Has anyone had an insertable Cardiac Monitor?

@earther Oh man, I hope it gives you some good data and answers for your vision loss issues. Sorry to hear about your struggle. Fascinating though about your vision loss.

I had the Reveal LINQ implant for 3 years, out in 2019. It was a good tool as, like you, I am in a rural area. Every day alerts and information went to my not-local cardiologist.

@jigglejaws94 - I have one but it's made by Abbott and works a bit differently than what you described. I use an app on my phone to report incidents, and the Heart Rhythm Clinic at the local hospital, where I had it implanted in February, checks that recording but apparently only about every 3 days or so. I get a notification when that has happened.

I'm in a remote area with an understaffed rural hospital, so it's often a while after that before they check the report. I notified them by sending Fitbit app screenshots when I had the first recorded AFib incidents and subsequent ones, but they called me after those and after a scary drop in my heart rate while I was asleep.

Mine was implanted to try to find out what had been causing intermittent, brief episodes of blindness in both eyes for years -- no notice as with some kinds of migraines. (I voluntarily stopped driving beyond my neighborhood so I wouldn't cause a crash and kill someone. No longer being able to drive is a life-changer, but not in a good way.) It had taken me 11 years to get any doctor to take that seriously, but the cardiologist I have now likes to solve mysteries, so she made it happen.

An MRI not long ago seems to indicate that the blindness episodes are related to my heart-pumping problems. Probably.

The implant procedure required only anesthetic and maybe something to keep me calm (but I have bradycardia, so such things are not advisable). It took maybe an hour, max.

But for the MRI, I had to confirm with Abbott that the model I have implanted is safe for those. MRIs use magnets, and the loop recorder aka implanted cardiac monitor is metal. Some models are OK for MRIs now, but only if the MRI techs use a certain one or two types of MRIs. So it's critical that all people involved need to check and double-check before the day of the MRI. Otherwise, it could be deadly. You also need to make sure that anyone doing any kind of radiology exams or surgery know you have it. I've had techs do x-rays who hadn't noticed that on my medical record. It is NOT prominent.

I've had 4 Zio "patch" tests over a few years before -- devices taped to your upper chest for 2 weeks to monitor your heart, then techs read the results. Basically, that's the same thing that the loop recorder does, although it can keep doing what it does for 3-4 years. So if a condition is serious but long time spans between episodes, that's when it's a good choice.

I'm glad I have it, because doctors now believe this happens to me and take it more seriously. I just wish they had a decade sooner, because things would almost certainly have turned out better for me and my heart.

I had a loop recorder implanted 2 and a half years ago following a Heart Attack and irregular heart rhythms. It has been a wonderful device as it detected SVTs that interrupt my rhythm and cause shortness of breath and angina. Recently, my cardiologist rang me to say runs of SVT were occurring again. My heart rhythm medication has been increased, and I am awaiting an echocardiogram. It has given me peace of mind over the last couple of years to know my ECG was monitored 24/7. The insertion of the ILR was a straightforward procedure. A life-saving device!

Not sure if it’s the same thing, but I had a loop recorder implanted 4 years ago to monitor atrial fibrillation. Had remote monitoring so doctor would be advised if I had issues. It was weird getting a phone call from the monitoring station at 2 AM, asking me if I was aware I was in atrial fibrillation at a rate of 195 bpm, and that I should go to the hospital.

Couple months ago had a loop monitor inserted in chest. No afib reported yet.

Who is your excellent cardiologist? He is worth his weight in gold.

I have had an experience with a loop reorder from Medtronic which was and is very different from yours. I was totally numbed with lidocaine prior to insertion. The procedure was pain free. I felt only a lot of forceful pressure as the surgeon used his considerable strength to get it placed. Only very slight bruising afterward with no pain or need for any pain relief via medication of any kind. Maybe I was just lucky or did I have a more experienced doctor? The device does what it is intended to do with no beeping during the night. The site of insertion is now invisible with no scar or red mark after one year of the tiny incision's healing. No stitches necessary - used fancy glue instead. The loop recorder's results are tied to an App on my phone which must be kept opened at all times. The phone does not need to be near me. The recorder will not send output when traveling out of one's home country. Notify your doctor's monitoring staff when away. Easy and efficient way to keep doc informed of your heart's rhythm. Highly recommend. I may change my mind when the battery eventually fails. I assumed that another one would be placed. I've had this one since January of 2024.

Update to my post. I have had the device extracted by my private surgeon under local anaesthetic. I was a bit anxious about leaving it in with unknown risks. It was a simple procedure and the surrounding tissue that was tender was also removed. I was given antibiotics and advice on wound care. Better out than in.

I had a Medtronic Reveal Linc inserted in 2020 in New Zealand where it would have cost $35,000 NZ if I had had to pay to have it inserted privately. I was very lucky to have it inserted in the public hospital and the cost was covered by our national health system.
At the time of insertion I was taking Diltiazem 120 mg daily. At the time I asked a variety of questions of the staff but was only told to read the booklet when I got home. At that time no one here knew anything about them including my cardiologist.
I had several "events" or episodes during the next 18 months until I was prescribed Rivaroxaban and the episodes dropped to one a year since.
After I had had the device for three years I received a call from the clinic to let me know that the device was about to stop working because the battery was at the end of it's life. I was told that I would not be getting another one and asked when I could have it removed but was told patients just left them in.
That's when the fun started. I had begun to feel lumps around the device so my doctor arranged an ultrasound. Strangely the radiographer could feel the lumps but they didn't show up on the ultrasound screen.
My cardiologist said it should be removed but the surgery is risky because of infection.
I'm interested in knowing if anyone else has had this happen and would be very pleased to receive any comments to this post. Thanks in advance.

I got one inserted June 27, 2024. It hurt like a m f'er. For 2 weeks it felt like someone had shoved a brick into my left breast and left an elephant to hold it in place. For one week it felt like I was being kicked by a horse with rusty shoes. 3 weeks post insertion, the bruising is finally gone, it looks like something took a chunk out of me, and it still "pinches" every once in a while. Most annoying is that the transmitter machine beeps in the middle of the night 3 times), last night @ 1:30 am waking me and the puppy. I have contacted Medtronic's and the providers office for how to turn the volume off or down with no response. It is very frustrating overall. Still too early to tell if it is doing me one lick of good.