30 day heart monitor..

today i found out i have to wear a heart monitor for the next month.. just wonder what i should expect ?
i think 30days is a long time to be wearing one and i'm worried about my skin getting irritated , sleeping etc..
i guess i'm just wondering what others experiences were like? and if there any helpful tips? thanks.

[ireneo]

I've worn event monitors many times. The first day or so I feel so aware of the little box hanging from my waist or tucked into a pocket. After that, it's no more distracting than a pager. I would unplug the wires for shower time and plug them back onto the snaps afterwards. I don't think there's any way to avoid the skin irritation. I've used the hypoallergenic version of snaps/sticky dots but they don't stay on as well, especially if you get a bit warm and sweaty. You can move them around a little bit but not far. I resign myself to having a couple of red, sore spots after all is said and done but they always heal.

Sleeping wasn't bad. I would wear some sweat pants or other comfy pants to bed and hook it to the waist band, pretty much in the center so I could roll to my left or right side. I slept well with it. Bathroom time - you'll figure it out, toss the monitor into your pocket if you have one or drop it down the front of your shirt. You'll find a way to park it while you go. LOL

[ireneo]

I've worn event monitors many times. The first day or so I feel so aware of the little box hanging from my waist or tucked into a pocket. After that, it's no more distracting than a pager. I would unplug the wires for shower time and plug them back onto the snaps afterwards. I don't think there's any way to avoid the skin irritation. I've used the hypoallergenic version of snaps/sticky dots but they don't stay on as well, especially if you get a bit warm and sweaty. You can move them around a little bit but not far. I resign myself to having a couple of red, sore spots after all is said and done but they always heal.

Sleeping wasn't bad. I would wear some sweat pants or other comfy pants to bed and hook it to the waist band, pretty much in the center so I could roll to my left or right side. I slept well with it. Bathroom time - you'll figure it out, toss the monitor into your pocket if you have one or drop it down the front of your shirt. You'll find a way to park it while you go. LOL

[Flycaster305]

ireneo gives good advice.  I had to wear one for thirty days prior to my pacemaker implantation, and there were moments I wanted to use it as a skipping stone when close to a river.  I did, in fact, wear it when flyfishing one day... if I fell in the river, oh, well...

I went in every week to have the lead adhesives changed.  Like Ireneo, I simply unsnapped the leads during showers and explained the signal lapses during reports.

That being said, it will record important data and answer questions, so try and think of it as your friend.  There are times, I think, one simply has to put one's hands in one's pockets and endure some inconvenience to learn some truths, and this may be one of those moments for you.  Hang in there.