know it’s been asked before - Atrial Fibrillati...

Atrial Fibrillation Support

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know it’s been asked before

4chickens profile image
39 Replies

Right I’m on my way home from Sheffield and already panicking about AF and Afl, I’ve decided I need a way of capturing an ecg to reassure me in the short term . I don’t want to use it all the while just at the moment as a comfort blanket. Which would people recommend please. If all goes to plan I’m hoping it will end up forgotten in a cupboard or passed onto someone else

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4chickens
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39 Replies
SophieBella profile image
SophieBella

I have a samsung watch which does an ecg and you can email results from your phone if needed. It's expensive though. Also depends what phone yoh gave, if an iPhone you neef an apple watch.

momist profile image
momist in reply toSophieBella

I've often looked at the Samsung watch for myself, but never got a definitive reply as to whether it will work with an Android phone that is _not_ a Samsung phone? Maybe you have a different phone?

SophieBella profile image
SophieBella in reply tomomist

Ah, Im not sure about that. All I understand is that if you have an apple phone you need an apple watch. and if a Samsung phone a Samsung watch. Just Googled it and it says, Galaxy Watches help to track your way to wellness, providing motivation towards the goals that you want to achieve. While the Galaxy Watch works best with Samsung devices, it can be connected to a range of Android and iOS devices. Link is: samsung.com/uk/support/mobi....

momist profile image
momist in reply toSophieBella

Thanks SophieBella , yes I've seen that. Of course, Samsung has no intention of encouraging anyone to buy a phone from a competitor, but they might sell more watches if they disclosed whether other makes of Android phone would work, but they won't say that. I'm still hoping someone somewhere has tried it, and could say what limitations that would have, if any.

Nugger profile image
Nugger

Kardia

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer

If you really really must then kardia but I only started to feel normal when the batteries failed. Go by how you feel not what some stupid machine tells you.

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50 in reply toBobD

Agree with Bob, go with how you are feeling. If you get something to record your heart rate, it's only going to stress you if it has a little blip and make you anxious and we know what anxiety does to the heart don't we!

Looking forward to hearing regular reports from you on how well you're doing.

Jean x

ijregner profile image
ijregner in reply toBobD

I agree except I do use my Kardia to capture an EKG when I am having an episode so that I can share it with my cardiologist.

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer in reply toijregner

Thats what they are for but constant use increases anxiety and is counter productive.

sassy59 profile image
sassy59

I have an Apple iPhone which is good plus a kardia one lead which is also good. I have paid an extra £99 for a more detailed analysis which also works well.

mjames1 profile image
mjames1

I have all the Kardia models plus Apple Watch, but if I only had to have one, it would be the Kardia 6L. Not only easier to use than the Kardia Mobile, it also gives you the option to take a six lead ekg, which might be more helpful analyzing flutter than the single lead Kardia Mobile. They are both approx the same size.

Jim

Rosie1066 profile image
Rosie1066

Apple Watch for me, easy to use and easy to read and logs all your results. It will even dial 999 automatically if you have a hard fall.

Dippy22 profile image
Dippy22 in reply toRosie1066

I’ve got one too - the hard fall is hilarious! It goes off when I’m shaking or banging something in the kitchen, but didn’t go off when I slipped down the stairs. And the high decibel warning with some hand dryers is also quite amusing. But! The ECG is fab. Some mornings my HR can be very low, but the iWatch can inform me I’m still in AFib.

Rosie1066 profile image
Rosie1066 in reply toDippy22

mine dialled the emergency services twice - one when it was new and I was fiddling around with it not knowing what it would do. I had the police round as they thought I was unconscious or something, most embarrassing and went off last winter when I slipped on my drive but I reassured them that I was OK and didn’t need help. Quite reassuring to know that it will help you if you do need it.

Dippy22 profile image
Dippy22 in reply toRosie1066

Yes, it certainly is reassuring that help can be summoned - if needed. Luckily I’ve managed to switch mine off every time it incorrectly senses I’ve fallen. 😀

Jalia profile image
Jalia

Definitely Kardia. Easy to use and attach to your phone. I've found it very reassuring to have.

MummaSoap profile image
MummaSoap

My GP gave me a kardia 6L and it’s pretty good 👍🏻

The GP told me to use it whenever I feel symptomatic in the hopes that we might be able to capture what’s going on. It’s picked up a few things but I’m currently waiting for my cardiology review.

Hope you find something that works for you and gives you your confidence back!

Best wishes

Soap 🧼

MummyLuv profile image
MummyLuv

Kardia 6 lead, more accurate than my Apple Watch. Gave me a lot of comfort I was having PVCs and not afib x

Jalia profile image
Jalia in reply toMummyLuv

Good to know. I shall upgrade to the 6l when/if I get more problems !

kitenski profile image
kitenski in reply toMummyLuv

MummyLuv does the 6L Kardia identify PVCs?

