# My exceptionally slow heart rate ...........



## buzzy-beans (25 Feb 2020)

I am now 71 and up until Dec. 2017 I was almost exceptionally fit with a resting heart rate of the high 40's to mid 50's and a full on rate of 180/190.

Unfortunately I have experienced some distinct heart and lung problems since then and it is only recently that I have actually been able to get my leg up and over the cross bar on one of my turbo mounted bikes where I have been carrying out some very carefully monitored and brief training sessions.

I have now been able to get up to 25 mins. duration, but only on a very low torque settings as I gradually build up the wasted muscle mass in my legs whilst at the same time keeping a very close watch on my heart rate, blood pressure and blood oxygen levels.

The thing that is causing me more than a little concern (which is a factor I have taken up with my cardiology and respiratory consultants) is the speed of my load heart rate, or rather the distinct lack of heart rate even when I am working as hard as I dare.................. So far the highest speed my dear old ticker has got to is an utterly pathetic 82 bpm!

I was wondering if anyone one else on cyclechat had experienced similar problems?


----------



## ColinJ (25 Feb 2020)

Are you on any kind of medication that might be restricting it (e.g. beta blockers)?


----------



## Ming the Merciless (25 Feb 2020)

Had to say without knowing what the actual load is. Perhaps see if you can do a supervised stress test via your cardiologist. What are the other heart and lung problems you are having?


----------



## Bill Gates (25 Feb 2020)

Does it matter what your heart rate is for your level of training, which after all is a reflection of the effort and if the effort is not intense then you wouldn't expect the heart rate to be high. I never bother with heart rates anymore, unless it's my resting heart rate that is elevated. It's how you feel that is more important. A complete loss of fitness needs time to get over. Take it steady and progress will come. Medications can affect your fitness and sense of well being so research side effects if you're on anything.


----------



## Colin_P (26 Feb 2020)

ColinJ said:


> Are you on any kind of medication that might be restricting it (e.g. beta blockers)?



Good point.

I'm on a very high dose of beta blockers and my heart maxes out at about 110bpm as a result. The other thing is that it takes a good half an hour to be able to achieve that. The heart takes some waking up from its chemically induced slumber.


----------



## buzzy-beans (26 Feb 2020)

ColinJ said:


> Are you on any kind of medication that might be restricting it (e.g. beta blockers)?


No Beta Blockers, but numerous other meds.


----------



## buzzy-beans (26 Feb 2020)

YukonBoy said:


> Had to say without knowing what the actual load is. Perhaps see if you can do a supervised stress test via your cardiologist. What are the other heart and lung problems you are having?


My lungs had been causing some concerns, but now the consultant believes I simply have a type of asthma, however I never exhibit any kind of normally accepted asthmatic signs!
The cardiologist did send me for a tread mill test which they stopped after only 2 mins. as they thought it was too dangerous for me to continue, but they have never given me any reasons why!
A very large stent (38mm) was fitted in April 2019 since when I have had 3 x cat. '1' trips by ambulance to A&E but in each case after I hadn't shown any heart attack symptoms I was discharged.
I recently had a further angiogram examination, this time at Papworth, because the specialist at P.boro thought the stent might have collapsed.


----------



## Drago (29 Feb 2020)

A friend of mine is 82, still runs marathons and has (now had) done so for 60 odd years. As a result his heart rate was astonishingly low, well in the 30's at rest.

His GP noted this during a medical and referred him to a cardiologist, despite my chums protestations that he felt tip-top. Next thing he knows they've fitted a pacemaker type thing that keeps his resting rate in the mid 50's, and he says that since that day hes "never felt so s**t" and has had to quit running because he feels so strange all the time.

Mine is down in the 40's at complete rest, and can occasionally dip into the 30's in my sleep, and no matter how nuts I go with exercise it peaks at 150. Some of it is hereditary from my Dad's side, and some of it due to a life of cycling - either way, I fear the day some smart arriss GP decides that I too need a defib thing. I'll tell them to sod off if they do, at least while i'm still active and feel ok.

You don't state specifically what your heart and lung problems are, but good luck. The weakness sounds alarming.


----------



## ColinJ (29 Feb 2020)

Drago said:


> A friend of mine is 82, still runs marathons and has (now had) done so for 60 odd years. As a result his heart rate was astonishingly low, well in the 30's at rest.
> 
> His GP noted this during a medical and referred him to a cardiologist, despite my chums protestations that he felt tip-top. Next thing he knows they've fitted a pacemaker type thing that keeps his resting rate in the mid 50's, and he says that since that day hes "never felt so s**t" and has had to quit running because he feels so strange all the time.


How sad!

It would take a lot of persuasion to get me to agree to that...


Drago said:


> Mine is down in the 40's at complete rest, and can occasionally dip into the 30's in my sleep, and no matter how nuts I go with exercise it peaks at 150. Some of it is hereditary from my Dad's side, and some of it due to a life of cycling - either way, I fear the day some smart arriss GP decides that I too need a defib thing. I'll tell them to sod off if they do, at least while i'm still active and feel ok.


When I was younger and fitter, mine was at 34 bpm (and maximum was 200 bpm). I'm sure that doctors might have been worried by that. They did seem a bit concerned when they looked at my ECGs during my clotting episodes...

Hmm - I just read THIS ARTICLE on bradycardia (low heart rate)... Apparently, it can cause syncope (fainting) - I have a history of that!


----------



## Ming the Merciless (29 Feb 2020)

This is problem of the norm for resting heart rates being based on sedentary populations.


