In July my cardiologist recommended that I have a Implantable Loop Recorder fitted.
I had another episode in August after eating a large meal (never experienced this before) where I became very hot, my heart started racing and then I began to feel like I was going to pass out so found myself lying on the floor of the pub my team and I were eating at. The staff were fantastic but I was SO embarrassed!!
Then, 4 weeks ago I fainted whilst trying to adjust the baby gate, taking the gate with me and landing on the kitchen floor with it. The only warning I got was a feeling like my head was going to roll off my shoulders and then I was on the floor. My mum said I screamed but I can’t remember that.
Thankfully I’m now having my loop recorder fitted this coming Wednesday.
I was just wondering if anyone can relate to either of the 2 incidents above as these are both new types of episodes for me? Usually mine have occurred in the night (waking me from sleep) or whilst sat down.
Also, what can I expect on Wednesday please?
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading and I appreciate anyone who takes the time to reply. Thanks for listening.
Best wishes
Soap 🧼
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MummaSoap
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I can't help you on what to expect from the device, but I hope it helps identify the cause of your recent problems so that you manage to get it sorted. And I am sure you are aware of this but if not the BHF has an information page on the device here
Thank you, I have had a read but I was wondering more about pain after it’s fitted and how prominent it will be and whether I will feel it there or if it’s easy to forget you have them.
That’s really helpful though as it’s helped me to realise I wasn’t quite specific enough on the what to expect bit, thank you 🙂
Hi, I had a LINQ implanted in February. Two practitioner nurses a local and inserted with a bit of shoving . Tiny 1cm cut max, can't see now. Very minor discomfort afterwards, not aware of it now. Grateful that it was fitted as two months later Afib was detected which might explain my stroke which came out of the blue with no other explanations found. Now on meds hopefully keeping a second stroke at bay.No question it was worth having and of course is still sending the data in case any other issues arise. Hope all goes well.
Hi I'm sorry to hear that. Mine was initially quite severe, with total right side loss , hearing and some sight loss and some speech difficulty responding to questions. I could hear and understand the question , know the answer but could not get the words out. I was very lucky. On the Isle of Wight early on a Sunday morning. 18 minutes for ambulance to arrive, acute stroke bed available in A&E and two specialist stroke nurses just come on duty. All the scans done and thrombolysed for a clot in the middle of the brain within the three hour window. The life gradually came back. Some residual weakness in my right leg, felt I was walking on a moving boat, and there remains some speech issues but not so people wouldn't notice or think I had some onset issues! All the people admitted in the acute ward in the days before or after, although they came in with fewer obvious issues, mainly because they had missed the early signs or delayed getting to hospital in time for thrombolysing treatment were still there when I was discharged and would need ongoing community support to recover. It was a salutory lesson and I know how lucky I was. I am now a bit of a self help get my body into shape fiend to hopefully minimise what happens if there is a next time which sadly statistically is more likely. There is no doubting that the brain is an amazing organ and wants to find new ways to get around problems, I think the term is plasticity. Do keep encouraging your husband to keep trying to find ways to maximise and improve on what you can do and don't forget to also make time for yourself.
I have also found the positive support on HU very helpful from those that know.
Thank you . Yes we wernt sure about the four hour window for the thrombosis injection thingy as it happened in his sleep so they couldn’t risk doing it . Thank you for your advise and glad your on the road to recovery . We can only do our best to prevent a second stroke with right meds and diet etc . He is also on blood thinners , bisoprolol for his fast AF 7.5 morning and night although it still goes up to 130 as well as anti coagulants . We’re hoping for another ablation, Jist playing the waiting game. Funny how life can throw you a curve ball , a few months ago we were looking forward to visiting our daughter in Japan . We paid for her to come over to England so at least we still managed to be introduced to her boyfriend and jd a lovely two weeks with them. He was very upset that he can’t drive anymore due to his right sided sight loss .
Hi again, when I said I was lucky, the time of the stroke is so often at night and that explained why most people stayed in hospital as opposed to me walking out. It's such a creeping up event because there were no warnings for me and no pain either. There are also big risks with thrombolysing treatment, and it was a scary choice but the prognosis was very poor without it.
I was on a mandatory stop from driving for a month which was also a shock, I do so many of the chores eg food shop, and being of an age always drive as the bloke! But you might want to persist with reviews and don't assume you will never be able to drive unless of course that is your own preference. I am driving again now.
