I want to go fast.

on my bike again but with AF and the pills I take I just cant get any speed with my heart not keeping up. AAAAAAAH .

so I might be 72 years old but it didnt stop me before and go faster hills in my area are not long enough or rocky enough to get the buzz.

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Brian - I can picture you stamping your foot with your "I want to go fast". Was the saying, ' I wants, don't get'?

AF is a frustrating, annoying and erratic condition, I sympathise with you totally and at 72 if you've always been able to go fast on your bike up hills, then why not now!! I used to cycle a lot and unaware that I had AF could never understand how everyone else got up hills without any difficulty while I was always last and struggled.The only words of comfort I can offer are that you were lucky to get to your age with no problems before then. Also there are far worse things you could of had like Parkinsons, Motor Neurone Disease or cancer. At least you can still ride your bike, albeit not fast. So please take comfort in counting your blessings.

Wishing you well.

Jean

[Barb1]

I swapped to an electric bike. It doesn't stop me exerting myself. It just allows me to get up the hills without getting off and pushing.

[AFCyclist]

Quite a few cyclists on here with AF. Beta blockers slow you down but for a reason. We have all devised our own strategies to handle the pesky AF. I use a heart rate monitor to keep below 120bpm. High heart rate and steep hills are not good for me. I am 1 year after cryoablation and I have got used to the betablockers (Bisoprolol) and things seem to have settled down with no AF for several months unless I overdo it. Having said that I am still an active cyclist with 750 miles down France in May and planning a steady 90 miles tomorrow. Age 68.

[Hidden in reply to AFCyclist]

I am on Bisoprolol 1.5 mm. my resting rate is about 43 bpm maximum since I have been taking pills is 68bpm before it all goes pear shaped. I was on a higher dose but that left me at only 33bpm resting which was no good at all.

[Hidden]

What pills are you taking? I take Pradaxa and Amlodipine, and my average heart rate in the gym this year is 185bpm - Concept 2 and Spin bike - which is a bit north of the predicted maximum for someone of 70.