exercise monitors

I am 69y old,had heart block,fitted pm 5 weeks ago,feel 20y younger.want to go back to gym,which I was using before I became ill.bought execise monitor which says don't use with implanted pm! it has weak Bluetooth signal,far less than my cellphone or tablet,but manufacturer won't commit to safe use.anyone else using device silimar to FITBIT or other?regards Yendor

6 Comments

HR monitor

by BillH - 2016-03-27 09:03:34

None of the chest strap HR sensors, whether they use ANT+, Blue Tooth LE (Smart), or old Polar analog, will affect the operation of the PM.

However, some sensors, with some people, with some PM they will not give accurate readings. No rhyme or reason as if they will work for you are not.

Another option is the optical HR monitors. While the PM does not have anything to do with it they are also a mixed bag. Work great on some people, not too well on others.

One option that seems to work well for many people is the Scosche Rhythm+. It is an optical armband. But seems to work better than the optical watches/fitness devices.

The current models transmit in both ANT+ and Bluetooth. But you still need a watch or fitness device to display the HR.

Optical sensors for HR monitors

by WillieG - 2016-03-28 01:03:26

I found that the Fitbit and Mia Alpha monitors were not accurate for me during exercise. They were fine when sitting. Both had a HR that went down during spinning when, of course, HR should be rising. I found the Scosche to be accurate. It has a third optical sensor that is a yellow light. It is more comfortable than a chest strap as it can be worn on your forearm or right above the elbow. I pair it with the Garmin Forerunner and it works very well! Ordered them on line thru Clever Training.

Good luck finding one that works for you!

monitors

by Tracey_E - 2016-03-28 01:03:57

As Bill said, the monitors won't affect the pacer. The pacer may, however, affect the accuracy of the monitor. I've never found one that works for me. I go by how I feel. If I can talk but not sing, I assume my rate is good. I only count if I feel bad.

fitbit

by silver star - 2016-03-28 02:03:30

I have both a fit bit flex and charge HR and I've never had a problem.

Same question here.

by DampDog - 2016-03-28 08:03:48

I'm just over 3 weeks in from CRT-D implant and have been mulling over the idea of a heart rate monitor. From what I have read there should be no problems with any monitor interfering with the function of your PM.

However the way they they detect your heart rate can confuse the monitors. Those that work by detecting electrical activity can be confused by the pacing signals, especially if you have a bi-ventricular device. The monitors with optical HR detection (generally those that go on the wrist and don't use a chest strap) are not susceptible to picking up erroneous signals. FitBit HR looks good value, and reading what other have written here appears to do the trick. Just be aware that they come in different wrist band sizes so you need to choose the correct size for your wrist.. :-)

Fit bit HR

by TJ319 - 2016-03-31 10:03:52

I have a Fit bit HR, and Mio Alpha. I am quite satisfied with them. As someone else mentioned, both Fit bit and Mio devices can be off, but for the most part, I find them close enough to help me manage the level of intensity of my exercise.

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Member Quotes

I'm 35 and got my pacemaker a little over a year ago. It definitely is not a burden to me. In fact, I have more energy (which my husband enjoys), can do more things with my kids and have weight because of having the energy.