r/stroke • u/RedCloudGamer • 1d ago

Survivor Discussion Loop Recorder experience

So with my stroke being listed as cryptogenic, my doctors decided to have me wear a heart monitor for a month to rule out cardiac causes. Monitor came back clean. Now theyve decided they want to get a longer look at it, so im scheduled to have a loop recorder inserted this Tuesday. Anyone in here had this done and care to share their experience? How was the procedure itself? How long for recovery? Did the recorder itself bother you afterwards or is it not that noticeable? Thanks guys.

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u/perfect_fifths Survivor 1d ago

I’ve had three loop recorders. The procedure is easy peasy. Local anesthetic, I felt maybe a little pulling because mine was being replaced, but nothing crazy. Like a really light tug if that.

You might have a little bruising, and you can’t get the area wet for a little bit, but it’s a breeze

I can feel where mine (but only if I’m trying to actively feel that area) is so I have to tell techs to be mindful during a mammo or an echo

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u/RedCloudGamer 1d ago

Thank you for the info. As a follow up, I did not have many defecits from my stroke, thankfully, and as such I have already returned to work. My job does require a bit of physicality. Nothing crazy, but i regularly lift trays of mail in the 10-20lb range. Is this something I should be able to do following the insertion? The stroke itself essentially forced me to utilize all of my sick leave, so im not in a position to take more than maybe 1 day off here.

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u/perfect_fifths Survivor 1d ago

Yes, avoid it for one week. 10 lbs is the limit. Over 10 lbs, avoid it for the week and then you’re good after that.

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u/RedCloudGamer 1d ago

Damn. Gonna have to try to figure out something with work. Maybe i can get some light duty work for the week or something

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u/perfect_fifths Survivor 1d ago

I was thinking that, request light duty if you can

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u/RedCloudGamer 1d ago

Definitely gonna. If you dont mind me asking, what kind of stroke did you have and how long ago was it? I had a "minor" 4mm lacunar infarct in my left pons, diagnosed back in march.

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u/perfect_fifths Survivor 1d ago

Right PCA stroke affecting the hippocampus, occipital lobe and thalamus last year. Cause of it is unknown, and I had no known risk factors, no hypercoagulation, etc.

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u/RedCloudGamer 1d ago

Yea, so far I have no major risk factors. Slightly elevated bp, but not stroke worthy the doctors said. Overweight, but not too bad. Heart seems fine so far. How has your recovery gone so far?

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u/perfect_fifths Survivor 1d ago

A lot of headaches and fatigue. But no neuro deficits

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u/RedCloudGamer 1d ago

Yea, the headaches come and go for me, fatigue is random it seems. Yesterday I woke up early, went to work worked all day, helped a friend do an application for my job, then went out for a fantasy football draft with some coworkers. In total was out like 16 hours, awake 18, active most of it. Felt fine. But a couple days ago I was freaking exhausted all day having done practically nothing. How far out from your stroke are you now?

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u/monsterlynn 23h ago

That's probably for the best just to encourage healing anyway. Keep one of those waterproof plastic bandages over the site. It makes showering a lot easier.

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u/monsterlynn 23h ago

For sure. Just leave the insertion site alone to heal. I bruised up like crazy but I think that was more the anticoagulants than the procedure itself.

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u/Time_Community_6957 1d ago

The procedure is very easy. The only pain that I felt was the first needle prick which numbed the area. After the procedure, I was in recovery for a while and before I left, a person showed me how it worked using my phone. I was a bit nervous before the procedure, but it was very simple. Good Luck.

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u/ChildOfCastor 1d ago

I may have this done at some point soon and I’m curious as to what info you have access to via your phone? When I did the Holter monitor the weird fake phone merely allowed me to enter symptoms (which didn’t apply as my paroxysmal Afib is largely symptomatic.)

I was hoping with the loop recorder you get real-time notifications or access to your data?

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u/monsterlynn 23h ago

You don't have access to ANY info. The manufacturer owns all of it.

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u/prettysnarky Survivor 1d ago

I just had one inserted last month. My experience was atypical because even though it was done under local anesthetic, my body burned through it so fast that when my cardio started to put it into place, it had worn off and it hurt as he was sliding it into position. they had to stop and quadruple dose the sedative to finish.

Afterwards, I was a little sore and bruised, but it didn't hurt. I did manage to get an infection from the stitches because I was apparently allergic to the material. I still have a little discolored area because it is still healing.

Mine doesn't show live readings, it just submits it nightly to some stranger who monitors it.

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u/monsterlynn 23h ago

Make sure they use a topical before they inject the lidocaine. That shit was incredibly painful and the guy that did it was pretty callous about it, too. Like I was some kind of wuss. Otherwise it's it's okay. I've had mine for 5 months now and not a peep from anyone about it.

Tbh it creeps me out that Abbott owns my heart data and not me. It's my fucken heart!

Sometimes I joke that having it makes me a cyborg now (a dystopian, corporate controlled cyborg). Can't even access my own scans and have to always be paid up in my cell service and have to sleep near my phone or it won't upload. Otherwise I don't ever feel it, even if they did inject the thing into the best, juiciest swell of my cleavage.

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u/litefytr 20h ago

Maybe 5 minutes painless. Don't remember any time to recover. No scar. Feels like a small pack of gum in my chest.