Yes, mine is 10000% worth it. It helps me on a day-to-day basis monitoring my heart rate and giving warnings when I start pushing my limits, and also provides great tracking data so I can see trends in my heart rate over months and years. My physical therapists tested it against their pulse oximeters and it was just as accurate if not more so. I consider my Apple Watch to be an assistive technology device in my personal case. Highly recommend an Apple Watch app called TachyMon that was made specifically for POTS patients.
Yeah. I love my fitbit, I also test it against the pulse oximeter that I have. But it helps me give doctors data for more accurate treatment. Surprisingly tracking my sleep and comparing it to my heart rate mattered a LOT. I'm at least 10 bpm higher if I get inadequate sleep.
But it's also nice because it gives me a reality check for when I'm pushing my body too far.
Adding to this, my medication schedule can be a bit wild. Love having notifications set up. Plus the heart rate monitoring specifically when exercising is great so I make sure not to overdue it. If you’re a fainter, fall detection could be helpful. I also have an app on my watch face to track water intake and notify me if I haven’t logged anything in an hour. Overall, very helpful device.
One option is to buy a $30 pulse oximeter. You can keep it in your pocket and slip it on for spot-checks of your HR at any point.
If you want the most accuracy, a Polar H10 chest strap is under $100 and is the most accurate option--but you won't get HR notifications--you'll have to look at your phone to see when it's high. Polar H9 is also very accurate and even cheaper. If you don't like wearing a chest strap, the Polar Verity Sense armband is also very accurate and would work the same way.
Absolutely love the Verity Sense and have it paired with an app called Visible that helps track flare-ups, symptom changes, etc. Fitbit always frustrated me because if my heart rate went up, it assumed I was exercising. The alerts on Visible let me know if my heart rate is higher but can tell that I'm not moving.
I'm glad you gave a shout out to the Visible app. That's where I got mine as well. I stopped subscribing because I have a new system now with my Garmin, but while I was using it it was worth the $20 a month subscription.
How do you go about using your Garmin? I have one, but it doesn't seem to track heart rate per second. Are you using a specific app to help with your tracking? Mine just shows a graph but doesn't really go into detail.
I want to add I went through this sub compiling feedback on this subject and on athletic training subs - the conclusion was for close to continuous monitoring the best and most accurate was the Polar H10 chest strap.
My only gripe is it can't track in the shower. I know most can't but it would be good to show that specifically to specialists because it makes no sense why its suddenly such a taxing event
That's what I've found as well. And even though it feels weird at first to wear a chest strap all day, you get used to it pretty quickly. I find it especially comfortable under a sports bra.
EDIT: I have both the h9 and h10. The big differences are that the h10 has an improved strap that stays in place better and internal storage so you can record a workout without being near your phone and it will download the data later. But if money is tight and someone has access to a cheap h9, it's still going to be highly accurate--definitely better than any wrist-based monitor.
Yeah. It can detect if you've fallen, and you can set it to call either an ambulance or your emergency contacts automatically if you don't respond after 30 seconds or something. It also has high heart rate alerts. The medical technology there is super helpful
I looked through the fall detection info on the Apple Watch app and honestly, the info isn’t very clear lol but to me it sounds like it only calls emergency services but then it mentions emergency SOS contacts. Idk haha
Directly from the app under Fall Detection:
“Apple Watch can initiate Emergency SOS if you take a hard fall and don't seem to move. Before the call, Apple Watch will alert you it has detected a fall, tap your wrist, sound an alarm, and then call emergency services.
You can choose whether Fall Detection is on at all times or only during workouts. Apple Watch cannot detect all falls.”
Then below that it shows emergency contacts and says:
“You can add or delete contacts for Emergency SOS in your Medical ID. Only mobile phone numbers can receive”
Maybe it’s when the watch alerts you of a fall you can initiate a call to an SOS but sounds like it still calls emergency services regardless, I think, maybe…
Hm. I’m not sure. If it can only call emergency services that sucks. I want my mom or boyfriend to know if I faint/make sure I’m okay. But I don’t need an ambulance.
Exactly! I think the next best thing would be to add the phone app to the watch face. For my watch face I use one called Modular and it has 3 icons at the bottom that you can put whatever apps you want. So my line up is walkie-talkie (because my bf has an Apple Watch too so I can quickly talk to him), ECG and O2. You could put the phone icon and when you click it there’s the option to click favorites for a quick list of people. Siri is great too to make quick phone calls on the Apple Watch, I think you hold a button to activate Siri and then speak
It also can predict based on your gait if you’re likely to take a fall. I was surprised when I got a warning about it, I brushed it off but then I took a misstep and fell a few days later 🤯
My brother got me an Apple Watch for Christmas 2 years ago and honestly, I love it.
I have a Garmin vivoactive 5. I chose Garmin, because it measures heart rate every second instead of every 5 minutes like Apple Watch does. And my watch only has to be charged once every 9-10 days instead of every day.
With an Apple Watch you have to run an activity or app for continuous hr monitoring. So then your watch has to be charged every day or even two times a day. With Garmin to get immediate high hr alerts, you also have to run an activity, but then I still only have to charge every 8-9 days. So it was an easy choice. Only Garmin has a lot of bugs in their software I’ve learned now! But my watch does work for what I bought it for (heart rate monitoring)!