My perspective has changed on travel. I've largely ditched the retirement bucket list! And at the moment have no desire for exotic holidays. COVID also influenced this and the simple things seem more important. Family too, and for me it's grandkids two of whom we had a big part in their upbringing. They have been so lovely and their concern is a wonderful sign of their humanity, they will become lovely adults I'm sure.
It must have been such a joy seeing your daughter.
Don't forget to continue making memories and living life as fully as possible. What you can do is the key I find.
Thank you so much for sharing your story, I’m so sorry to hear what you and your husband have been through, sounds really scary.
I’m glad you both still got to spend some time with your daughter and her boyfriend but I also hear the sadness and frustration around your husband no longer being able to drive.
Sending you both big hugs and hope that your husband gets his ablation soon 🤞🏼
Not had that but do have the occasional heart racing episodes since turning 50 the doctor put me on 2.5mg Biosoprol a day up to 5mg max if it gets bad.
No he has no ideas what causes it, had all the ECG tests etc all ok apparently
Happens about twice a month usually about midnight or early morning. For up to 2 hours 140bpm from resting about 70bpm
He said next time go to A&E! But it’s the middle of the night and by the time I’d get there it will have come back down no doubt. Just keep taking the pills for life is his attitude.
I completely empathise with the feeling of, it being over by the time you get there.
My gp gave me a kardia device to record mine; my problem is by the time I’ve come round and calmed down enough to think rationally to take a reading, the episode is over! Could be worth asking your gp though in case you did manage to capture something?
It does make me feel sad that it’s so difficult to get answers. I appreciate that if something is found that seems to treat the problem that a professional may consider their job done but I wonder how many patients are left unnecessarily taking medication where finding out the truth trigger or cause might give different options.
Yes….that has happened to me. I have had occasions of pre - syncope (feeling like I am going to faint) and then sliding/landing on floor. Diagnosis was ventricular ectopics…… sometimes following eating. I have not passed out but agree it is embarrassing when you end up on the floor!Consultant said I need to go on flecainide and book a second ablation. My incidents only lasted for a matter of seconds. It sounds like yours were more severe which means you will need fairly prompt treatment. Should be straightforward but perhaps someone else can give you more details. Good luck!
Yes, I’ve also experienced pre-syncope episodes but it was always related to my blood pressure. The episodes over the last year are different and have accompanied a racing heart.
I too have experienced the sliding to the floor 🙈😂 it’s unpleasant but I feel I have to laugh about it because what’s the alternative!
They’ve picked up SVT on a holter and my kardia has picked up PVCs and biventricular tachycardia; I’m just hoping this loop recorder will move things forward for me 🤞🏼🤞🏼
Hi I can relate . I’ve twice gone unconscious and I’m having a loop recorder fitted imminently too. I have a history of SVT and years of ventricular ectopics , palpitations and also have a hypermobility syndrome which affects my autonomic nervous system. They put my two fainting episodes down to vasovagal syncope, sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate . It’s such a worry I know especially as a mum . At least we are getting the loop recorders but it’s made me very fearful of being alone especially at night . I’m now on 1.25 bisoprolol but my bp is now 88/58 and hr can go as low as 47 at rest so I e also been referred to an electrophysiologist
That’s really interesting, I have hyper mobility too; I wonder if there’s a correlation between the two?
I share your fear, it’s very unsettling isn’t it! I worry in case something happens to me and it’s the children that discover me (5, 3, and 2). I would be devastated if I traumatised them with my illness.
That’s why I had to come off metoprolol - I just couldn’t tolerate the effect it was having on my blood pressure.
Omg I’m totally the same with that same fear xx ❤️it’s awful . How weird .. we are identical 😁my daughter also has SVT , hypermobility and Wolf Parkinson White so I have double the worry xx
Gosh, I really feel for you both; that must be such a worry for you all as a family!
I’m amazed that we’ve got such similar circumstances, that’s actually made me feel a bit comforted, knowing I’m not alone in this situation so genuinely, thank you for sharing your experience! 🥰
Sending best wishes to you and your daughter, keep me posted about your loop recorder too please 😁 x x
Hypermobility syndromes are quite regularly linked to autonomic nervous system dysfunction ( Dysautonomia) and tachycardia syndromes like P.O.T.S.I have Chronic Dysautonomia caused by Sinus Nide Re-entrant Tachycardia and P.O.T.S which eventually caused me aFib and various types of arrhythmia.
