Is reaching Max Heart Rate dangerous?

[ColinJ]

Didnt know whether to put this point on this thread or the one i started, maybe a new one? I think it relates most closely to this one

I did have graves disease/overactive thyroid 4 years ago which gave me irregular heart beat and high resting HR. I had my heart checked and they said i had a small amount of backflow to my mistral valves? it said it was common and nothing to worry about, doesnt need treatment. Thyroid all sorted now and back to normal, but i do suffer shortness of breath when i really push it and i do feel it after even a short ride if i really up my HR. I am now wondering if this is just age and fitness or could be realted to the original common heart condition? maybe its time for a further check?

Time to see the doc - I was a complete idiot and put it off until I was 3/4 dead and I wouldn't recommend that as a course of action!

 

[david k]

Time to see the doc - I was a complete idiot and put it off until I was 3/4 dead and I wouldn't recommend that as a course of action!

when it was diagnosed 3 or 4 years ago he didnt seem over concerned, in fact it was played down a lot as being something most people have without knowing, they said it was only a small amount and very common. just wondering if that could be something to do with (in other thread) me tiring above 150BPM but being okay beneath that?

Your right, its time to get it checked again, im sure its nothing

 

[Garz]

You're a bit behind - I started using my gym bike on 28th March and finally started going out on my road bike on 20th April! I worked my way up to a 19 mile ride with 1,200 ft of climbing on it. I might go out and do that again tomorrow because the forecast is okay for a change. (It's not all good news though because I have been short of breath again at times just watching TV, but I was fine doing 15 minutes of hard effort this afternoon. Hopefully, it is just a minor setback, the like of which there have been several since last summer.)

I must have missed it Colin, but what happened to cause you to pass out (condition)?

 

[ColinJ]

I must have missed it Colin, but what happened to cause you to pass out (condition)?

Ha ha ha - you're kidding, right? (Sorry - it hasn't exactly been a well-kept secret ... most obvious example!)

To summarise - I developed a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis - ferkin' great blood clot) in my left leg last July Some of that broke off, worked its way up through my heart, wedged in my lungs, expanded into a massive bilateral pulmonary embolism and eventually cut off almost all of my oxygen supply, rendered me incapable of even walking and almost killed me.

I have been in recovery ever since and am still only about 50% there. Some of the damage done to my blood vessels (and maybe my heart and lungs) may be permanent, but I won't know until I stop getting better.

 

[potsy]

Ha ha ha - you're kidding, right? (Sorry - it hasn't exactly been a well-kept secret ... most obvious example!)

To summarise - I developed a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis - ferkin' great blood clot) in my left leg last July Some of that broke off, worked its way up through my heart, wedged in my lungs, expanded into a massive bilateral pulmonary embolism and eventually cut off almost all of my oxygen supply, rendered me incapable of even walking and almost killed me.

I have been in recovery ever since and am still only about 50% there. Some of the damage done to my blood vessels (and maybe my heart and lungs) may be permanent, but I won't know until I stop getting better.

Blimey, you kept that quiet

 

[ColinJ]

Blimey, you kept that quiet

I know. I thought I'd got away with it, but Garz wheedled it out of me!

 

[Andrew_P]

Thanks Rob, I'd read a while ago some 'tip' that runners would sprint off the end of a run as hard as possible, to ensure they put the most into the training session they could, I guess its a bit similar to weight lifters doing the last set of reps to failure. I don't want to be knackering my heart or anything though

Added pic of the HR graph from the Garmin, the dip in the middle was a walk because of my dodgy ankle

View attachment 23437

What's your cycling graph like?

 

[Andrew_P]

when it was diagnosed 3 or 4 years ago he didnt seem over concerned, in fact it was played down a lot as being something most people have without knowing, they said it was only a small amount and very common. just wondering if that could be something to do with (in other thread) me tiring above 150BPM but being okay beneath that?

Your right, its time to get it checked again, im sure its nothing

Was you cycling 3-4 years ago?

 

[Crackle]

My heart rate is pretty high when I'm out running, unless I'm going for distance I run as hard as I can sustain averaging about 180bpm and I like to run the last 200metres as hard as I can and usually max out nearly 200bpm, I decided to push it hard today and peaked at 203 bpm at the end which must be very close to my max. Im just wondering if this is a bad idea and dangerous.

I presume similar things happen with cycling, but I don't often ride at that effort level.

Running appears to take me higher into the % max HR than cycling. I say appears because I don't know my max running HR, I just add 10 to my cycling one. I don't think I ever want to know it either. Occasionally a hill will take me quite high but I can't imagine getting near my running max unless I was pursued by something with slavering jaws and after about 30secs I wouldn't care if it caught me anyway! This is why I run but don't call myself a runner.

 

[MrJamie]

What's your cycling graph like?

I don't often bother with the HRM on rides, because they're mostly leisurely paced, frequently with friends or family and I've not had it long, but a couple of examples..

Todays typical ride, 2 lows at the end are stops. I tried to raise my HR at the end and managed to hit 196

One of my short faster rides.

 

[david k]

Was you cycling 3-4 years ago?

no, used to do lots of walking but that wasnt an issue

i also played cricket and just before diagnosis i ran after a ball and my heart was pumping out of my chest!

 

[Andrew_P]

I don't often bother with the HRM on rides, because they're mostly leisurely paced, frequently with friends or family and I've not had it long, but a couple of examples..

Todays typical ride, 2 lows at the end are stops. I tried to raise my HR at the end and managed to hit 196
View attachment 23494

One of my short faster rides.
View attachment 23497

They are a great examples The second one is a good example of steady state (constant blasting on a bike) or running and the first is like most cyclists look on a normal ride.

 

[Andrew_P]

no, used to do lots of walking but that wasnt an issue

i also played cricket and just before diagnosis i ran after a ball and my heart was pumping out of my chest!

Are you getting that feeling on the bike? Or just tired legs? Either way really might be worth asking the Doc, and explain how it feels on the bike. Is your graph like number one or number two?

 

[Garz]

Ha ha ha - you're kidding, right? (Sorry - it hasn't exactly been a well-kept secret ... most obvious example!)

To summarise - I developed a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis - ferkin' great blood clot)...

I have been in recovery ever since and am still only about 50% there. Some of the damage done to my blood vessels (and maybe my heart and lungs) may be permanent, but I won't know until I stop getting better.

That is horrific pal. In my defence who has the time to browse through the cafe chat .

Fingers crossed that no permanent damage has been done and your on to a good recovery!

 

[ColinJ]

That is horrific pal. In my defence who has the time to browse through the cafe chat .

Fingers crossed that no permanent damage has been done and your on to a good recovery!

Thanks. I'm taking each day as it comes. I was feeling a bit rough this morning, but better this afternoon so I did a quick 10 minute spin on my gym bike while making a bite to eat. I'll probably do another 10-15 minutes this evening.