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susan.d
Day 2. It’s the worst. I’m sorry I recommended it. The sensitivity electrodes pads do not hold enough adhesive to remain on. The nurse told me I can shower with it but the enclosed brochure states the “flex” model is not water resistant, it has exposed copper connections(?) and the connection between the device and the pocket sleeve that has contact with one’s skin cannot get wet or it will fry. It has to be removed before each shower and the electrodes must be replaced every 48 hours. I called up Philips and was told the same. I need to return tomorrow to get more electrodes. Currently I’m using blue 3M painters tape because the electrodes lost its adhesive. It doesn’t bother my skin. Home Depot saved me. I can’t use tagaderm because the sleeve pocket can’t be covered otherwise it will be difficult to pull the device off the sleeve. Philips wants me to wear it an additional day because it wasn’t secured properly.

Pixie I don’t recommend it. I prefer a continuous recording without daily removal.

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susan.d
Pixie:
I returned to my cardiologist in the states today. I was getting the heebie-jeebies from random arrhythmia and want to convince myself that my ablation was successful after 6 months since 3 prior ablations failed.

I was given a new manufacturer holter- Philips Extended Holter ePatch. It has two sensors not one. They offer sensitive skin options which I took advantage of.

So far no skin reaction. I have forgotten I’m wearing it. It’s quite small. There is a single or double lead option. My cardiologist uses the double.

Perhaps you can request this the next time you need to wear a holter.

Specs:
The Philips ePatch is an extended-wear Holter monitor that continuously records heart activity for up to 14 days. Prescribed by physicians to diagnose arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation, its lightweight, water-resistant design allows patients to shower, sleep, and exercise without interrupting the monitoring process.Key Features and BenefitsComfort and Compliance: Weighs less than 1 ounce, requires no charging, and boasts a 99% patient compliance rate.Wear Options: Can be worn directly as a single-channel patch or with an optional lead-wire adapter for multi-channel recording.

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susan.d
With my pacemaker, ideally I need cellular or wifi 6 hours a day. There was a situation in which I had neither for days. Once I had wifi, my pacemaker was able to transmit the missing data it had stored.

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Qwackertoo

I had a visit with my primary care provide today. I told her I was wearing a 7 day Vital Connect heart monitor. I showed her the phone I had with me that was uploading the information from the monitor. She had never seen that monitor before. She then brought up the website for the hospital the clinic is affiliated with. It is a major research and teaching hospital and my local cardiologist practices there. I learned from the website that they are now using only the BardyCam monitor. I might try that one next year. It would eliminate the need to having a phone to deal with. That is a minor detail, though, but just want to give it a try!

Hi Pixie

Interesting. Do you have to have the phone with you at all times for the 7 days? Back when I had my Implanted Heart Loop Monitor, 35 months, I had the Samsung phone on my nightstand and it did the downloading and updating during the night or when I was nearby. Every so often, mainly after a power outage or flicker of the power, I'd check to make sure it was up to date/connected and maybe a couple of times it needed a software update and follow those steps when prompted. I would need to use it, rarely ever did, to place it near where the implant was, wait for vibration to press the screen for symptoms and I believe there were a few options for symptoms to choose from at that point.. I think in 35 months I only did that maybe twice. On that model, just had to wait every month for them to send the data, then my EP to sign off on the report and then wait for it to be uploaded to my patient portal. I think now Boston Scientific IHLM's have a patient portal/website where you can review the data in real time, although I hope I never need or have one again~!!!

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Pixie
I had a visit with my primary care provide today. I told her I was wearing a 7 day Vital Connect heart monitor. I showed her the phone I had with me that was uploading the information from the monitor. She had never seen that monitor before. She then brought up the website for the hospital the clinic is affiliated with. It is a major research and teaching hospital and my local cardiologist practices there. I learned from the website that they are now using only the BardyCam monitor. I might try that one next year. It would eliminate the need to having a phone to deal with. That is a minor detail, though, but just want to give it a try!

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Qwackertoo


Hi Pixie

I hope you get great results when you wear your monitor and get your results. Plus I hope you don't have any rash or irritation from whatever monitor they send. I think the difference for me was only 7 days vs 30 long days of exposure to adhesives. They were starting to pop up but thankfully my 7 days were over. Just finished with my Telemed with TCA and I can breathe easier and start planning our Big Family Celebration Trip to Switzerland, my favorite place on Earth~!!! Even more so than Hawaii or Alaska~!!! IF everyone is able to go, there will be 21 of us, maybe more~!!!

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Pixie



I am glad you shared the good news. That is great! I start my monitor in a few weeks, I sure hope I do as well as you did.

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Qwackerto

Hello again Pixie

I guess the little gap in the monitor on my chest didn't hurt anything. My telemed appointment with the NP is Tuesday afternoon. 0.0% Afib/Flutter 2.2% PAC's (I was really worried that number would be much higher) and 0.4% PVC's and several runs of SVT's with longest being 15 beats @ maximum 158 bpm so less than 6 seconds. All the months, 35, of my implanted heart loop monitor SVT was only mentioned once in one monthly report of 43 seconds way back a year or more before my first ablation. So we shall wait and see. I also hate waiting.[/quote


I am glad you shared the good news. That is great! I start my monitor in a few weeks, I sure hope I do as well as you did.

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Pixie


Thank you for the update. I am glad the Bardy Cam worked for you. I am goung with the VitalConnect in a few months, but might try the Bardy Cam based on your experience. One question for you, though. Based on where the patch was applied, did you feet that it adhered to all of the skin in that area?

I, too, am on 88 mcg.Synthroid daily. I have my TSH checked every 3 months because I know how that can affect AFIB if it is not in the normal range.
The waiting for any test results is hard for me. I should be use to it by now, though. I hope your results are ok.

