I started wearing a loop recorder for my heart about a week ago.
I am wearing it b/c I started getting palpitations about a month ago that became more and more frequent. Docs think it's either b/c of anemia (b/c I changed my diet to vegetarian) or could be hormones or could be any other number of things.
I don't get pain when I have the palps. but I can't breathe when they happen...and it's just kinda annoying.
I wear the recorder with electodes under my right collar bone and one under my left breast.
They are wired to a looping recorder that constantly records 1 minute and then re-records over it...
When I have a palpitation I push a button on the recorder so that it records 1 minute before pushing the button and 40 seconds after. After recording, I call a number and transmit the reading through the phone. It's strange... somehow it sends an EKG through the phone that can be read on the other end...
Interesante...really it is.
Anyway, this is similar to the Holter Monitor which is worn for 24 hours, but Holter Monitors are good for people who have their symptoms daily so that it is almost guaranteed that they will be able to record their symptoms within the 24 hour timeframe... The benefit to the Looping monitor that I wear, is that since I do not have my symptoms everyday, I can wear it for longer than 24 hours, upping my chances of being able to catch and record my symptoms when they happen.
The downside to the Looping recorder is that I have to wear it for 30 days, and I am allergic to the electrode pads sticky stuff. They supplied me with hypoallergenic ones as well, but I am also allergic to those.
They are shipping me out some pediatric pads so I can try them out... It's soo itchy and painful. I get welts after taking the pads off, and they get itchy and start to blister. Above is a picture of one of the welts that has reduced significantly (is no longer raised) and it's funny, b/c it looks like a smiley face.
I guess I have a happy heart - :)Labels: health, heart, photos, thoughts |
