleep. Any suggestions??

[AnticoagulateNow]

Do you mean a heart rate monitor chestband? Polar and Garmin are top makes for such monitors but Polar's receivers (watch etc providing the display) tend to be simpler and cheaper than Garmin's if you only want something that measures your heart rate rather than all the GPS data the latter provides. Batteries last much longer too. Mind you Garmin's straps tend to be more comfortable and that might be important if you plan to sleep with it on.

However, if you are measuring heart beat while in AF, these bands simply won't give you anything like an accurate reading. The electronics in all these monitors are easily confused and only work with a regular beat.

[Loo53]

Actually I am looking for the same thing as I got to the gym and I'm starting in a cycling club soon but I would like something to wear at night to monitor data as you say....if you find anything in your search let me know...I know there are those pulse watch thingys but its about time someone invented something for us Afibbers to wear at night....or during sport!

Sorry I couldnt give you any more help on this...

[franksavage]

I need one too Loo! If I come across one I will post as I do some cycling.

Good call!

[Beancounter Volunteer]

Hi Nickster

Yes I have polar band and watch, and use it when exercising, they are OK, and give an indication, but as has been said, they are very easily confused when you are in AF (which I am continuously) so often give weird figures.

Not really suitable for wearing overnight if I am honest you need a specialised medical halter for that and why would you want to measure overnight?

I'm going to repeat what I told someone else, which is you don't start getting better until you stop monitoring.

Unless you have a good reason, such as doctor request, or needing to keep your heart rate down during exercise (polar HRM) then leave it alone and get on with life.

Be well

Ian

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Beancounter]

Ian knows my view on this well enough. There is a terrible tendency for us AFers to get OCD about hear rates etc and all this monitoring only exacerbates the worry surrounding AF. I tell people that I only ever started to get better when the batteries on my machine went flat. O K if you are asked for a strip of results for say BP by your doctor then fine but then put the darned machine away and get on with your life. .With exercise just do what you are comfortable with and don't push too hard. After all many people who train very hard and long (endurance athletes) actually cause their AF so we know it isn't good for you. Everything in moderation.

Bob

[Mamamarilyn in reply to Beancounter]

I'd really like to support what you say Ian. Whilst it is easy to keep monitoring your heart activities (and indeed totally understandable especially in the early months after diagnosis) I think it does tend to generate anxiety which is well known to be a trigger for AF. I also bought a monitor to wear during gym and walking sessions and found that it detracted from the enjoyment I normally felt....it's as though I was waiting for something to go wrong! I was diagnosed with PAF 10 months ago and can now tell if there's something going on just by the way I feel. My own cardio's advice was to continue life as normally as possible, just have enough awareness to stop if your body is telling you to. It's not the easiest advice but I'm going with it.

[MarkS in reply to Beancounter]

How remarkable - I was just going to say the same as you all. Marilyn echoed my feelings exactly. After my ablation I got a heart rate strap on monitor with the reader attached to my handlebars. I got very anxious about each little blip, particularly on hills. I think it wasn't making very good contact. I used it the once,realised I was getting too hung up about it, shoved it in a drawer and haven't used it since. So if anyone wants a cheapo HR monitor (it came from Lidl/Aldi) then there's one going here!

Mark

[weezergeezer]

I used a polar watch when I ran and exercised, the problem with using it in bed overnight is that when you turn over etc it can come adrift and mis-reads or stops reading, found very it good when in Af you can see how your heartbeat is erratic then you begin to appreciate why you feel so unwell.

[mumknowsbest Volunteer]

I agree with Ian and Bob

There is really no need for constant monitoring, especially if you have been diagnosed. I went through this stage in the beginning and it really is letting af take over your life. I have an alive cor and it is the worst thing I did. I was on it constantly although I have a diagnosis and my consultant is well aware of what is happening.

Try and live life as normally as possible and don't let af take over

Eileen

[lynneangela]

I have AF too and use my blood pressure monitor to see what my pulse is doing. If my AF is really bad it won't register anything. I do get anxious at times, but I have had a left hemispheric stroke and a right lacuna infarct.I now have loads of medication. I don't want a full blown stroke like my dad who survived 18 months peg fed. So any monitor helps me cope 21months down the line. Now on loads of new meds or ablation it they don't work either (at the moment they don't but here's hoping) so monitor for me.

[jondeanp]

Rickster, i was looking into a fitness band just before i developed AF in December. I am a keen runner but also wanted to monitor sleep activity. At the time i was getting very disturbed sleep which i think may have been a factor i my AF.

I couldnt make up my mind and then kept asking myself "did i really need one", but the one that stood out for me was the polar loop

If you do go for it, let us know how you get on

For those suggesting not to over monitor the situation, i regularly monitored my HR when running as it can be a great tool to aid training

[rickster21]

Oops seamed to have opened a debate that monitoring can be detrimental,for me it would be so I could give my data to my consultant if needed and also so I can detect what's causing my attacks. Thanks johndean for your feedback I did feel polar we're better aimed at arythmia than others on the market.There are a lot of sleek designed models but I'm interested in the spec of the polar equipment even if there is a few more add on's.I for one would like to know if I'm increasing in attacks when I'm living my life normally.

[Hidden]

What kind of data? The Garmin Vivofit in sleep mode only shows how much you roll around in your sleep. If you can sleep with a chest band, it will record data at 15 second intervals. My Polar RS400 SD heart rate monitor is set to record at one second intervals. I have exercise induced PAF and my heart rate goes up to 230 bpm. I recently did a cardiac assessment Bruce protocol inclined treadmill test where I almost finished stage 4 before AF set in. As I was connected to a medical ECG machine, I was interested to see a read out of 235 bpm.

I look a right geek in the gym as I wear Garmin and Polar chest bands as well as the Vivofit and the Polar RS400. That's because in a gym the heart rate is easier to read on the Vivofit but the Polar is better at recording and analysing. It's all a bit academic at the moment as I have "community acquired pneumonia" (off to the hospital again shortly) so none of this running around and dropping weights on my feet for a few weeks!