----------



## Bill Gates (29 Feb 2020)

Drago said:


> A friend of mine is 82, still runs marathons and has (now had) done so for 60 odd years. As a result his heart rate was astonishingly low, well in the 30's at rest.
> 
> His GP noted this during a medical and referred him to a cardiologist, despite my chums protestations that he felt tip-top. Next thing he knows they've fitted a pacemaker type thing that keeps his resting rate in the mid 50's, and he says that since that day hes "never felt so s**t" and has had to quit running because he feels so strange all the time.
> 
> ...


That really gets me annoyed. Bloody stupid G P s know jack sh1t about athletes. It's known by everyone on here what my feelings are on this subject. Let's face it anyone with a degree albeit a medical degree are only as good as what they are taught. And the guidelines you know their establishment bible that justifies poisoning people with drugs they don't want or need are based on a false premise. Tell the dodgy bastards to eff off. That's what I've done and I've never felt better


----------



## AuroraSaab (29 Feb 2020)

I would have a good look at the meds you are taking to see if any have the effect of slowing heart rate rises. If you haven't got the leaflet that comes with them you can usually find the guidelines by googling the medicine.


----------



## wonderloaf (29 Feb 2020)

ColinJ said:


> How sad!
> 
> It would take a lot of persuasion to get me to agree to that...
> 
> ...


That explains a few things, my resting rate is around 43 bpm and I sometimes feel faint if I get up out of a chair too quickly. My GP said it's and age thing and also because I'm quite fit due to the cycling and not to worry, but now I'm not too sure ....


----------



## vickster (29 Feb 2020)

wonderloaf said:


> That explains a few things, my resting rate is around 43 bpm and I sometimes feel faint if I get up out of a chair too quickly. My GP said it's and age thing and also because I'm quite fit due to the cycling and not to worry, but now I'm not too sure ....


Do you have low blood pressure too, also a cause of postural hypotension


----------



## ColinJ (29 Feb 2020)

wonderloaf said:


> That explains a few things, my resting rate is around 43 bpm and I sometimes feel faint if I get up out of a chair too quickly. My GP said it's and age thing and also because I'm quite fit due to the cycling and not to worry, but now I'm not too sure ....


The Sports Doc agrees...!


----------



## Drago (29 Feb 2020)

YukonBoy said:


> This is problem of the norm for resting heart rates being based on sedentary populations.


Like BMI, but that doesnt stop the NHS treating it like the holy grail.


----------



## Ming the Merciless (29 Feb 2020)

Drago said:


> Like BMI, but that doesnt stop the NHS treating it like the holy grail.



I can imagine the Knights of Ni working in A&E


----------



## wonderloaf (1 Mar 2020)

vickster said:


> Do you have low blood pressure too, also a cause of postural hypotension


Actually I do! The GP said not too worry as this is also related to the slow heart beat.



ColinJ said:


> The Sports Doc agrees...!


Thanks for finding this , makes it all much clearer now and I can stop being concerned, can't believe I've got something in common with endurance athletes! Think I'll be taking up the advice to increase my fluid intake, just in case ...


----------



## vickster (1 Mar 2020)

Not much to be done for low BP (it's much better than high), staying well hydrated can help


----------



## Ming the Merciless (1 Mar 2020)

wonderloaf said:


> Actually I do! The GP said not too worry as this is also related to the slow heart beat.
> 
> 
> Thanks for finding this , makes it all much clearer now and I can stop being concerned, can't believe I've got something in common with endurance athletes! Think I'll be taking up the advice to increase my fluid intake, just in case ...



I too have a resting HR in mid 40's. Again due to regular long term endurance exercise. It's been that way at least 11-12 years since I've measured it. A tip in the linked article is to pause briefly if moving from lying to standing. So lie, sit, stand with brief pauses between each. That works for me rather than jumping up off the recliner like I'm about to start a 100 m sprint.

The reason the light headedness is considered an age thing is that the baroreceptors decline or become less sensitive with age. So making it harder to maintain the correct blood pressure as you stand and have a low resting HR.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baroreceptor


----------



## wonderloaf (1 Mar 2020)

I went through a period a couple of months ago where it was quite bad, everytime even if I got up from sitting slowly I would go very dizzy, once or twice I even felt faint, it was this (and Mrs W bless her) that prompted me to see the GP.
For some reason it's much better now, although my HR, weight, etc is still the same.


----------



## Tenkaykev (1 Mar 2020)

ColinJ said:


> The Sports Doc agrees...!



Ah, so that's why I sometimes feel a bit dizzy when it's my round and I get up to head for the Bar. It's all the running I've been doing 😉


----------



## JtB (1 Mar 2020)

My resting heart rate has always been low as has my blood pressure, and I seem to notice the symptoms more while relaxing during periods when my levels of exercise are higher than normal. Several years ago I suddenly started passing out every time I fell sleep at night, and the following day I was diagnosed with Bradycardia due to Sick Sinus Syndrome and fitted with a pacemaker which stops my heart dropping below 60bpm. When I exercise my heart easily reaches 160+ bpm by itself (I’m 59) and I can comfortably maintain it there for long periods without any problems, but if it wasn’t for the pacemaker then there would be long pauses of 8 seconds while sleeping.


----------



## ColinJ (1 Mar 2020)

wonderloaf said:


> Thanks for finding this , makes it all much clearer now and I can stop being concerned, can't believe I've got something in common with endurance athletes!


Me too - LINK!


----------

