Ever Wore a Holter Monitor?

[Christine]

This coming Tuesday I am going to be wearing a Holter Monitor to try to track my newly developed palpitations.

I already know that I will not be able to bathe or shower on the Wednesday morning. I plan on washing my hair under the faucet. However, can I use a blow dryer while I'm wearing the monitor? I will ask on Tuesday when I go, but if I know now that I can't use any appliances around the thing, I have to put in for some time off on Wednesday.

Thanks!

 

[NHdisneylover]

I don't remember being restricted abotu using appliances. It has been almsot 10 years though adn i was pretty distracted ebing pregnant and in teh middle of cross country move with a toddler in tow. It was really pretty darn simple. They stuck it on me and I had to push a button any time I didn't feel "right".

 

[Christine]

I don't remember being restricted abotu using appliances. It has been almsot 10 years though adn i was pretty distracted ebing pregnant and in teh middle of cross country move with a toddler in tow. It was really pretty darn simple. They stuck it on me and I had to push a button any time I didn't feel "right".

Hmmm...I think that is an event monitor. I was told that this one would be running for the entire 24 hours.

 

[mom2grace]

Ask if you can have a King of Hearts monitor. It "records" all the time, and when you push the button, it saves the previous minute or so,and then records the following minutes. You can take it off and on, so you can shower. I think I wore mine for a week or two.

Vaseline is great for getting the adhesive off of your skin.

Good luck! Hope they figure out what is going on!

 

[poohandwendy]

Yes, I have many times.

There are no limitations regarding appliances. The only thing that would interfere with it is if the leads are somehow dislodged or become wet (which is obviously why you can't take a shower).

The best thing you can do is live life as you normally would, so it can show exactly what goes on with you under normal circumstances.

Good luck with it, I hope it gives you some answers!

 

[Christine]

Yes, I have many times.

There are no limitations regarding appliances. The only thing that would interfere with it is if the leads are somehow dislodged or become wet (which is obviously why you can't take a shower).

The best thing you can do is live life as you normally would, so it can show exactly what goes on with you under normal circumstances.

Good luck with it, I hope it gives you some answers!

Thanks. I thought about staying home on the second day since I couldn't shower but then I wanted to do my "normal" life and commute to work, etc., while wearing it. So I am going to stick my head under the bath faucet and wash my hair. I had read something on the net about possibly not using appliances around the thing, but it was very vague. Unfortunately, I don't have the type of hairstyle that I can let go wet.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Hmmm...I think that is an event monitor. I was told that this one would be running for the entire 24 hours.

No, it was a Holter. It did record for the full 24 hours, but then the button pushing alerted them to know that was a time when I was feeling something.

Anyway, best of luck with hwatever is causing you to need to have your heart monitored. I know it can be scary, but more often than not things turn out really well in the end.

 

[poohandwendy]

Thanks. I thought about staying home on the second day since I couldn't shower but then I wanted to do my "normal" life and commute to work, etc., while wearing it. So I am going to stick my head under the bath faucet and wash my hair. I had read something on the net about possibly not using appliances around the thing, but it was very vague. Unfortunately, I don't have the type of hairstyle that I can let go wet.

Weird, I have never heard of that. You definitely should ask the technician when they put it on you.

I was fortunate, in that there were no restrictions (besides the no bath/shower part) the times I wore a HM. It probably depends on the model used.

(I can't just wash and wear my hair either- it looks like crap, LOL)

 

[nana2tots]

Goodness, Hope everthing's gonna be alright

 

[mudnuri]

There are no restrictions with appliances.

I have never worn one, but at most hospitals, RT's do ECG's and deal with Holters if the Holter Tech is unavailable...I've put on a bunch and taken off a bunch, and done 100's of ECG's...

I 2nd what everyone else says about doing your life normally...do NOT change your routine. Go about your day the same way you always would. If you normally do 30 minutes of cardio- DO IT... the cardiologist needs to see your results from a normal day, or they wont be able to figure out what is going on.

Brandy

 

[Christine]

Goodness, Hope everthing's gonna be alright

Thank you. Funny enough, I'm not even worried about it like I usually do about things. I know that most heart palps are benign and I'm at the "age" for these things to start but I still need to check it out. I'm also under a LOT of stress as I am probably changing jobs soon.

 

[SueM in MN]

No, it was a Holter. It did record for the full 24 hours, but then the button pushing alerted them to know that was a time when I was feeling something.

Anyway, best of luck with hwatever is causing you to need to have your heart monitored. I know it can be scary, but more often than not things turn out really well in the end.

A Holter monitor records 24 hours a day - that is part of the definition of the test. It saves the whole record of everything that happened during that 24 hour period. The 'even button' that you push only adds an electronic 'marker' to the record so the technician who reads the test can find the events later.

