2nd Trimester

Heart monitors!?! Has anyone had to wear one for 2 weeks?

I have bee having heart palpitations and increased heart rate lately and I had a 24 hr monitor. I am now seeing a cardiologist and he wants to do a 2 week monitor. I am so stressed that it is not safe for the baby( 27 weeks along) since it is a long period of time that I have this monitor on. The dr said it was okay but I am still worried! It is one that bluetooths the info to the dr constantly. Has anybody had experiences with heart monitors.

Re: Heart monitors!?! Has anyone had to wear one for 2 weeks?

  • Thank you so much for the info! I have been so scared that I am alone since my Dr said I am 1 of her few patients that have had to have a heart monitor. She said she had some come through but it was only 24 hrs they had to wear it. I was very concerned with the phone device that comes with the monitor and that it is constantly next to my baby and having adverse affects on the baby. I am going through similar symptoms.. My heart has been in the high 90's and when standing or doing things it races and stays in the 130's and has been all the way up to 180 at one point ( which it stayed there for about 10 mins) it leaves me short of breath and feeling as if I am going to pass out. Are you working or have any restrictions with activity? This is my first pregnancy and I get so scared with any little thing- I just want to have everything go smoothly and have a healthy baby in the end:) I really appreciate your feedback!! Good luck:)
  • @armkmr2 I have wore several heart monitors over the years. 24 hr, 2 week, and 30 day monitors.

    I have a pre-existing heart condition (I have a problem with my autonomic nerve causing my heart rate and blood pressure to do crazy things. I have a pacemaker implanted to help with it.)  that I was diagnosed with at age 24. My symptoms started with palpitations and feeling lightheaded and dizzy. I even passed out a few times. The best monitors for me were the 2 week ones and the 30 day ones. The blue tooth ones are really good bc the data transmits automatically. 

    The stickies could get annoying and even cause large red welts. If that happens, call md right away as they can give you more hypoallergenic ones. 

    For the most part my monitor picked up pacs and pvcs (premature ventricular contractions). When they happen in anything greater than couplets you will feel more symptomatic. For me, I eventually needed an ablation to get rid of the part of the heart muscle that caused the bad beats. 

    Pregnancy hormones make all of this MUCH worse. I am actually High Risk bc of my condition so my cardio, regular ob, and high risk ob work very closely to monitor me. So people who have experienced this once and a while have it far more often. I have way more pacs and pvcs and they definitely make me symptomatic. I get lightheaded, weak in my legs, dizzy (sometimes to the point of passing out). My doctors sent me for an EKG and an echocardiogram just to rule out pumping issues. The good news is I have been through one pregnancy like this and my son was born happy and healthy. Even the episodes which caused me to pass out (only 3 of them the whole pregnancy) didn't hurt my baby. Doctors told me there are medications that can be safe (often a type of blood pressure medication) in pregnancy to help keep heart beat more steady, but thankfully we found that a few weeks into my 2nd tri those symptoms subsided quite a bit. I felt great during my second tri (because of increased blood volume according to doctors) and then got a bit more symptomatic during third tri as the baby squished stuff around making it are to breathe. 

    Things  that  might help:
    * stay very well hydrated--- but try to drink electrolyte enhanced water or G2. I actually do mostly Smartwater with a little G2 mixed in. The regular water in the amounts  we try to drink it when pregnant can wipe your body of needed electrolytes. 

    *sleep--- pvcs and pacs are worse when you are fatigued

    *consistent blood sugar---try to eat 3 small meals and 3 snacks daily. Balance carbs and proteins

    *if you start to feel lite headed or weak like passing out (usually your BP is dropping) try crossing your legs and squeezing. It often will raise your BP a little causing the lightheadedness  to stop.

    *with pvcs or pacs you can try to bear down like making a bowel movement or cough deeply. That will often get them to stop. 

    Of course, whatever your doctors tell you is most important. These are just some suggestions that have worked for me with my doctor's guidance.

    Good luck to all of you. Feel free to pm me if you need to.
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  • Yes- Thank you for all the information.

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