Want to monitor heart irregularities. Should I buy smartwatch?

Posted by jimharmer @jimharmer, Aug 30, 2024

I'm new to this AFib diagnosis and would like to get a better idea of my heart's daily variations and types of irregularities before I pay for and start Eliquis. Most of the time I don't feel anything, or don't know what I'm feeling. Would a smart watch give me that ECG type picture? What brands using Android seem helpful?

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d050526 | @d050526 | May 5 11:07am

In reply to @foundryrat743 "Hi! I, too, am new to the world of A-fib! I want you to know that..." + (show)

@foundryrat743

Hi! I, too, am new to the world of A-fib! I want you to know that I have an Apple Smart Watch, that, perhaps, saved me from an undesirable outcome of A-Fib!! I recommend you buy a Smart Watch! It will help you know when you may be in A-fib! One morning, at 5am, or so, I woke up with my heart racing! I checked my heart rate with my Smart Watch! It was 110, and going up. Suddenly, I felt my heart flip/flop in my chest, and I got scared! That had never happened to me before. I couldn’t sense my heartbeat immediately after that, and I was feeling light headed, so my Doctor had shown me, on my Smart Watch, how to take an ECG reading, and told me that I should get an ECG reading if my heart starts racing! So, I took an ECG reading! Right away I could see something was terribly wrong! The normal ECG lines, up and downs, were not there, and, instead, it was erratic lines up and down, in different lengths, and a red bordered light and wording stated that I was in A-fib, and to call my Doctor immediately, and, if I pressed the crown of the watch, on the side, the Smart Watch would call 911 for me! I woke my wife up and told her about the A/Fib, and pressed the crown, since the Doctor’s office was closed! My wife got up, and got me a Propanolol tablet, which she said to take. My wife used to work in a hospital ER. Then, I decided to take another ECG reading, which showed that my heart had converted back to normal sinus rythym, and I could sense a heartbeat! I called the 911 operator, who said they were on their way, and told her my heart went bsck to normal!Then I called the Cardiologist on duty, at the hospital, and told him what happened! He said I did all of the right stuff, and that taking the Propanolol was the right thing to do! Anyway, then I sent the ECG reading to my Cardiologist’s office, and got an appoiintment with them. I went in, and they put me on a two week monitor, I have had several episodes of A-Fib that showed up on the monitor, so now the Cardiologist is evaluating what steps to take for the future! Due to previous falls, from my diagnosed Parkinson’s Disease, the Docs discussed The Watchman procedure, instead of blood thinners, to treat my A-Fib, So, it paid off for me to have a Smart Watch with heart rate, ECG, and blood oxygen level! I hope you will consider getting a possible life-saving Smart Watch! Good luck along your journey, of living with A-Fib!

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@foundryrat743
Could you share the procedure with me?
This is news to me.
Thank you!

foundryrat743 | @foundryrat743 | May 5 1:20pm

In reply to @d050526 "@foundryrat743 Could you share the procedure with me? This is news to me. Thank you!" + (show)

@d050526 Sure! I’m glad to help in any way I can! If you bring up Boston Scientific on Google, or a search engine, type in ‘The Watchman’, and they have a video, that explains how the device is implanted in the heart. There is a right side appendage in the top right side of the heart, that when blood gets in, can possibly form blood clots. ‘The Watchman’ uses a coated titanium balloon type device to block the appendage off. Doctor’s secure the balloon in place, going through a vein, opened in the groin area, inserted with tubing. Think of how stents are placed to open up arteries, as to how this procedure is performed. A few weeks after the procedure a transesophageal imaging procedure is performed, on the patient, where the implant is checked, to make sure that skin is growing over the device, at the entrance to the appendage, where the balloon has been implanted, and to check and make sure that there is no leakage or possibility of blood clots forming. I have had ‘The Watchman’ implant installed by the cardiac team at the hospital, and last week, the transesophageal check was done! I have been on Eliquis blood thinner for the last three months, and this week the Docs put me on Plavix for another 6 months, along with a baby aspirin, a day! I didn’t have any discomfort or problems, with either procedure. Each one, of course, was done under anesthesia. My a-fib seems to be relatively controlled, with my watch recording that I have an average of 2% a-fib time, over a week’s time period! So, I’m doing fairly good, and have peace of mind that ‘The Watchman’ is working as it is designed to do! Hope this helps you, with your decision making!

carly14 | @carly14 | May 6 9:27am

Apple the best

gloaming | @gloaming | May 6 11:20am

In reply to @carly14 "Apple the best" + (show)

@carly14 ...for Apple users, surely. For Android users, there are other options, some of them the best.

arflmi33 | @arflmi33 | May 7 7:32am

Garmin has many great fitness watches that track heart values. I have one and love it. But, I find that for real problems with heart irregularities, having a Kardia device is much better. I got the Kardia that does a 6 lead EKG, the Kardia Mobile 6L The cost is far less than any quality fitness watch. I can easily email the Kardia EKGs to my cardiology team or post the PDF in the patient portal, and they respect the Kardia data as valid. My cardio team does not want to hear from watches. The Kardia detects PVCs which is what I most need it for, and it does detect AFIB along with many other values. I carry it in my purse or a pocket as it is very small and thin.

sandw40 | @sandw40 | May 7 8:57am

I have a Google Pixel phone and a Fitbit which has been acquired by Google. A important consideration when looking for a smart watch at least in the world of Android devices is to verify that your brand and specific model of phone will be compatible with app that the company is currently using. If you purchase a watch that isn't compatible you may end up having a $300 step counter on your wrist. There are some android phones that will work with a Fitbit app but not with the ECG feature which is what you're looking for. You're phone has to be able to be updatable to a specific software version also. Do the research 👍🏼👍🏼

osgilian | @osgilian | May 7 10:38am

There are other excellent smart watches that are not Apple. I have a Samsung Galaxy Clasic 4 smart watch that I specifically chose (after much research) because it is FDA approved for heart rate and ekg accuracy, and is 100% compatible with my samsung android phone (not everyone can afford Apple products). Watch cost $159. My EP accepts its readings at face value.

sandw40 | @sandw40 | May 7 1:50pm

In reply to @sandw40 "I have a Google Pixel phone and a Fitbit which has been acquired by Google. A..." + (show)

@sandw40
As an update to my comment I just received a message regarding Google's new "Fitbit Air". It's apparently a display less wrist device that does all the regular health stats and sends to Google's new updated Health App. Will cost $129 later in May and is supposedly Apple compatible.

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