AliveCor : Hi. I'm considering buying... - Atrial Fibrillati...

Atrial Fibrillation Support

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yanbart profile image
26 Replies

Hi. I'm considering buying one of these as I've heard a lot of good things about them. Could someone please tell me if this is the correct device? (From Amazon)?amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01A4W...

Also. Does anyone know if it is compatible with a Samsung Galaxy Alpha??? I don't have an iPhone. Thank you, yan 😊

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yanbart profile image
yanbart
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26 Replies
Pdotg profile image
Pdotg

I've also been looking at Amazon for one of these, and had the same question about my phone (iPhone 5). I did find the list of suitable phones somewhere very recently on the amazon website, can't remember exactly where but it was in a subsection about "answered questions". Good luck, and if you find it useful do let us know. My GP recommended it but some of the reviews are not great.

yanbart profile image
yanbart in reply to Pdotg

Thank you ☺

Harboreyes63 profile image
Harboreyes63 in reply to Pdotg

It works great all the time and I even have a pacemaker. When I was in the hospital last year the dr tested it against the one hooked up to my chest. The same. Well worth every cent!

PeterWh profile image
PeterWh

Look on the AliveCor (Kardia) website.

I have had mine for 15 months and it has been extremely useful to me, my GP, my EP and heart valve consultant.

yanbart profile image
yanbart in reply to PeterWh

Thanks Peter

dedeottie profile image
dedeottie

I wouldnt be without mine.x

yanbart profile image
yanbart in reply to dedeottie

Thank you ☺

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

I have had one for 3 years now, I had one of the first which is different lo the one illustrated as there have been several upgrades since. They were originally tests by the AFA and a few forum members got them to try and report back on them in 2013/2014. I wouldn't be without mine and both my GP & EP find them very useful as I can give them print outs, email them or send them a link online to look at the history.

Some people have had probs with the contacts - use an alcohol gel if you can't get a good reading and you do have to remain incredibly still.

I can't tell you about compatability because I use IPhones - have kept my IPhone4' as that is the one my early AliveCor fits. It also works with my IPad - you just hold it very close to the microphone until you see a contact signal.

yanbart profile image
yanbart

That's really useful. Thank you

Azbycx profile image
Azbycx

I bought an alivecor when I was diagnosed 18 months ago , it worked perfect for a few months , can't get it to work now , I let my phone fall a few weeks ago and hey presto it worked for a few day. If my a fib is acting up I just check my pulse.

PeterWh profile image
PeterWh in reply to Azbycx

Have you changed the battery?

Azbycx profile image
Azbycx in reply to PeterWh

Since I changed my diet I have been keeping really well , lost 2 stone ,I didn't bother to change the battery . Talked to my EP a couple of weeks ago and he said I have a 20 to 30 percent chance curing it with ablation.

Azbycx profile image
Azbycx in reply to Azbycx

Sorry Peter, what I should have said was ,the procedure would carry a 20 - 30 percent requirement to be repeated with paroxysmal pattern.

Dovelady profile image
Dovelady

My Kardia as its now called has been brilliant. I showed my GP a printout and subsequent £5 analasys by cardiologist and she copied it to my cardiologist . Only yesterday I saw her and she says that this is the way things will be in the future. Best advice I got from this group was don't get obsessed with it, an excellent tool.

Vanna-C profile image
Vanna-C

I was diagnosed, treated and sent home 4 weeks ago, and was almost afraid to move for the first few days in case another episode started. I read about the 'Kardia' on this site, and thought it might help with my anxiety levels.

I use it first thing in the morning, which regularly gives me an unclassified reading, as my pulse is usually about 45 bpm then, and anytime during the day if I start feeling odd sensations. It has read Afib once, all the other readings are normal.

I am starting to feel much better, more confidant, and am sure that with the reassurance I am getting from the Kardia I will soon have my life back!

For the first few days I was obsessed with checking my HR, but after the morning session yesterday, forgot all about it until 11 last night, so it must be calming me somewhat!