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Qwackertoo

Thank you for the update. I am glad the Bardy Cam worked for you. I am goung with the VitalConnect in a few months, but might try the Bardy Cam based on your experience. One question for you, though. Based on where the patch was applied, did you feet that it adhered to all of the skin in that area?

I, too, am on 88 mcg.Synthroid daily. I have my TSH checked every 3 months because I know how that can affect AFIB if it is not in the normal range.
The waiting for any test results is hard for me. I should be use to it by now, though. I hope your results are ok.


Hi Pixie

I followed the directions exactly and carefully.

After about the first 36 hours I noticed about 1 1/2” below the upper end where the electronic device was snapped into place where you activate and get the green flashes to confirm and later IF you have any symptoms to press which I never did that the skinny part lifted and created a gap of lacking 100% contact. This gap kept increasing to where I could have slipped maybe a pinky fingertip between my skin and the long skinny part. The bottom section stayed nice and attached just that one little section and with movement and sleeping I felt it was good enough as the upper section was good and the lower section was good while the middle section just seemed like the “transmission wire” to the recorder and perfect contact the full length wasn’t needed. I don’t think I could have smoothed out this gap/wrinkle without peeling either the top or bottom and stretching back out and reattaching which I think would have compromised the adhesive for reattaching. Hard to explain plus I questioned myself after attaching since they say start at bottom of sternum that I was off by just tiny bit but decided how can one size fit all with different torso lengths so I figured that it was ok.

Hopefully. I sure as heck don’t want to wear one another 7 days. Good Luck wearing whichever one you decide to use!!!

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Pixie
Thank you for the update. I am glad the Bardy Cam worked for you. I am goung with the VitalConnect in a few months, but might try the Bardy Cam based on your experience. One question for you, though. Based on where the patch was applied, did you feet that it adhered to all of the skin in that area?

I, too, am on 88 mcg.Synthroid daily. I have my TSH checked every 3 months because I know how that can affect AFIB if it is not in the normal range.
The waiting for any test results is hard for me. I should be use to it by now, though. I hope your results are ok.

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Qwackertoo


Thanks for the additional information, Pixie.

I have an Echo scheduled soon, by local provider, on orders from Natale after December TEE.

Then the 7 day sent/schedule from Austin in March.

I hope all goes with your Monitoring~!!!



Please let me know what monitor you go with and how it works for you.

Hi Pixie

Well they finally sent the monitor, it was the Bardy Cam. My Nurse Navigator said they'd contact me before mailing, they never did . . . then said they were running behind. It finally just showed up in the mail. Just dropped it back off at the post office today after my 7 days. Had two red bumps at the upper portion and down towards the end little red and irritated so looks like so far not nearly as bad as the 30 day Holter and 4 patch places.

Now the waiting begins to hear what it shows. My Brady seemed to be a little more this past week in the 40's and only thing that has changed was a recent medication switch in October and new Endocrinologist basically refused to write a script for Armour which I'd been on for 15+ years . . . 88 mcg Synthroid (not the generic with fillers etc) then to 75 in early Feb to 50 mid-March. Too much does affect heart rate and that is an almost 50% dose reduction . . . some PAC's this week but definitely a more exaggerated marked sinus arrhythmia pattern and higher HRV. I think.

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Pixie

Thanks for the additional information, Pixie.

I have an Echo scheduled soon, by local provider, on orders from Natale after December TEE.

Then the 7 day sent/schedule from Austin in March.

I hope all goes with your Monitoring~!!!



Please let me know what monitor you go with and how it works for you.

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Qwackertoo
Thanks for the additional information, Pixie.

I have an Echo scheduled soon, by local provider, on orders from Natale after December TEE.

Then the 7 day sent/schedule from Austin in March.

I hope all goes with your Monitoring~!!!

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Qwackertoo


I have sensitivity to the patches but not like you have. I expressed that concern to the person that schedules these. He said that Dr.Natale understands the issue with folks who have trouble with a 7 day patch and he can still get the data he needs with fewer days on the monitor. I think that is good news and, hopefully, he can work with your situation. I am leaning toward the Vital Connect because I think I can wear that patch the longest.

Good luck with this.

Pixie,

First summer wearing the Monitor I thought it was a new variety of flowers I had planted in my mailbox area garden and thought it was the leaves etc when deadheading them.

Second summer still didn't know and the red bumps are usually delayed by a few days so then realized it was the adhesives.

I think it is worst on the palms of the hands and there is a name for it, although with 30 long days they eventually appeared on the 4 areas of the chest.

I guess with the 7 days it is just a one patch self contained monitoring device? Haven't read up on it yet vs the Holter. Hopefully only 7 days on my chest it won't get too bad and I'll attach and remove it with the medical gloves on. I'm pretty sure they will especially be looking at my continued PAC burden which now seems to occur the first 2 hours of most mornings with a higher HRV and rate/rhythm with the beat-to-beat from my Apple Watch, I just hope burden isn't too high but don't know what they would do next IF anything. Currently after Ablation 1, 6 weeks later extra Ablaction/touch up and the Watchman, I take no heart medications other than 1/2 doses of 5 mg Eliquis.

Carey's suggestion of the chest strap style sure would be great~!!!

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Pixie

I have sensitivity to the patches but not like you have. I expressed that concern to the person that schedules these. He said that Dr.Natale understands the issue with folks who have trouble with a 7 day patch and he can still get the data he needs with fewer days on the monitor. I think that is good news and, hopefully, he can work with your situation. I am leaning toward the Vital Connect because I think I can wear that patch the longest.

Good luck with this.