Alivecor ap

[Elaine1951]

Are they worthwhile ? Review on Amazon is terrible. Advice welcomed

[Hidden]

I've got one, works very well indeed. Looked on Amazon and found mainly good reviews! Something wrong somewhere?

[Elaine1951 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks I must have looked at the wrong thing ! Is this an ap for iPhone ?

[PeterWh in reply to Elaine1951]

It is a not an app per se but an actual device. Works with Apple and many android devices. Once you have bought it you download the appropriate app to record data

[Elaine1951 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[Finvola]

I use my Alivecor to confirm arrhythmias to show to my GP/EP and I find it invaluable for that purpose, especially with hard to catch symptoms. It gives a single lead trace so is nothing like as sophisticated as a full ECG but it does exactly what itis supposed to do.

I use mine with an iPad.

[PeterWh in reply to Finvola]

You can get it todo two lead

[Elaine1951 in reply to Finvola]

Helpful. Thanks

[Elaine1951]

Good to know.

[AlanAF]

I use mine with a Samsung and found it easy to set up. It is useful that all of the readings are recorded on the web site and they print off easily onto 1 A4 sheet.

I bought mine to record symptoms as and when they happen so I can show them to doctors. It was useful straight away as I had a private EP appointment and he didn't have access to any of my previous NHS test results (apart from the Echo they did immediately before I saw him), so it confirmed some things for him. Since then, I have been getting odd inverted P waves which I want to ask about.

The down side is that it can be tempting to worry and over check yourself, but then that's the same with any home medical equipment. I have a nurse friend who doesn't think much of it because it is just a single trace, but then it would cost a hell of a lot more and be much bulkier if it was a full device. I think a common complaint is that it classifies a lot of readings as neither normal or AF (something like 'unable to identify'). I think the manufacturers are working on this.

[PeterWh in reply to AlanAF]

If you set your recording time as 1 or 2 mins you will get classified. Also readings will be more accurate.

[PeterWh]

I think it is first class and extremely pleased I bought it.

My EP said "brilliant" when I told him the morning after my ablation that I had bought one. After my ablation I went back into AF less than 72 hours later and was able to email odd from AliveCor. When I saw EP a few weeks later he said the hospital ECG machine costing tens of thousands of pounds confirmed what we knew from your AliveCor which cost less than £100

[Elaine1951]

Thank you

[dedeottie]

Very useful and importantly the E.Ps and my G.P. accept them.

[paulh1 in reply to dedeottie]

Yep, both my EP and my cardiologist talk about them.

[rosyG]

They are great!1 I have one and can e mail my ecg to specialists and the medical director of our support group has used them for two public screening events we have organised and he also uses it at the hospital

[fallingtopieces]

Yes they are very much worth it!

So pleased I bought mine.

Pat

[joebob]

I have found mine to be next to useless for myself.

I don't think it'd the device as I have got others to try and it shows a strong recording, but when I try it struggles to pick up anything, keeps timing out, and what it does pick up is garbage.

I tried it a moment ago and it shows 191bpm. I use another free app called Heart Rate, which uses your camera to detect your pulse, and that shows as 74bpm, which is accurate from a good old fashioned feel of the pulse and counting.

I'm sure the device is great for most people, but if you are somehow incompatible like me then it's money wasted

[PeterWh in reply to joebob]

Joe Bob. Try cleaning the back of the AliveCor with a moist (not wet) warm cloth and then drying. Also before you use it wash your hands well. Hold it firmly and close to the phone / tablet. The fact that it keeps timing out means that it is loosing connection either physical or the signal.

[CDreamer in reply to joebob]

Using alcohol gel improves the conductivity.

[Thomps95]

I find mine extremely valuable - my fingers don't give a good reading so I use my right fingers and left knee - gives a really clear strong reading.

[Elaine1951 in reply to Thomps95]

That creates quite a picture !

[Lindabob]

Worth every penny. Confirmed AF for docs, saved faffing around with holter monitor.

[Mike11]

Doesn't have to be an Alivecor but certainly every AF sufferer should invest in some form of ECG. I did have one idiotic junior doctor who didn't want to know about the results from it but I've found all proper consultants are more than happy to accept the printouts and work from there.

[Jimppy]

I have a Prince 180d which has three inbuilt terminals for quick measurements but can also record continuously with three external leads. To be honest I'm not sure it's done any good having it. I don't need a machine to tell me I'm in af I'm very well aware of it, so unless you're trying to capture an episode for your cardiologist who has never seen your heart "in action" or you want to track your af for your own personal satisfaction I wouldn't bother going to the expense. I went through a phase of being totally absorbed by my af so I have an ecg machine, pulse oximeter, stethoscope, bp cuff, old Uncle Tom Cobbly and all and I can't remember the last time I used them, with the exception of the oximeter which I pop on every now and then to measure my rate. I was intent on keeping a record and progress of my afib but like all good intentions it quickly fell by the way side. Don't worry to much about external gadgets, unless your asymptomatic you yourself are the best judge of what's going on!

[CDreamer]

I love mine and it picked up an irregularity with my husbands' heart - he took the trace to his doctor who had him down to cardiology and a pacemaker fitted within a few weeks. The Dr who invented it has been known to post here and the trials here in the UK were supported by the AFA.

I know some people had trouble using it or they become obsessed by constant use but mine is fab & I rate it 10/10 and was lifesaver, probably literally, for me.

Everyone is different - if you want to track your own well-being in a sensible way and have AF - go for it - much better than having to hike over to A&E to get a trace. All the medics I had thought it was fantastic and accepted my traces as proof of what was going on, which was very useful as my EP was in London & I live in Devon so I could email him my readings & have a telephone or Skype consult if there was anything urgent, the money saved in not having to travel just once to London more than paid for the gadget.

And it is not for everyone,

[Barry24]

Not for me, could never get a reading. Sent it back and got a refund. May have had a dud one?

But once bitten twice shy.

[Kapnkeyz in reply to Barry24]

I had one and it gave very weird readings and I called AliveCor. They sent me a replacement and I returned the original. The replacement has worked fine. I also recently read that the right hand and left knee reading is generally the best reading... Not always convenient when wearing long pants!

[rmclachlan]

I found the Alivecor to work well. I do not use it that much but it can be useful to detect AF in the suspicious but undiagnosed, or to monitor whether you are in AF on those occasions when you are just not quite sure. As my AF is fairly well controlled at the moment I do not find I need it but I am happy to have the device just in case.

[shirljo]

My alivecor was a great help when abroad recently in AF as I could send results to my GP on my return. Also my cardilogist thought it was a great idea to have one. Not cheap but very reassuring. I use mine with my Samsung smart phone, I don't actually stick it to the back of my phone but keep in it a small case (which I made myself) in my bag but take it everywhere with me.