For people with Chronic Dysautonomia the slogan is, "Standing is My Cardio".
We have to be incredibly mindful of how we pace our activity and how quickly we change from one position to another because of the wild swings of heart rate this brings on.
So as well as medications I need to eat extra salt and drink lots of water before moving to reduce the risk of fainting.
I like you take Ivabradine but had the best response when they combined it with Midodrine , but they need to take care with trying this if you also have hypertension.
The incidents can be more common after a meal, in high or low temperatures , after a shower or just after rest because of the links of these cardio issues to the nerve dysfunction. You system basically overreacts to being asked to do something that requires your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems to work at once.
More severe forms of hypermobility syndromes can be caused by faults in connective tissue which basically makes up most of the important stuff in your cardiovascular and nervous system and the laxity in these systems can cause problems with messaging between the brain and body and cardio neurological dysfunction.
Wow, this makes SO much sense, thank you for sharing such a detailed answer, it’s invaluable!
I’ve also been given the same advice about including additional salt in my diet but not had the water mentioned; I think I will start doing this too (after checking it’s ok with my GP).
You are so knowledgeable and I really appreciate the insight, thank you!
If you've been given the information about Salt then you are being asked to follow orthostatic issues measures and the water is the most useful one.You drink pretty quickly before moving from one position to another. The drinking helps to prevent the dizziness by distracting the ANS with a change in temperature so the heart rate does not rise so excessively.
Compression leggings or socks are also part of the protocol to reduce the slow reaction in the peripheral circulation.
My cardiologist said to increase my salt and to drink a minimum of 2-3 litre of water a day to stop me blacking out . Awful as it is , it is comforting to know others understand and importantly we are all still in one piece despite it xx
It's worth having the test done, I was eventually diagnosed with Classic Like / Type2 Ehlers Danlos Syndrome , it's the root cause of all my I'll health woes since childhood , including the cardiac ones.
I agree and I’m definitely going to mention it at my next appointment.
That’s really interesting; as a teenager I used to faint A LOT and I remember having a scan of my brain and an echo and that all looked normal so they just told me to increase the amount of salt in my diet.
When I was diagnosed with DCM, again I was told to increase my salt intake. When I told the cardiologist that the paramedic who brought me in thought that I had POTS, because every time I stood up at home connected to their ECG my heart rate was shooting up over 200 and on a couple of occasions my bp dropped so much that their machine couldn’t read it. The consultant got really defensive and said something along the lines of “perhaps he should become a doctor then”.
No I haven’t but I think I’m going to mention it at my next cardiologist appointment as it sounds like it could connect some of my puzzle pieces so to speak!
Ahh hun that sounds so scary! I have felt like the first incident you had but that was ages ago. I hope everything goes well for wedensday and hopefully this should stop this episodes happening xx
I’m worried about the different types of episodes I’m having in case there’s more than one thing going on! Just feel frustrated and I want to feel better and more like I can trust my body. I’m spending so much time inside the same 4 walls because I’m frightened something will happen and I’ll cause a scene, embarrass myself or do myself another injury!
Thank you for the well wishes my dear, I really appreciate it x x
Hello. I have had all sorts of different episodes but not so much fainting so far luckily. Heart racing occasionally but it's mostly sharp pains and the odd time where my heart feels like it literally stopped and I started to go dizzy then. That was very scary. Having heart problems and failure isn't nice so I can relate to you. It's really tough mentally especially when we have young children and the thoughts around death and falling down in front of them or whatever is terrifying. I do struggle to come to terms with it. Maybe I need to find God or something.
Hopefully this monitor will pick up anything unusual. Good luck x
Thank you for your reply, I appreciate it. Gosh your heart stopping, dizzy spells sound scary too!
I agree, it’s very difficult to come to terms with. Even though we know that eventually we’ll all go, there’s something about getting a diagnosis for a degenerative condition that forces you to acknowledge your own mortality and it was something that I never felt able to give my attention to (before my diagnosis) because it used to freak me out for days and sometimes weeks at a time!
It’s reassuring to know I’m not alone with my fears; makes them feel a bit more rational knowing I’m not the only one.
