Fitness trackers

[SJX130]

Hi all, my husband is 14 weeks post triple bypass. I want to get him a Fitbit to track his pulse and also check ECG etc. Anyone else found this helpful at all? Are the accurate etc?

Thank you

❤️‍🩹

[Tos92]

I use an Apple Watch and find it extremely helpful in tracking my heart rate and performing an ECG when I need to. No device is 100% accurate and neither should it replace the approved devices used at the hospital or your GP surgery to check heart health, but it is a good indicator which can save you some stress and worry.

All the best.

Tos

[uzininemm in reply to Tos92]

Very true Tos92.

When I told my cardiologist I had got one, he didn't criticise me at all, all he said was keep out of the red when exercising.

Like you said I use it as a good indicator as how I am doing, (plus I have no excuse not knowing what the time or date is😜).

[Denistennis]

👋 Hi, I started wearing a Huawei Band 6, 24 seven following my Bypass surgery in September 2022. Heck of a lot cheaper than a Fitbit and would appear to be quite accurate based on other users' reviews. I really can't fault it, and I found it quite comforting following surgery as you become very aware of each heart beat particularly during the night 🌙 and being able to keep an eye on my pulse rate for me was great relief. Being a Huawei of course the Chinese State is probably monitoring my every move!

Wether Fitbit -Apple- Huawei as long as you pick a reputable brand I would highly recommend getting one for your husband.

Best wishes, Denis

[Chinkoflight]

Hi, what you don't know you can't worry about, but you can worry about what you don't know! The aim is to eliminate the worry as this is not helpful for recovery and can be destructive!. I had a stroke out of the blue, was exceptionally lucky to have brilliant quick blue light/hospital treatment and now on medication. But nothing in my lifestyle or medical history could explain my severe stroke so both myself and my wife in particular worried about when a d where next.Re monitoring my heart my GP recommended buying a Kardia 6L pocket device for monitoring my heart. It's a mini ECG that is a technical marvel offering excellent cardiology reports. It cost 18 months ago about £100 and was very good for peace of mind when I was most anxious post recovery. I rarely use it now.

Re my own efforts to improve my health and mobility I started the NHS COUCH TO 5K , programme, there is also a simpler Active 10 walking programme too. ( I'm 71).

For this I bought a fitness smart watchiked to my android phone ie all other phones than Apple. It was ticwatch linked to Google Wear and gave lovely health data, monitoring pulse, oxygen levels in exercise etc and talked to me as I did exercise! The beauty of the smartwatch and phone was my wife could track where I was when I went out, I used footpaths etc for interest so could be off the beaten track. You can do this also by downloading the free exercise app and map called Strava just on your phone but without the health data. But a smartwatch will share the health data with Strava.

I'm getting a bit technical now and it's possible you're switching off!

I now use an Amazfit watch made by Amazon which is really good and simple to use and links to their ZEPP fitness app. 17 months ago I couldn't run for a minute, which is the starting point for C25K. Now I can run 10 Kms and run non stop for 90 minutes, albeit quite slowly!!!

I am helping myself get healthier. And worry, a lot less and my wife no longer needs to track me but occasionally I switch it on when I might adventure a little further or follow a new route!

If this prompts a question please do ask. Good luck.

[Ziggybeau in reply to Chinkoflight]

Small point, amazfit is sold by Amazon but like Huawei it's made by a Chinese company - Xiaomi, I think. I have one - good watch!

[AndySD]

I have a Versa 3. I find it really useful tracking and motivating daily walking etc. The historical data is also really helpful. I noticed my resting heart rate had dropped to 52 for about 3 weeks after nearly a year at around 62. As a result my GP has adjusted my beta blockers. I'm like a new person. More energy, less blurry concentration etc etc. My beta blockers had become unnecessary. I like the exercise programmes and walking route trackers are interesting too linked to GPS for gradients and distance. Overall...all good and very helpful.

[DanniC88]

Hi there. I use the samsung watch 5. It can do an ECG, heart rate, BP and blood oxygen. And tracks sleep. I love it.

[benjijen]

I have a fitbit, but it's a couple of years old, so it doesn't have the ECG facility. However, it does have the facility to warm of potential AF and I have found the pulse rate to be accurate. It shows the same pulse as rate as my BP machine when I use it.

[Etzel]

My doctors have told me that the accuracy in these devices sometimes aren't that great, but whichever one you get you should get a baseline for feeling ok and then check for variance from that.

[momander]

Hi,I'm so sorry but these things just ate not for me at all, but I do know a lot of people find them useful. It's a personal choice I think.