The King of Hearts monitor that was mentioned is a kind of event monitor. It records all the time, but it only saves a few minutes at a time. So, when you push the button, it saves the past few minutes before you triggered it and the next few minutes after you triggered it. It might be a good test for some conditions - especially if the doctor is sure that you are very aware of the events. It may not be the best test for every situation, especially if they are not sure what is going on between events.

I wore a monitor too (long time ago, so I know there is better technology now).
It was a Holter monitor, so it recorded for the whole 24 hours and the 'event' button, was to make a little 'marker' on the record so they could see how aware I was of the 'feeling funny' and also for them to be able to more easily compare the event to the diary I had to keep to tell what I was doing every time I triggered the event button .

Here are some good reputable sources of information:
National Institutes of Health
American Heart Association
Harvard University

I would go by what these sites say, since they would be references that any other places that do Holter monitoring would use.

 

[Chattyaholic]

I wore one once, many years ago. I was having palpitations too. It was determined that I needed to give up caffeine and once I did that, they went away. I rarely get them anymore, unless I drink too much caffeine. I can still have a cup or two of regular coffee in the morning, but then the rest of the time it's decaf and I don't drink much pop anymore but if I do it's caffeine free diet Coke.

I don't rememeber any restrictions concerning appliances though.

Good luck, and hopefully your diagnosis will be as simple as mine was.

 

[4nana]

Just stopping in to wish you good luck I have had monitor a couple of times and prefer you to do your normal routine so they can catch palpitations while happening. Thankfully mine were nothing too serious - MVP (which thus far is no biggie) and hypothyroidism. If I remember correctly Christine, aren't you on meds for having your thyroid removed? I know the thyroid and/or meds reak havoc causing heart palpitations until dr made proper adjustments, which BTW still needs constant monitoring. Best wishes on your issues getting resolved and it's nothing serious.

 

[Christine]

Just stopping in to wish you good luck I have had monitor a couple of times and prefer you to do your normal routine so they can catch palpitations while happening. Thankfully mine were nothing too serious - MVP (which thus far is no biggie) and hypothyroidism. If I remember correctly Christine, aren't you on meds for having your thyroid removed? I know the thyroid and/or meds reak havoc causing heart palpitations until dr made proper adjustments, which BTW still needs constant monitoring. Best wishes on your issues getting resolved and it's nothing serious.

When the palps started, I just waited and monitored. I had already had an appointment scheduled with my endocrinologist regarding my thyroid (I go to him twice a year and have my thyroid labwork done 3-4 times per year). My first suspicion was that my thyroid dose might be too high. I also have a history of iron deficiency (that previously caused rapid heart rate). I had both of these checked on my Jan 30th appointment. Thyroid was at the same level it has been for years and my iron state is looking good. So, in that area, they aren't causing my problem.

I did back off of the caffeine for 2 weeks. It made no difference at all. In fact, I'm back on my tea and the palps feel better!

My doctor was very non-plussed about it all. I guess he sees it ALL THE TIME. He did not even push me to do the Holter. He told me to wait a bit and "if I wanted" I could do a holter monitor. I decided just to put my fears at rest.

I did have an echocardiogram done in 2006 (I had the rapid heart rate) and my heart apparently looks very healthy. I had some mild regurgitation but the doctor said it's not MVP and that the echo tests are so sensitive now that most people show some regurgitation.

When I was at the endo last week, he spent a LOT of time listening to my heart and then ran the EKG machine three times trying to catch it. Of course, it didn't happen.

 

[CheshireVal]

My doctor was very non-plussed about it all. I guess he sees it ALL THE TIME. He did not even push me to do the Holter. He told me to wait a bit and "if I wanted" I could do a holter monitor. I decided just to put my fears at rest.

Doctors take heart problems pretty seriously. If he's not recommending you wear one, then I wouldn't. I don't know why anyone would! They're not comfortable-- they're bulky and kind of annoying.

 

[Christine]

Doctors take heart problems pretty seriously. If he's not recommending you wear one, then I wouldn't.

That's what I thought. And actually this guy is one of the well-rated doctors in our area on those local surveys that come out. But, when I was anemic before, he blew it off and didn't treat it. I had to go to someone else.

Then, there's my neighbor who had a heart attack at 38 due to an arrythmia (not a blockage or anything). You'd think that after that, the doctors would pay attention to her. She was medicated after the heart attack. Then last year, started complaining to her doctor that she was having the fluttering again, tachycardia, odd feelings. They told her she was "anxious". So she had another heart attack.

You start to wonder if you should take their advice or not. So I decide to just wear the monitor to determine if the palps were benign or from a more dangerous type of heart beat (which I pray that's not the case).