I recently had a 24 hr heart monitor to investigate my fast heart rate. I received a letter that just said nothing concerning was found and that my 24 he average was 95bpm which was said to be normal. Does this not seem quite high as a 24hr average? Everyone I have spoken to has a much lower average so I’m a bit confused about that. I wore my Apple Watch at the same time as the monitor so I know my heart rate was racing after standing up several times and also I purposely did very little that day to show how high it goes with doing very little. Obviously I am glad that nothing serious has been picked up but I just feel a bit disheartened as it’s not given me any more answers other than ‘just ignore it and get on with it’. It’s slightly better from taking verapamil but last week I had a sudden rate of 150bpm sat on the sofa watching tv, and I did a short indoor cycle yesterday which had my heart rate at 170 bpm and I was not out of breath and comfortably talking throughout the cycle. It’s just frustrating! It’s not exactly pleasant experiencing such high heart rates even if they are in a regular rhythm. Any similar experiences would be appreciated!
24 hr holter monitor: I recently had a... - British Heart Fou...
24 hr holter monitor
I am in perm. Afib and my cardio. is reasonably satisfied with a frequent 95 and an average of c77.She reckons that is to be expected with perm af.This was recorded on my Holter a month ago.Apparently too low is not good either. I am an active 86 year old with a lot of exercise in my life,Zumba,dance,seated boxing and walking most days. .........1-2 miles .I experience rare slight bteasthelessness.
I'm having a Holter fitted tomorrow for 48 hours after I saw a cardiologist last December about fatigue and mentioned slight breathlessness. (I had a new heart valve in July 2023 but am experiencing fatigue.) May I ask how you coped with it at night, please? There's no info at all on my hospital's website, though other sites say one needs to sleep on one's back. I've always favoured the recovery position, which I resort to instinctively if I awake in the night. I'm planning to wear a tight-fitting top to keep the Holter secure.
As an "I-know-best" patient, I don't think the Holter will show up anything very significant (I believe that the problem is haematological) and, in contrast to all my pre-op appointments that I was keen to have ASAP, I even deferred the fitting from December 23 as I couldn't face the last -minute Christmas shoppers. I'll be asking whether it would be a good thing to go for a walk on Tuesday to gauge what effect that will have on the readings. (A walk last Thursday in the cold had me struggling and stopping for breath up a steep hill.)
So I wasn’t allowed to shower with it on, it was secured to my chest with loads of tape on top of the sticky electrodes. It had 5 cables that went into a little box that I had in a little bag and hung round my neck. I actually slept fine with it, on my side and I think I even rolled over in the night while sleeping. The cables aren’t that long so it was kept sort of contained in a small-ish area. They ask you to go about your day as usual, and I got a sheet to fill in a diary with any symptoms I had at what time.
The hardest thing was removing all the tape at the end, it was very sticky and took a few days to get all the sticky bits off my skin. It did give me a bit of red irritated skin, but my skin is very stretchy so you may not have the same issues.
Hope that helps!
Stretchy skin and fast heart rate. Hmmm… do you have joint hypermobility as well? If so, have you been checked for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome?
I do have a lot of hypermobility which I realised after I dislocated my shoulder last summer by diving into a swimming pool - just from standing level! I have always wondered why my joints were weird. My wrists pop in and out all the time, my elbows and knees hyper extend, my knee caps move freely in their joints, my spine has minor scoliosis and my hips and shoulder crack and pop with any movement. Does that sound like something like Ehlers Danlos? I had read about it after the physio had told me about hyper mobility last summer.
It does sound a bit like it. I had a work up for Marfan Syndrome as I have some of the markers for it, but it turns out I have some other, unidentified connective tissue disorder that isn’t either Marfan or Ehlers Danlos. 🤷
Still, it might be worth mentioning it to your cardiologist….
Oh that is interesting! Is Ehler Danlos something a cardiologist would know about? I’ve been advised to go to physio for my joint issues to strengthen up all the loose ones. I didn’t realise these things could be connected. I’ve had several physios test the hyper mobility scale on me but because my hands aren’t hyper mobile it was always dismissed. They never even looked at the joints that I have the most issues with!
Ehlers Danlos can have cardio-vascular involvement, so yes, a cardiologist should know about it.
