So my fitbit has the ECG function and the last few days when I felt iffy I was just getting an inconclusive result. Today I managed to catch it as I felt my heart briefly going wild and it says AFib.
I have a cardiology appointment soon and plan to tell them but worry they'll just think it's ridiculous as not a medical device.
I'm hoping it might just make them take me seriously but fear it'll have the opposite effect!
Anyone else experienced this with their watches?
Hi NightOwl8I bought a Withings scan watch for the purpose of capturing AFib as I had been having really bad palpitations occasionally and suddenly realised it could be AFib.
The watch syncs with the Withings app on my Samsung phone.
After only wearing the watch a few days as soon as my heart started bounding, I captured AFib on my watch then shared the ecg to my gp via email.
I rang the GP to discuss this and was given an urgent appointment and started on anticoagulants after having undergone risk assessments baseline tests and blood tests.
I have also been referred for a 24 hr tape and an echo.
I am sure your consultant will take you seriously. The tech is there to be used.
Just think how hard it would be to capture AFib on their 24 hr tapes if only have occasional ( paroxysmal) episodes. Smart watches / fitbits are a game changer enanbing people to access treatment earlier.
Hope you get on ok and get the help you need.
Cat715
I have a fitbit with that facility as well. I know watches aren't totally accurate. However, if you're using the same one each time I believe they can be a good guide as to when to ask for further help. Good luck.
Not sure about Fitbit, but with Apple Watch, if you go into the “health” app on your phone and find the ECG it will allow you to export it as a PDF. This includes the “trace” which a doctor can then examine. They will certainly take you seriously, even if they do want confirmation from a medical device before diagnosis. By the way, Apple Watch also records “inconclusive “ sometimes. I looked this up and it means it didn’t detect AFib, but “The recording may show signs of other arrhythmias or heart conditions that the app is not designed to recognize”. When I exported the inconclusive ones and looked at the actual trace it was clear that there were premature ventricular contractions (PVC) present (which I had felt).
I've been told they do take them seriously. You can buy try, nothing to lose except you may find out the consultant is a dinosaur 🦖
It's fairly easy to tell if you are experiencing AF. When you next feel "iffy" just feel your pulse manually. If it seems to beat randomly with no regular pattern then it is almost certainly A fib.
I felt my husband's pulse when he didn't feel well a few years ago.I could feel his pulse was irregular. Some beats were less strong than others, sometimes there were long pauses between beats or one came straight after another.
An ECG at the GP's surgery confirmed my findings and he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.
I can feel my heart going erratically and ita horrible - I've no doubt in my mind that I have irregular rhythms. Getting Dr's to listen is another matter. Problem is I can sometimes go a few days all fine then go several days in a row with about 10 bouts so when I've had a 24 hr monitor they've not caught anything. Previously on a week monitor they have and they recommended further investigations after pregnancy but several years on and nobody will do anything more than a 24 hr monitor. That's why I got the watch, in the hopes that be able to show them. Just a few days of wearing it and got to save one so I'm hoping it'll prompt them to listen to me.
Buy a Kardia! Easy to use and accurate!
I have an Apple Watch and my cardiologist said to me, when I was in hospital recently having a pacemaker fitted, that they are pretty accurate and he took them seriously.
Thanks everyone. I just started to worry that they'd think I'm just being silly trusting a watch but it seems on the most part they do take it seriously. Fingers crossed they will take more notice now I can show then something.
Hi , I purchased a kardia device to capture mine months ago , it did infect capture Afib and went to docs they gave me a week ecg monitor nothing showed up , fast forward to now when I had my episode i managed to record heart beats over 200 but said inconclusive . After visit to A&E was diagnosed with SVT . I will be using this device again if needed as it’s very accurate with heart rate and tells me if i should call for help . Hope they helps …
My arrhythmia nurse refuses to accept my Fitbit readings, saying they are not accurate. Told me to buy a Kardia device, which I did. Guess what…….the correspond exactly!!!
Hi there, I had exactly the same thing and printed off a copy of the recording, it’s in the ‘you’ section on the app.
The consultant took it completely seriously and I was put on Bisiprolol and Apixaban.
Modern day watches are very accurate, obviously not the same as a hospital examination but they’re excellent at highlighting a potential problem.
Good luck.
Any Fitbit or smart watch function is only considered as a guideline , and they are not reliable for testing blood pressure.As others have said , it's good to get a Kardia , which are actually recommended and used within the NHS , and use this if you get an alert on your watch or have symptoms for more accurate results that doctors are encouraged to take serious notice of.
The Kardia system also has an app , ability to store information and results and you can send them to your GP or Cardiologist to help them review your care at appointments.
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