Apple Watch save my life

[s15119]

So, here’s the story.

When I woke up Monday morning, my Apple Watch alerted me that I had several episodes of atrial fibrillation overnight. I felt ok, a little weird but ok. I messaged these reports to my primary care doctor at Waikiki Heath. At first he didn’t sound very concerned and just replied, “let’s watch it and I’ll have you come in if it repeats”. Throughout the day Monday took several ECGs with my watch. They all showed elevated heart rate and/or a-fib.

When I woke up Tuesday morning my watch again altered me to several episodes of a-fib. I still felt ok, a little weird and little “tightness” in my chest, but ok. I messaged my doctor with the Apple Watch documents, and say says “come see me now”. At Waikiki Heath they did a “real” ECG which told the same story, elevated heart rate and a-fib. My doctor put me in a cab to Queens ER. They did several tests at Queens and this morning they did a procedure called a cardioversion. The biggest risk in a-fib is blood clots which can cause a stroke. So they take an ultrasound of the heart (straight thru the esophagus). Then they shock the heart and force it back to its normal rhythm. I was home today by 3pm. No blood clots, no stroke. I would not have know I was in a-fib without the Apple Watch. I’m glad to be home and glad to be alive.

 

[Nozuka]

Nice to hear!
And it's only going to get better over the years, with added and improved sensors.
The iPhone gets most of the hype for Apple, but the Watch might end up just as important with time. (pun intended)

 

[Apple_Robert]

Thanks for sharing and glad to read you are back home. I agree that the Apple Watch can be a real lifesaver.

 

[hogwarts]

Exactly the same thing happened to my wife a few months back. She got an a-fib warning from the watch and ended up being in hospital for 5 days. Luckily her heart returned to normal rhythm by itself after a couple of days but without the  watch she would never have known.

 

[RobMH]

I had a SVT, heart rate was at 172, ambulance took me to the hospital, this is before heart monitor was on the Apple Watch. Once I got one it happened again, heart rate was at 160, when ambulance got to my house it was the same. This thing is accurate and now I know how it feels when my heart rate elevates like that and now, I can track it.

 

[dsh3]

I had a SVT, heart rate was at 172, ambulance took me to the hospital, this is before heart monitor was on the Apple Watch. Once I got one it happened again, heart rate was at 160, when ambulance got to my house it was the same. This thing is accurate and now I know how it feels when my heart rate elevates like that and now, I can track it.

Fellow SVT guy here. Had it not been been for my Apple Watch, I would probably not have reacted to the light symptoms in the beginning.

 

[Kyle76]

I have a-fib and get occasional episodes. I know when I’m having one, but I use the ECG on the watch to take tracings and send to my doctor. I think he finds them helpful, at least he says he does.

 

[MisterSavage]

Glad you're doing better. I've seen more than one person refer to the ECG on the Apple Watch as a "gimmick", which couldn't be further from the truth.

 

[Prof.]

Hopefully they put you on a blood thinner? Coumadin? Xarelto? You’ll have to be on a blood thinner for the rest of your life. The issue is, as the atria of the heart quiver while in afib, clots can form and cause myocardial infarction or stroke potentially killing you or severely handicapping you.

As time goes on, and depending how bad it gets, you can look into cardiac ablation, installing a Watchman, or a IVC filter.

 

[Dr_Charles_Forbin]

Same issue here... Apple watch said I was in AFib. I said “This thing is a piece of ****“ because I had just had an stress echo and an EKG a few months before.… but let me get it checked out. Sure enough, I was in AFib. Just had the cardioversion yesterday.. I’m back in sinus rhythm. Now I’m wondering if I should upgrade my S4 to an S7 for better health monitoring… trying to find useful info and it’s either marketing speak or some other features. Would I like an S7? Yes. Does my S4 still work? Yes. Trying to gather info.

 

[Dr_Charles_Forbin]

Hopefully they put you on a blood thinner? Coumadin? Xarelto? You’ll have to be on a blood thinner for the rest of your life. The issue is, as the atria of the heart quiver while in afib, clots can form and cause myocardial infarction or stroke potentially killing you or severely handicapping you.

As time goes on, and depending how bad it gets, you can look into cardiac ablation, installing a Watchman, or a IVC filter.