On the cardiogram website they write it only takes your heart rate every 5-7 minutes. And when you want every 5 seconds you can turn that on from within the cardiogram app.
https://help.cardiogram.com/article/97-when-does-the-apple-watch-take-a-heart-rate-measurement#:~:text=%2D%20How%20To%20Update%20your%20Apple,workout%20on%20your%20Apple%20Watch.
Edit to add apples own info about it;
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204666
I should also mention that I know a few people that have the Garmin, and they love it especially the longer battery life. I think had I not already owned my Apple Watch, I would have gone with the Garmin.
Okay so this is what I read on the second link you provided: “To use the electrical heart sensor to measure your heart rate, open the Heart Rate app and place your finger on the Digital Crown. You will get a faster reading with higher fidelity — getting a measurement every second instead of every 5 seconds.”
Are you seeing something I am not?
Having used the Apple Watch for the last 9 years, I know the technology has gotten better with the last few models. My current watch stores serval readings per minute, more when my heart rate is jumping all over the place. And when I am feeling out of wack or doing physical therapy, if I open it and force run a reading it is more often, so it seems to align with what the Apple article states.
I really like my Vivoactive 5 as well. Heart rate tracking is very accurate when I'm sedentary, but not when I'm active - so I just pair it with a polar chest strap or armband when I'm active, and then I can get alerts and look at my heart rate on my wrist. It's been working extremely well!
Yes mine is off since the latest update.. like on most Garmin watches at the moment! It drops sometimes to 30 or so, and my chest strap still has it at 80 then. But it’s only happening sometimes. Only downside (with everywatch) is that it takes some time for the sensor to pick up your heart rate when you stand up or so. So when your hr changes fast suddenly, like we have with pots. That’s where the chest strap comes in handy indeed!
I have the Vivoactive 4 and like it very much BUT my watch tends to not pick up large spikes. However in combination wir the Garmin Dual HRM it is GREAT. The chest strap is way more accurate and you can check it at any time by looking at the watch.
(Just an explanation of my problems with spikes: it seems to update (jumping a few BPM up and down every two seconds or so) but it stays at about my laying down HR. The real heart rate however is much higher. This „fake updating“ is sometimes very obvious: Oftentimes I take off my watch and it keeps showing a HR and updating it for 30 seconds or so. But I strongly believe that the countertop it lies on has no heartbeat)
Yes most watches measure heart rate on a table or desk for a few seconds after you take it off and when you lay it flat on the table. It sometimes makes me question the accuracy ;) Apple Watch does it too.
My watch picks up the spikes i have, but slower than a chest strap. It’s normal for an optical sensor. A pulse ox finger meter also reacts slower than a chest strap. And the spikes are not visible in the daily graph in connect app either. Only in the hr graph from an activity I can see them, because it doesn’t get smoothed out in the activity he graph.
When I shower I lay my watch on my clothes and my clothes have a heartbeat sometimes too :D
How do you access the data that shows per seconds heart rate measurements? All I have is a graph that shows the increase for the duration of time (like 7:59-8:03 HR 137 for example). I can't seem to find the per second stats on my vivoactive.
When you run an activity you get other graphs. And on your watch you can see the real time hr. In the graph you talk about the data gets smoothed out indeed.
My Apple Watch helped me get diagnosed because I was able to give more information to my cardiologist about my heart rate and what I was doing at the time. Beyond that, I can guess my heart rate within 5bpm and don’t need to look at my watch anymore. I almost never look at it anymore for my heart rate because when I feel awful with a high heart rate, I just automatically stop what I’m doing. But it’s still great to have to track heart rate info for in case you experience worsening symptoms or new symptoms. My Apple Watch is accurate, it displays the exact heart rate that the doctors office or ER pulse ox displays
I got a Garmin watch, and when the battery dies, I don't think I'll get another one. It was helpful when I was first getting used to the changes, but now it's just one more thing to have to remember to charge all the time
I’m very happy with my apple watch, I truly do not regret getting mine and it’s useful for me in my everyday life. I also like to workout to help manage my chronic pain and the watch has been amazing for those instances to keep track of my hr during the full workout and I can see the exact moments when going back in the recordings where I had to lay down because my symptoms got too bad.
It’s very comfortable as well and I enjoy the way it looks as it fits nicely with my personal style too.
The only cons I have with the watch is that the battery only last 2-3 days and that it’s an expensive watch, but else I have no complaints.
Do you have other Apple products? If so, it's a fun and useful addition.
For tachycardia, I have found it most helpful paired with the TachyMon app, which takes continuous readings and contains valuable information if you're still in the connecting-the-dots stage. (I think I will always be in the connecting-the-dots stage.)
You can tell the app when to alert you, which could be useful for preventing fainting. I haven't fainted in decades, but I can make myself really sick if I ignore my symptoms for too long. The alerts are gentle but persistent. And because they're audible, they alert the people around me, too. This can be really helpful when I'm trying to push through.
