I had a heart monitor for 7 days and I was scarred by the electrical pads, which were hypoallergenic. The nurse said she’d never seen anything like it before and asked if I’d ever tested positive for metals in my blood. At the time I hadn’t but have since had high ferritin levels and wonder if it’s possible that was the cause? I had three pads and they all burnt my skin and I still have round circlular scars where the pads were four months later. It was really painful and was burning my skin, which actually blistered, but I had to keep them on for the full week because I had waited months for the test.
They’d also had problems getting a machine to work they tried three and they all faultered as soon as they connected them, the nurse said she’d never had the problem before but all three machines which were previously working fine seemed to break when they connected them up?
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rosserk
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How awful for you rosserk & that should not have happened to you.
I've not used a heart monitor but wanted to respond to your post. You must send your pictures with a sternly worded letter, I wonder if you could take action against the hospital as I'd class that as injury due to medical negligence.
I hope your are now pain free. Best wishes Paula 😊
I don’t think this was anyone’s fault I don’t think they know what happened. I’ve convinced myself it could be because I have a high metal content in my blood which is ultimately the cause. If that’s the case then it would be a good thing this happened because then I can get it sorted, fingers crossed.
Ok then rosserk 😊 as you say, it might possibly be high metal content & have it looked at. I hope your a feeling brighter soon, we thyroid bunch don't half go through the mill hey? All the best 😊
It’s more than possible you were allergic to the hypoallergenic electrode pads. It’s more common than you’d think. So it’s more likely to be the adhesive. Plus - am I right to understand they left the electrode pads on for 7 days? Cos I’m pretty sure that shouldn’t have happened! I’m fairly sure they should be changed at least every 48 hrs and preferably daily. A combination of lack of air to skin, perspiration, build up of bacteria and being sensitive to the adhesive would do it. I’m not convinced it was due to your high ferritin levels - I think that’s pretty unlikely.
Thank you so much Jazzw that’s reassuring! What you said makes sense. I’d got it into my head that it was high iron levels and was imagining all manor of hideous reasons! I like you’re explanation.
Brilliant Jazzw!! Thank you that has put my mind at rest. God I love this forum! I can now stop imagining the worse case scenario and pull myself back together!
Seriously, I’m really grateful, I’m not well at the moment and my head won’t settle so thank you x
I am currently on day 8 of a 2 week heart monitor. I have 2 pads, the main one with the actual monitor, mid upper chest, and the second one with a lead attached on left side lower rib cage. I have a good stock of the adhesive pads and was told they 'last' a couple of days the need replacing. When I replace them there is the round outline just like yours but I have not experienced any burning and I don't think it is scarring, just marks that will probably fade once the pads are off for good. You certainly seem to have had an unusual reaction.
Thanks SSS the marks are still there and it’s been three months since my heart monitor. Interesting they told you to change the pass after two days. I think because the machines kept faulting when they finally got one to work they didn’t want me messing with it. I was stressing about the high iron and the scarring/ marks it left on my skin. I was adding two and two and not getting four!!
I was imagining all kinds of weirded things being wrong, particular with the high ferritin result being unexplained. I’m a little more relaxed now thanks to the responses. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I hope your results are good and there’s nothing of concern for you. Kindest regards 💐
My nurse said just to remove when I bathed and replace. Way too exhausted by journey and hospital visit to bathe so have one burning and very itchy pad that started within a few hours of application. No written instructions or warning re changing every 2 days whether you wash or not. Not an impressive procedure for patient info. On day 5 and really want rid of it.
I just thought I'd update. I'm now on day 11 of my heart monitor. The pads have been itching a bit and I've been feeling some discomfort. When I removed the pads this morning to shower, I now have a cut in my skin where the rib cage pad is. Still the same red circular marks which follow the outline of the plastic circle and the actual electrode, but the cut is on the edge of the plastic circle, presumably because there's more movement in the lower rib cage area than where the other pad is on upper chest.
I've replaced the pad in a slightly different position to avoid the plastic circle being in the same place and aggravating the cut. Monitor comes off in 2 days time then hopefully the cut can start to heal. It will be interesting to see if the marks eventually fade.
Hi SSS, I was thinking about you this morning, I checked my post to see when your monitor was coming off so I’d remember to ask how things had gone.
Ouch! That sounds worse than mine and definitely not a great endorsement of the hypoallergenic pads used for these heart monitors. For me though it stops me imagining all kinds of horrors caused by the high metal content in my blood. I can relax now and put it down to the pads and nothing sinister! Thanks for getting back to me that was kind of you x
For me it doesn't seem to be anything to do with the surrounding adhesive on the pad, but the actual plastic circle the electrode is fitted to, it's not a particularly soft, pliable plastic so there's not much give in it when moving so when your midriff area scrunches up a bit with movement, sitting down, etc, (well mine does ) then it digs in. I suppose so many days, and me making sure I put the new pad in the exact same place, means that the same area is being affected all the time.
Because of the problems they had getting a monitor to work on me. They advised me not to remove the pads. They said I could shower with the pads on and reconnect the machine when dry. I think it’s safe to say the pads are BAD!! 😭
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) then it digs in. I suppose so many days, and me making sure I put the new pad in the exact same place, means that the same area is being affected all the time. 
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