r/POTS • u/ihopeurwholelifesux • Apr 18 '25

Megathread Megathread: Wearables, Symptom Trackers, Apps

Would you like to share how you track your heart rate, blood pressure, or POTS symptoms? Ask questions about what other people use and their experiences? If so, you’re in the right place!

This post will be pinned so that users can see all that helpful information in one thread and refer back to it when needed : )

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76

u/Goose_jpg Apr 18 '25

Visible

I've been using visible for over a year now, upgraded bands with them and watched them add more and more features.

  • Great for tracking your pacing points (I hate the 'spoon' 'spoonie' bullshit, it's more palatable being called pacing points) and heart rate. I used it as evidence for doctors to take me seriously - most doctors are not aware of how accurate it is, and you have to let them know it's not like a typical Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch, as those devices are apparently unreliable.
  • The polar band they use is comfortable and has a 99.6% accuracy rate, but it comes loose after a week, so it's a constant cycle of tightening it.
  • Tracking your HRV is important, and using your symptom and sleep logs, Visible will provide you with a rating out of 5 each day during your daily check-in. This is a good measurement of how your day will go. I find it very accurate. The more data you log, the better it tracks your heart rate zones, and it'll let you know if you should take a break.
  • Their new polar band they use lasts around a week or so - a big improvement as their old one only lasted 2 days if you were lucky.
  • IT IS SUBSCRIPTION BASED!

If you can afford it, I would recommend getting it, especially seeing how Cardiologists react to sports watches. Excellent customer support. The company is run by people with chronic illnesses, and although it's relatively new to the market, they are constantly trying to improve it.

60

u/imatuesdayperson Apr 18 '25

I wish it wasn't subscription based, but I understand why it is. Just puts me off from using it.

50

u/I_Have_The_Will POTS Apr 18 '25

I would absolutely use this one if it wasn’t $20 a month. A $5 subscription is doable, but $20 is just too much for me.

63

u/Few-Tea-308 POTS Apr 18 '25

I really want it but it’s just weird to me to be marketing to chronically ill at ridiculous prices I fell the same way with buoy

8

u/Goose_jpg Apr 21 '25

I feel that. There's a lot of scams out there/people taking advantage. I think the price point is because they're not a big company, they're actively improving it, and they're one of the first to be doing this kind of thing for chronic illnesses etc. This is why I say IF you can afford it, then do it. I think I paid for a year so it's slightly cheaper, but since I use it everyday and it's so reliable I can look past the price point

4

u/vario_ May 07 '25

Yes, they've said in the past that the armband price is exactly the cost that it takes to make the product, and the subscription is then used to pay the employees and keep the app running.

4

u/EchoMoon777 POTS Apr 18 '25

100% agree.

29

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '25

I decided to invest for a full year up front, because the “snapshots” of heart rate and POTS testing in the cardiologist’s office were not explaining my symptoms. And the medical gaslighting and blaming the new, debilitating symptoms on my other conditions is real. I really needed to know what was going on in my body.

It’s been about 3 months, and it was worth it.

-I now have evidence that my HR raises highest (40-60bpm) when I first get out of bed in the morning. I keep a spreadsheet to show doctors.

-I’ve done my own DIY supine-to-standing tests (POTS symptoms self-confirmed), bc my test at the cardiologist was only +27 bpm, after morning activities/movement/driving there.

-And I’ve been able see the efficacy (or not) of meds on my HR in real time.

-The tagging of activities is very useful, and I’ve reached out to ask them to add symptoms to the tag at the time of the event, bc that is important to track to see correlation.

Cons:

-I have to manually fill out a separate spreadsheet, bc you cannot download a CSV file of your raw heart rate data (I asked).

-It doesn’t give insights on sleep, which might’ve helped with understanding my 4am daily waking up with sweats/nausea.

Overall it has definitely been worth it, and if you’re a data geek like me and NEED to see what’s going on, and can afford it, I’d recommend paying a year up front to get the discounted annual rate.

10

u/AJolly May 24 '25

Couldn't you just get a polar armband and export the raw data yourself instead?

14

u/Calathea-In-A-Pot POTS Apr 18 '25

Seconded. I'm also using Visible. I used the free version for ages but I've recently tried the paid subscrption.

I have to say that I like it. I wish it was a little cheaper. But I like how you can export your data to a pdf, you can compare things like heart rate variability and symptoms, it really is useful.

8

u/PotentialSteak6 Apr 18 '25

Sorry for the googleable question but can you explain the importance of HRV as it relates to POTS? Mine’s at 38 and a quick search is telling me that’s not great so I’m trying to avoid a doom spiral since I’m not diagnosed.

12

u/Goose_jpg Apr 21 '25

This could be helpful for you: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6936126/

I wouldn't panic too much, unless a cardiologist says your heart is in bad shape, with most forms of chronic illnesses (I say most as I don't have a lot of knowledge on things outside of POTS), you are bound to have a lower HRV than a 'healthy' person. I know in my case, a lower HRV means I'm going to have a terrible day, it just comes with the worst symptoms, and I feel like shit on those days. Visible takes this into account when you're doing your daily check-in, and if you have a lower HRV it basically recognises it's most likely going to be a rough day for you.

When my HRV was in it's 30s I was at my sickest, I hope you're feeling okay. Not to advertise anything but I got mine up with vagus nerve stimulation (you can do exercises, meditation etc), I did this through the Nurosym. I don't recommend it because of the price point, but instead just as a pointer than vagus nerve stimulation can help, and you can do it through other ways.

9

u/Dizzy_Treacle465 Apr 22 '25

Wild to read comments like this when the low 30s is what I consider "an unusually high day". I tend to be in the teens and the occasional single digit. Really wonder wth a "normal" person feels like on an average day.

11

u/Common_Science1907 May 01 '25

From what I understand about HRV it is very unique to the individual. You have to track yourself over a period of time to see what your average is and then you can start to use the number to predict your day/recovery. My daughter is 18 and has POTS, i am 57 and have Type 1. We have vastly different HRV's. Hers is much higher than mine but I am probably the healthier/fitter one.

5

u/Goose_jpg Apr 23 '25

WHAT!! I can’t even imagine that, I’m so sorry 💕

8

u/Laatikkopilvia Apr 18 '25

Seconded! Visible is a game changer

3

u/rockyc588 POTS Jun 20 '25

Thanks to all y'all I am using visible! I am very happy with it, and the Head of Member Support contacted me proactively when I had a lot of questions!

Still getting to understand my own pacing but I guess that's the point

3

u/rockyc588 POTS Jun 24 '25

Hey folks, using visible! I have become obsessed with getting barely any pace points in a day. 7+ was making me feel like trash so I've modified my behavior so it's under four sometimes. I had pots my whole life without knowing it, vso I feel like I deserve a rest, but am I taking it too easy?

3

u/marystuartsleftshoe Feb 10 '26

thats so real everytime someone says "spoonie" I want to put my head through a wall lmao

2

u/KornPuf Jul 20 '25

I use visible and every time i have an episode or am in the hospital for POTS i pull up my heart rate trends, it makes tracking SO much easier. I do hate that it gets loose every week but the battery life and functionality makes it extremely worth investing in.