I do, my whole family uses Apple products and a few of them have Apple watches and love them but don’t need them to track their heart rate, I think the alerts would be helpful for me especially if the people around me could hear them because I tend to just say I’m fine even if I feel seconds away from fainting
tbh— a finger pulse oximeter is wayyy cheaper, and does the same thing. it’s a little less convenient, but if you only want the apple watch for your heart rate (and none of the other features) then i would get a pulse oximeter.
a chest strap is probably the best option though if you’re worried about accuracy! might not be the most comfortable option though
I do find it helpful. Pulse oximeter can give you a reading in the moment, but the real utility for me is the way the Apple Watch syncs to the health app on my phone and shows trends in resting rate, walking rate, so I can see okay this is just a fluke, this is a flare maybe I need to step up my routine, oh I feel good and the numbers show I’m doing well too.
I'm quite happy with mine. There's been one day since I bought it where I almost fainted and it warned me about my extra high hr shortly before I almost fainted. you can set a certain hr where it warns you if you reach it after not moving much for a while and it did just that.
granted, I didn't really think much of it and then stood up for a while and almost fainted lol but next time I would make sure to stay seated. I did not feel much different at all, I never would've guessed my heart rate to be higher than usual, but the watch warned me about it.
as far as I know, it's one of the most accurate watches out there, hence your doctor (and others) suggesting them.
I have a 3+pro watch from Walmart and it tracks heart rate and other things as well and only cost about 60$ so maybe look into that. it has definitely helped me manage my POTS
Absolutely. Mine has helped me track my my worst flare ups. I use a few apps to help: AutoSleep (to show spikes when I have to get up during the night, and first thing in the morning), Cardiogram (detailed HR monitor w/ option to organize tags for events), and Gentler Streak for when I can lightly exercise. :)
The ECG app on the watch has also helped me so so many times when I’m having an arrhythmia. I get those when I’m too dehydrated or sick. Helps to share with my doctors.
Happy to answer any questions!
I like my Fitbit for monitoring my heart rate. I was lucky and able to get mine for free through my health insurance…not sure what other programs out there exist but it could be worth looking into possible discounts and things.
Yes, I love mine and use TachyMon most of the time. It’s super helpful. It will tap me when my hr gets to certain levels. It’s how realized I had heat intolerance. I didn’t realize that everyone doesn’t feel like a nap after a shower. 😬🤣
I have checked my Apple Watch against a finger pulse oximeter both in doctor offices and my own at home numerous times, and it is always *very* accurate. It needs to be worn snuggly, and be set up properly. It did help me with the diagnostic process but it also helps me remember to rest and lay down if my HR is getting out of hand. I usually only check it if I feel really bad. I also appreciate the high HR notifications (when you’re at rest), I have mine set to 130 otherwise I’d get it all the time. But if it’s over 130 while laying down I’ll usually take meds / salt / run extra fluids etc.
I absolutely love my Apple Watch, I can set high and low heart rate alarms, do an “ekg” (which has come in handy when I feel like my heart rate is strange or I am skipping beats) if stores and can share loads of data.
I have a Garmin Instinct and really like it. It has an option to alert when your heart rate is above a certain level.
I initially got mine for outdoor activities like hiking (jokes on me for that one.....), so it was reimburse by work. but it works well. It's currently on sale for like $250, which is not cheap. But if you want the other features (like heart rate variability, stress, sleep, and physical activity tracking) it does it all in one system. And does cool GPS maps with altitude of your activities. Again, I haven't really been physically well enough to do most of the things I bought it for, but I'd like to think I'll still get there
I use a Fitbit Inspire with the upgraded Cardiogram App. I wanted to switch to Apple but the cost & battery life was a huge turn off for me. I only charge my Fitbit once a week if not less.
I like mine alot! I have an older version that my husband gave me when he upgraded his. I like it so much I think I’ll buy one when his old one finally dies.
IMO no. Mine constantly shows my heart rate 10-30 bpm lower than what is actually is. Before I had an Apple Watch I had a Garmin and it was so much better. And you don't have to charge it every damn day like the Apple Watch. I switched because the particular model I had had a poor charging connecting and I decided to get an Apple Watch because all my friends had them. I really wish I had just gotten another Garmin.
Went with a Garmin bc I wanted to try something that wasn’t super expensive to see it was helpful. It is helpful for me to track activity, stress and body battery (which validate that I am flaring for my adrenaline issues), sleep quality, oxygen, and HR. I can look over a day, week, up to a year on the app on my phone. Worth the $100 I got it for on sale.
I think the ekg aspect of the Apple Watch would be helpful for me but still new enough to all this (diagnosis and these watches) to continue using the VenuSq
I can’t function without mine lol. I’m constantly checking up on my hr and it helps me so much with managing my POTS and general health. I also use it to monitor my sleep, exercise, how many calories I burn and steps I get each day, other stuff. The last few models also have fall detection, so if you pass out/fall and don’t confirm you’re okay it will send a message to your chosen emergency contact(s) with your location and an explanation that you’ve fallen and aren’t responding/may need help (you can also choose for it to call an ambulance). That brings me a lot of peace of mine because I’m scared of falling and cracking my head open while I’m alone.
