The idea is that when I feel an 'attack' or some abnormal event with my heart, I press the button. Normally this isn't an issue, however, I've been told I can only record five events on the monitor and any subsequent presses must only be for events considered more serious than those previously recorded.
I do get to remove the sticky pads up to twice a day to shower but the horrid gel gunky stuff is really starting to adhere to my skin and leave some red raw patches. Not to mention the discomfort of the itching when I get warm and sweaty :(
Whilst it may look fairly simple, placement of the top electrode is really inconvenient when it comes to being able to wear something to conceal it. It really doesn't bother me with the monitor or the electrodes or wires being visible, but there are times when it'd be nice to not know it's there. So I walk around with this device clearly suspended from my neck, and to be fair, most people haven't questioned it because they assume it's something along the lines of an mp3 player as they don't see the electrodes.
Mum stood behind me in the bathroom this morning as I was doing my hair. I could see she was studying the wires attached to my torso. Suddenly my hair straightener beeped at me to say it was at optimal temperature, but all mum knew was that there was an electronic twittering sound that just occurred. She looked at me with the "what was that?" panic. Perhaps she thought my monitor box and wires were about to explode!
So, once this thing comes off on Wednesday morning, I have an appointment with my cardiologist on the 29th of April to discuss results and what to do next. Now, my condition is well reported after dealing with it, medically, for the last 17 years. But because it's been 10 years since my last surgery and major procedure for it, we're trying to assess the current state of the condition(s). I would like for the next step to be an implantable monitor - it's about the size of a USB flash drive and is inserted under the skin above the heart. It can last up to three years depending upon battery life, and transmits wirelessly to a receiver whenever I tell it to record a significant event. I'm sure you can see from the geeky perspective as to why I'd want such a device, but from the health perspective I'd like to be able to come off my medication, monitor my condition over that longer period of time and see what my 'native' heart status is without any form of drug interference. This will allow the specialists to determine if I require more surgery to fix the issue, or if it's best left alone/treated with drugs.
