Heart Rate & Dance

[Ailsablue]

Hi all you Ginger Rogers or John Travoltas 😁

I love a bit of a jig and am lucky I have a reasonable social life which allows this to happen. I was at a Tina Turner Tribute event last night and took note of my heart rate now and then after being on the floor. At rest I’m always under the 100 but can go between 48bpm to mid 90’s and anything in between. When dancing my rate went up to 149 though did recover quickly when back in my seat (I did sit out the Proud Mary number etc as didn’t want to end up in a heap). I also seemed to cope ok with my breathing. I was just wondering how you all get on in this situation and what your bpm go to - that is if any of you have even kept an eye on your rate after dancing. I have an Apple Watch which is easy to sneak a look at and am in permanent Afib. Looking forward to hearing from you 🤗

[baba]

if my knees allowed me to jive, I’d ignore the heart rate. 💚

[Ailsablue in reply to baba]

I know what you mean - that’ll be my next complaint the way mine are going 😄

[MummaSoap]

Hi Ailsablue

Sounds like a really fun evening!

Unfortunately, dancing doesn’t last very long for me and even a leisurely “ring around the roses” is short lived for me as it causes breathlessness and a tight chest. It’s not uncommon for my heart rate to climb over 160 (despite taking my medication).

I’m glad you were able to enjoy your evening though, presumably without any adverse side effects?

Best wishes

Soap 🧼

[Ailsablue in reply to MummaSoap]

I have a good crowd and am slowly educating them as to how much I can safely do and how little I can drink nowadays. Like you I know when to sit down as I coped not too bad on Friday but I do feel the difference between now and before I was diagnosed. It’s not easy, is it! Felt fine on the Saturday morning but my muscles wee were complaining a bit so I defo need to up the exercise lol! Take care 🤗

[MummaSoap in reply to Ailsablue]

That’s so lovely to hear!

Haha my biggest challenge has been navigating the only one cup of tea/coffee conversation with friends and family. I was never a huge alcohol or caffeinated drinker but it really does make a huge difference to how excitable my heart gets.

No you’re right and I’m still learning my limits at times - I think the unpredictability of symptoms at times is tricky.

Thank you and you 🤗

[Ppiman]

Mine can do that on, say, a fast walk, then settle. It's not AF in my case, just a fast rate for a while. If you feel well, I think it's just one of those things.

Steve

[Ailsablue in reply to Ppiman]

Yes it probably is and I felt it more (breathless) in the heat we had for a short spell when walking but was just wondering what other folks rates did as it’s not a conversation I’ve had with the medical professionals and mine is all over the place. Thanks for replying 😊

[MummaSoap in reply to Ailsablue]

The heat does exacerbate the issue for me too and the reason is because (from my understanding) as the temperature rises, your blood vessels dilate to try and keep the body cool; as a result your blood pressure drops. This means that your heart has to work harder to keep pumping oxygenated blood out to all of your organs. If your heart is impaired then the extra load placed on your heart can be quite significant.

However I’m not a medical professional so that’s just my personal understanding. 🙂

Best wishes

Soap 🧼

[Ppiman in reply to Ailsablue]

I have a suspicion that a heart with arrhythmias, even after a successful ablation, might not be electrically perfect and have these quirks of racing now and then. I worry about how it all might work out as time passes, but, well - getting to the big 7-0 last week likely has something to do with things, too!

Steve

[Ailsablue in reply to Ppiman]

I worry about that too and try to hang on to people saying you live a normal (ish) long life. Nowadays 70 is the new 60 so I’m gonna hang on to that one and you should to. Think of how folk used to look years and years ago at 70. They looked like they were about 90! Hope you had a good birthday 🥳

[Ppiman in reply to Ailsablue]

Thanks for the encouraging post. Most of the time, I do have a positive mindset and get by well, but now and then, I feel less sure. My parents never did look their age and I'm lucky there. too. I think dress in the past was a part of it.

Steve

[Danceawaytheblues]

Oh I love to dance, my family roll their eyes if it is in a supermarket and a song come on that I love. My attitude is if they did not want me to dance in the shopping aisles, then they would not play the music. Seriously though any excuse and I dance especially doing housework. I figure at 78 it`s keeping me active. If I start to feel that it`s too much then I stop for a break. So if you see `that old lady` dancing in your local supermarket, it may be me. Namaste. Marianne.