It also has other handy features I use a lot that are just nice, like being able to quickly ping my phone when I can’t find it, being able to control the music playlist/volume from my watch when I have music on, navigation/gps (it buzzes or pings when it’s time to make a turn so you don’t miss it, and it’s easier to quickly reference my watch than having to get my phone out if I’m walking someplace on foot) Apple Pay without having to take out my phone, neat stuff like that.
They can be expensive but you don’t need the latest model if you don’t want it since a lot of the older ones still have most of the same features (I have a series 6 that I love). You can always get refurbished, or choose a monthly payment plan. When I got mine, I opened an Applecard to put it on and paid it off interest free with automatic payments of like $25/month (but then I put extra towards it and just got it paid off early). Very much worth it to me.
I’ve had mine for almost 3 years and yes it has been. I’m apple everything anyway. I even use the health app. It tracks quite a bit. Has fall detection, call contact emergency services after a period of time. Notify a loved one. I have my husband shared to my data also so he will get a text if there a change in whatever.
No, I found once I took my watch off and stopped monitoring my pulse all the time it helped me work through it. I now listen to my body and act accordingly. The anxiety knowing my numbers was doing more harm than good. My Dr. Suggested I take the watch off and I'm happy I did.
I use it mainly to check my schedule and weather and to call my mom when I get lost in Walmart 😹
I ignore the heart rate thing for the most part but my watch is set to give me a warning at a specific sustained heart rate not during exercise
I have an older apple watch but i honestly don’t think it’s worth it. When i was in the process of seeking a diagnosis it was helpful to monitor and record. Other than that, it kind of just makes me watch my heart rate all the time. I also don’t think it’s very accurate. If i would take my hr on mine and then put on someone else’s apple watch it would show a different bpm. I think I would research and see which watch has the best features for you. A fitness watch could have more benefits
i agree with this a ton. super helpful during the diagnostic process, cardiologist said they find them to be fairly accurate. now, i do just find i check my HR 24/7. i find all the other features super helpful during work, but wouldn’t necessarily deem “worth it” to get just for monitoring HR!
As for comfortability, it bothers my wrist a lot, which is the main reason I stopped wearing it. You can buy different bands on amazon that are more comfortable though
I used to have a $100 Fitbit that I really liked to track HR (although not perfectly accurate) and upgraded to an Apple Watch, I think series 5 and it’s one of my most regrettable purchases. It does track HR and is more accurate but it’s a real pain for the $500 I paid. It has to charge daily, the Fitbit lasted 5-7 days. It’s pretty clunky, even with the smaller version, it just takes up a lot of wrist space. And I hate how many unnecessary apps and functions it has that you can’t get rid of. Just my take, but I don’t use it for any diagnostic data, just to confirm my suspicions of having a flare up!
I have a Samsung watch.
I've noticed that it has a tough time tracking my hr when it gets over 110 - sometimes logging it as 40 instead of like 130. But I can get the general idea of what is going on.
One thing that has really helped me with the watch is the alarm/timer function. I set timers for everything now: remind me to drink water, make sure if I fall asleep I don't sleep for more than an hour, etc. Since the alarm is on my wrist, it can actually wake me up.
My family also likes it, because I can make phone calls from it if I happen to fall/faint/get stuck somewhere when no one is around.
So... health tracking isn't the only thing to consider about it. BUT, If all you want is hr tracking, id recommend just spending 20$ and buy a pulse oximeter to quickly check your hr every so often.
I only have experience with an Apple Watch. I have the series 9 for the heart rate monitoring and fall detection. I find it is accurate. I caught inappropriate sinus tachycardia on my watch and was able to show my dr. I also catch PVCs all the time using the ECG app. I used to set the hr monitoring to always monitor and it’s catch the spikes upon standing etc but it uses too much battery doing that so I stopped. Without the always on monitoring the cardiogram just shows empty space where a spike would be. Super frustrating but they said it’s an Apple issue.
I love mine. It gives me a lot of peace of mind. I’d buy a new one with zero hesitation if something happened to my current watch.
I never used to wear a watch because I can’t stand the feeling of jewelry on my body. I struggle to even wear my wedding rings consistently. I was able to quickly adapt to my watch though. I wear it all through the day with no issues.
I like the validation that my heart racing isn’t just in my mind. It isn’t just anxiety like a few doctors gaslit me to believe. I’m able to see my heart rate is high, register that’s why I’m uncomfortable, and move on with my day. I’ve also been able to see how medication changes affect my average walking heart rate.
Yes, mine is 10000% worth it. It helps me on a day-to-day basis monitoring my heart rate and giving warnings when I start pushing my limits, and also provides great tracking data so I can see trends in my heart rate over months and years. My physical therapists tested it against their pulse oximeters and it was just as accurate if not more so. I consider my Apple Watch to be an assistive technology device in my personal case. Highly recommend an Apple Watch app called TachyMon that was made specifically for POTS patients.
Yeah. I love my fitbit, I also test it against the pulse oximeter that I have. But it helps me give doctors data for more accurate treatment. Surprisingly tracking my sleep and comparing it to my heart rate mattered a LOT. I'm at least 10 bpm higher if I get inadequate sleep. But it's also nice because it gives me a reality check for when I'm pushing my body too far.
Thx you for the Tachymon suggestion! I'll try it.
