Smart watch

No interference

by Aintgotrhythm - 2023-08-11 10:46:57

Hi Makokiller,

I've found it's rather the other way around: the PM interferes with the smart watch. In my case, I have an Apple Watch and I used to use it for ECG's. Post implant I notice that the ECG readings it takes are "inconclusive" when I'm being paced.

Edited to add: aside from that, all other smart watch functions work as usual.

Smart watches

by AgentX86 - 2023-08-11 11:02:43

There is no interference with the pacemaker but their pulse measurement is quite unreliable.  The pulse-ox (green light on the back) is particuarly bad but the EKG style sensor can be thrown off by the pacing spikes from your PM. 

I use a Samsung, which is great for counting steps and such but really bad at measuring heart rate.  It's all over the place, often reading 20-30 beats high.  It's useful otherwise and makes a really nice watch.  If you're buying it because it's a nice watch, fine.  If you're counting steps, great.  If you want to track your heart rate, they're iffy at best.

FITBIT -VERSA 2

by zawodniak2 - 2023-08-11 11:17:45

I use the FITBIT VERSA 2 and it is extremely accurate. I wear it to bed and my smart phone app shows a steady 60 bpm except for pee breaks. 
       Rodger 

Watch

by Makokiller - 2023-08-11 11:53:23

Was looking at the new galaxy 6 watch, but have seen some reports about the magnet being close to your pacemaker. And yeah I was going to get it to measure my heart rate, but if it is bad at that, then what's the point of having it..

Fitbit Charge

by Prof P - 2023-08-11 14:56:56

I've worn a smart watch of some kind for several years (and 2.5 yr with my PM).  There's no interference.  I wear a Charge 5 as of a couple of months ago and concur that the pulse-ox measures are imprecise, although the Charge precision seems better than previous watches.  Still, having no anomalies and knowing that I am paced >90% of the time, the measurements seem to vary by +/- 5 BPM at the low end and who knows at higher heart rates during exercise.  Fancier watches may differ, and I have not used the EKG function I have.  Maybe I should try that.