worrying heart rate through the night

[Wilky57]

I have started to wear my Fitbit to bed after my AF diagnosis but I am very worried that it says, while in AF all night, my heart beat ranges from39 to 169. I take Carvedilol 12.5mg and Apixaban 5mg twice a day. It has taken me ages to be brave enough to wear it at night but I’m thinking I might be better without it. Does anyone else have this problem? Thanks in advance.

[Stucoo]

Hi,

I wear mine to bed and have done for a couple of years. Not only does it pick up my AF but also reports on sleep patterns and other stats that I look at but don't take too seriously. When I was last in AF earlier this month it reported 39-141 bpm. I suggest if it is causing you anxiety then it is probably best to not wear it at night.

[Wilky57 in reply to Stucoo]

Thank you so much for your reply. You’re right. I won’t wear it to bed anymore.

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Wilky

It's a known fact that even 'normal' people without AF can have some extra or missed beats. that may be what your watch is recording. Does your watch tell you how long or short your beats of concern went on for?

Jean

[Wilky57 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

It doesn’t really show the timing. I think I’m best not wearing my watch to bed. I was slightly getting used to living with AF but, today, I’m back to worrying. Thanks for your help.

A screen shot from my phone.

[Jalia in reply to Wilky57]

I wouldn't be happy to see those readings and suggest they are looked at by your specialist.

[Buzby62 in reply to Wilky57]

Does it allow you to drill in to those readings to see the beat to beat measurements?

I’m not saying to ignore anything but highs and lows while in AF are expected and it’s the average heart rate that matters over 30 seconds or even a full minute, as when you take an ECG. Your average may well be in the controlled range 60-100.

Best wishes

[mjames1]

I would report this to your doctor and hopefully they will give you a EKG patch for confirmation. It's very important that your heart rate is controlled while in afib and if isn't your medication may need adjustment. If this is impossible right away, you might. get a Kardia or Apple Watch so you can capture some of this with an EKG prior to your visit.

Have you seen an ep yet and discussed either anti-arrhythmic drugs or ablation? Newer studies suggest that rhythm control is better than rate control for a number of reasons.

Jim

[Wilky57 in reply to mjames1]

Thank you for your advice. I'm actually seeing a specialist on Thursday so, perhaps, it's worth waiting for his advice, rather than see a GP. It's not too long to wait now.

[opal11uk]

Take these readings to your GP or cardiologist or cardio nurse practitioner for assessment and to put your mind at ease.

[Wilky57 in reply to opal11uk]

Thank you. I will. Im seeing a specialist on Thursday so hopefully I'll be a lot clearer about things.

[opal11uk in reply to Wilky57]

Excellent, make a list of your questions so that you miss nothing out and of course make a note of the answers for future reference. Years ago I used to make all my notes in a Filo Fax and when I went in to see him would open it up and read it with my pen in hand ready to take down his answers!

[Wilky57 in reply to opal11uk]

Thats a really good idea. My husband is coming with me because I don't seem to take much in anymore. I'll definitely write a list of questions as well. I keep thinking of things, especially as I used to take a few supplements and would like to do so again. Thank you so much

[opal11uk in reply to Wilky57]

I don't know what drugs you are on but if you take supplements you should research any possible interactions. Good luck x

[DrBook]

Hi, Wilky. I was diagnosed with Afib and use a Fitbit to monitor my heart rate which is very helpful but I don't use it to monitor irregular rhythms due to the following Fitbit guideline:

"Fitbit Irregular Rhythm Notifications isn’t intended for use in individuals previously diagnosed with AFib.

You might not receive a notification for every episode of irregular rhythm suggestive of AFib if sufficient data isn’t available. The absence of a notification doesn’t mean you don’t have AFib. For this reason, the feature shouldn’t be used as a monitoring tool. Please talk to your doctor if you’re looking to monitor your previously diagnosed AFib."

I felt this information may be useful to you.

Brian

[Buzby62 in reply to DrBook]

Good point, the standard heart rate monitor will only show beat to beat highs and lows and is a good indicator for you to check with a device that has ECG facility or get an ECG at your GP surgery which will show the average rate during a check.

3 beats in a second might record 180 and then a pause of 2 seconds might record a 30 on beat to beat measurements.

Best wishes

[Wilky57 in reply to DrBook]

Thank you so much. I didn't realise that. I won't wear it at night any more. I used to wear it every night and I became obsessed with how much REM I had!

[DrBook in reply to Wilky57]

You're welcome, Wilky. I absolutely understand as when it comes to medical issues I tend to vacillate between preoccupation and obsession! When I first purchased the KardiaMobile 6-Lead Personal EKG Monitor (which is a great device, by the way) I was taking my EKG/ECG often in spite of the fact that I had been diagnosed with asymptomatic persistent atrial fibrillation! Maybe I was hoping that if I did it enough I'd eventually end up in NSR! I wish you all the best!