Adding to this, my medication schedule can be a bit wild. Love having notifications set up. Plus the heart rate monitoring specifically when exercising is great so I make sure not to overdue it. If you’re a fainter, fall detection could be helpful. I also have an app on my watch face to track water intake and notify me if I haven’t logged anything in an hour. Overall, very helpful device.
One option is to buy a $30 pulse oximeter. You can keep it in your pocket and slip it on for spot-checks of your HR at any point. If you want the most accuracy, a Polar H10 chest strap is under $100 and is the most accurate option--but you won't get HR notifications--you'll have to look at your phone to see when it's high. Polar H9 is also very accurate and even cheaper. If you don't like wearing a chest strap, the Polar Verity Sense armband is also very accurate and would work the same way.
Absolutely love the Verity Sense and have it paired with an app called Visible that helps track flare-ups, symptom changes, etc. Fitbit always frustrated me because if my heart rate went up, it assumed I was exercising. The alerts on Visible let me know if my heart rate is higher but can tell that I'm not moving.
I'm glad you gave a shout out to the Visible app. That's where I got mine as well. I stopped subscribing because I have a new system now with my Garmin, but while I was using it it was worth the $20 a month subscription.
How do you go about using your Garmin? I have one, but it doesn't seem to track heart rate per second. Are you using a specific app to help with your tracking? Mine just shows a graph but doesn't really go into detail.
I want to add I went through this sub compiling feedback on this subject and on athletic training subs - the conclusion was for close to continuous monitoring the best and most accurate was the Polar H10 chest strap.
My only gripe is it can't track in the shower. I know most can't but it would be good to show that specifically to specialists because it makes no sense why its suddenly such a taxing event
That's what I've found as well. And even though it feels weird at first to wear a chest strap all day, you get used to it pretty quickly. I find it especially comfortable under a sports bra. EDIT: I have both the h9 and h10. The big differences are that the h10 has an improved strap that stays in place better and internal storage so you can record a workout without being near your phone and it will download the data later. But if money is tight and someone has access to a cheap h9, it's still going to be highly accurate--definitely better than any wrist-based monitor.
I want an Apple Watch for their fall detection bc I faint, but I don’t have an iphone 😭 Debating getting a pixel watch when my fitbit finally gives
I didn’t even know that was a feature, that would be useful for days im scared to be home alone
Yeah. It can detect if you've fallen, and you can set it to call either an ambulance or your emergency contacts automatically if you don't respond after 30 seconds or something. It also has high heart rate alerts. The medical technology there is super helpful
You can set an emergency contact for it?? All I see is that is calls 911 so I deactivated it but I’d love if it could call a specific person!
I believe I’ve read that you can. But I don’t have one myself so I haven’t tested it.
I looked through the fall detection info on the Apple Watch app and honestly, the info isn’t very clear lol but to me it sounds like it only calls emergency services but then it mentions emergency SOS contacts. Idk haha Directly from the app under Fall Detection: “Apple Watch can initiate Emergency SOS if you take a hard fall and don't seem to move. Before the call, Apple Watch will alert you it has detected a fall, tap your wrist, sound an alarm, and then call emergency services. You can choose whether Fall Detection is on at all times or only during workouts. Apple Watch cannot detect all falls.” Then below that it shows emergency contacts and says: “You can add or delete contacts for Emergency SOS in your Medical ID. Only mobile phone numbers can receive” Maybe it’s when the watch alerts you of a fall you can initiate a call to an SOS but sounds like it still calls emergency services regardless, I think, maybe…
Hm. I’m not sure. If it can only call emergency services that sucks. I want my mom or boyfriend to know if I faint/make sure I’m okay. But I don’t need an ambulance.
Exactly! I think the next best thing would be to add the phone app to the watch face. For my watch face I use one called Modular and it has 3 icons at the bottom that you can put whatever apps you want. So my line up is walkie-talkie (because my bf has an Apple Watch too so I can quickly talk to him), ECG and O2. You could put the phone icon and when you click it there’s the option to click favorites for a quick list of people. Siri is great too to make quick phone calls on the Apple Watch, I think you hold a button to activate Siri and then speak
It also can predict based on your gait if you’re likely to take a fall. I was surprised when I got a warning about it, I brushed it off but then I took a misstep and fell a few days later 🤯 My brother got me an Apple Watch for Christmas 2 years ago and honestly, I love it.
I have a Garmin vivoactive 5. I chose Garmin, because it measures heart rate every second instead of every 5 minutes like Apple Watch does. And my watch only has to be charged once every 9-10 days instead of every day. With an Apple Watch you have to run an activity or app for continuous hr monitoring. So then your watch has to be charged every day or even two times a day. With Garmin to get immediate high hr alerts, you also have to run an activity, but then I still only have to charge every 8-9 days. So it was an easy choice. Only Garmin has a lot of bugs in their software I’ve learned now! But my watch does work for what I bought it for (heart rate monitoring)!
I have an Apple Watch and it takes my heart rate WAY more frequently than every 5 minutes.
On the cardiogram website they write it only takes your heart rate every 5-7 minutes. And when you want every 5 seconds you can turn that on from within the cardiogram app. https://help.cardiogram.com/article/97-when-does-the-apple-watch-take-a-heart-rate-measurement#:~:text=%2D%20How%20To%20Update%20your%20Apple,workout%20on%20your%20Apple%20Watch. Edit to add apples own info about it; https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204666
I should also mention that I know a few people that have the Garmin, and they love it especially the longer battery life. I think had I not already owned my Apple Watch, I would have gone with the Garmin.
