Some of us have found the AliveCor ECG device (pairs with smartphone) very useful for monitoring. Use the code HOLIDAYHEART at checkout. It will work with both iPhones & Android, but you should verify it will work with your phone. I believe on the iPhone side, it requires an iPhone 4.5 or later. You can search and find examples of the printout - which can be converted to a PDF and sent to your doc.

<[www.alivecor.com]

George



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/2016 02:51PM by GeorgeN.

Update - they have extended the 25% off to Dec 5. <[www.alivecor.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/2016 02:52PM by GeorgeN.

Thanks George,

A good deal for those with AFIB who may not have an AliveCor KARDIA device and iPhone/Android app. Highly recommended!

Shannon

Got one. Thanks very much for the heads up!

Mike

I second Shannon's endorsement. The AliveCor/Kardia is a wonderful device!

For anyone wondering what the Kardia monitor is all about, I did an indepth review of it a couple months ago. You can read it here:

[www.livingwithatrialfibrillation.com]

As I stated in my review, it's a "must have" device for any afibber!

Travis

Travis,

A nice review! Thanks for posting.

Some thoughts on your comments.

On "Unclassified" strips. I have a habit of taking 20 minute 57 deg F baths in the morning. I then do yoga and take a Kardia/AliveCor reading. The bath causes a vasovagal response, so my heart rate is typically 50 BPM or less. 50 seems to be the cutoff between Normal and Unclassified in their software.

If you need/want continuous monitoring, you can purchase your own Holter monitor. Ten or so years ago a number of the posters here did this. I borrowed one and used it a number of times, but didn't feel it was worth the effort - the adhesive electrodes are a pain to have on all the time unless you really need it. Then the ECG's cost was in the thousands, with software. Today they can be had from China, with software, for <$1000. Making sure the device comes with software is very important. For twelve years, I've used beat to beat Polar devices to do longer recordings. The output is only rate vs. time, but you can glean a lot of information from this. Using these Polar devices are described in <[www.afibbers.org] and <[www.afibbers.org] . Today I use a Polar H7 chest strap with an iPhone app that records the data. I then upload and import the data into Polar software running under Windows (actually Windows running on my Mac). If anyone cares, I can provide more info.

George

George,

Yes, the AliveCor/Kardia AF detection algorithm "gives up" at rates below 50 bpm. "Unclassified" isn't necessarily bad, it just means the program can't (or isn't allowed) to figure it out.

I get this all the time as I'll have rates in the upper 40's.

Thanks for the info, George! I'll have a look at those devices. I'm not sure I want to invest "less than $1,000" for a continuous monitoring device, however. Still, though, it's good to know it's an option.

Hopefully someday these things will be a reality at a consumer-friendly price point.

Travis

Dang it. Took my first recording and just got the results: "Atrial fibrillation. Needs review." I've felt like I've been going in and out but my HR is under 100 so I've been thinking runs of palpitations. I felt pretty good for months until lately, I guess I overdid it.

Ouch Mike! Sorry to hear about that!