Please, has this ever happened to anyone on the forum? All day I felt like I was trying to go into afib but with a different twist. I noticed during the day several times HR went down to 43 then later in the evening I noticed my oximeter showed 39 then 37, 35 then 32 lowest I've ever seen it. I freaked out and called the VA Nurse Hotline and told them how low it was and they told me to call 911 and be taken to the VA Hospital. I waited a few minutes and after I calmed down I drove to the Emergency Room and they did an EKG and Blood Work then told me to wait. The ER was getting packed and I am 100% service connected for PTSD and I started to shake and get very uncomfortable so I told the check in nurse I was going home and would come back later. Got home and about an hour later I got a call from a DR. at the ER and thought I was still there. She told me to relay what had happened to my EP DR. in the morning which I will do. I asked how the tests came out and was told heart fine, kidneys OK and a bunch of other things were all good. Can somebody please give me an idea of what's going on? I am on Amiodarone 100mg morning and evening, Atorvastatin at bed time, Lisinopril and Apixiban twice a day. I feel a lot of people on this forum are as knowledgeable as some Drs. I've ran into. Thank You and GOD Bless.
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kocoach
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Hello Nesko, it started first thing in the morning sitting at computer, didn't get a very good sleep at all night before and was very tired sitting at desk then I remembered that a very low heart rate can cause tiredness, All day bouts of brachycardia usually around 40-41 but the one time I watched it go from 40 on down to 32 gradually. The ER didn't seem to think it a big deal though it scared me badly, 32 years of afib and nothing like this has happened, I kinda blame it on Amiodarone and to just let my EP know in the morning. In answer to your request, I was just relaxing.
Hello, kocoach! Like you, I have also slow running heart - my HR was, at rest, at about 48 for the whole of my life (70 yo now). In the past few years, it went somewhat up - to 50-52. I never measured below 44. When in AF, my HR is 80-90, so no symptoms at all.
I read your posts from before and share the opinion of the DRs - as long as you are feeling well, you are practically OK. Whenever you feel unwell, there is some disturbance which should be investigated. Your being a sportsmen for long, has made your heart capable of working with very low HR, hence the values of 30+. Kind regards! P.
Oximeters can't cope with AF. Someone on this forum told me that. I bought one a few months ago and was getting the same results as you, it caused me great stress especially as an alarm would also go off. When I put my BP cuff on I had a better heart rate reading. My sister bought the same oximeter as me and also had the same poor result.
Hi Jean, you know, I noticed that my oximeter showed a reading of 56 HR and on my blood pressure machine it showed 134 HR, I couldn't understand that. I have 2 of the Innovo oximeters which I read they are supposed to be one of the more accurate ones. Who Knows?
When I bought my oximeter it said on the box. 'As used by St. Johns. I put it on friends and it works perfectly right away, but on me it takes ages before it shows any results. I'm in constant AF. It caused me so much stress.
Thanks baba I'm starting to see it was probably the oximeter although I could feel in my chest like heart was trying to go into afib all day which it finally did at around 9pm that night.
for me too, AFib often "tries" to get started for sometimes many hours and then in the evening it finally wins and gets going. hang in there, and don't only rely on the oximeter for heart rate, those little things can't much handle weird situations like AFib.
I think my oximeter is going bad anyway, its an Innovo ip 900a which they say is accurate but who knows? I took batteries out and checked them and still had full charge put them back in and it wouldn't turn on after 3 or 4 tries I let it sit for a couple of minutes and it finally came on. Thank You for your reply, have a Great Christmas.
Bradycardia is when your heart beats too slow and the problem with a low heartrate is that vital organs are not getting an adequate blood supply. It would be a good idea for you to see a cardiologist about this. You might want to ask the doctor if a pacemaker would be good for you. Please don't delay getting seen. It's important for you.
i have very similar readings from an oximeter sometimes as low as 30......when i last saw my GP (2 weeks ago), i asked about this and he said that most oximeters struggle to give accurate readings for afib.I have read similar comments on this forum....i try not to check unless i feel unwell and try to stay calm....the thought of going to AE usually makes my heart race.......2 visits in 18 months and the shortest stay was 12 hours only to be told all is well.............this forum has helped me understand the mongrel AF.........Have a good christmas and new year.........
Oximeters don’t give accurate readings, mine frequently reads very low in the 40s and 50s which I know is wrong and actually impossible because I have a pacemaker so my rate cannot go below 60bpm.
kocoach, it's generally considered bad form to correct spelling on here, and I agree with that. But it's worth saying in this case that the suffix 'brachy' means 'short', as opposed to the suffix 'brady' which means 'slow'.
The term for slow heart rate is Bradycardia.
I agree with Jean and the others; many people don't realise that oximeters, and indeed blood pressure monitors, won't work correctly when you're in AF and serve only to alarm the user.
I was told that unless it causes symptoms bradycardia is fine. It sounds as if the amiodarone is likely responsible. It's certainly not a first line drug, so there must be a reason for you to have been given it? My reading about it suggests not to take for too long or at a high dose, so I'm sure this and any side effects from it are being monitored by your cardiologist.
I also had bradycardia, at least partly as a result of taking a beta blocker and flecainide to control Afib. My H/R at night was around 40, and often between 40-50 at rest in the day time. With no other symptoms, my EP was comfortable with that. However, over time, I developed a lot of ectopic beats at night, which sometime morphed into periods of Afib. To check this out, my EP recommended a 30 day heart monitor, and they discovered pauses of 6 or 8 seconds at night. They then recommended a pacemaker which I got implanted about 5 weeks ago. Since then, I have had no problems at night as the base rate is 60. I still have ectopic beats but they are not troublesome when not combined with bradycardia. I am still getting used to the pacemaker, but so far, so good.
I'm glad this is working for you but I don't want a pacemaker as I live alone and have no one left alive to help and I have to do everything myself, laundry, taking trash out, making bed etc.etc and I don't think I could be as physical as I am now. Glad you're doing well though.
I live alone also and do all my household chores. Have not heard that a pacemaker is not recommended for those who live alone. EP who implanted mine, and cardiologist both know I live alone.
Oximeter not the best source for determining heartrate. Might me a good idea to ask cardiologist if it's a good idea to wear a heart monitor for several days to get an accurate assessment of what heartrate is really like.
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