Holter

LadyJ

Had a heart echo done last week and now they want to do a holter test. I think this involves wearing a heart monitor for 24 hours. Anyway, just wondering has anyone else had to do this and is it uncomfortable at all?

Also, they didn't exactly tell me what this test will show. Is it only going to record heartbeat or will it tell them anything more substantial? I still don't have the results of the echo so not sure how that turned out. Though, presumably I'm not in any immediate danger because they let me go home afterwards and haven't sent an ambulance to my house or anything!

Any insight in relation to the holter would be greatly appreciated!

Chunky Monkey

Haven't seen one in a while but I remember the box itself is small and isn't heavy. I think the leads from it are connected to some electrode pads put in different places on the front of your torso. They may be a little uncomfortable cos they're sticky, some patients say their skin feels stretched.

Here's a page on it anyway: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003877.htm

Bison

It monitors your heart rhythm for that period and enables them to record events such as infrequent arrhythmias that might not occur during a normal ECG session.

DrIndy

almost always these things record little blips that are harmless and normal - interpretation of the pattern is what matters and a cardiologist will look at that.

When investigating the heart in a young person - you need to account for form and function - form is measured on echo so what does the heart look like, function is on the hollter - what the hear does.

don't worry - if the doctors thought you were in trouble, they would have kept you.....

Dr Galen

what he said

its deffo not sore at all. a bit annoying alright having the sensors stuck on for the 24hrs but they're like ECG pads but more stucky. You'll get a cool bag to put the machine in too!

_Whimsical_

I have Holter monitors on an occasional basis. They aren't uncomfortable at all LadyJ. They are for all the world like a little mp3 player you clip onto your jeans or onto a belt they give you. Then a few little wires lead up to 3 or 4sticky patches on your chest. The patches are just the same little sticky patches they put on you when you're having the Echo - they're the same as a circular plaster. You don't notice you're wearing it at all and it won't disturb your sleep of anything like that. It's nothing to worry about at all.
Sometimes you get stuck with an old fashioned bulky one which is like an old sony walkman... it even has a cassette in it to record the info onto I think. You probably want to wear a baggy coat to cover it up just incase they're low on the new funkier ones!Good luck with it all

DrIndy

its a fashion accesory!

LadyJ

Lol, wearing it now and it's quite bulky but not quite as big as a walkman. Didn't get a cool bag though. Have a lot of wires hanging out of me so the doctor said to just tuck them into my trousers! Not so bad though. I'm wearing a longish top so it's not too noticable.

I'm a little worried about sleeping however. What if I roll onto my side and break it or something? Actually it'd probably hurt me more that I'd hurt it but dammit, I really hate sleeping on my back!

_Whimsical_

LadyJ wrote: »

I'm a little worried about sleeping however. What if I roll onto my side and break it or something? Actually it'd probably hurt me more that I'd hurt it but dammit, I really hate sleeping on my back!

The little mp3 like ones are easier to sleep with. With the bigger ones,presuming you aren't an incredibly heavy sleeper and likely to trash around alot, it's easier to unhook it from the belt you probably got with it and leave the machine lying beside you. That way you can lie on your side or whatever you usually do. I used to be worried I'd break it in the night too but it never happened. Several of them have survived the night with me so I'm sure yours will be fine too