Home monitoring for AFib

I know what you are saying, however afib is always symptomatic in the form of an irregular heartbeat. You can feel your pulse every so often and tell if you are in normal sinus rhythm. Count twenty beats or so and if they are evenly spaced check it again in a couple of hours. Keep track of the times you are in afib and journal your feelings at the time. Then, in two years, throw the journal away and have fun. There are people on this site who would make a Faustian bargain to be asymptomatic. You are in wonderful shape. Hope it keeps up forever.

apparently I am in "asymptomatic afib" quite often,,, as opposed to the times when it's obvious that I'm in afib and those times when I'm not.  I got myself an Omron Blood Pressure machine that also tracks irregular heartbeat. I use it from time to time to find out why I'm feeling so weird.!!  Anyhoo:  I like Dr. John Madrone's advice.. he's a cardiologist who also has afib.  He's not selling anything.  He has some good tips so look him up on the web.  

Just one episode? Did it terminate by itself? How long was it? 

You really dont need to worry at this stage about continuous monitoring with a device as Hanover says below. Alarming as a first episode can be, its not the end of the world. Live life normally. Have fun. Not sure about the Diltiazam, I coped with AF episodes for 15 years using a pill in the pocket strategy with flecainide... it became second nature.

I found that using the two fingers index and middle finger of the right hand on my neck better than checking my wrist pulse. If you put both fingers up to your neck and push in until you find the pulse, quite close to the jaw bone for me. It's a louder and stronger beat than the wrist. Its then easy to feel whats going on. Your fingers go everywhere with you so better than a monitor although I did have that too. But it tended to confirm what I already knew. Latterly before the catheter ablations it was a cue to call for an ambulance! That was many many years later, I hasten to add.

Currently clear of AF and enjoying life!

 

Hi phc10465,

 

Myself totally asymptomatic afibber. My afib was found by chance. I’m MD and I have a noncommercial personal ECG.

There are limitations of the bands.

We tested several bands in parallel with ECG recordings.

Important to emphasize that only ECG is suitable for afib identification. Afib has four hallmarks (irregularity, elevated heart rate, missing P waves and series of f or F waves. Bands detects only the first two (irregularity, elevated heart rate). Therefore you can’t differentiate afib from other arrhythmias as series of ectopics. aFibbers (including myself) often have ectopics and atrial ectopics even can initiate the fibrillation.

Which band?

Wristbands often have motional artifacts. My final chose was Scosche which can used both has wrist and armband mode. The armband mode is superior the wristband mode. The data from Scosche can be transmitted to smartphone via bluetooth or ANT+. I use for monitoring a free android compatible software – CARDIOGRAPH. This shows the pulse rate in real time and also produce a display plot of the time course (I often use this option for overnight monitoring). But anyhow the bands not discriminate the various arrhythmias. For the validation of aFib an ECG required. Actually the KARDIA is available for home use.

Why monitor the silent atrial fibrillations?

I absolutely agree with you, that silent atrial fibrillations must be monitored. Likely the silent events are more frequent, than we supposed. The common belief is that it is easier to prevent the fibrillation, than cure it. With rigorous monitoring one can follow the effectiveness of the therapy (including medication and lifestyle changings).

Myself had typically 8-10 silent afib events per month. I had three so called major or reversible cases of atrial fibrillation: (overweight, high blood pressure and sleeping disorder). After approx. one year my weight has been reduced (still further reduction is needed), blood pressure is successfully managed by Ramipril and sleeping disorder is solved. After these changes the frequency of my afib event is reduced to 5 per month.

I hopes these information were useful for you.

Good luck:

György1950

Told to have ablation. still have not...if you imclude hard to climb stairs and fatigue maybe symptoms but not the scary ones I read about. Had that probably twenty years ago two times and never again. Am on a blood thinner and beta blocker. confused as what to do. seems to be getting more afib without doing anythng else.