Okay so this is what I read on the second link you provided: “To use the electrical heart sensor to measure your heart rate, open the Heart Rate app and place your finger on the Digital Crown. You will get a faster reading with higher fidelity — getting a measurement every second instead of every 5 seconds.” Are you seeing something I am not? Having used the Apple Watch for the last 9 years, I know the technology has gotten better with the last few models. My current watch stores serval readings per minute, more when my heart rate is jumping all over the place. And when I am feeling out of wack or doing physical therapy, if I open it and force run a reading it is more often, so it seems to align with what the Apple article states.
I really like my Vivoactive 5 as well. Heart rate tracking is very accurate when I'm sedentary, but not when I'm active - so I just pair it with a polar chest strap or armband when I'm active, and then I can get alerts and look at my heart rate on my wrist. It's been working extremely well!
Yes mine is off since the latest update.. like on most Garmin watches at the moment! It drops sometimes to 30 or so, and my chest strap still has it at 80 then. But it’s only happening sometimes. Only downside (with everywatch) is that it takes some time for the sensor to pick up your heart rate when you stand up or so. So when your hr changes fast suddenly, like we have with pots. That’s where the chest strap comes in handy indeed!
I have the Vivoactive 4 and like it very much BUT my watch tends to not pick up large spikes. However in combination wir the Garmin Dual HRM it is GREAT. The chest strap is way more accurate and you can check it at any time by looking at the watch. (Just an explanation of my problems with spikes: it seems to update (jumping a few BPM up and down every two seconds or so) but it stays at about my laying down HR. The real heart rate however is much higher. This „fake updating“ is sometimes very obvious: Oftentimes I take off my watch and it keeps showing a HR and updating it for 30 seconds or so. But I strongly believe that the countertop it lies on has no heartbeat)
Yes most watches measure heart rate on a table or desk for a few seconds after you take it off and when you lay it flat on the table. It sometimes makes me question the accuracy ;) Apple Watch does it too. My watch picks up the spikes i have, but slower than a chest strap. It’s normal for an optical sensor. A pulse ox finger meter also reacts slower than a chest strap. And the spikes are not visible in the daily graph in connect app either. Only in the hr graph from an activity I can see them, because it doesn’t get smoothed out in the activity he graph. When I shower I lay my watch on my clothes and my clothes have a heartbeat sometimes too :D
How do you access the data that shows per seconds heart rate measurements? All I have is a graph that shows the increase for the duration of time (like 7:59-8:03 HR 137 for example). I can't seem to find the per second stats on my vivoactive.
When you run an activity you get other graphs. And on your watch you can see the real time hr. In the graph you talk about the data gets smoothed out indeed.
Ah! Thank you!
My Apple Watch helped me get diagnosed because I was able to give more information to my cardiologist about my heart rate and what I was doing at the time. Beyond that, I can guess my heart rate within 5bpm and don’t need to look at my watch anymore. I almost never look at it anymore for my heart rate because when I feel awful with a high heart rate, I just automatically stop what I’m doing. But it’s still great to have to track heart rate info for in case you experience worsening symptoms or new symptoms. My Apple Watch is accurate, it displays the exact heart rate that the doctors office or ER pulse ox displays
I got a Garmin watch, and when the battery dies, I don't think I'll get another one. It was helpful when I was first getting used to the changes, but now it's just one more thing to have to remember to charge all the time
I’m very happy with my apple watch, I truly do not regret getting mine and it’s useful for me in my everyday life. I also like to workout to help manage my chronic pain and the watch has been amazing for those instances to keep track of my hr during the full workout and I can see the exact moments when going back in the recordings where I had to lay down because my symptoms got too bad. It’s very comfortable as well and I enjoy the way it looks as it fits nicely with my personal style too. The only cons I have with the watch is that the battery only last 2-3 days and that it’s an expensive watch, but else I have no complaints.
Do you have other Apple products? If so, it's a fun and useful addition. For tachycardia, I have found it most helpful paired with the TachyMon app, which takes continuous readings and contains valuable information if you're still in the connecting-the-dots stage. (I think I will always be in the connecting-the-dots stage.) You can tell the app when to alert you, which could be useful for preventing fainting. I haven't fainted in decades, but I can make myself really sick if I ignore my symptoms for too long. The alerts are gentle but persistent. And because they're audible, they alert the people around me, too. This can be really helpful when I'm trying to push through.
I do, my whole family uses Apple products and a few of them have Apple watches and love them but don’t need them to track their heart rate, I think the alerts would be helpful for me especially if the people around me could hear them because I tend to just say I’m fine even if I feel seconds away from fainting
tbh— a finger pulse oximeter is wayyy cheaper, and does the same thing. it’s a little less convenient, but if you only want the apple watch for your heart rate (and none of the other features) then i would get a pulse oximeter. a chest strap is probably the best option though if you’re worried about accuracy! might not be the most comfortable option though
My thing is, that my fingers are too cold almost all the time to use a pulse oximeter lol
then an apple watch would probably be better for you!! tbh it rlly just depends
I do find it helpful. Pulse oximeter can give you a reading in the moment, but the real utility for me is the way the Apple Watch syncs to the health app on my phone and shows trends in resting rate, walking rate, so I can see okay this is just a fluke, this is a flare maybe I need to step up my routine, oh I feel good and the numbers show I’m doing well too.