My cardiologist was the one who sent me for a Marfan work up. Even when it came back negative they did a MRI of my ascending & descending aorta to rule out vascular involvement (from whatever connective tissue disorder I do have).
Ok thanks for the info, will have a look into it. It’s frustrating as I’m a fairly active person but with joint injuries and a fast heart rate with minimal exertion I’ve really struggled for the last couple of years. Would love to just get back to what I enjoy.
Hi, I recently had the 24 hour monitor and like you cannot sleep on my back and tend to alternate left and right sides when in bed. You should find that the wires (3 from memory) are clipped onto you very securely, shouldn't fall off ( they will show you what to do should one unclip) while the monitor itself should just lie next to you (in my case I was provided with a long shoelace which it hung around my neck from during the day then overnight the wires had sufficient length to just place next to you (and don't use the sling in bed as could be a health and safety risk...) and then try and have as normal a 48 hours as possible, don't think you'll need the tight top, good luck
The one I got given a few years ago was actually stuck on and didn't fall off at all and you could even shower with it on. Unfortunately you never seem to get the results until you have an appointment with them, and even if you remember it in the conversation. Mine was for a whole week.You could always email them or even talk to the Nurses as they seem to be lot more helpful. Good Luck x
Hi I had a 48hr one on last week Taviterry for the same reasons as you I had a TAVI aortic valve replacement in April 23 was doing so well till end of Septemver 24 when I started feeling tired and more out of breath I had a echo which shows heart is fine My ejection fraction has gone up to 60 so good I did a 25 min walk back from the hospital and was ill the rest of the day The second day I spent quietly pottering around the house so they had a comparison I had three wires attachment and the unit clipped on to my trousers At night I just ran itunder my pillow and slept as usual on my left side No problems at all It's odd we are having very similar problems a year and half after op
I had a 7 day holster and had no problems but I used Elastoplast to tape the ‘ box in place I was given spares so that I could remove and replace for a shower . I had a couple of episodes when my heart beat got really fast for a few minutes and was diagnosed as having SVT .
Thanks to you both for your reassurances. Several times I've returned home to find electrodes still stuck to my chest! (Not as bad as when just as I was leaving a ward they remembered they hadn't removed a canula: I don't mind removing the electrodes and sticky tape myself, but wouldn't have fancied extracting the canula on my own (especially as when the nurse did it my thinned blood gushed down my hand onto the hospital chair).
Hello, has anyone checked you for atrial flutter? Atrial flutter is when the atria beat regularly, but much faster than usual. The top part of the heart beats quicker than the bottom, causing an abnormal heart rhythm. You didn’t mention your age? It sounds like you need further investigations to be reassured. My best wishes to you.
One GP wondered about atrial flutter but it’s never been mentioned by the cardiologist. I had a previous 10 day monitor that showed atrial tachycardia but it was just short and the cardiologist said it was benign. I want to make sure I am prepared for my follow up appointment with all my questions. Thanks for your reply
Hello, I had a 7 day holter monitor and had no problems at all with it just a little bit of a rash under one of the sticky plasters on your chest.
hi
I had around 8 pages of graphs and statistics- it’s shown that in the study period I had 8% ectopic beats so an having a follow up in Feb and some additional
The holter was great very tiny as opposed to the previous NHS one which was clunky and showed nothing remarkable
I think I will ask for more information at the follow up!
Hi
I’ve been experiencing a higher Heart rate the last 1.5 years where it sits around 90-100bpm at rest.
Previous to this my Heart rate was always 40-50bpm.
I became quite poorly dec 22, with symptoms of chest pain breathlessness fatigue palpitations and feeling very weak. Had so many tests and was discharged from cardiology.
I manage my symptoms with hydration and salt as advised by clinician.
I now have had to have another 24 he monitor last week as symptoms have worsened where I have aches discomfort upper back arm jaw and chest. Continue with the palpitations and breathlessness and heart rate remains 80-90 bpm since I have recently been prescribed a beta blocker.
I had a tilt table test and they confirmed I had vasovagal syncope which means my blood pressure is on the low end and when I drops I get dizzy and can almost faint.
Have you had blood pressure checked ?
I feel the same as you as I don’t feel long term it’s heathland my heart rate runs in the 90s especially as was always 40-50s previous to all this. I was told not cardiac a year ago but GP has referred me back for second opinion.
