[VIsMom]

History: I have hypothyroidism and 5 months ago it destabilized and I've been swinging between hypo and hyper. Some time during that I started getting palpitations and elevated heart rate (I'm normally 60s-70s, and I'd pop up to 90's and low 100's). Anyway, although I have the thyroid connection I went to a cardiologist because on 1 side of my family is heart and coronary artery disease and on the other is mitral valve prolapse and rheumatic heart disease.

So I'm about halfway through 30 days of monitoring events with a Phillips cardiocall. I had gotten used to the fax-like sound of the monitor when I call in results. There was some initial scattered noise and then what sounds like actual beating (no idea if that's it or just machine-speak).

Anyway, today was one of my stronger bouts of palpitations with my heart rate elevating about 20 beats above my normal (nothing dangerous, just uncomfortably different). So when I sent results, there was very little of the beating sound, just lots and lots of scattered and shrieking noise.

The day before the sound was similar but not early as blatant. So I'm hear wondering what was so different about today's recording from all my previous recordings that it would cause such a difference in the sound. I have no idea how this works. The attendant said results were received. Any ideas on why the sounds of the transmission would be so different?

[mairegra]

If they didn't call you back it was nothing serious. I haven't had one of those where you have to call them in for a very long time and can't remember exactly what they sound like. For the past few years I have had the ones that are like cell phones that transmit automatically if they pick up anything and a button to push if you feel anything. They don't make ay sound.

[dr461]

Anyway, today was one of my stronger bouts of palpitations with my heart rate elevating about 20 beats above my normal (nothing dangerous, just uncomfortably different). So when I sent results, there was very little of the beating sound, just lots and lots of scattered and shrieking noise.

That isn't a big deal medically. It is very annoying, but not anything out of the ordinary. They would have contacted you if they saw data showing something alarming. Worry not!!

[Katie]

I went through the same thing. I could hear the glitches I called them in my heart when transmitting the information. It scared me. My doctor never called until he wanted the moniter back and that meant everything was fine! You'll feel better when your holter is off, at least I did. Then you can start trying to ignore them and moving on with your life, instead of trying to catch every last one.

[VIsMom]

Thanks everyone!

Yes, it seems to be more of a paranoia monitor at the moment. I have 1 more week to go!

After my original posting I deliberately put my oximeter away so I couldn't use that to obsess about my heart rate... and suddenly things got better.

Good to know that they would've called were it something really bad.

[Katie]

You'll feel so free when you stop wearing that darn thing!

[DaniRae]

LOL I hated my 30 day monitor but was lucky that mine used cell towers to transmit, I didn't hear it at all.

[Jeff]

Heh. I used to leave the room for the duration of the transmission so I couldn't hear the noise. Sounded so awful. Even a perfect rhythm sounded like hysterical monkeys driving off a cliff.

As for what could cause the different sounds - I didn't study how the transmissions work. At all. This is all just conjecture on my part. But like you said you could hear the beat in the transmission, I think that the change in pitch coordinates with the tracings on an ECG. High note = pen mark higher up on an ECG graph (or computer monitor), low note = mark lower on the graph. Think trombone.

So. There can be lots of reasons why there are higher notes, screeches, etc. If you're exercising or otherwise moving around, that can create all sorts of static and varied readings on the electrical leads, which manifests in screechy noises, and on the doctor's end, an ECG that is a bit all over the place.

It doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong.

In fact, here's a link to this phenomenon I just described - it's called an artifact: Skipping Hearts - Arrhythmia Articles Skipping Hearts Article Archive Artifact

And the ECG you see there is mine.

Hope that helps.

[COPD2]

And I would think it could have something to do w/the transmission itself .... like the various FAX noises as the two FAX phones "shake hands" and then start transmitting and receiving.

[VIsMom]

Excellent points! -And I do feel so much better now that I'm done. Though I felt a little naked for the first couple days without the monitor.

Thank you all for the insight and the article!