Thank you for your kind wishes, I’m hoping so too 🤞🏼 take care x
Gosh you have explained very clearly exactly how I feel as well. I have managed this horrible condition, as we all have, for years but recently I have become reluctant to go out anywhere, especially on my own. I do go out with a friend one day every week, and go to the pub with my husband, BUT every time I have this feeling of ‘I hope I’m okay and don’t have an arrhythmia’ I know it’s crazy and people say you can’t live your life like that, but it’s hard not to have these thoughts. It is the anxiety of feeling embarrassed and not knowing what is going to happen that I have trouble with. I also am very aware of my own mortality! I’ve got to the point now that I’ve got a detailed plan of my thoughts regarding my funeral, (sorry to be morbid) but I need to feel relaxed with knowing my husband and two children ( older now) know what I want, and how to deal with sorting my estate out when I ( and my husband are gone) Oh dear, gloomy Monday morning. It’s good to hear that other people have the same thoughts because you don’t feel isolated and alone. Other people help as much as they can but unless they experience the same problems or conditions they don’t really know how we all feel. Thank you for your comments and understanding. Hope you’re keeping well. 😊
I have basically stopped going out and my mum has stayed with me nearly every night since my faint. I don’t know where I would be without my mum right now but we’re also now in this struggle between us because she’s jumped back into mum mode but in my home where I’m also trying to be a parent but feeling a bit redundant at points. Plus the additional fatigue is very frustrating!
I empathise with so much of what you have shared and I actually would like to say how brave you are for having made such detailed plans. When I was hospitalised before having my youngest daughter, I was so convinced that something bad was going to happen that I wrote out very detailed plans for my funeral and even wrote my own eulogy. I tried to be as upbeat as I possibly could and wrote goodbye letters to my family, including my unborn baby (who I didn’t even know the gender of). I’m so glad that my hunch was wrong!
I am so grateful for all of the replies, everyone has been so helpful and supportive; I feel more positive and prepared about tomorrow and it’s nice to know I’m not alone!
I’m getting there and my loop is part of my next phase 😁 thank you!
I am 29 and had an ILR back in Jan. It was a relatively easy procedure (just felt a bit bizarre!) and the pain afterwards just felt like bad bruising and swelling for a day or two. I was in and out the hospital in under 3 hours! I still managed to continue breastfeeding my 2 year old that same evening.
In regards to your most recent episodes of dizziness and fainting, has heart block ever been explored?
This feels so positive and I feel much more reassured about Wednesday now, thank you so much for your reply and for sharing your experience!
That’s amazing that you were able to continue breastfeeding the same day 😁 I’m really impressed!!
Nothing’s been mentioned about it but I guess that would show on an echo would it? I had an echo on Monday and she said I’ve still got a very mildly leaking mitral valve and EF is more or less the same as last year. Currently, there’s no dilation to my heart either which was wonderful news 😁 sorry to sound ignorant, I’m not 100% sure what heart block is.
It’s something I was also completely unfamiliar with and assumed it was an actual physical block, but it’s actually to do with your electrical pathways!
I only know about this as I suffer with pre-syncope, dizziness, breathlessness, different types of palpitations etc and it was picked up that I had second degree heart block. I’ve had many 24hr ECGs etc, but it was only picked up very briefly on a 7 day tape. I also have a mild leaking valve.
I might be completely wrong, but your symptoms sound very familiar and it’s only really something that can be picked up on an ECG I believe!
Wishing you luck for Wednesday and hoping you get some answers soon x
Thank you very much for your reply and kind words. I’m feeling nervous and can’t settle this evening but I really appreciate your good wishes - here’s to answers and hopefully a way forward 🤞🏼🤞🏼
I have a loop recorder fitted , in terms of fitting it a very quick painless process, I was in and out in a couple of hours. It is not noticeable or very prominent- obviously a bit bruised and sore for a start. They will explain how the device works and who to contact- I think it will be great for your peace of mind and hopefully help resolve what Evers going on. Good luck and take care.
Thank you so much for your kind and informative reply. I’m not going to lie, I’m feeling nervous but I’m so grateful to everyone for sharing their experiences, it’s been so helpful for me to read through!
