Check out Amazon.com. They have a variety of them....most are like a wrist watch. They start at about $30.00.

Hi Ray,
Sure, I have a lot of experience with heart rate monitors. Basically, they all probably are very accurtae and between $30 to $120. However, the following is what is important andf you want to look for:

- The ease of being able to change the battery yourself without breaking the waterproofing seal in the device. If the seal breaks (cheaper brands), the humidity gets into the device and the display fogs up. then, you have to throw it out and get another one. This has happened to me with timex and some other brands of watches.

"Polar" brand is a great device but you have to send it to the factory to get the battery replaced so the waterprofing is preserved. To me, this is not acceptable.

"Suunto" brand is the only brand that I have seen, which you can buy the battery from Target and change it yourself without the display fogging up later. I have had my Suunto for the past 10 years and I have changed the battery in it many times myself. I go swimming with it in the pool, ocean snorkling, and I take shower with it every day, still no problem. Also, hot water breaks the seal, but not for Suunto. Here is a link to it at Amazon:
http://www.zappos.com/suunto-m2-black-box?channel=126&mr:referralID=NA&mr:trackingCode=1C20623F-AF91-DF11-827F-002219319097

However, I do not have this particular brand. Mine is 10 years old. I even might get the above for myself since the price is worth it. The display is nice and large.

You can go with cheaper brands, but ususlly these devices use a lot of battery power. So, more than likely, you have to change the battery within a year, at which time you might get condensation in the display. Then, the device is toast and you have to buy another one.

- Also, get something that has "watch and calender" functions so you can wear it all the time as a watch too. Some of them are only "Heart Rate Monitor" and you still have to wear a watch (funny looking to other people). For example, my Polar was only heart rate monitor. Ignorant people were making fun of me for wearing two watches :-)

Bottom line, cheap brands will last 1 year or so, but more expensive one like Suunto last you probably a life time.

By the way, they all have a band, which has the electrodes that you wear it around your chest. It is a transmitter, which transmits the heart electrical signals to the device you wear on your wrist. For proper transmission, you must wet the electrodes around your chest, otherwise you will NOT have a good condution and as a result no heart signal to your watch. It is just like the electrodes on the EKG machine, they must be moist for good conduction.

Now, you know everything about the heart rate monitors. Aren't you sorry that you asked :-) Better to have too much information than not ENOUGH LOL.

Go get them, Ray.

Good luck with your A Fib.

Scott

Ray...I used a MIO watch that was accurate and fully functional for $60 and did not require a chest strap. You just leave it on your wrist and use pointer and midde finger from the other hand t read it. Also, if you have an Android phone, there is a free app called Heart Rate Monitor that is fairly accurate and to use it you put a finger tip over the camera lens...sweet and easy... best of luck...sorry I have not been on here for a while, but I am 7 months in NSR and pretty dang happy! I hope all is well! Reid

Are the ones, which you use only two fingers really accurate? I have not used them but I am under the impression that they are as accurate as the ones with strap on the chest, which is really the same as the 2-wire EKGs in the doctor's office.

The strap ones really measure the electrical signals from the heart and NOT the pulse rate. What do you think reidswoods? Also, congratulations on being NSR for so long. That is great news. Keep it up Mr. fisherman :-) Any good fishing lately?

Scott

No great fishing trips lately, but I think about fishing a lot so that counts!!! I found it to be very accurate and could tell the nurses within 1 BPM what my rate was nearly without fail...they got sick of it after a while...the down side was that I became a bit obsessed with the rate checking to the annoyance of my family. To shif the focus to "living" instead of "living in fear" I quit wearing it completely now.

Take care, Reid

Hi Reid,
Okay, thanks for the info about the two-finger heart rate monitor. Yes, I got obsessed with chking my rate too and that by itself created panic sometimes. So, I stopped wearing the chest band except when I go hiking since I don't want to exceed my 100% heart rate for too long. Sometimes, I exceed the 100% rate without even noticing it. My understaning is that it is not healthy for the heart even if you are very healthy. The rate should be around 70 to 80 percent of the max heart rate (for the age) during a good exercise routine.

Hey Reid, thinking about fishing does not count man, LOL. You got to go out there and do it :) But, I know, sometimes it can be tough to make time for what we really want to do.

Take care and enjoy life,
Scott

ok here is my stupid question i am 1959 born what should be my heart rate or the 80 % of it to xcersie.

ray

Hi Ray,
Max heart rate is equal to (220 - your age). So, for you it will be: 220 - 51 = 169 bpm max heart rate.
Now, 80% of your heart rate is
169 x .80 = 135.2 , which we round it to 135 bpm (beats per minute).

when you exercise for cardio, you should keep your heart rate around 135 (80% of max). However, I am not sure if you can do that since you are taking rate control drugs for your heart.

To lose fat, the heart rate should not be more than 60 to 70% of the max. That means for losing weight, you should go for a long time with a heart rate of around 101 to 118. I am sure your trainer will discuss this with you and will give you the scoop how to lose fat.

During exercise, I used to feel a lot of pressure in my heart when I was on rate control drugs. I just could not run/hike fast. But, that did not stop me from exercising. I did it in a slower pace.

My mom is 86 years old and she is in permanent A Fib. She is on all kinds of drugs for blood pressure and rate control. She still goes on the treadmill and walks at least 40 minutes every day. Just food for thoughts :-)

Take care,
Scott

The frustrating part is when they have you on meds that blunt your rate (toprol xl) so what exercise used to be 130 bpm for me is now 95 bpm max...EP says the exercise is still working, and I sweat the same amount...sheeesh! Take care! Reid

Yes, your EP is correct, the exercise works even if your heart is not beating as hard because of rate control drugs.

I know my mom also sweats a lot during her walks on the treadmill in spite of the fact she is on rate control drugs. That is because she still burns lots of calories, which great.

Is a too fast heart rate a reliable indicator of AFib? For instance, if you feel an occasional palpitation, measure your heart rate and find it normal, can you conclude you're not having AFib?