Low heart rate

[Kalyani108]

Hello Everyone,

I am a 55 year old female of average weight. Two years ago I had a holter monitor for a week, followed by an eco. I had been having palpitations and was worried. I do have health anxiety and was checking my Fitbit pretty obsessively. When the tests came back normal I turned off the heart monitor on my watch.

Fast forward two years. I have had no symptoms. Last week I was laying down on the couch and got up to go into the kitchen and got lightheaded. This happened a couple of times over the course of two days. Out of curiosity I turned on my heart monitor which I hadn’t looked at in two years and I went back in the history over the last year and noticed that my heart rate drops regularly into the 40s 50s when at rest and especially at night. Doesn’t usually stay there very long a minute or so, and then jumps back up. It alarmed me and triggered my health anxiety. I went to emergency the next day. My ECG and bloods came back fine. The doctor referred me to a cardiologist he said to ease my mind and do a repeat holter monitor. I’m seeing the cardiologist next week. I have high cholesterol but I’m not on any medication that causes low heart beat but I am on psychiatric medication that can mess with the electrical system of the heart in rare cases.

I’m really scared. I bought a new Fitbit last year this time, so I don’t have any records from my previous years to compare with.

From what I have read anything below 60 beats per minute is bradycardia. Should I be worried.

Any insight you can provide would be helpful.

[Lowerfield_no_more]

I have a low resting heart rate in the mid 50s. It can drop to low 40s at night. I have no symptoms like dizziness. When I raised this with my wise and experienced GP he said not to worry. So I don't.

[Kalyani108 in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

Thanks so much!

[PadThaiNoodles]

Light-headedness when going from lying down to standing up could be postural hypotension. Mine got more noticeable around my mid-50s as well. Cardiologist told me to sit up first, wait 30 seconds, and then stand.

When you mention your psychiatric medication side-effects, do you mean QT interval prolongation? That would have shown up on your ECG. (I had an ECG when I first went on an SSRI, but I've never had a follow up so I think it either happens or it doesn't.)

[Kalyani108 in reply to PadThaiNoodles]

Yes that’s what I mean with respect to psychiatric drugs. I’ve been on them for 10 years. Thank you

[PadThaiNoodles in reply to Kalyani108]

Yep, I’ve been on them about 10 years too.

Did you try CBT? I don’t know how well it works for medical anxiety, but I found it helpful for my generalised anxiety.

[Kalyani108 in reply to PadThaiNoodles]

Hi there yes cbt and deep breathing works wonder. I wish I could come off them but sadly I can’t

[PadThaiNoodles in reply to Kalyani108]

Ehh, don't worry about that. (I'm on warfarin and aspirin for the rest of my life as well. At least I can feel what my antidepressants do. 😂)

[Kalyani108 in reply to PadThaiNoodles]

So true!!

[Stentsandrun]

Firstly, I am guessing your "Fitbit" is wrist mounted. If you look in the instructions you will probably (hopefully) find a disclaimer, along with a warning that is should not be used for medical purposes, which is what you are doing. If you need to measure your heartrate accurately you need one with a chest mounted sensor.

Secondly getting up quickly can very often result in the feelings you had, and is usually caused by a temporary drop in blood pressure (nothing to do with heart rate), but is in itself not particularly anything to worry about. My heart rate is regularly in your range and below and I am not on any blood pressure medication either, this does not mean you have Bradycardia, it may be perfectly normal for you, and you are very likely worrying without good cause.

If I were you I would be more worried about your high Cholesterol. Are you taking any measures to lower it? Do you undertake regular exercise? If not you may find this far more effective for your mental wellbeing and certainly better for you than the medication by the sound of it?

[Kalyani108 in reply to Stentsandrun]

Thanks for your reply. I do worry a lot and I am aware of it. I had a hysterectomy a year ago and my cholesterol has increased since then it was borderline before. I walk just over two hours a day. And I’m trying to be better with my diet it’s definitely a work in progress.

[ChoochSiesta]

Mine is usually about 50. When I was on Nebivolol it was usually 45. Never felt dizzy.