Slow heart rate.

[scottlayton35]

Just wondering if anybody knows anything about brachycardia? Ive been suffering with heart palpitations for a year now and have been told it's caused by anxiety. I was bought a smart watch for xmas and my heart rate is often in the 40's. If i was an athlete i might understand it but i'm not.

[Hidden]

Hi Scott

So you are maybe 35, you have a slow pulse, palpitations and breathlessness. You.say your GP considers you anxious

I have read your posts in Thyroid UK forum and you don't sound anxious to me. What were the results of the thyroid function tests you arranged privately?

Do your think your slow pulse is associated with faintness or dizziness.? Have you had a blackout? How would you describe your palpitations?

My suggestion would to buy a KARDIA from Amazon. Get some traces when you have slow, fast or irregular heart rhythms, Print them off to show a doctor.

I would consider getting a second opinion. Your problems as you have described them here and elsewhere, are in my non medical opinion not easily explained by being anxious. You should consider the possibility that you may have what the doctors call tachy-brady syndrome. This is diagnosed with a portable continuous heart rhythm recorder (Holter monitor).

There are loads of good, well informed folk here who will help you.

Are you in North America?

[scottlayton35 in reply to Hidden]

Hi my results were all in range and every test ive ever had (ecg, holter and event monitors) has returned normal results. My heart feels like it skips or flutters but only for a second then it's gone. I'm not getting dizziness or breathless. I am 41 and i hardly drink, i dont smoke and i eat healthily. Would a Kardia device pick up ectopic beats like an event monitor might?

[tibetan36 in reply to scottlayton35]

Talk to your Cardiologist about a pacemaker.

I have Bradycardia.

[Maggimunro in reply to scottlayton35]

Your sympyoms are exactly like mine used to be about 20 years ago, and all the tests came back normal. Fortunately, if you can call it that, I fainted in the Cardiology Dept while wearing my 7 day holter then they took me seriously

Have you had a 7 day holter test? The 24 hour ones are unlikely to pick up anything.

[scottlayton35]

Yes had all the tests but these feelings went away at the time so no wonder all results were normal. These heart flutters or ectopics have reared their ugly head again recently though and are a bit more persistant. Wondering if there was a connection with the low resting heart rate.

[Hidden]

Sorry, I'm confused. 4 months ago in your first post in Thyroid UK, you said.

"I've been suffering with heart palpitations, breathlessness and dizziness for the past year".

Your description in your latest post above is not suggestive of atrial fibrillation. It sounds more like isolated ectopics.

That said, no cardiac rhythm recorder can exclude potentially serious heart rhythm problems.

There remains no substitute for a detailed history, examination and assessment of the old fashioned 12 lead ECG by a highly trained cardiologist. This followed if necessary, by appropriate investigation using what are now highly sophisticated techniques.

In your position I would want to know that my bradycardia was not associated with an electrical conduction problem in my heart, which could be serious and might need a pacemaker.

As ever, I am not a doctor. I strongly suggest you see a cardiologist. There are members here who are far more qualified than I to make suggestions. None of us can give advice about treatment specific to your situation.

As asked previously, are you in the USA or Canada? How old are you? Do not accept reassurance based on inadequate assessment. There always comes a point where we have to weigh up the possibility that our doctors are right, but best practice is to regard a diagnosis of anxiety, the label you say elsewhere your doctor has given you, as one of exclusion when there are associated physical symptoms.

If you reject the idea you are anxious (and you don't sound anxious to me), you are always free to seek a second opinion. That said, there is quite clearly a genuine condition of anxiety with panic attacks, which can require very expert assessment, and is very amenable to appropriate management.

The doctor's difficulty is often in distinguishing between serious anxiety with associated physical symptoms on the one hand; and serious physical pathology with consequent affective problems like minor anxiety and low mood. Add to that, in the UK at least, the gatekeeper role of the GP, the impossibility of being an expert in every field of medicine and the increasing threat of malpractice litigation, with patients who are often highly informed, then today's medics are often placed in a very difficult position. Nearly all medics genuinely have the best interests of their patients at heart. As patients, we need to understand the context in which they work, in deciding how we make use of their advice. Or even whether we take their advice.

Good luck

[Hidden]

If a slow heart rate makes things difficult and causes dizziness or blackouts, it's not good, but otherwise is having a slow heart actually a problem? Surely one can be quite happy with bradycardia - what's bad about it if one feels OK?

[gemsmum]

I have a slow heartbeat always in the 40s except when in AF, that is why I am on Bisoprolol as PIP as to take it every day it would make my heart too slow. It doesn’t cause me any problems so I don’t worry about it nor does my Dr but if causing you problems maybe see a Cardiologist or EP privately. Regards Heather

[Polski]

Have you tried taking magnesium? Many people are short of it, and if so, taking it can make a big difference to your heart and general health. Reseach on here for details (box in top righthand corner of the screen).

[scottlayton35 in reply to Polski]

Maybe i will try magnesium. Which type is best?

[Polski in reply to scottlayton35]

Not magnesium oxide. I think the others are all good, and magnesium citrate is inexpensive. I find it is best taken just after a meal, not just before. Too much is likely to cause diarrhea, which is no help as then we lose magnesium and other electrolytes as well, which only makes the AF worse. So it is best to spread it over the day, and take it just after food.

You can buy magnesium oil from H & B, to rub on your skin, which many people prefer, but it stings at first if you are very short of it. So if it stings you know you need it!

There is some suggestion that magnesium taurate is best, but it is more expensive, so I use citrate in the morning, and taurate later in the day.

