Implanted Loop Recorder

[SohoWoman]

I'm new to this community.

My cardiologist wants to implant a loop recorder to see if I have AFib, which he strongly suspects is the cause of the stroke(s) & TIAs I've had but which hasn't ever been detected on a Holter, echo or Kardia. As a highly sensitive person, I'm likely to feel the device pressing in on my ribs & out on my skin and interfering with sleep.

Can anyone who has an implanted loop recorder share their experience with it?

[istimewa]

hello, i had a loop recorder implanted about 18 months ago. It was an easy procedure under sedation only. The device is about an inch lower than my left collar bone, and situated just below the skin, superficial to the muscle in that location. Therefore it is on the front aspect of the pectoralis major muscle, not on the side aspect of my chest. When I use my fingers to feel for it there, I am quite unable to locate it, and it doesn't feel tender at that location either. There is a short half inch scar on the skin, so I know where to feel to try to locate it. When I sleep, it does not present any problem as I do not sleep on my front. Even if I did lie on my front, the area lower than my collar bone does not press on the bed or pillow so that area doesn't come under direct pressure. I hope this info helps. I do not believe that loop recorders are implanted beneath the skin along the ribs on our sides, unless there is no alternative.

[SohoWoman in reply to istimewa]

Thanks so much, Istimewa. Good to know you're having an easy time with the device.

My cardiologist said the loop recorder would be implanted just under the skin lower than my collar bone. So, as you say, it would rest against the pectoralis major muscle, which covers the front ribs. I've been practicing yoga for many years so have good muscle tone but can clearly feel my ribs under the muscle. I sleep on my left side with my left arm under the pillow so pressure gets put exactly where the device would be.

Sohowoman

[SohoWoman in reply to istimewa]

Istimewa,

I'm glad you aren't bothered by your loop recorder and expect having it gives you some peace of mind.

In the following appointment with my cardiologist, I asked him about an Apple Watch as an alternative to a loop recorder. To my surprise, he was enthusiastic about that so I got one. Took a while to find a watchband that didn't irritate my skin but once I found an inexpensive mesh band, I've been wearing the device pretty much 24/7. In addition to being able to take an EKG whenever I feel a beat irregularity, I also like all the heart monitoring & sleep quality info it provides.

In the several years I've been wearing it, it's detected no episodes of AFib.

SohoWoman