Wouldn’t be too sure about blood thinner for the rest of the life. My cardiologist said I can be off blood thinners (Eliquis) in 30 days… which is one of the reasons why I’m looking at the s7 but trying to figure out if it’s worth going from the S4 to S7.

 

[Prof.]

Wouldn’t be too sure about blood thinner for the rest of the life. My cardiologist said I can be off blood thinners (Eliquis) in 30 days… which is one of the reasons why I’m looking at the s7 but trying to figure out if it’s worth going from the S4 to S7.

If this was a one time event, and doesn’t happen again, you may be able to forgo the blood thinner.

 

[Howard2k]

I'm going for heart tests in December as I'm getting low heart rate notifications from my watch. Probably nothing but the visibility of the potential issues from the watch is great.

 

[Dr_Charles_Forbin]

If this was a one time event, and doesn’t happen again, you may be able to forgo the blood thinner.

Whatever my cardiologist says ? I’m going on something that’s supposed to help prevent any recurrences. Still need to know if it’s worth it to upgrade to the 7

 

[Dr_Charles_Forbin]

I'm going for heart tests in December as I'm getting low heart rate notifications from my watch. Probably nothing but the visibility of the potential issues from the watch is great.

agreed which I’m thinking of going up to the 7.

 

[MisterSavage]

Whatever my cardiologist says ? I’m going on something that’s supposed to help prevent any recurrences. Still need to know if it’s worth it to upgrade to the 7

I am not anywhere near certain but I think the upgrades to the ECG have been software changes. ECG Version 2 brought many improvements.

Here are all the new changes in ECG app version 2 on Apple Watch – iThinkDifferent

www.ithinkdiff.com

 

[Dr_Charles_Forbin]

Thanks .. I just took an EKG on the 4 and it looks ok. Granted it’s only one lead but it shows sinus rhythm. I may skip the 7, the pulse ox sounds nice but I’ve already got a pulse ox that I try and check daily.

 

[tenordrum]

Thanks .. I just took an EKG on the 4 and it looks ok. Granted it’s only one lead but it shows sinus rhythm. I may skip the 7, the pulse ox sounds nice but I’ve already got a pulse ox that I try and check daily.

I am considering moving to the 7 from the 5. My AW5 has a 2nd gen optical heart sensor, vs 3rd gen in the 6 and 7. Not sure that is worth an upgrade, but the larger screen size would be nice.

My biggest reason initially getting the AW5 cellular was to provide an emergency notification if I fell while walking. I had a heart attack 2 years ago, started while I was on a hike. I don't have the cellular service activated, but it will automatically do the emergency notice to my list plus 911 if I fall and don't respond.

As it turns out, it has been a good motivation tool to keep me walking daily. (average 7 miles per day). I also have a valve issue (my heart, not my car!) so any kind of monitor on my wrist is a good thing! The rumored improvements in AW8 are intriguing though as well.

 

[MisterSavage]

As it turns out, it has been a good motivation tool to keep me walking daily. (average 7 miles per day). I also have a valve issue (my heart, not my car!) so any kind of monitor on my wrist is a good thing! The rumored improvements in AW8 are intriguing though as well.

Love hearing Apple Watch success stories like this!

 

[Dr_Charles_Forbin]

I am considering moving to the 7 from the 5. My AW5 has a 2nd gen optical heart sensor, vs 3rd gen in the 6 and 7. Not sure that is worth an upgrade, but the larger screen size would be nice.

My biggest reason initially getting the AW5 cellular was to provide an emergency notification if I fell while walking. I had a heart attack 2 years ago, started while I was on a hike. I don't have the cellular service activated, but it will automatically do the emergency notice to my list plus 911 if I fall and don't respond.

As it turns out, it has been a good motivation tool to keep me walking daily. (average 7 miles per day). I also have a valve issue (my heart, not my car!) so any kind of monitor on my wrist is a good thing! The rumored improvements in AW8 are intriguing though as well.

Yes, I heard about the 3rd gen sensor which is why I'm going for the 7... considering that my recent cardioversion seemed to have lasted about 3 days and I'm back in Afib. I have to get walking... kudos to you for the discipline.

 

[tenordrum]

All the best as you work through your AFib issues. At least your cardiologist has as much data as one could normally get, in order to give you the best treatment plan going forward.

I keep wondering what data gathering will be capable by the future fitbits and apple watches in 10 years...(assuming I last that long!)