[Skippy]

Hello everyone! Newbie here looking for help....

I've had palpitations on and off for about 5 years now. Had Holter monitor for a weekend back in '06 and the only thing they really found was mvp.

Things have been worse lately inlcuding lightheadedness and stronger, unusual beats. They will be puting KOH monitor on Friday (April 9) and I'll have to wear it 30 days. I have a tape allergy, so have seen on here they have special adhesive for that? Also, I've read some people have other issues with the monitor itself. Any help you can offer would be appreciated!

I'm just wondering how I'm going to work this thing, journal and all, while working. I'm a bank teller, so it'll be kinda weird stopping counting money for a customer and push a button and write stuff down.

This seem like such a great community-I'm glad I found you all!

[Jeff]

Hi Skippy - Sorry you're worried about this stuff on Easter. But happy Easter, just the same.

When they put the monitor on you the first time, they'll tell you how much time it records and how much of a window you have to record. For example, for me, when I pressed the record button, the monitor saved the previous 45 seconds and recorded the next 15 seconds, for a total of 60 seconds per recording (and 5 recordings filled the monitor up, requiring the data be transmitted).

That meant that I had almost 45 seconds to get somewhere where it wouldn't be awkward to press the button. The hard part is not the pressing, it's the awful noise the thing makes for the 15 seconds after you press. And don't worry so much about the journal, either. It doesn't need to be extremely detailed - just have a post-it note with you and scrawl a few words each time you hit the record button. "1 - working w/ customer" "2 - taking lunch break," etc.

But the recorder itself is small, there are only two wires, and it's pretty easy to stash it under your clothing.

I had a love/hate relationship with mine - I loved having it, having the ability to record any little thing and have a professional in the medical field to interpret the results. But I hated the constant reminder. I hated transmitting the data, because the noise was so awful it made it sound like your heart was about to stop completely with every transmission. It was crazy.

But more than a year later, I'm very glad I went through the process and am WAY more relaxed about all of it, having had the absolute worst my heart has to offer caught on tape.

[dld]

I had the KOH also. I am a teacher, so it was hard to find a place to press the button as well as transmit. My biggest problem was with who I called in to. The man on the other end always made me feel like I was bothering him. My advice is to press the button for anything and everything you feel. The noise takes a few days to get used to, but then you realize you can tell the rhythm yourself by the noise. I agree with Jeff, I didn't like having it, but then I missed it when it was gone. It kind of gives you a secure feeling. Good luck with it, the 30 days goes by very quickly.

[dld]

I forgot to add that I was trying very hard to hide my monitor at work, but a few people noticed it. Then I found out that they also had similar experiences-one has IST and another had PVC's that lasted a short time and haven't come back yet. It eased a little of my anxiety knowing they were going through it too.

[Skippy]

Thanks so much Jeff and dld for your words of wisdom! I go tomorrow to have the echocardiogram and to have the KOH put on. I'll let ya know how it's going since I'm sure I'll have more questions/concerns!
~Ellen

[Skippy]

Oh my goodness! Those patches ARE itchy!!!! I have 30 of them so can take them off at night while sleeping, but still. When I told them of my tape allergy, all they did was give me the pediatric patches which are a little smaller. UGH!
These wires are a pain and you weren't kidding about the sound of transmission. Yikes! At least they told me not to wait until I had 8 minutes of recording before I transmitted. As it was, I had 5 recordings and I was on the phone for 15! ???
Thank you so much for your wise words guys!

[dld]

I did try to leave the tape off for a little while after a shower, so that I could let my skin heal a little. I was told to transmit after every episode. It took me a few days to figure out that I could wait and transmit 5. I hope you have a nice, quiet place to transmit from. I always seemed to have people around me and then had to explain the whole thing! D