Hi Soap! My experiences are very similar to yours. All my ‘faints’ were at night and woke me up with a real feeling of needed to be sick and then I never even made it to the bathroom - didn’t vomit either, just passed out! I had my first daytime faint and had the same feelings along with being very hot n sweaty and so I laid in the bathroom floor and passed out. Following this I was referred to Cardiology who gave me a halter monitor to wear. Didn’t pass out but felt dizzy one day and this was picked up. The readings showed that I had a heart block (Wenkebach type 2 and the only fix was a pacemaker). They then decided that I needed a loop recorder to gather more evidence. Over a year I had various other tests as well as evidence of my heart pausing so in June this year I had a pacemaker fitted. All ok so far. The consultant said that I would still feel symptoms but the pacemaker would kick in and I wouldn’t pass out - so far so good. The loop recorder was inserted in the cleavage of my left breast. About a 2cm scar. All very easy. No complications just paracetamol afterwards. Hope this help. Feel free to private message me (can you do that on here?) if you need any further info.
My night episodes were what I was experiencing first too and I would wake up with a racing heart, hot and feeling like I had stopped breathing or couldn’t catch my breath.
My day time episodes wash over me like a wave and I too get soaked in sweat, particularly on the back of my neck and I’ll feel dizzy and nauseous and basically fight to stay conscious by trying to slow my breathing as best as I can. My worst episode was in January and lasted for over 20 minutes whilst I was driving home (on my own) with my kids in the car. I actually instructed my then 4 year old to call my mum if I went to sleep and tell her where we were (ie between x and x) and to get help. Not an experience I would like to repeat in a hurry!!
I’m so pleased to hear that your loop recorder helped to identify what was going on and confirm that a pacemaker was definitely needed.
Thank you, that’s so kind of you. I will definitely take you up on that if I think of any other questions 🙂
After a couple of episodes of syncope this year, I had a recorder implanted a couple of months ago. My bypass was four years ago and I've been in good health since, so the syncope came out of the blue, but I've had occasional light headedness all my life, and one or two fainting spells decades ago, so it's unclear how serious it is.
As others have said, the procedure is pretty trivial. Nothing's happened since it was fitted though, so nothing interesting for it to record! So now it's an echocardiogram on Friday.
Thanks for the kind words. I'm quite positive about it. I came out of the bypass in good health and have been able to be active for the four years since. I have, as I said, occasionally passed out before when tired, including decades ago when a teenager. So, whilst the professionals clearly want to understand what's happening, and I'm glad that they do, it's not preventing my living a full and active life. The only real issue is that I'm not allowed to drive, which is putting pressure on my wife, who is having to do it all.
I find it interesting that you are talking about a Medtronic app on your phone. This wasn’t mentioned to me when I had my Loop fitted last October, neither can I find any mention of it in the literature that was given to me. I was only told to hold the device, or the tiny mobile one, over the Loop when I felt symptoms. I have had a couple of bad Afib attacks but have never been contacted by the team and have only spoken to them once when I contacted them myself. I find I get quite breathless and don’t know if this is normal. I am constantly worried.
My wife had a loop recorder fitted two weeks ago. The procedure was carried out in a small treatment room at our local NHS hospital. It took about 15 minutes. My wife said that after cleaning the skin she was given some local anaesthetic to numb the area where the incision was made. The incision itself was no bigger than a very small cut on a finger. The device was injected via the cut under the skin. The only thing that she felt was a little push as the device was implanted. As my wife is on an anticoagulant the wound was secured with two small stitches. These were removed 7 days later.
She was warned that there might be some bruising and there could be some minor discomfort. In truth, the bruising was minor and there was no post-operative discomfort.
It has taken her a few days to get used to having something in her body. The device can be felt on touch but it is not in anyway noticeable. She has a monitor which doesn’t always report back to the Mothership but the technicians do not seem to be that bothered by the occasional missing day.
As we understand it, the device is mainly recording events such as high (AF) and low heartbeats ( bradycardia) and heart pauses in excess of 6 seconds. As my wife has had a number of TLoC events our hope is that it might record a ‘near miss’ which will provide the cardiology team with the information needed to move to a clinical diagnosis.
Previously, my wife had a 14 day holter monitor which identified a single episode of AF lasting 18 hours; 20,000 pauses of up to 2.9 seconds; ectopic beats; first stage heart block and atrial runs. Fitting a loop recorder was seen to be the next logical diagnostic step.
Thank you so much for such a detailed reply and I’m sorry to hear what you and your wife have been going through; I can’t imagine how unpleasant that 18 hour episode was for her!
This has definitely been a reassuring response both in terms of what to expect and a reminder of its purpose, thank you.