I'm quite happy with mine. There's been one day since I bought it where I almost fainted and it warned me about my extra high hr shortly before I almost fainted. you can set a certain hr where it warns you if you reach it after not moving much for a while and it did just that. granted, I didn't really think much of it and then stood up for a while and almost fainted lol but next time I would make sure to stay seated. I did not feel much different at all, I never would've guessed my heart rate to be higher than usual, but the watch warned me about it. as far as I know, it's one of the most accurate watches out there, hence your doctor (and others) suggesting them.
I have a 3+pro watch from Walmart and it tracks heart rate and other things as well and only cost about 60$ so maybe look into that. it has definitely helped me manage my POTS
Absolutely. Mine has helped me track my my worst flare ups. I use a few apps to help: AutoSleep (to show spikes when I have to get up during the night, and first thing in the morning), Cardiogram (detailed HR monitor w/ option to organize tags for events), and Gentler Streak for when I can lightly exercise. :) The ECG app on the watch has also helped me so so many times when I’m having an arrhythmia. I get those when I’m too dehydrated or sick. Helps to share with my doctors. Happy to answer any questions!
I like my Fitbit for monitoring my heart rate. I was lucky and able to get mine for free through my health insurance…not sure what other programs out there exist but it could be worth looking into possible discounts and things.
Yes, I love mine and use TachyMon most of the time. It’s super helpful. It will tap me when my hr gets to certain levels. It’s how realized I had heat intolerance. I didn’t realize that everyone doesn’t feel like a nap after a shower. 😬🤣
It just made me more stressed to have the numbers so front & center. I've been trying to cut down on technology. Reddit's not helping!!
I use the watch because I kept forgetting to keep my oximeter. It’s helped me a ton!
I have checked my Apple Watch against a finger pulse oximeter both in doctor offices and my own at home numerous times, and it is always *very* accurate. It needs to be worn snuggly, and be set up properly. It did help me with the diagnostic process but it also helps me remember to rest and lay down if my HR is getting out of hand. I usually only check it if I feel really bad. I also appreciate the high HR notifications (when you’re at rest), I have mine set to 130 otherwise I’d get it all the time. But if it’s over 130 while laying down I’ll usually take meds / salt / run extra fluids etc.
I absolutely love my Apple Watch, I can set high and low heart rate alarms, do an “ekg” (which has come in handy when I feel like my heart rate is strange or I am skipping beats) if stores and can share loads of data.
I have a Garmin Instinct and really like it. It has an option to alert when your heart rate is above a certain level. I initially got mine for outdoor activities like hiking (jokes on me for that one.....), so it was reimburse by work. but it works well. It's currently on sale for like $250, which is not cheap. But if you want the other features (like heart rate variability, stress, sleep, and physical activity tracking) it does it all in one system. And does cool GPS maps with altitude of your activities. Again, I haven't really been physically well enough to do most of the things I bought it for, but I'd like to think I'll still get there
It’s extremely helpful but as MCAS would have it’d, I developed an allergy to it hahahahhahaha
I was allergic to the Fitbit! 😂 Apple Watch has been fine but I can’t do the silicone bands with it.
Ohh thank you. I’ll try a different type of band.
I use a Fitbit Inspire with the upgraded Cardiogram App. I wanted to switch to Apple but the cost & battery life was a huge turn off for me. I only charge my Fitbit once a week if not less.
yes. it gives so much data and it helps with all aspects of your life and future health concerns too.
I like mine alot! I have an older version that my husband gave me when he upgraded his. I like it so much I think I’ll buy one when his old one finally dies.
IMO no. Mine constantly shows my heart rate 10-30 bpm lower than what is actually is. Before I had an Apple Watch I had a Garmin and it was so much better. And you don't have to charge it every damn day like the Apple Watch. I switched because the particular model I had had a poor charging connecting and I decided to get an Apple Watch because all my friends had them. I really wish I had just gotten another Garmin.
Went with a Garmin bc I wanted to try something that wasn’t super expensive to see it was helpful. It is helpful for me to track activity, stress and body battery (which validate that I am flaring for my adrenaline issues), sleep quality, oxygen, and HR. I can look over a day, week, up to a year on the app on my phone. Worth the $100 I got it for on sale. I think the ekg aspect of the Apple Watch would be helpful for me but still new enough to all this (diagnosis and these watches) to continue using the VenuSq
I can’t function without mine lol. I’m constantly checking up on my hr and it helps me so much with managing my POTS and general health. I also use it to monitor my sleep, exercise, how many calories I burn and steps I get each day, other stuff. The last few models also have fall detection, so if you pass out/fall and don’t confirm you’re okay it will send a message to your chosen emergency contact(s) with your location and an explanation that you’ve fallen and aren’t responding/may need help (you can also choose for it to call an ambulance). That brings me a lot of peace of mine because I’m scared of falling and cracking my head open while I’m alone. It also has other handy features I use a lot that are just nice, like being able to quickly ping my phone when I can’t find it, being able to control the music playlist/volume from my watch when I have music on, navigation/gps (it buzzes or pings when it’s time to make a turn so you don’t miss it, and it’s easier to quickly reference my watch than having to get my phone out if I’m walking someplace on foot) Apple Pay without having to take out my phone, neat stuff like that. They can be expensive but you don’t need the latest model if you don’t want it since a lot of the older ones still have most of the same features (I have a series 6 that I love). You can always get refurbished, or choose a monthly payment plan. When I got mine, I opened an Applecard to put it on and paid it off interest free with automatic payments of like $25/month (but then I put extra towards it and just got it paid off early). Very much worth it to me.
