Update following Cardiology appointment

[Nosila07]

Firstly thank you all for your responses to my question last week. I attended my appointment yesterday fully armed with a list of long questions which I was determined to get answered before I left.

My Cardiologist advised that my Echocardiogram showed y heart wea in a good shape. However the results of wearing a HR monitor for one week were more disturbing. He advised that my HR was more often than not up around 200bpm. This was a big surprise because my Withings HR watch does not reflect his and I don't get palpitations or symptoms apart from breathlessness when walking up hill or on stairs etc. but also extreme tiredness when I do anything. I have to do housework and gardening etc. in short spurts. He thinks I should have an ablation and has referred my to Papworth hospital. In the meantime he has increased my Digoxin too 250mg (from 125mg) and also persuaded me to try a small amount of Beta Blocker (Nebivolol 2.5mg). I only ever tried Bisopropol when first diagnosed back in 2020 but felt slight headed, blurred vision etc. so we shall see if this works.

My concern was that I am unaware of when my HR is 200 bpm because even if I do a Kardia ECG it will just do an average HR reading. He did say there were writst worn devices that were better at recording HR more accurately but I don't know where I should look. Does anyone have any suggestions or have experience of a worn wrist device that more accurately records their Heart Rate? Thank you.

[sassy59]

Hi Nosila, I have an Apple Watch which is good for recording heart rate and I’m sure there are other wrist devices that will help. Hope you find something soon.

[jeanjeannie50]

Once my wrist pulse indicated 62, but my heart rate was in fact well over 200. If your heart goes very fast it may not be picked up via the wrist. I discovered this when I called for help and medics came. They checked at my wrist then did an ECG which showed my true pulse to be more than 3 times higher. I was taken to A&E and the consultant on duty said he'd seen the rate difference before.

Now the only thing I'll trust is a good quality stethoscope.

Jean

[MWIC in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Jean is right it’s not an easy thing to get accurate - I starting using an oximeter and thought it was great until I realised it completely fails to display your real heart rate and got a Kardia which seems to be more accurate - May say 75 on oximeter but could be 180 and shows on my Kardia so I trust this at the moment and just use as a gauge as not always aware when it is high as if it is consistent and not all over the place I’m often not aware of it until I try to do something and realise I’ve no energy so take a reading and so far it’s because my HR has taken off

[mav7]

more often than not up around 200bpm.

Interesting case, Nosila.

Did the doctor mention how long the heart stays at the 200bpm ? Very key. Not uncommon to be asymtomatic if only for short periods.

Sounds like he is giving good advice by also prescribing a beta blocker. And determining your situation may be helped with an ablation. Often it is best to endure side effects with a beta blocker if one has an excessive heart rate.

Very difficult to get an accurate heart rate with afib. As sassy mentions (and hopefully others will opine), the Apple Watch seems to be good. I have not tried but it advertises a continuous reading.

support.apple.com/guide/wat...

[PAP48]

I, too, have an Apple Watch which records my bpm and does an ECG which I can print off from my Apple phone to show my consultant. I find it very useful but it is easy to become obsessed with my heart rate! Keep well.

[50568789]

What's the verdict on pulse oximeters? Very simple to use for SATS and pulse rate, but accurate? Mine also gives a pulse wave line, which to me can clearly show when heartbeat irregular, although a Dr was dismissive of it as unreliable. Trouble is it can be a bit addictive if not careful, could stare at it for hours, maybe more harm than good.

[Tangalle in reply to 50568789]

Hi

I have had no luck at all with a pulse oximeter having bought one primarily to use the wavy line to monitor my heart irregularities. I have had it for 4 months and so far have only managed to get it to work straight away twice. Other times I have had to move my finger around to even get it to start and then I get the craziest of results which clearly are not accurate (unless of course I am the oxygen deprived zombie it tells me I am). I have now given up on it! The one I bought was NHS recommended too!!

[50568789 in reply to Tangalle]

Have to say, it sounds like it might be faulty, not you. I would complain / return it and try another one.

[ian16527]

I have posted this previously, but the pulse ox type HR watches pick up the ventricle beats, and only if you have a ecg type device will pick up the AF beats in the top chambers. In AF only some pulses get down to the ventricles which show on the watch otherwise we would be very symptomatic as the bottom would follow the top at the crazy speed.

I am not sure if the apple watch can measure this as if it does an ecg it maybe can

[lexigirl2]

Hi. I'm in the states. I would definitely get a second opinion...in my opinion🙃

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

I am astounded that you have NOT BEEN OFFERED CCB Calcium Channel Blocker like Diltiazen. Twinked to 120mg AM and Bisoprolol 2.5 PM.

CCB for rapid H/R.

BB for BP

Both for rhythm.

I have NOT had an ablation or cardioversion.

Before an ablation is done all lines of meds should be tried carefully.

Diltiazem 180mg brought me down 105 H/R within 2 hours to 51. But light headed a reduced dose was given.

Ablation scars the heart and takes away from it.

Have a think first.

An Anticoagulant is necessary if you have AF.

cheri JOY. 74. (NZ)