Sending best wishes to you and your wife; I hope that her loop recorder helps to get some clear answers and a plan to help her move forward.
I can answer the first part of your question. Following symptoms not too dissimilar to you I had a loop recorder fitted three years ago. The device is quite small - like a small pencil 30 mm long and 4 mm in diameter. It is inserted under the skin to one side of the sternum over the heart. A simple cut in the skin with a local anaesthetic, closed up it heals in days. No discomfort. A bedside monitor directs the recordings to your cardiologist. I have taken a great deal of comfort from the constant monitoring.
I’ve had random episodes of tachycardia since my MIs over 5 years ago. They happen quite randomly, so a holter monitor was pointless. I was quite sceptic about the ILR, but after another episode, agreed to have it implanted so that they could finally figure out what was causing them.
The procedure was relatively quick and easy: the area on my chest was cleaned, and local anaesthetic was applied. A small incision was made, and the ILR was “injected” in. The nurse pinched the incision until it stopped bleeding, put it a dressing over it, instructed me on how to use the base and dongle units, and I was sent on my way. A month later I had my follow up, where they confirmed that the unit was tracking EVERYTHING.
The only pain I’ve ever felt was from the injection. I’m actually surprised that I can only feel the ILR when I run my fingers over my chest - otherwise I don’t even know it’s there (this was one of the reasons I was so reluctant to get it in the first place - how silly was I?).
Hi there, I had a loop recorder fitted earlier this year at my local hospital. The procedure was carried out by a nurse, I was in and out in about 2 hours.
I suppose I was nervous before it was done but I didn’t have anything to worry about in the end. Perhaps a little pushing as the device was inserted but it’s really over in seconds.
I only notice it now and then in bed when I roll onto my front and the only way I can describe the feeling is like having a pen in your top pocket but in reality it’s far, far smaller!! I was given a mobile phone which is next to my bed and it automatically connects each night with the readings or I can manually record when I had symptoms.
The scar is about 1cm and barely noticeable which is great. The only other thing was how long I had to have it, as I understand it you can leave it in forever (it doesn’t do any harm) or have another little procedure to have it taken out. I’m hoping to have mine taken out when they renew my SCID. Hope this helps and good luck, hope the loop recorder helps identify your issue and gets sorted soon. 🙂
I had a Ioop recorder fitted in May, was done in a treatment room, was in and out within an hour. Slight pain and bruising after but nothing much. Very tiny incision. Mine was fitted after fainting in January and then quite a bad dizzy spell in March! As someone mentioned above had app on phone, recorder was Bluetooth downloads sent automatically via app to hospital and I could send them messages of any symptoms. 4 weeks after I had it fitted got call from clinic I’d had a 6 second pause but didn’t know, they passed it on to my EP who recommended a Pacemaker. Had that fitted in August and loop removed at same time!
Thank you for your reply and wow that’s really quick!
To be honest, I’m hoping that if I do need a pacemaker or something else that it shows quite quickly but I know that I need to be patient and just see what happens 🙂
I really appreciate you sharing your experience with me though, thank you!
Hi I have had a loop recorder since July. The procedure to insert it was very straightforward, a small incision and popped in then a few staples which were removed at my surgery just over a week later. It is the size of a small memory stick. The loop isn’t painful, unless you lean on it by mistake when doing physical jobs etc. I have a monitor that sits on the bedside table which seemingly sends updates to the hub and a hand held device to press when I feel an ectopic episode or not feeling well. I have been told that the hub regularly monitors my recordings and will contact me if there are any concerns but so far no news which I take as good news and hopefully means the medication I am on is working well. Hope this helps but I definitely do not feel the loop interferes with my lifestyle and gives me reassurance that I am being monitored from afar.
Yes!!! I get those exact symptoms after eating. I have no idea if it’s cardiac related? I had the implant many years ago. It’s a clever little thing! X
Hi there.. I can relate to this.. first off getting the loop recorder implanted is not as bad as some make out . Local anaesthetic numbs the area. Make a small incision to put in the device which is very small.. not painful at all I was back working the same day . At the start I was really paranoid about having it in but after a while you realise it's a great safety net to have . The monitor beside your bed records everything.. as for it in your chest you can feel it but after a while you forget it's even there.. you got this
Hi MummaSoap, It is a simple procedure to have a ILR done. Local anaesthetic, the ILR is inserted under the skin and it just left a tiny nic where the implant was put in. No bruising, it left a red mark but that soon went after a week or so. I had a dressing on it for 2/3 days and that was it. I used to have near fainting episodes where I would act as though drunk and couldn't stand up. It discovered that my heart was giving out multiple pauses of up to 7 seconds at a time. I went on to have a pacemaker which solved the issue. They also diagnosed me with SVT, I used to complain about having episodes of tachycardia with chest pain so it was well worth having the loop recorder. The loop recorder will help diagnose the cause of your problem. All the best to you.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, I’m so pleased that you had a positive experience with your loop recorder - they sound like a fantastic piece of technology!
