Hi all, this is my first post, Just seeking your thoughts. I am a 49 y.o female, non smoker, average weight & fitness.
About this time last week I felt very aware of my heart beats, more pronounced I suppose, also felt like I was having to take in deeper breaths, didn't feel ill and have had no pain. I've checked my fit bit and my heart rate was definitely lower than normal, the lowest reading being 54 bpm.
As the week has gone on this has continued and I can also (occasionally) feel a light pressure just below my throat area, not painful but a little bit like an anxious feeling in my throat if that makes sense. (Am not particularly stressed or anxious)
I've used an oximeter & it reads the same as my Fitbit.
My resting heart rate in now 59, it has slowly been declining since Monday, my Bp rages from slightly high to normal. My breaths per minute whist asleep are 12, HRV 35 milliseconds and Sp02 96% I have felt a little light headed and have a feeling of being tired with not much energy but not particularly dizzy & no chest pain. I have no idea what my cholesterol levels are.
Appreciate any thoughts. I have a GP telephone appointment but not for another 2 weeks (this is the best they could offer)
Many thanks in advance. ❤️
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PurpleRain73
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Thank you for your reply.If i go back over the last the last few months on my app I can see my resting heart rate varies, the highest being 70 and lowest 64, but mostly around 67.
I am also sleeping with an extra pillow because it feels worse when I lie flat.
I'll attempt to ring my surgery again in the morning.
Asking for an 'urgent' appointment at your GP surgery is your best option in my view. My experience of 111 is they are a waste of time. However if your symptoms deteriorate you should certainly head down to A&E, especially if chest pains occur. But, if its any help, my normal resting heart rate is mid 50s, and when I started to wear a Fitbit type watch I found my heart rate could drop to the low 40s whilst asleep. My doctor said I was fine. So I don't bother with the watch any more, and that means I've less to worry about 😆
Thank you, you have slightly eased my mind, thank you for sharing your readings.I know what you mean with the watch, i feel a bit obsessed with looking at my HR now.
Its just, the feeling I have in my lower throat/chest area with the low but loud beats. I will certainly feel better after seeing or speaking to a doctor.
I’m a 30 year old female, also non-smoker, not overweight and do not drink alcohol. My resting heart rate is actually lower than yours on most nights and can even drop into its 40’s. I do believe this is because of the medication I’m taking to manage my angina, also known as vasospasm.
I remember speaking to my GP about my lower HR and he said he doesn’t believe it’s concerning unless I faint or become unconscious. Not the best response, but my HR has been like this for almost a year.
I appreciate your circumstances might be different and by no means am I telling you not to consult the GP, as you probably should however, just wanted to provide some reassurance that a lower HR may not always indicate a problem necessarily.
I have been told by medical professionals that vasospastic angina is a form of angina that can cause chest pain, arm pain, back pain and jaw pain which I suffer with. Thus, they treat it as unstable angina. I’m not sure if I’ve been given the wrong information.
I am on a calcium channel blocker called Verapamil. It doesn’t actually to anything for me now, so I’m currently seeking medical care from a cardiologist who maybe willing to try me on something different to manage it after some tests.
Yes, I have been woken up in the night with chest pain. I don’t always monitor my HR when this happens though.
I wasn’t aware that a slow HR can trigger spasms. I have previously suffered with a high HR, which is partly why my doctor has kept me on the Verapamil.
Unfortunately, my GP isn’t too invested in my care despite numerous attempts therefore, I am trying to seek out a cardiologist privately.
My heart rate according to my watch regularly drops to 40, I am not concerned, I put it down to medication, particularly as medication I take for clusterheadaches ( verapamil) also lowers heart rate, alongside the medication since my heart attack
Certainly you should try the surgery again this morning. GP's are a mixed bag and this is a specialist area. You are coming up to a significant milestone. Whatever your GP says-unless it is a referral-I would tend to spend a bit of money on a Health MOT privately as they can set your mind at rest. Part of your concerns can be anxiety related, a bug going round or over dependence on your watch or DR Google.
