Kardia

I've had my Kardia a month. Each time I take a reading it tells me I'm in AFib. I know I have permanent AFib. Was I a fool for spending almost £100 on my Kardia?

[Rellim296]

There's AFib and AFib. I have paroxysmal AF and only use my Omron monitor when I know my heart's away and being silly. It can be fast or not so fast, spasmodic, very irregular or mostly good beats with an odd one in between. I like to look along the reading and see what I'm getting and if it's feeling a bit untoward, it almost always reassures me. Surely it's the same for you? Some wild reading could indicate something awry that might need checking. I get a 'Please show this to your doctor' message very occasionally. Doesn't Kardia give you a basic diagnosis? Because you have permanent AF doesn't mean you can't occasionally go into some weird and different rhythm.

You can also use your Kardia on someone else.

[Hidden in reply to Rellim296]

I probably need to do some homework on reading and understanding the output from the machine. Kardia will give one a more detailed report from a technician if you pay a fiver but, frankly, on the four occasions I've done this I did not receive much more enlightenment. My version of AFib is such that I only have symptoms very rarely; the one thing that is useful is getting an easil read and accurate BPM.

[Rellim296 in reply to Hidden]

I would have thought that it you are taking the occasional reading, you have a picture of what's normal for you. If something really odd happens, you can record and then show it to your GP or indeed at A & E should you feel so unwell that you need to go.

I agree with BobD that frequent obsessive checking is unhealthy. Whilst I use my monitor as a diary and take a recording when I go into AF, I feel it's there mainly to record something out of the ordinary that might be significant.

[BobD Volunteer]

Not sure why you needed to if you know you have permanent AF.

They are very useful when trying to get a diagnosis and whilst some people find the device useful and even comforting, many become over reliant or even obsessive about checking and that frankly is unhealthy.

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

I already knew I had permanent AFib. I think I hoped for more understandable info from the Kardia. Apart from having the usual tests and being put on the usual meds the only bit of further useful ( and surprising, to me) info I've had from the GP is that permanent AFib is easier to manage and generally less threatening. To answer my own question, I have wasted the money and, perhaps, could have found that out pre-purchase with more checking:not that there's much info about.

[rosyG in reply to Hidden]

I think all knowledge about one's health is good- as others have said above, if you see anything that looks different you can show it to you doctor- very useful I think

[momist]

Actually, Goldie11 has point there. Are adverts for such things permitted on this forum? I've not checked. Not that I'm in the market as I've already bought my own at retail direct from AliveCor.

No, I don't think it would be a waste of money for you, unless you are short of cash to begin with. It can give you the reassurance that your AF has not changed, and as far as I know, normal pulse monitors will not give you accurate results while you are in AF (all the time!). You can quickly check your heart rate, and as Rellim296 and rosyG say, you can have a record if there is any change that makes you feel unwell. If you use that only once, it was a good investment in my view.

[Hidden in reply to momist]

Thanks momist and everyone else. I'm now fairly clear as to what I should have done and what I will do. Had I done my homework I would not have bought the Kardia. Given that I have bought it I shall keep it - should my condition change or worsen it should give me a handle on what is happening and what to say to the medics.

[Dodie117]

You could ask them to take it back??