[lovetogarden in reply to Danceawaytheblues]

I’m with you! My husband was mildy embarrassed (mortified?) when I broke out singing and dancing my way through an ikea. Don’t play great Motown if you don’t want me dancing! Ikea would be such a great place to stage a musical number! 😂

[TamlaMotown in reply to lovetogarden]

How could anyone sit still with Motown!!

[lovetogarden in reply to TamlaMotown]

Indeed! 💃🏽 🕺😂

[Lenaropes in reply to Danceawaytheblues]

I love your attitude.♥️

[Ailsablue in reply to Danceawaytheblues]

You would make me smile for sure with your great attitude 😂

[Linkj]

I had my second and successful ablation in November at St Thomas’, I am a keen tennis player and was told not to let my heart rate go beyond 130bpm as it could tip me into AF, then at my 6 month check told I could go up to 150bpm. It hit that yesterday but a 2 minute sit dow at change of ends and I am fine. My consultant was keen that I should be active for my general heart health.

[Ailsablue in reply to Linkj]

Heaven knows where mine would land up playing a game of tennis so good for you being able to do that - I am envious. What you say about the conversation you had is something I would like too - to be told what should be my minimum and maximum rate would help put my mind at rest a bit and keep me focused on at least knowing my ‘numbers’. That’s never happened though as I just get a repeat prescription and so never see a doctor etc. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to Ailsablue]

Hi Ailsablue

The cardiac staff will say measure yourself. If you are struggling which continues stop, take a rest and carry on.

**warning is do not overdo exercise.

You will know! And as they are not you and can't explain it's your decision.

Just to explain what is happening .. your blood circulating has a chance to 'catch up with you".

The EP asked "what do you do to exert yourself?" and I said "walk to the top of my road, down to 4 square shop with bananas or something else and walk back".

He was happy with that.

Beating too fast stops the blood containing your oxygen from doing it's job properly.

cheers JOY 74. (NZ)

[Ailsablue in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

Thank you for the info. Take care! 🤗

[clifetta]

I love to get up and dance while at a concert although I do get breathless quickly and have to sit down halfway through a song. Five minutes later I am up on my feet again. My heart rate zooms up to around 170 but comes down within minutes,then I am ready for another boogie

[Ailsablue in reply to clifetta]

Yes you just do what you feel comfortable with and it’s all about living life and enjoying the things we like doing. Have you ever been told going to 170 is ok or are you like me and never had that conversation? 🤗

[javo123j]

I'm in afib at the moment ( day 47 when previous longest was 14 days ) and went for a 45 minute run this morning and my top HR was 178 with average of 128. Not sure how accurate these watches are but although I was breathless at times I just slow down when necessary. I think any exercise is good and in the past I found it has put me back in to sinus rhythm. It's not working at the moment but I'll keep trying.

[Ailsablue in reply to javo123j]

You are much fitter than me being able to go for a run 🏃‍♀️. As you say exercise is good and always on the ‘to do’ list and it’s good to know what people’s top rate is so I can perhaps manage to ask about myself one day. Think I might speak to Mr Google and see if anything comes up there. Hope you get back into NSR soon 👍

[lovetogarden]

Haven’t been dancing in a while, but my heart rate can get into the 130s if I’m exercising really hard. If it’s not in tachycardia, it recovers quickly. And what a fun night that must have been, if Tina is singing, I’m dancing!

[Ailsablue in reply to lovetogarden]

Oh yes Tina is very hard not to dance to lol! That’s seems a good top rate you have for hard exercise. I am in Afib permanently so hard exercise isn’t going to happen anytime soon but I was pleasantly surprised I was managing to get to the end of the numbers I did get up for. Hey ho will keep plugging away at the diet which I am hoping will also help. 🤗

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

It sounds a great exercise for your heart.

40s and 50s too low during day for you.

With meds controlling my AF BP and H/R. I'd love get back to the swing of dancing but right shoulder operation coming up 30 October.

Keep it up, yeah.

cheri JOY. 74. (NZ)

[Ailsablue in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

It’s the lack of information I’ve had that’s the problem. Sent away from A&E with the pills last year and then one follow up some time later. I wrapped myself in cotton wool for a long time not knowing anything about Afib so the questions are now building up for sure and my minimum and maximum heart rate is one of them. I think I need to get pushy and ring the GP but I’ve learned from this forum that they aren’t the best to speak to and I can’t imagine it being easy to get an appointment with the cardio doctors just to ask questions. Thanks you for replying and I hope your shoulder op goes well 👍

[clifetta]

No never had a conversation about heart rate and dancing. I just get on with it. If i get puffed I stop until everything settles down .