Im only 42 and this has greatly impacted me as I have 2 young children and was running and playing netball up until all this so a big shock I am so sedentary due to the symptoms.
they did say I had 2nd degree heart block when I had my last 7 day tape but said nothing more on the and I have symptoms with this so thought I would have further investigation. I’m hoping this time I get some answers.
My blood pressure has been checked and generally they say it is done. I’ve checked it at home a few times and it’s either slightly high, slightly low, or normal, so I take that as being ok! I did notice that my blood pressure rises quite a bit when I stand up, along with my heart rate.
It is so frustrating with the back and forth and not getting answers! Good luck!
Hi my husband had a 72 hr heart rate monitor for the exactly the same symptoms as yourself. He then got an appointment to see a cardiologist. It sounds his results were similar to yours. Told it wasn't anything serious but would be nice to find the reason why it happens, so another monitor for 24 hours and to push himself. To see what happens.🤷
Yes I would be nice to know what’s going on, even if it’s not deemed serious! I like to understand what’s happening even if it’s something I don’t need to worry about
Exactly🤔
especially if it’s something you don’t need to worry about!🙃
I’ve got svt and paroxysmal afib .ive had 6 holter tests.and it has never recorded a single episode which is frustrating because they put you straight back on waiting lists in uk and you go back to square one.the only reason I got anyone to believe me and look into it further was because I caught one on my Apple Watch.i just believe that if you have a heart arrhythmia that only happens sometimes then a holter is just no good.because your not wearing it for long enough.I’ve actually handed one in at the hospital after 24hrs and when I got back to my car had an attack.i just think from my experience with them that unless your heart is in permanent arrhythmia it’s like winning the lottery with them actually catching something in a 24hr window..but I wish you luck and hope you have more than me with them 👍
My wife suffered from TLoC. NHS holter monitors revealed nothing untoward: stage one heart block and numerous ectopics. We ended up going to see a private cardiologist (£200) who recommended that my wife should pay for a 14 day holter monitor. The device was delivered by courier. It was simple to place the patch on the chest and attach the very small device to it. We got the AI results, within 5 days of the device being couried back to the provider. Inter alia, the results showed a single short session of A F. (Previously, my wife’s 6 lead KardiaAlive had detected occasional paroxysmal AF: two GPs discounted the results).
The private cardiologist referred my wife back to the NHS with a recommendation that she be fitted with a Loop Recorder. A month after the Loop Recorder was fitted, she had two TLoC episodes. She was admitted to hospital immediately and fitted with a 2 lead pacemaker.
bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...
Had we not gone down the private route, I suspect that we would still be waiting for a diagnosis. FWiW, I have no idea why the NHS continues to require patients to wait for holter monitor appointments when all that is required is a NHS hub that sends out holter monitors to patients with no need for any clinical fitting etc.
SNAP!!!🤓
I've had endless Holter monitors (3x 1 day, 2 x 3 days and 1 x 7 days) and they all came back fine. Very frustrating as none of them captured what I felt. My recollection was that it was a small box that attached to my waistband and had three wires attached to electrodes. they gave me loads of spares in case they fell off. I found it helpful to take a photo of where they were placed so that if some fell off I could see where to replace them. I couldn't shower, but had no advice about sleeping position. Once an electrode fell off during the night, the box alarmed to wake me and I could sort the problem out.
My heart rate sits around 70-80 on good days, or 130 - 170 on iffy days and last week my heart (my wild child!) decided sitting at 210 was a good option. It wasn't!
As for capturing what's going on, it's hit and miss, but it's just about all the hospital has to try and see what's happening. I ended up in getting my own wearable chest strap monitor (the wellue one) and I can wear it all the time. It managed to capture exactly what was happening and provides really good printouts which the cardiologist said were brilliant. I'm now on a waiting list for an ablation as I don't seem to tolerate meds (the verapamil worked well, but my body doesn't like it).
Don't give up if the first monitoring session comes back fine. Go by what you feel, how it impacts you. Good luck
Just returned from the hospital and, with the fitted Holter, left reassured. The clinician said NOT to sleep on my back, not to shower or bath with it on and not to worry about using the microwave or mobile. I asked if I should record any physical activity such as walking, and he said "no". (A friend of mine made a point of cycling up Surrey's steepest hill when wearing his.) But back home looking at the accompanying leaflet, it said to note any physical activity and avoid microwaves (and electric blankets); however the clinician did say that I just needed to note any breathlessness. Thanks for all the comments, and apologies to Cookieisland for disrupting her thread more than I intended.
