\u201cMy Apple Watch saved my life,\u201d Pollard wrote as the title of his article.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pollard begins by saying how he is often laughed at by his family members for being so interested in technology, noting that he gets \u201cludicrously excited when there\u2019s an updated operating system\u201d for his Apple Watch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMock all you like\u2014it\u2019s water off a duck\u2019s back because my Apple Watch just saved my life,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
It Began with a Cough\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pollard said that he recently experienced a severe cough which quickly turned into \u201cone of those dreadful affairs that drains your whole body when you heave and makes it difficult to catch your breath.\u201d<\/p>\n
He eventually went to a doctor<\/a>, where he informed them that he is currently on medication to treat his leukemia<\/a>. The doctor gave him medication for a chest infection, noting that he is often aware of mixing medications with the one he is taking for his leukemia.\u00a0<\/p>\n When he attempted to go to sleep later that night, he began experiencing severe nausea comparing it to the \u201cworst seasickness imaginable.\u201d<\/p>\n He tried brushing it off and going to sleep, but quickly noticed his heart rate soaring to over 120bpm.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cA quick search showed that there is a red flag right at the top of pretty much all info about the antibiotic I had been given, specifically warning about combining it with the chemo pill I was on,\u201d Pollard continued.\u00a0<\/p>\n He urgently called his doctor who asked if Pollard was experiencing any heart palpitations<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe previous night I\u2019d had a warning message from my Apple Watch that my heart rate was over 120bpm, despite my sitting still,\u201d Pollard shared, noting that he tried to dismiss it given his severe headache and nausea.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pollard said that his doctor explained if his heart rate did not start to come down after taking his last dose of medication, the \u201cdamage had already been done.\u201d<\/p>\n Pollard\u2019s heart rate eventually did fall, and he noted how he is on the mend and there has been no \u201cimpact\u201d on his chemotherapy<\/a> treatments.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs the doctor who ended up treating me put it, \u2018You need to say a very big thank you to your watch. You might not have been here without it,\u2019\u201d Pollard emphasized. \u00a0<\/p>\n Other Close Calls Attributed to the Apple Watch<\/p>\n Other similar stories have also made headlines. <\/p>\n One previous Newsweek<\/a> report detailed an incident where a London man received an alert from his Apple Watch.<\/p>\n After seeing a doctor, he learned that he was suffering from atrial fibrillation<\/a> (AFib), a type of arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat, which could have led to serious consequences.<\/p>\n For now, Pollard remains a proponent of wearing a smartwatch<\/a>, remarking, “You might not like the idea, but you never know when it might save your life.”<\/p>\n Newsweek has reached out to Pollard for comment via his Substack.\u00a0<\/p>\n Newsweek has reached out to Apple for comment via email.\u00a0 <\/p>\n![\"Apple](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-471508904-1.jpg\"\/)
Mixing Medications\u00a0<\/p>\n