I should get back onto the surgery and ask for an urgent appointment. Its surprising how many people are affected by having a sudden from in heartbeats. I think you need an E.C.G. I had a problem with a low heart rate within a week it went down from 70 to 48. And I was told I needed a pacemaker. Hope you get some help and reassurance soon. Brian
Bingo, did your HR stay at around 48 or was it up and down thoughout the day? My resting HR is dropping by 1 beat per day but throughout the day my HR goes back up to around its normal rates. Mine usually starts to drop from around late afternoon early evening, thus giving me an overall resting rate of 58 (yesterdays reading)
Do you know what your breaths per minute was at that time compared to now ?
Well I was diagnosed with needing a pacemaker and having severe copd in the same week. The copd was a real worry and I am just getting over a viral infection that's made my breathing worse and still not over it. Hoping my Respiratory nurse can help on Thursday morning
The more fit you are, the slower the heart rate. As a matter of fact, it is a known fact that sports people and athletes always have slow heart rate. This is an indication of fitness. I, personally, have slow heart rate also (always between 54 & 61) and that's how I've ever lived. It only becomes a concern when it goes below 45bpm. That pressure you feel below your throat could be just a psychological feeling. In all, I think you are just stressed, if much stress hormone is released by your body, you could have some sinister feelings - could be palpitations or that level of BP you talked about.Just think positively & move on with life and see first.
Apparently, according to this article by a sports scientist, it doesn't necessarily follow that the fitter you are the lower your heart rate, on the basis that we are all different, and other factors may come into play. Certainly as I said above my resting heat rate is mid 50s, and can drop much lower at night, but I could hardly be described as 'fit' although I can do stuff others of my age might struggle to do.
I was wondering about anxiety, I dont have anything to be anxious about (apart from this now) last week was full on and very busy, i felt like I was rushing about alot so dont know if that would bring it on. At this very moment it feels like someone is jabbing a finger into the middle of my chest. I can take deep breaths in and feel no discomfort or pain at all. Heart rate ok at 66 but I know in an hour or 2 thats when i'll feel it dip.
Your heart rate doesn’t seem abnormal. What matters is what is normal for you and has your heart rate changed recently? I used to do a lot of running into my late 40s and my resting heart rate was around 40 beats per minute. I’m now 63 and still fit and active, but don’t run any more. My resting heart rate is now in the 50s. If you’re concerned, you should see your doctor for reassurance. Good luck and take care.
Interesting I'm on Bisoprolol and that slows your heart down would be interested to know from others on the forum if you are on this medication how far it slows your heart down as I've had my heart go as slow as 39 bpm at rest and should I worry.
I'm following your post with interest, as I'm in a similar position although a little further along and though this may be of interest.
I started noticing sharp dips on my fitbit heart rate that corresponded with a feeling in my chest. Whilst normally my sense gives me a normal ECG when i have this feeling it can't read when this happens. We have private health insurance and got to see a cardiologist quickly, he ordered a 48 hour tape, an echocardio gram, and an exercise stress test (which is on thursday)
they have found that every 3% of my heart beats part of my heart beats early and out of rhythm, followed by normal sinus rhythm and it goes back and forward before going back to normal. he explains that this can show as a slow heart rate as your fitbit can't count those beats that aren't normal. I can then see if i need to be treated. His key words were - this is not going to kill you, i felt so much better!
My point is that your FitBit is giving you an indicator that something is changed from your normal, however there can be many reasons why its showing you this and goggle will scare the daylights out of you if you let it. The tech is limited as to the info it collects - you need to make sure you get to a specialist from your GP and get your answers, they may not be as scary as your dreading.
Normally around110/70 - however when i have that 'feeling' it does drop on the BP monitor to 90/50. The same BP also tells me that my pulse drops - however the cardiologists view is that as its not a sinus rhythm its not counting all of the beats - my thoughts are that the low blood pressure (normalish for me) add to make up the 'feeling'. without my FitBit sense would never have even been convinced. Had morphine in A&E 3 months ago and my heart rate dropped to low 40's and wonuld go up - they wouldn't let me go home till it did! be careful of things like codine - they will effect you more.
Blue, that is intresing what they found and certainly a relief it wont kill you. All this stuff is very scary. If I turn out to be ok this is definitely a turning point and I'll be making healthier choices in the future regarding food, exercise and stress. Ive been eating rabbit food since Saturday and zero wine.
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