Anyone buy a KardiaMobile device?

[jo-jo]

We bought two. First one, basic model. Would not connect correctly. You need to restart 3 or 4 times before getting complete reading. Amazon refund. DS has the upgraded one, no issues, so we bought that one instead. Worked fine for 5 days. that's FIVE days, Battery is dead. I am returning.

Anyone else have such issues?

 

[Sakurachaek]

Yes, happened to me too, try using a different brand

 

[lynxstch]

Thought about it as I have a recently diagnosed A Fib issue..it doesn't work for that, and I am not paying a monthly fee, so we passed

 

[JimMIA]

Thought about it as I have a recently diagnosed A Fib issue..it doesn't work for that, and I am not paying a monthly fee, so we passed

I just underwent ablations for A Fib a few months ago.

Before we decided on ablations, my cardiologist requested insurance approval for a 30-day monitor. Insurance denied that, but let us do one for about 48 hours. That monitor gave us what we needed to know. You might try a brief period of monitoring.

My A Fib was not bad, but the cardiologist recommended having the ablations done while I'm still young ( ) and healthy -- so we did. No symptoms at all since the ablations in May.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I bought the original. My electrophysiologist helped in the design of it some years back. When the 6 lead came out, I got that. Both work great. I keep one at home, the other in the car.

Mine are Kardia, not Kardio. Not sure if they are different.

Had ablation almost 8 years ago, no a-flutter since.

 

[lynxstch]

I just underwent ablations for A Fib a few months ago.

Before we decided on ablations, my cardiologist requested insurance approval for a 30-day monitor. Insurance denied that, but let us do one for about 48 hours. That monitor gave us what we needed to know. You might try a brief period of monitoring.

My A Fib was not bad, but the cardiologist recommended having the ablations done while I'm still young ( ) and healthy -- so we did. No symptoms at all since the ablations in May.

They did some special cardiogram thing while I was under, a cath, and a cardio version on me. It put me back in sinus rhythm, and I have been fine since then..trying to keep it that way! Btw..I am not young..lol!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Thought about it as I have a recently diagnosed A Fib issue..it doesn't work for that, and I am not paying a monthly fee, so we passed

Lynn, that's what it's for, a-fib or a-flutter. And no subscription. I'm speaking of Kardia, not Kardio.

 

[lynxstch]

Lynn, that's what it's for, a-fib or a-flutter. And no subscription. I'm speaking of Kardia, not Kardio.

Thanks Dan, I didn't realize there were 2 different ones. Will look into it

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The newer Apple watches do a better job.

 

[JimMIA]

They did some special cardiogram thing while I was under, a cath, and a cardio version on me. It put me back in sinus rhythm, and I have been fine since then..trying to keep it that way! Btw..I am not young..lol!

Okay, great. Did you have almost constant A Fib?

 

[jo-jo]

ok, I'm just a bad , no terrible speller.

Yes, DH went into Afib about 5 weeks ago, meds didn't help, had the shocking on Friday. So far so good. But I wanted a device to bring on trip, since you can flip back. That's assuming we still get to go. He also is has a slight valve issue but that's been stable for years. He was out of breath getting up and walking 20 ft. before the zap. That's so much better since Friday. Dr wants another EKG done.

My understand about monthly fee, that's only for extra service.

 

[Dan Murphy]

ok, I'm just a bad , no terrible speller.

Yes, DH went into Afib about 5 weeks ago, meds didn't help, had the shocking on Friday. So far so good. But I wanted a device to bring on trip, since you can flip back. That's assuming we still get to go. He also is has a slight valve issue but that's been stable for years. He was out of breath getting up and walking 20 ft. before the zap. That's so much better since Friday. Dr wants another EKG done.

My understand about monthly fee, that's only for extra service.

You could bring it with you. I always have mine nearby. I send a pdf to my cardiologist every month or so, just so he can see current reading. Date and time stamped. If I want to add any circumstances, like walking more than normal, aggravation, almost anything, there are choices to add. And I can create my own additional circumstances to add if I want.

My cardiologist and two electrophysiologists say the devices are amazing. One of the 'electricians' is the director of the electrophysiology department at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

 

[lynxstch]

Okay, great. Did you have almost constant A Fib?

No..it was something that came out of nowhere. Had no known heart issues till I all of a sudden started getting short of breath and feeling awful. Got to ER and my heart rate was 191!

 

[jo-jo]

No..it was something that came out of nowhere. Had no known heart issues till I all of a sudden started getting short of breath and feeling awful. Got to ER and my heart rate was 191!