Brian

[Ppiman]

The FitBit doesn't check for AF directly when worn overnight, does it, only for irregularity? That's what my Apple Watch does, anyway, and I thought they were similar. The heart rate measured on any watch overnight can be affected by movement and cause spikes, I gather. I don't think those figures are that unusual, though. My range of daily heart rate can be similar, although not often below 40. I take 2.5mg bisoprolol, and that is the cause.

The rhythm of AF won't be harming you now you're on an anticoagulant, so you can rest more easily knowing that. If the FitBit results in anxiety, it's best not to use it, I suppose, but I love my Apple Watch and wouldn't be without it, although I only put it on in bed if I think AF has started.

Steve

[Wilky57 in reply to Ppiman]

Thank you so much. You have really helped me and I don't feel anxious about it anymore. I'm seeing a specialist on Thursday so I'll be clearer about things after I've seen him. I really appreciate your help.

[Ppiman in reply to Wilky57]

Thank you. You’ll find the specialist will reassure you better than anyone else can, though. That’s what I find.

Steve

[Ewloe]

I remember rehab saying a watch can struggle to be totally accurate when you’re in AFib

[Wilky57 in reply to Ewloe]

Thank you. No more watch wearing at night!

[SuziElley]

The only advice I can give is don’t trust your Fitbit. I’ve been experiencing multiple ectopics and yet my Fitbit says I haven’t had any irregular heartbeat 🤔 so I don’t trust it for that. What I do wear it for is my steps, sleep and to keep a record of my fluid intake.

[Wilky57 in reply to SuziElley]

I've definitely learnt my lesson! No more obsession. Thanks for your advice

[SuziElley in reply to Wilky57]

You’re welcome 🤗

[Sixtychick]

I had one and sold it after a short while. It was making me paranoid, telling me how bad my sleep was and other things. I can do without all that. I have an EMay ECG machine and if I get a funny heartbeat, I can record it, put it on my phone and show the Doctor. If I wasn’t getting the right sleep for me, I’d know about it and I don’t need a machine to tell me how far I’ve walked or anything else. Why make yourself anxious.!!!

[Wilky57 in reply to Sixtychick]

You are right! I have been trying hard to lose weight so I wear my watch to track my steps but, for what reason really, if I know I've tried hard/been lazy. Thanks for your advice

[Sixtychick in reply to Wilky57]

I’ve been lucky with my weight. I’m only 5ft tall, but have never really been overweight. I don’t eat huge amounts, don’t eat between meals and don’t gorge on chocolate. I try to do some exercise several times a week, not always easy, Since being put on anti- coagulants a few years back, I have an incentive to keep my weight below 60 kg, as I am on the lower dose of Edoxaban. I weigh 57 kg and am 72 and so take 30mg, rather than 60mg. I was scared of taking anti-coagulants, so feel happier on the lower dose.

[Wilky57 in reply to Sixtychick]

When I was admitted to hospital in February I asked the doctor if my being so fat had caused the AF and he said no but I now realise it was definitely a contributing factor. I’m trying so hard with exercise and healthy eating. I’ve only lost 7lbs which is disappointing but I must be healthier inside.

[Sixtychick in reply to Wilky57]

My Afib is caused by a faulty gene I think. My mother had it and she was smaller than me.!! There are many factors for AFib. Hope you are successful in your weight loss. Maybe go to weight watchers. My sister in law and her daughter go there and it’s helped them loose weight.

[Buffafly in reply to Wilky57]

7lb is good! You don’t want to lose weight rapidly, just get in a healthy eating pattern forever and you will gradually lose it. My daughter was diagnosed as coeliac recently so can’t eat cakes or bread amongst other things and gf versions are not tempting 😕 But she’s gone from being on the verge of obese to a healthy weight quite quickly so it shows how ‘little’ things add up. When my weight was creeping up I went from four slices of bread a day to two and that was all it took. Best wishes 🏃‍♀️‍➡️

[Wilky57 in reply to Buffafly]

That's brilliant. Thank you so much

[Letofeyd]

Just a warning - Fitbit is extremely prone to double counting heart rate since the latest firmware update.Mine has been doing it, and the Fitbit forum has a lot of other people reporting it, too.

I recommend you keep an eye on your device and if it records as high, grab another device or take your pulse manually and double check to ensure it really is doing that.

I either grab my Kardia, or ask my husband to listen to my heart and tell me the rate.

Fitbit is not reliable at the moment at all.

[Wilky57 in reply to Letofeyd]

Thank you for that. I didn't realise there was a fitbit forum. I won't be wearing it to bed again.

[Madscientist16]

When moving through the stages of sleep, REM sleep can cause an increase in the heart rate. In addition, sleep apnea can also cause large spikes in heart rate. I would consult with your doctor about having a sleep study to be sure that the heart rate changes are normal for you.

[Wilky57]

Thank you. Is that something I could ask for on the NHS?