It is not recommended if you have kidney problems, so it's best to check with your doctor before taking it. (I found that I had fewer problems waking at night after I had been taking it for a while)

As I said before, research on here and you will find out all you want to know.

[jeanjeannie50]

Are you drinking enough fluids, as not having sufficient can cause a low heart rate? Have you also tried increasing your salt intake a little? I would suggest you use natural sea salt for cooking and Himalayan salt for everything else. Ordinary salt has unhealthy additives. It's been said recently that natural salt is not the baddy we were all led to believe it was.

What's your blood pressure like?

Jean

[scottlayton35 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I think i am hydrated. Problem is i also wee 3 to 4 times a night so ive tried to curb fluids after 6pm.

[EngMac]

In my experience, it has to do with your back and neck. I have the same issues and a chiropractor is making a big difference. Check some of my posts for further info. When I get a chance, I will post a summary of my latest findings.

[Hidden]

Bradycardia is any heart rate below 60 per minute. It’s not unusual in athletes and young people in good physical health. It causes no symptoms in those people. Anxiety or hyperthyroidism produces tachycardia, a fast pulse, never a slow pulse. Do you feel any symptoms from the bradycardia? If you don’t and are a young person, probably is nothing to worry about. To further investigate your slow pulse, a Holter monitor for 24 hours or longer might be necessary. But I read that the tests came back normal. In this case, you have no reason to worry because the slow pulse is the pharmacologic effect of Bisoprolol, a Beta blocker. This type of medicine is supposed to slow down the work of your heart. As long as you have no symptoms, it’s OK. If the slow pulse makes you feel lightheaded or too tired, your doctor will have to adjust the dose of Bisoprolol. Don’t worry, It’s the medicine doing that, not your heart.

[scottlayton35 in reply to Hidden]

I suppose. It's difficult though. Been going on a year now so thought they'd have faded.

[Hidden in reply to scottlayton35]

As long as you take Bisoprolol, the pulse will continue to be low. Stop counting them, because it makes you more anxious and worried. Besides, you gain nothing by doing it. If you feel lightheaded or too fatigued, your doctor may have to lower the dose of Bisoprolol.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi tachp

Scott says above he is taking no medication.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Oh! nevertheless, I still would not worry about his slow pulse, unless it’s documented in 24 hours monitor or longer and becomes symptomatic. His cardiologist would have detected a congenital problem if he had one.

[scottlayton35]

I take nothing. I just cant shake these ectopic beats and was wondering if there was a connection.

[nymima01]

My mother had this and her heart rate would slow to under 37 beats a minute at times. She has a pace-maker now that keeps her heart rate from falling under 60 beats a minute. According to her test results, the pacemaker has to kick in 80% of the time. Without the pacemaker, she would pass out and when she awoke, she was often confused as to what happened. She is 91 now, but this started with her in her 80’s. She has afib and now heart failure. (But she is 91 yrs old). Not to say you can’t have a slow heart beat at any age. I meant she has heart failure and she is 91 yrs old.

[Hidden]

Bradycardia at an old age is different from the one caused by betablockers like Bisoprolol in young people. In the eldery, a slow heart beat means that the natural battery that keeps the heart beating, is dying out. It’s called “Sick Sinus Syndrome”. It’s treated by implanting a man made new battery or pacemaker. Some times young people develop the same sick sinus syndrome from congenital defects, but they are diagnosed easily with EKG’s or monitors. Thay are also treated with pacemakers.

[Cypbill]

Hi,

I am aware and have been for a number of years that many devices; pulse oximeters, BP cuff devices etc., suggested my pulse was as low as 32 but generally hovered anywhere from around 40 to 52. To cut a long story short, I was recently following the implant of a Reveal Device diagnosed with Tachy-Bradycardia Syndrome and had a Pacemaker fitted a few weeks ago. Even now with the pacemaker working both of the above mentioned devices continue to suggest a pulse rate of anywhere from 30-50 which cannot be the case as the pacemaker is set at 60BPM. If you do in fact suffer from some form of AF or Arrhythmias most devices other than an ECG are incapable of measuring your actual heart rate and merely indicate the physical beats at your extremities which is not indicative of what your heart is doing.

Hope this is of some use.

[scottlayton35 in reply to Cypbill]

Yes thanks. Ive took the smart watch off because it was becoming an obsession. Ultimately i don't have any other symptoms at the moment other than ectopic beats so i'm gonna try and get more sleep and not worry too much.

[Hidden in reply to scottlayton35]

Wonderful ! It’s very easy to become obsessed about the heart, and the constant worry affects your body negatively. When medical science says that the “normal” pulse should be between 60 to 100, is only an average figure, not a 100% exact one. Probably, some scientists took the pulse of 10,000 normal people, and 90% had those parameters. However, the remaining 10% might had the pulse slightly above or below the 60-100 mark, which was still normal. Nothing in nature is 100% or 0%.Thinking positive can help you stay healthy, since your mind and your body are one inseparable unit.

,

[Hidden in reply to Cypbill]

Most commercial devices have a certain marging of errors, which becomes enlarged by an amateur self-interpretation.

[Denise-]

Mine is around 45. I'm certainly not an athlete. My cardiologist is not concerned

[scottlayton35]

Good to know i'm not on my own. Thks.

[Mickey16]

Ask to see an EP - your heart is in Bradycardia (below 60 bpm)

My heart slowed year on year for 8 years and went on to develop AF and Junctional Rythm. A timely Pacemaker would have prevented the "pickle" that ensued.

Regards,

Mickey16