We sat on it for week. Our grandson has a cold the previous week and we thought DH was just coming down with something. A few days later (after gallons of hot tea and chicken soup) he was feeling less yucky but still not right. Went to family dr and he told us to get to ER. Offered to call ambulance to take us 4 blocks.

 

[Dan Murphy]

No..it was something that came out of nowhere. Had no known heart issues till I all of a sudden started getting short of breath and feeling awful. Got to ER and my heart rate was 191!

My symptoms also, Lynn. First time about 10 years ago.

 

[JimMIA]

No..it was something that came out of nowhere. Had no known heart issues till I all of a sudden started getting short of breath and feeling awful. Got to ER and my heart rate was 191!

Wow, that's high. In general, a person's max heart rate is usually about 220 - their age.

An elevated, uneven HR was my initial symptom, but when I went to the ER it was back to normal sinus rhythm. I had a couple of episodes where I knew I was having A-Fib, but we weren't really to get a definitive diagnosis until I wore the monitor.

 

[jo-jo]

Wow, that's high. In general, a person's max heart rate is usually about 220 - their age.

An elevated, uneven HR was my initial symptom, but when I went to the ER it was back to normal sinus rhythm. I had a couple of episodes where I knew I was having A-Fib, but we weren't really to get a definitive diagnosis until I wore the monitor.

I never heard of that before. Now it's scary. DH BPM was at high as 180. According to your statement, his max should be no more 145.

 

[Sakurachaek]

I never heard of that before. Now it's scary. DH BPM was at high as 180. According to your statement, his max should be no more 145.

It’s different in heart conditions, does your husband have SVT/VT/ another tachycardia condition or just a-fib? Max HR refers to the highest you can get during exercise, not the highest you can get full stop.

 

[JimMIA]

I never heard of that before. Now it's scary. DH BPM was at high as 180. According to your statement, his max should be no more 145.

That's the max under normal conditions -- not the fastest the heart can beat. Normally an A-Fib patient's heart will race for a few seconds, then slow down, then palpitate again. It's not regular. If you're wearing something that measures HR, you'll see a good bit of fluctuation.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Supraventricular tachycardia/SVT and AFib or AFlutter are fairly similar, they arise from above the ventricles and have a narrow QRS complex. The hazard with AFib is that blood can clot in the atria when they are not squeezing blood out efficiently because they are fibrillating instead of squeezing, that’s why people need to be on blood thinners if they remain in AF. Some people stay in AFib but the rate is controlled with medications to slow the rate down to allow better filling of the ventricles, and therefore better cardiac output. Ideally people are converted back to a Sinus Rhythm either electrically or chemically, but that isn’t possible for everyone, especially the longer in it, and some people go back to AFib even after cardioversion (or ablation). So heart rate with AFib can still be a normal heart rate, controlled or not. AFib with Rapid Ventricular Response, ie rates mid to high 100’s usually, is a medical emergency where the rate needs to be lowered asap. Conversion can happen at a later time but the rate needs to be slowed or the person will feel the effects of not having much cardiac output (blood coming out of the heart perfusing other organs like the brain). Many people live with this condition, and I’m sure some of you here have experienced the AF w RVR.

Wide QRS complex dysrythmias below the ventricle like VT are life threatening and need either medication or defibrillation immediately If the person is unconscious. It can quickly progress to VFib and death will occur if not intervened upon. This is why there are defibrillators all over the place now. Don’t hesitate to use them if you come across someone passed out, there are clear directions on them and you could save someone’s life. (The machine will walk you through it and won’t fire if there is no arrhythmia.) There are some people who can be in VT and awake and talking, but it’s somewhat unusual. People who experience VT or are at high risk for VT often have internal defibrillators placed which will help terminate the rhythm in different ways, either pacing out or defibrillating out, if the rate is high enough. Sometimes it gets tricky if it’s a slow VT and doesn’t trigger the device. People with this rhythm will often pass out or feel very lightheaded and should call 911, not drive themselves or have a family member drive them to the hospital.

I think the Kardi/Kardio devices are handy to have around, if they work. I’m not sure right now where they fit into cardiac care today. My fear might be that it could stop someone from seeking care if they don’t feel well because the device “doesn’t show anything”. If people aren’t feeling well they should seek help regardless of what the device says. OTOH in some cases it could confirm that someone is back in AFib or something like that, which would warrant a call to their doctor’s office, etc. My daughter has a slight arrhythmia and is able to follow it on her Apple Watch. She does see a cardiologist and is not on any medication at this point. Both of us are cardiac nurses so we are able to read what we see. Some monitoring devices, even in the hospital, mis-label heart rhythms for things they are not, or can miss other things that are there, so relying on them isn‘t 100% perfect. I think these devices, though, can be one tool in the chest to use when living with an arrythmia.