Afternoon all,
My Fitbit is telling me that my resting heart rate is around 60 beats per minute (I understand that these gadgets are not completely accurate), however someone told me if you have continuous A fib your heart is actually working twice as hard due to the irregular heartbeat caused by A fib. Can anyone clarify the situation for me as I am not due to see a cardiologist again for a few more weeks.
Many thanks
Will
My fitbit says my resting heart rate is around 60. Ive found it to be spot on accurate with my heart rate except when Im in a fib or if Im exercising hard it might say my heart is 150 when its really 90. But over all it gives an accurate number
After my first cardioversion, I went into bradycardia and I am constantly in bradycardia - UNLESS I am in AFIB when my heart rate is in the 170s or more. I had another cardioversion and an ablation a few months ago and have been in bradycardia since. My resting heart rate in 48-52bpm or sometimes lower... The cardiologist isn't too concerned about it.
Best advice its learn to take your own pulse. 60 to 100 is considered normal HR by the way. Sounds like your AF is not permanent after all if your fitbit is accurate.
Are you thinking, saying or implying that AF causes tachycardia?
Before I had my pacemaker, when I had persistent AF, my pulse rate was getting down to 30 at night.
I got one of those Fitbit things and returned it. Waste of money, in my opinion and only my opinion. Completely and always in-accurate readings, false readings are not good for knowing what’s really going on. Sweaty wrist sometimes it didn’t work and the fact I never wear a watch anyway so wasn’t impressed with the whole idea of these things.
It would be better to take your own pulse (or buy a pulse oximeter on Amazon formanout £30). Best of all would be to get a Kardia which is FDA approved. I would not rely on a Fitbit - there has been much negative comment in the press about the their performance.
You may have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation which means that your AF is intermittent. Depends on whether your pulse at 60 is irregular (it is possible to have slow AF).
Hi
Are you on any medication ?
Are you really fit and do loads of exercise ?
And don't keep taking your pulse you will end up in noddy land and you will stress even more.
I was recently in hospital with an AF episode where i went from PAF to AF Flutter and they couldn't control it so I had a Cardioversion and my rate went back to the 45-52 range . When I am having PAF I can't get a reading from my Omron BP machine I use a Free Ap called Cardio or HeartRateFree both where confirming the HR going from 33-163. Whilst on the machine at the hospital the doctor asked how I knew my HR had been so erratic in the early hours of the morning so I proceeded to show her the AP, on the hospital monitor it was showing my heart rate at 149 and it was exactly the same on the AP, she was most impressed and took note of the AP!
Hi Will. I just took my pulse (like nurses did before electronics...) and it was 57bpm. That's standard for me, unless I'm in AF. I'm just pleased that it was regular.
Quite often it's around 50 and my cardiologist seems totally unconcerned. I just tell myself that I've managed to get my pulse to something like that of an Olympic athlete without doing a minute's exercise since I left school... and that a slowish pulse is pretty good for a heart that's sometimes in chaos. You are right that a heart in AF is under stress, so slow is better than fast in that respect.
I understand your concern, and tell your doc, but don't let it worry you too much. Worry isn't good for AF...
Resting heart of 60 is very good. And yes your heart rate is working twice as hard if in svt / AFIB everyone is different but that’s why the like you on beta blockers to keeonheart rate at a slower steady pace . My heart rate when resting and sleeping can be 50 which is why I hate beta blockers and end up coming of them . But when I’m having episode of svt/ irregular beats up to 150 ( has gone up to 200) but not for a while ( thank god ) I ride it out but you do feel awful during and after . I’m waiting to hear about another app to discuss another ablation ( as dont and can’t handle side effects of meds) so what happens to you if your resting is 60? Also fit bits are pretty accurate I check mine against a pulse monitor I have and it’s
Very close all the time in monitoring .
Are you in AF or NSR?
If you are in AF then ignore the fitbit, it will undoubtedly be wrong.
When I have palpitations my fitness tracker shows heart rate to be 240 bpm, use your fingers or buy a kardia would be my advice
Fluctuating heart rate. 
low heart rate
AF & heart rate.
Betablockers and resting heart rate
