Galaxy Watch4 and feeling unwell

[alex_ncfc]

This post might sound absolutely crazy but please hear me out!

Firstly, refer to the following Samsung forum post (from the US forums I think) - I would have replied on there but for some reason the reply button is greyed out:

Samsung-galaxy-watch-causing-pain 

Anyway on Friday I bought a brand new Galaxy Watch4 Classic on the day of release.

I set it up on the Saturday morning and put it on my wrist and then went for a walk. As I was out walking I started to feel what I can only describe as "very weird" - lightheaded, dizzy, palpitations and with an odd sensation in the arm the watch was on. I thought I'd carry on but then it got too much and I had to sit down. I took the watch off and sat for a while and then went home without the watch on. It wasn't an instantaneous change but I started to feel better again.

Then the next day I tried again and it was the same result - feeling very odd with the watch on. I now haven't worn it since and I thought I'd come on here and ask if anyone else has had similar things happen? I know, I also keep thinking "it can't be the watch" but then wondering what else could it be, as I don't have those things happen without it. That's why I also decided to Google it and I see there's quite a bit out there (not just Samsung, but other brands like FitBit etc) of people having similar issues.

As a lot of people mention in the thread I linked to above, they can't actually wear their watch because of it, and I feel the same and I'm pretty gutted about it. I just don't get it.

Juist curious to know if anyone on here has any ideas or anyone else has suffered this, before I think I am losing my mind!

Thanks

[alex_ncfc]

Hi Tony, have you had any more feedback regarding this?

The general feeling when reading about other threads with people having unusual symptoms from wearing the watch is that Samsung just say to contact them by private message where I'm guessing they will then just send out a replacement. But the watch isn't faulty. There are too many reports of people having side effects from wearing the watch (not just the Watch4 like mine, but others too) I felt very weird wearing it, hard to fully explain but lots of light headed sensation, funny headaches and also tingling in my wrist that felt sort of "electric" - again, hard to explain properly.

Yet I tried taking the watch back to my local Samsung store about 14-15 days after buying it and the guy pretty much laughed in my face when I told him about the symptoms and told me I couldn't return it and get a refund. I now have a watch I paid almost 400 quid for that I can't wear.

Would be interested to hear more from you about your experience of wearing it, and from anyone else.

[Tony_B]

Hi Alex

My problems seem to be mainly around my wrists/hands.

In May/June time I began to experience tendonitis sensations in my left wrist (where I normally wear it) - this was diagnosed as De Quervain's syndrome <De Quervain's tenosynovitis> and caused real pain when moving my thumb into a range of positions.

My consultant suggested not wearing the watch on my left wrist, and subsequently gave me a steroid injection in the left wrist.

At this time, I started wearing the watch on my right wrist, and now, after several months of alternating between left/right, I can see a very prominent blood vessel on the upper side of my right wrist (exactly where the watch sits) and am now experiencing a similar (but not identical) pain in my right thumb.  The circumstances of the pain on the right strongly suggest an inflammation around one of the nerves travelling into my hand.

I am now not wearing the watch overnight, and alternating left/right on a daily basis.

I hope to see the same hand consultant in about 2 weeks, so will raise this new problem with her.

Regarding more general symptoms - I might be able to link morning headaches with wearing the watch overnight, but it is difficult to eliminate other influences (food, late nights, hydration etc).

I am thinking about giving the watch a complete break for a few days, but do appreciate its ECG and HR monitoring capabilities - these were my main reasons for buying it.

How can I contact Samsung by private message? 

[Tony_B]

I have just notice the link for messaging Samsung - brainfade also caused me to post pretty much what I had before, 2 weeks, ago.

At least I was consistent!

[AndrewL]

@Tony_B: I'm sorry to hear that you have encountered these symptoms. If you are based in the UK or Ireland then please send a private message to Sam_UK by following the steps in the link below, and myself or one of the other mods will be able to get this escalated for you. 

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/samsung-lounge/how-to-send-a-private-message-on-the-samsung-comm...

[amazan18]

So finally how did it go Crumbz? I bought my watch 4 Bluetooth just about 2 weeks ago (feb 2022) here in NZ but have pretty same headache (oversensitive and pounding feeling). I am in touch with Samsung but adding here if it helps anyone else doubting themselves. My first smartwatch too btw

[rudracures]

I am going to tell you the exact reason for this. I am a physician. To be very Frank, these watches are not good for anyone's health. It's interfering with electric signal i.e. sinoatrial node. I would like to suggest you not to wear the watch or still if you want to use it, turn off the heart rate sensor and spo2 monitor. Otherwise you will get to experience cardiac arrhythmias and  the galaxy watch will take you to the condition where you would have to be on a pacemaker on day. 

Dr. Pawan

[Y T]

Sorry to say it but I just experienced this myself just now, About 10 mins ago. I felt very ight headed and was getting dizzy. It felt like I was about to have a light panic attack. How? Because my brother called me. I answered, I had the watch close to my face while drive so I could talk. Not to close but after the conversation, I lost a lot of breathe and I couldn't get a grip until I took the device off. Weird but I felt better while gathering myself after. I love the Samsung galaxy products but I hope they don't think I will be a pawn to the radiation of these technologies. Peace. I just hope it wasn't that.

[William45]

Have you had any success and figuring out why your watch does that I've been having this problem for the past 5 years and never seen a post about it and it go with the Apple watch and the Galaxy watch. But I don't know why I just want to keep wearing it but it always give me a headache and all the symptoms you relay in your post.

[alex_ncfc]

Hi William, no I've had no success. I've heard nothing back from Samsung either. I don't know why it isn't being acknowledged - like I said further up, when I tried to return the watch to the Samsung store the guy just laughed at me as if I was insane.

So does the same thing happen to you with the Galaxy Watch and Apple Watches? I spoke to a friend who has a smartwatch and he said it can't be the heartbeat monitor, as that just uses light. Which I'm guessing is the green light you see flashing under the watch. But there is that other feature that sends electric signals through the body, I cant remember what it's called, but I'm pretty sure that only runs on demand? Is that right? I'm not sure if it is a feature that can be disabled.

I still have the watch and I haven't even attempted to wear it for months but like you, I want to wear it - but if I'm not going to wear it I want to sell it, I just can't seem to figure out what to do about it!

[alex_ncfc]

This is interesting information Dr Pawan. Is there anywhere I could read more about this? I don't understand why so many, many people wear smartwatches these days seemingly without any issues. But when I try and wear one, I get these odd uncomfortable sensations, like the tingly, electric like feeling and also headaches.

I have wondered if you can turn off the heart rate sensor and the other things, but then I suppose it wouldn't be that useful a watch.

I spoke to a friend about it, he has had smartwatches for years without problems. He said th heart rate sensor shouldn't cause a problem because it's just using l light against the skin. The other monitors on the watch I'm not so sure about though.