Loop monitor

[dancinheart03]

Hi  I was wondering if anyone ever had a loop monitor implanted, if so what was it like? I might be getting one put in and im a little nervous about it.

[MichelleP_3811]

I assume you are wearing one outside your body.  I believe the one I had came with directions telling you what all the different beeps mean.  You may have filled up your recording space.  I believe mine and only 2 or 3 times and then I had to phone in the recordings for it to be cleared.  I also know that it would beep if I took the leads off but I don't recall that being a constant beep.  I would say if you do not have directions on what your beeps mean then call the office and find out.  You don't want to be wearing that thing and have your problem go off and not be able to record it.  Good luck. I hope you catch your issue.

[jill1953]

I started where a heart loop  monitor today (temp..for two weeks)  and it is constantly beeping....Is this normal,,..The battery is  NOT low.Can someone help me.

[maggiemag]

You just activate how many times you want.  It just would mean going in more often for an appt. to get the device interrogated.  I only activated mine for runs of stuff, and they were all SVT or AIVR, as I don't actually *feel* my NSVT.  I always totally ignore the PVC's and such.  It was interesting to watch the process.  OH, and there are no leads attached to anything.  It's just the simple chewing gum pack size planted under the skin, with nothing actually attached to the heart or anything.  I always forget about it when going through airport security and truthfully, I haven't sounded any alarm for the device and they always thought the activator was a beeper, and never once asked about it.  If I ever need an MRI it will have to come out I guess.

[ireneo]

Getting back to activating the monitor - that's the tricky part. Don't want to waste your 3 chances on something boring. But you don't really know what's going on in there.  A person might think it "feels" like such and such but it could be something else. Or it could be gas. Ha! I've only pushed my record button 3 times now in 3 weeks. Doesn't mean my heart is quiet. I just don't happen to think it's doing anything interesting. What a waste.

So if you travel by plane at all, do you have to jump through all the hoops with a tiny monitor in you as you would with an ICD? Hmm, I think I'd get rid of it just for that reason alone. And the leads stay in? I'm just being nosy. I don't want one of those dagnabit  contraptions.

[dancinheart03]

Hi, it doesnt sound to major. Im just really not that sure i want to go ahead with it. Ive had 2 ablations in the past, things were ok until recently and now im having alot of pvcs and odd feelings.Since im highly allergic to the sticky patches my Ep wants the loop put in.I worry that after i go thru all that nothing will show up.That has happened once before,they put an event on me for a month,said nothing to worry about. A month later i was going for the 2nd ablation. I just wish he could go in and ablate these nasty pvcs, but i guess there is more to it than that. Thanks for answering my questions maggie,hope to talk to you again.  HAVE A GREAT DAY!!                    

[maggiemag]

I still have it in.  I was told the battery lasts about 18 months but mine lasted about 22 months.  I thought they would want to take it out as soon as the battery died, but no one seems to care.  I could push the matter if I wanted, but no biggie.  The activator is about the size of a beeper, or at least mine is, and I mostly clipped it to my pants but I was given a pouch to wear around my neck if I wanted, but I rarely wore that.  I don't remember being very sore but then again I am not using my arms so much as you will.  Why not have it put in on a Friday and then you will have til Monday to recover, unless you work weekends too?  Mine was put in for reasons other than the usual ones.  I had been on Amiodarone for a couple of years but had to go off of it for way prolonged Q-T.  Because I already have cardiomyopathy and NSVT,  PLUS then had an episode of near syncope, the EP opted to put in the loop as he already knew they couldn't get an ICD in me as they had already tried.  (long story...please don't ask!)  Soooo, the EP wanted to see what arrhythmias I had OFF the Amiodarone.  At any rate, having it put in is really not a major deal and you will get used to it.  Plus you may find out the info you need quickly and that will be that.  Like I said above, mine does not stick out at all, the only way anyone would know it is there would be to palpate the area.

[maggiemag]

Yeppers, it has to be activated like an event monitor, EXCEPT that it will store events that are outside the preset parameters.  So it has patient activation and also built in ones.  BUT, you only get so many  per category.  If mine was set to record, for instance,  for a low rate of 45, I very quickly met my limit as my rate can go way down at night.  It then records over the last one.  I forget now, but I think  you only get 3 patient activations before you need to have it interrogated, where they look at all the automatic ones and the patient act.ones and print it out. No one seems to be too interested in removing mine yet.  I saw the cardio last week and she says it can just stay in.  We agreed to have it out if I ever need any other surgical thing done and she says I could have it out just under a local if I wanted, which I want.  It does not have anything at all that is outside the body.  It is put in with a surgical incision and closed.  For me they just used the pocket that they had previously made for the ICD that they couldn't get in.  Whew, this sounds complicated but it isn't.

[dancinheart03]

Do you still have yours in ? My ep says they leave it in 18mo. Do they take them back out? What is the activator like and how do you wear that? I go Jan.31 for a consult about one.Why are you wearing one,if you dont mind me asking? I worried about it sticking way out from my skin.Was it real sore for a few days and will i be able to go right back to work? Im a hairstylist so i use my arms alot. Sorry about all these questions lol. Does it work like an event monitor?         thanks...

[ireneo]

Curious - so you have to activate it during an "event" like the King of Hearts? It doesn't store information like a pacemaker (so many pvc's, so many vt's, etc)? And will you have it removed at some point in time? How many leads?

[maggiemag]

I have one although it has expired since I've had it 2 and a half years now!  It's piece of cake to have put in.  It was during outpatient surgery with light sedation and it didn't hurt a bit.  Mine doesn't even show at all, although you can easily palpate it.  It's about the size of a pack of juicy fruit gum.  You do get used to always wearing  the activator like a beeper.  I went in periodically to have it interrogated which is interesting and of course totally painless.  Any other questions that I can answer?