LindaDaisy profile image
LindaDaisy

My EP consultant at Papworth recommended I get one. I am trying to take back some control of my body by avoiding my known triggers (caffeine, dehydration, not eating, eating a large meal and letting myself get upset about things). Doesn't stop AF but reduces the number of incidences. The main area that causes me problems is when an arrhythmia starts I never know what it's going to turn into (AF, SVT, VT, tachycardia, 100, 150 or 200 bmp, 10 mins duration or 30 hours) I find the calmer I keep the better it is. By using the Kardia device I can identify AF and normal rhythms. It makes me feel more in control. I dont take a reading unless I think I'm going into AF etc and I don't keep it attached to my phone but in my handbag. I would recommend it but don't get obsessed with it.

NiceNana profile image
NiceNana

I use this one on my Samsung Galaxy Mini III. Try loading the app on your phone before you send for it. Before I bought mine I was told to download the App, if this loads then the device will work.

I printed out the results to show my EP. (Who had one on his phone)

If you have an app for the phone/ipad/whatever then it should work. The Alivecor does not need to fit to your phone, you just need to hold the two devices near each other. I have an Alivecor that fits my iPhone 5, but I never bother because it usually pops off anyhow.

yanbart profile image
yanbart

Thanks everyone, some really useful replies there. I have had my AF under control for the past year by taking Flecainaide. I did the London Marathon in April and felt great after all my training. However, since easing off and now stopping running (due to other responsibilities), I have noted several occasions where my heartbeat is completely irregular. The Flecainaide is clearly stopping the horrible palpitations I was having last year, but now I am not sure if I am creeping back into AF, or if this irregular heartbeat is ectopics/my heart trying to go into AF/something else. My HR is very slow and maybe since stopping exercising it has slowed down even more allowing this irregularity to creep in. Who knows? I am basically experiencing two strong thumps, followed by a long gap, a sort of quick weak beat, a normal beat and then back to the two strong beats. Something like that anyway...!! It's odd. Hence why I am thinking of getting a 'Kardia' to show my GP/Cardiologist. Hopefully from what I have heard, it would be worth me getting one, providing I can download the app first. Thank you everyone :)

in reply to yanbart

My arrhythmia has developed over time, so I went to see my EP and a change in drugs has worked, now back to normal I'm glad to say. The drug that used to work, now doesn't, or not so well anyhow.

Micklfc profile image
Micklfc in reply to yanbart

Hi Yan,

Just wondering if you found the Alivecor useful?

I'm similar to yourself in that I like to run (although not marathons!) I'll do about 30km a week and am on 2 x50mg of flecainide ... I've found when I'm running I generally feel ok but have days when it can wipe me out... Pulse is slow and never gets above 140 even when going up hills or in a sprint.

I assume that the flecainide doesn't help? Recently been have the odd skips and thumps again and this coupled with slow pulse isn't great and was hoping this would be able to supply a bit of proof for GP..

Thanks for your time

Cheers

Mick

ultramarine profile image
ultramarine

You would be best to check compatibility for your phone first, I was told Android 4 and above. Its excellent and corresponds near enough to the hospitals monitors, lets me know when I need to go to hospital, or can email results to my EP who is 2hrs plane flight away.

SteveA profile image
SteveA

I've got one, very good. My EP was very impressed with the PDF ecg printouts, he said the detail was excellent.

However I don't carry it with me all the time or I start checking my heart rate every 20 minutes and become a bit obsessed!

johnMiosh profile image
johnMiosh

I have the app on my galaxy.

Compatibility page here alivecor.com/how-it-works/?...

It doesn't specifically mention the alpha, but I am certain it will work. Go to the app store, if the app downloads it will be fine.

I found it very useful. I had a run of ectopics in August and emailed the traces to my cardiologist. I have just had a consultation and he asked me if I had had any other unusual traces recently. I noticed that he had added the earlier Kardia traces to my hospital file alongside their own ECGs.

yanbart profile image
yanbart in reply to johnMiosh

Hi John. This post was a year ago now and I never did get one! Since last year, I have taken up triathlon and have found that the multi discipline exercise, along with associated weight loss and flecanide has (touch wood) seemingly helped things to stabilise and at the moment, I no longer feel the need to keep checking what's going on etc. Long may it continue! :) Hope you are doing ok!

johnMiosh profile image
johnMiosh

I did not notice your OP was a year old. It came up on my news feed two weeks ago.

I am also doing well thanks. Now 8 weeks after second ablation, AF gone, just a few ectopics. I am cycling only on the flat for now, but slowly working back to fitness. I still use the kardia regularly, but just as a reassurance.

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