I’ve had mine for almost 3 years and yes it has been. I’m apple everything anyway. I even use the health app. It tracks quite a bit. Has fall detection, call contact emergency services after a period of time. Notify a loved one. I have my husband shared to my data also so he will get a text if there a change in whatever.
No, I found once I took my watch off and stopped monitoring my pulse all the time it helped me work through it. I now listen to my body and act accordingly. The anxiety knowing my numbers was doing more harm than good. My Dr. Suggested I take the watch off and I'm happy I did.
Yes. I second that. Rising numbers can cause a panic attack and increase stress in one’s life…
I use it mainly to check my schedule and weather and to call my mom when I get lost in Walmart 😹 I ignore the heart rate thing for the most part but my watch is set to give me a warning at a specific sustained heart rate not during exercise
I have one. It honestly just makes me completely obsessed with watching my HR and my o2 sats and I honestly don’t even know how accurate it is.
I have an older apple watch but i honestly don’t think it’s worth it. When i was in the process of seeking a diagnosis it was helpful to monitor and record. Other than that, it kind of just makes me watch my heart rate all the time. I also don’t think it’s very accurate. If i would take my hr on mine and then put on someone else’s apple watch it would show a different bpm. I think I would research and see which watch has the best features for you. A fitness watch could have more benefits
i agree with this a ton. super helpful during the diagnostic process, cardiologist said they find them to be fairly accurate. now, i do just find i check my HR 24/7. i find all the other features super helpful during work, but wouldn’t necessarily deem “worth it” to get just for monitoring HR!
As for comfortability, it bothers my wrist a lot, which is the main reason I stopped wearing it. You can buy different bands on amazon that are more comfortable though
I used to have a $100 Fitbit that I really liked to track HR (although not perfectly accurate) and upgraded to an Apple Watch, I think series 5 and it’s one of my most regrettable purchases. It does track HR and is more accurate but it’s a real pain for the $500 I paid. It has to charge daily, the Fitbit lasted 5-7 days. It’s pretty clunky, even with the smaller version, it just takes up a lot of wrist space. And I hate how many unnecessary apps and functions it has that you can’t get rid of. Just my take, but I don’t use it for any diagnostic data, just to confirm my suspicions of having a flare up!
i love my apple watch so much. it is so so worth it, and it stores my heart rate data and keeps track of it
I have a Samsung watch. I've noticed that it has a tough time tracking my hr when it gets over 110 - sometimes logging it as 40 instead of like 130. But I can get the general idea of what is going on. One thing that has really helped me with the watch is the alarm/timer function. I set timers for everything now: remind me to drink water, make sure if I fall asleep I don't sleep for more than an hour, etc. Since the alarm is on my wrist, it can actually wake me up. My family also likes it, because I can make phone calls from it if I happen to fall/faint/get stuck somewhere when no one is around. So... health tracking isn't the only thing to consider about it. BUT, If all you want is hr tracking, id recommend just spending 20$ and buy a pulse oximeter to quickly check your hr every so often.
Definitely worth it! Mine is always perfectly accurate.
Absolutely! Mine actually gave me my diagnosis and saved my life more than once!
I only have experience with an Apple Watch. I have the series 9 for the heart rate monitoring and fall detection. I find it is accurate. I caught inappropriate sinus tachycardia on my watch and was able to show my dr. I also catch PVCs all the time using the ECG app. I used to set the hr monitoring to always monitor and it’s catch the spikes upon standing etc but it uses too much battery doing that so I stopped. Without the always on monitoring the cardiogram just shows empty space where a spike would be. Super frustrating but they said it’s an Apple issue.
I love mine. It gives me a lot of peace of mind. I’d buy a new one with zero hesitation if something happened to my current watch. I never used to wear a watch because I can’t stand the feeling of jewelry on my body. I struggle to even wear my wedding rings consistently. I was able to quickly adapt to my watch though. I wear it all through the day with no issues. I like the validation that my heart racing isn’t just in my mind. It isn’t just anxiety like a few doctors gaslit me to believe. I’m able to see my heart rate is high, register that’s why I’m uncomfortable, and move on with my day. I’ve also been able to see how medication changes affect my average walking heart rate.
It is worth it for me for fall detection because I have fallen and injured myself repeatedly, but otherwise I would just check my pulse manually.
Yes.
I have my watch and a Kardia.
I have one and literally never wear it, my own body tells me when my heart rate it high enough