MummyLuv profile image
MummyLuv in reply tokitenski

yes mine does

kitenski profile image
kitenski in reply toMummyLuv

thanks from reading the info on Amazon it appears I’d need to subscribe to kardiacare to get the extra notifications?

Screenshot of features
MummyLuv profile image
MummyLuv in reply tokitenski

I think I paid £99 for the year, well worth it o thought. Now I can tell from my single lead watch (and actually I can tell from feeling now too)

DevonHubby1 profile image
DevonHubby1

FitBit 5 is currently under £100 in the UK from Amazon.

MWIC profile image
MWIC

Kardia 6L (@ £150) - worth every penny to me - always thought I knew when I was in AF but found I don’t and plenty of times if rhythm is not all over the place but HR high (160) I don’t always know, so I take a reading couple of times a day just to check - also Cardiologist used the readings so speeded up getting into a treatment path

kkatz profile image
kkatz

I use Emay single lead ECG.I have sent these to Arrhythmia nurses.Check reviews or Kardia vs Emay on YouTube.There id an app called fibricheck that you can try free for a week and it is 60 secs.It is accepted by some docs .

bassets profile image
bassets

A Kardia for me which is simple to use and fairly accurate. Try not to worry too much and enjoy your convalescence. let us know how you are doing x

Singwell profile image
Singwell

I use a Kardiamobile. Very reliable, easy to use and not too expensive. It's worth getting the 6 lead model. And may the force be with you!!

OldJane profile image
OldJane

basic simple Kardia- trusted by my EP and arrhythmia nurse. Credit card size. Reliable with a smart phone

Rosie0202 profile image
Rosie0202

I have an omron intellisense blood pressure monitor. This has an AF symbol which shows when you are in AF. However AF can be unpredictable and I can take one reading showing the symbol and the second reading that doesn’t. Hence the unpredictability of AF. To reassure you the first thing my electrophysiologist said to me was “AF won’t kill you but it will affect your quality of life”.

Lilypocket profile image
Lilypocket

I have a kardia which I used from time to record when I was in Afib so I could send it to the dr. But apart from that I hardly ever used it and didn't have a watch. It can become addictive otherwise and create stress. But they are very useful to record an episode as whenever I wore à 24hr or 48h holter nothing happened 😅

4chickens profile image
4chickens

I’ve ordered the 6 lead kardia, as my comfort blanket, Mainly because a lot cheaper than an Apple Watch, plus I’ve never worn a watch so think I would constantly fiddle with it. I’m concerned it would been just to accessible on my wrist constantly.(I’d end up checking in the night and all sorts a bit like the scales when trying to loose weight.) it’s just short term while I learn to trust my instincts and stop holding my breath every time I notice a funny beat.

Well I’m sat in bed at home with the windows open listening to the bird song, life’s not bad at all, it’s lovely to be in my own bed and on the road to hopefully a great recovery. I’m keeping the pharmaceutical companies in business, I’ve never took as many tablets in my life, that has probably been the biggest shock throughout this whole process.

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly

Birdsong excellent for zen feeling! Just curious, what tablets - hopefully they will reduce to zero as time goes on ❤️‍🩹

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly in reply toBuffafly

OK, bit behind, I scrolled down and saw your previous post so no need to reply 🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛ enjoy!

jd2004 profile image
jd2004

Kardia. You can use it as little or often as you wish and you can save and print copes of ecg’s.

frazeej profile image
frazeej

Kardia 2 lead. $69. Gives a printable ecg that can be diagnostically definitive for afib. Wonderful device to diagnose condition when all other ecg's and Holters show NSR........as usual. (It's been said that the best way to stop an afib attack is to attach a Holter). Worked for me-after 2 years of futzing around, as soon as the cardioguy saw my Kardia printout, diagnosis was made and medications started.

richard_jw profile image
richard_jw

I have a Kardia. It does what it says, and you can use the app to see history. It was useful for me when I changed Meds and could demonstrate that the change affected (adversely) my heart

Personally I have an Apple watch and a Kardia 6L (which I got on eBay for £100 new). The watch is very handy for 'on the go' but if I'm having an episode of AF I use the Kardia. Both are excellent and do the job.

I know that some folks say that these devices can increase anxiety and, as someone who suffered a lot of anxiety for the first 18 months of having PAF I can understand that but for me personally it generally has the opposite effect. I found myself often being very aware of my heart and every little sensation and blip and being able to do a quick ECG on my watch would reassure me, usually, that nothing sinister was happening. If I am in AFib I like to know what's going on. For me, knowledge is power, but we're all different.

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper

Just saw your post & as it was 2 days ago you may be decided. I use Apple Watch & love it - only does ecg when you want one. It will give occasional alerts if it pick up AF/AFl but not every one so no stress but it will monitor % of them each week if you want. I was 98% per week in it before converted to NSR but now less than 2% p/wk if any. These watches are expensive yes but I have different uses for it & love it. If you want a cheaper comfort blanket there are apps like Fibricheck. Wishing you a speedy, uncomplicated & successful recovery ❤️‍🩹

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