Oh don’t worry about it! Hope you got on not bad last night and don’t have to wait too long for results
I had a 2 week Zio monitor in the summer because my pulse rate was dropping as low as 32, and always below 40 at night (and sometimes daytime too, when resting) 2 separate consultants were quite happy with the readings and said there was nothing they would do. I guess that if a consultant gives an ok then maybe we shouldn't worry.
I’m another who has high HR ( not AF) and high BP as a result of Long Covid almost 5 years ago. Thought I had Pots( DIY self NASA lean test) but after 4 years got a tilt table test which showed it was postural hypotension ie Bp plummeted to 61/40 on standing, and HR rose to counteract this to get oxygenated blood to brain to 135+. The falls specialist removed the bisoprolol beta blocker immediately saying it was stopping the HR rising as my body needed. So now get HR 150 doing small domestic tasks like emptying the tumble drier, while trying to stand cooking at stove has me bent double breathless; Ican faint standing 15+ mins. My ecgs, and echocardiogram were ‘normal’, and 24 hour Holter monitor was regarded as acceptable as it averaged out ok, so ignored high HR and BP as well as lows. I had considerable difficulty getting any treatment, GP put me on 5 hypertensives, while cardiologists where I live were not at all interested, and judging from your average HR result you might need to do more homework if you want to pursue it. If you want to investigate similar uncontrolled BP/HR known as dysautonomia look at the websites Pots Uk ( which has a map of clinics…I rang up 4 nearest me, only 1 was still running c.18 months ago and the lead has since retired, but it’s a place to start /look for a NHS referral), or the most up to date Stopfainting.com by a London cardio.
Thanks for your message, sorry to hear you’ve had such a difficult time. Have you found anything that helps?
I have had pots suggested to me by a gp but where I located there are no specialists anywhere near me unfortunately
sadly not obviously though do the tips like compression socks, more water etc. Do you live outside UK, your pen name conjures up Antipodian places?
I’m in Scotland ☺️ I’m not sure how I thought up name! I have tried compression socks but my veins in my feet get really puffed up which I’m not sure is a good thing. I also get bruises on my legs when I wear them? Not sure what causes that!
I looked up ‘Scotland’ in the various sources I have for dysautonomia/ PoTS specialist…only a pediatrician in Glasgow came up, The POTS Uk map is still out of date…the 2 in Newcastle /Gateshead mentioned retired over 2-3 years ago. Surely there are more; have Scotland really opted out on finding out why patients are completely collapsing with tilt table tests. Mine was being used ha Geriatric consultant ( regardless of age of patient) not a cardiologist…perhaps the Glasgowteam would know of others in Scotland using this test. Oppression socks causing bruising sounds a bit as they are damaging the little surface blood vessels, which is odd, unless like me you have to problem getting them on, never mind off, and I get abit aggressive !
I always blister badly under the electrodes so ask for the hypoallergenic ones. No trouble sleeping with i t but last time half of the press studs on teh electrodes came loose so make sure they are well pressed on and reattach them if necessary. Act normally; do what you always do.
I had a 24hr ECG at the end of August & am awaiting a letter from the clinic. I have been told by the cardio nurse that nothing serious was identified although it showed some “bumps in the road” & that this can be managed by my current dose of Bisoprolol amongst the other meds.
Hoping the clinic letter will provide some more information
I don’t have any other symptoms & am still quite active having had a stent in the LAD in October ‘21.
Hi there, I agree the fast and regular heart rate as monitored by 24 hours holter monitor is unacceptably high. You also said that even when the heart rate went up to 170 per minute while watching TV, you were comfortable. I am so pleased that the cardio has reassured that it is not heart related but could it be something not cardiac related?. Are you intolerant to heat, have you recently had some weight loss without you dieting or exercising a lot. Has any body mentioned that it could be overactive thyroid ? I am just suggesting the possibilities. See what the medics think about it. Regards.
I’ve had my thyroid checked many times and it’s always come back fine with the blood tests. I am underweight but always have been with a very fast metabolism!
Blood pressure monitor
holter monitor
24hour heart monitor 
Holter Monitor / ECG
Fast and slow HR
