[Jeff]

Yes, absolutely. I had an appointment with my cardiologist midway through the even monitoring and told her I wasn't recording any PVC's because "they were just PVCs." She told me to record EVERYTHING and let her sort out what's important and what isn't.

You should do the same.

I couldn't help but ask questions when I'd call in the recordings - couldn't stand to wait for a doctor to tell me weeks later what was what. So I'd say - "what do you see there - a few PVCs, or PAT or what?" and usually they'd answer. The cool thing about an EKG is they can tell just from looking at it if the rhythm is being initiated in the atria or the ventricles. If it's in the atria, there's little to be worried about, and nothing is imminently dangerous. If it's in the ventricles it may still be totally benign, but that's what those people are there to determine.

HOWEVER. Keep in mind that the recording goes into a computer and the computer immediately analyzes the EKG strip - and if it isn't sure, the computer takes a guess. And sometimes the person on the other end of the phone can't tell afib from my kids scribbles on a sheet of paper.

I was told I had a run of v-tach. The news scared the bejeesus out of me. But the computer was wrong and the person on the phone didn't know any different.

[MrsPB]

thanks again for all the support. My doctors ask me if I know how fast my heart gets at night - now, am I the only person who can't be bothered turning on the light, getting my glasses, finding a clock/watch with a second hand and then counting in the middle of the night? sheesh. I should just tell them it's over 200 and that would make them sit up and pay attention! I get my new monitor on Thursday, so I'll let you know how it goes, and continue to look at all the useful info on this site. I'm very grateful.

[Jeff]

If it doesn't last long enough to track your rate then, that's a good thing. But otherwise, I think a lot of us are usually freaked out enough to take our pulse.

Sometimes I've worn a sports heart monitor, which makes it really easy. Just look at the watch and it tells you. Or sometimes in my case, the heart rate alarm tells me. The monitor said I was up to 240 once, but I'm not sure it really was. (But I have had a few in the 210 range that I know were accurate.)