By Meagan Seeley, as informed to Ethan Watters

It’s wonderful how straightforward it may be to overlook essential alerts your physique could also be sending.  A bit of bit of knowledge about what is occurring in your physique may help you make essential—generally even life-saving—choices. If it hadn’t been for the info I used to be getting from my Fitbit, I might need waited till it was too late. 

My well being disaster began in June. In the direction of the tip of that month, I observed I wasn’t feeling nice. However being an eighth grade trainer on the finish of a robust 12 months with progress reviews to write, I attributed my lack of vitality to stress and the June warmth. It was over 85 levels, and I dwell in Edmonton, in the course of Alberta, Canada. We’re not used to that type of temperature. 

In early July, after faculty was over, I drove the 4 hours north to my hometown of Grande Prairie to go to my dad and mom. It was there that my signs turned worse. Strolling up the steps, I couldn’t catch my breath. I keep in mind placing my head down on the kitchen counter simply making an attempt to take deep breaths. I assumed, “This is definitely form of scary. I’ve by no means had this sort of feeling earlier than.”

Even with these signs, I appeared for excuses. There have been wildfires within the space, so the air was smokey, and I used to be mildly allergic to my brother’s canine. I assumed possibly air high quality was the rationale I used to be having bother respiratory.

Ultimately, I used to be fortunate to have my Fitbit. My Versa 2 was a Christmas current I had requested from my dad and mom in 2019, and I had been utilizing it to maintain lively throughout COVID. For essentially the most half, I had stored to my purpose of 10,000 steps a day and spin courses 5 days a week, totaling 150 Energetic Zone Minutes. I additionally liked the sleep monitoring and trying out my Sleep Rating. 

At my dad and mom’ home, I started to discover some uncommon readings from my Fitbit. My resting coronary heart charge is often 55 beats per minute, however with even small actions, my coronary heart charge spiked to over 100 bpm. I figured, Okay, my physique is telling me to chill out for a day. So I mainly sat on my dad and mom’ sofa all day. But when I even bought up to get a drink of water, I’d test my watch and see my coronary heart start to race. 

On the finish of that day, my Fitbit confirmed that I had over seven hours within the Fats Burn Zone, which means my coronary heart charge was working at 50 to 69 % of its most. However I hadn’t been exercising. After I went to mattress that evening, I couldn’t really lay flat as a result of my coronary heart would begin to race. My Fitbit confirmed my coronary heart charge spiking to 144 bpm.

The following day I referred to as Alberta Well being Companies for recommendation. I informed them how I used to be feeling, however I might additionally inform them the info my Fitbit had collected. They beneficial I’m going to an emergency room for a full diagnostic. 

That go to to the hospital was the start of a life-changing medical journey. The medical doctors decided that speedy heartbeat and shortness of breath have been brought on by a number of massive blood clots in my lungs. These clots, in flip, have been brought on by a massive non-cancerous tumor in my stomach. The tumor had grown so massive that it had flattened my inferior vena cava, the most important vein within the human physique. The constriction on that vein was inflicting the clots that have been discovering their method into my lungs.

Pointless to say, it was scary and a lot to absorb. I’m 28 and have been wholesome and athletic all my life. However in fact, the expertise was additionally fairly fascinating. I’m curious about medication and medical procedures, and the medical doctors defined each step as we made a therapy plan. The strangest half was that, earlier than my surgical procedure to take away the tumor a few weeks later, that they had to place a filter in that giant vein to maintain clots from escaping. I used to be so curious concerning the process that I didn’t take the sedative they provided so I might keep alert. 

It’s been 5 months for the reason that surgical procedure, and I’m feeling fairly good. I’m once more counting on my Fitbit to assist me get again to form and to control my coronary heart charge. My mother now has a Fitbit, and now we have a pleasant competitors to encourage one another. After we discuss on the telephone, we frequently share what number of steps we’ve taken that day and our Sleep Scores. 

I’ve a few medical issues to observe up on. There may be some scarring in my lungs, and there may be a slight likelihood of a recurrence of the tumor. My surgeon informed me to monitor for any signs. I jokingly informed her that I managed not to discover the primary tumor till it practically killed me. However the fact is, with my Fitbit as a trusted companion, I’m far more in tune with my physique now. 

If I actually suppose again, I had noticeable signs six months earlier than I went to the physician. I believe COVID has brought about a decline in folks’s psychological well being. Feeling blue makes it even tougher to take self-care critically as a result of we’re much less in tune with our our bodies. That was true for me, at the least. It was straightforward to keep away from fascinated by it and to put all the things off. 

I can truthfully say my Fitbit saved my life because it helped me hear what my physique was saying to me. I’ll by no means be with out it.