AliveCor monitor.

[shirlygirly]

Hi its approximately 17 weeks since my first ablation, I was elated for the first month when I couldnt feel anything from my heart, I remember saying it

felt like something missing. Then things went rapidly downhill after that,

rapid heartbeat breathless on exertion, energy levels would drop suddenly,

back to having to sit down after doing anything. I really didnt worry about

it because I had read so much on this site about the kind of thing to expect

it wasnt a problem. I had very rapid and erratic heartbeat with what I thought

to be af but only lasting seconds and what felt like my heart trying to go into

af. On Christmas day I did have a prolonged bout of af, about 3 hours, started as usual rapid heartbeat then into af. I had an EP appointment on

6th January approximately 10 weeks post ablation and his opinion was he

thought another ablation was necessary. Things have been much the same

since very few days without these symptoms, rapid and erratic heartbeat

on and off throughout the day, but any af I dont know, feels like it but

cannot be sure, We have a Omron monitor but it doesnt record short

runs of af only the longer spells. My second ablation would be in approxmately 6 weeks and Im in a quandary about it. When I had a seven

day monitor before my ablation things had been happening which I had

not been aware of. Would the AliveCor help me find out whats going on.

When I saw my EP the first time his first offer was a pacemaker and I am

wondering if maybe this would be a better option for me. Also although

I have a mobile phone its only the bog standard press button variety

would this be suffcient. Grateful for any advice.

Shirley.

[BobD Volunteer]

You need an i phone for Alivecor Shirley. Sorry. My advice would be go for the second ablation. I had three before mine was sorted but would not have changed that for the world. Coming back to Alivecor if you have had a seven day monitor which recorded stuff you didn't know about why do you need to know? Also do be aware that a pacemaker will not stop AF. It will ensure a regular ventricle beat but your atria may still fibrillate which you could quite possibly feel. It is another thing you would be dependent on as well.

Bob

[CDreamer in reply to BobD]

Sorry to contradict you Bob, no you don't need an IPhone. You do however need a smart phone, OR an Ipad.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to CDreamer]

Sorry I meant smart phone. to me they are all i phones if they don't have buttons.lol

[CDreamer]

Hi Shirley - I had to have a second ablation as my symptoms exacerbated after the first. The second did it for me though and I have had no further problems since the second which was last March, so just coming up for a year now!

As to Alivecor, sometimes by the time you get set up, the episode will have finished if you only have short runs. Personally I found it very useful and very comforting as I learned a lot, information for me reassures me, even when I cannot do anything about it, knowing what is happening to me lessens my anxiety.

But that is me, think about will it help or hinder for you to know what is happening?

Would it be useful to be able to store your traces and print and email them? If you are fairly competent on a computer or a smart phone, which you must be to post, then I cannot see what you would lose, except £65 if you didn't find it useful.

Both my GP and EP loved it as I used to just email them a copy or print off and take to appointments.

[shirlygirly]

Hi everyone thanks so much for the advice, the 7 day monitor I had was before ablation. Im not really computer savvy, my husband got me a tablet

about l8 months ago to get me started and got me on this site when I was first diagnosed. I do have a normally lowish heart rate, so maybe thats why

I was offered the pacemaker I passed out after being put on 2.5mg of

bisoprolol and had it reduced just before I saw him. I just thought it seemed

like a way of finding out exactly whats going on. My husband is very

competetent with electronics, it being his line of work before retirement

so it wouldnt be impossible for us to do but maybe not really necessary.

I will think about it a while longer.

Shirley.

[Hidden in reply to shirlygirly]

If you buy one, just make sure that there is an app for the device/computer you intend to use and I would download it and try it although it'll obviously not find an Alivecor to communicate with. The Alivecor does not need to be fixed to the device/computer even though they supply it with cases that do this. Just needs to be near. Because they come with a case to fit iPhone or whatever, I assumed that you had to use the case, but you don't. It's the app that's the important bit.

Koll

[angiek in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for this Koll - I too assumed you had to have the case fitted, until I read this!

[shirlygirly]

Hi Happyjo, Just to prove what a novice I am I have no idea how to read

the post you left for me-help.....Shirley.