I really appreciate your kind words and wishes too, thank you 🙂
I had a loop recorder fitted in July. I have a tiny scar - about 1/4" and cannot see or feel the loop recorder since it settled into the side of my breast. Obviously, a little sore and very small bruise for a couple of days afterwards but no pain on insertion. In and out of the room very quickly.
It does come with a 'zapper' which is about 4" long so that you can place it over the area to record unusual events. I guess this puts some kind of marker there so that they can check out what is going on when you feel bad. I couldn't decide what to do with mine at first but now wear it on a chain around my neck, under my clothes. To date, no one has noticed it as far as I know. No comments from family or friends. I have nipped into the loo on occasion to use it in private - it will record from a few minutes before you actually activate it.
Hi I have had a loop recorder implanted.. mine was injectable and was over quickly am not aware of it at all. It very quickly picked up that pauses were responsible for my passing out and I was fitted with a pacemaker shortly after which has stopped the syncope so well worth it! Hope this helps x
I can’t relate to your particular episodes but I had a loop fitted, it doesn’t take long to fit, you will have a small scar which will probably disappear over time. You’ll be given a “tag” device to use in conjunction with it, so if you have an episode you scan the device and it lets the hospital know that you are aware of the episode, although it seems to me that you already are aware of them, you will also have a unit, that is like a telephone next to your bed that you can download info from the loop and tag straight to the cardio unit. Mine were undetectable for me personally but I was diagnosed with heart blocks( the cardio unit rang me to inform me that I had had a big episode and I wasn’t even aware of it) which meant I needed a pacemaker. If this is the case for you, you will be asked if you want the loop taking out when they fit your pm. My advice to you is leave the loop in, it took them ages to get mine out and I have a noticeable scar now where it was extracted. Anyway they are definitely a life saver, so don’t be worried.
I had loop recorder about 4 years ago. It will show what is going on to the doctor and then they will hopefully get the problem corrected. Afib was confirmed by it and then an ablation was preformed and no afib since. Hope you will find out soon and get the problem corrected.
Hi mummaSoap, I collapsed whilst driving about 18 months ago; had every test you could imagine then had a loop recorder fitted which has picked several events of ventricular tachycardia, atrial ectopics and pauses. My Cardiologist has told me that it is part of ageing process!!! I am going for a third opinion because I don’t believe a word he says anymore. It took me 18 months to get my license back! Btw, the loop recorder in my chest wall does show and incision is noticeable. The insertion process is under a local and takes normally around 20mins. Let us know how you get on. Regards, Chelston
Thank you for your reply and my goodness what an experience you’ve endured!!
I had a near faint in my car and I was right to remain conscious for 20 minutes so I empathise although I know it’s not the same.
I’m in my 30s and I doubt I would be told it’s part of the aging process so I definitely think it’s worth getting another opinion!! Good luck, let me know how you get on please.
I have had my loop recorder for about 2 1/2 years now and I rarely remember that it is there. The procedure to insert it took just a few minutes and was pretty painless - no stitches. It is very small and I am pretty sure they just deadened the skin and put it in in a very short while.
Post opould not get it soaking wet until the incision was checked a week or so later. The device that sends in the report looks sort of like a telephone and I think it uses the phone lines. It stays near my bed because I think it sends in the report in the middle of the night. My only complaint is that the seat belt irritates it so I ordered a quilted cover for the seat belt. Problem solved! I like knowing that someone is monitoring me.
Thank you for your reply and I think I share your view about liking that you’re being watched over, I’m definitely feeling more reassured by everyone’s responses and I’m much more positive!
I will make a note of the quilted seat belt cover too, thank you for the great tip! It’s little things like that I just wouldn’t have thought of 🙂
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Loop recorder
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