What should your Pulse Rate and Blood Pressure be when you are Optimised?

[Canu]

I've seen that some people monitor their thyroid by taking their temperature, pulse rate and blood pressure. I understand that basal temperature should be about 36.5 degrees centigrade and afternoon temperature about 37. But what about pulse rate and blood pressure, what is the optimal?

[cjrsquared]

Unfortunately there is no straightforward answer. Your normal resting pulse will be influenced by how fit you are, what sort of regular exercise you do, along with weight and genetic factors. For example when I exercise regularly my resting heart rate settles at around 66-68 bpm, but if I let my regular exercise slide for a couple of months my resting heart rate rises to 72-74. I also have corresponding changes in blood pressure. To add to this when undermedicated my bp rises and heart rate drops but I don’t ‘feel well’, so these measurements don’t necessarily reflect well being.

Normal resting heart rate is considered to be between 60-90 bpm and bp 100-140/60-90. That said many healthy individuals will have measurements outside of these figures.

Sorry to be unhelpful, keeping an eye on these readings can be a guide, but only in the context of how you feel overall.

[Canu in reply to cjrsquared]

Ok. Thank you cjrsquared!

[humanbean]

But what about pulse rate and blood pressure, what is the optimal?

I don't know of a single result that people can say is optimal for BP and pulse rate. They both vary according to so many different things...

Time of day

When you last ate

How athletically fit you are

When you last climbed the stairs or did something else that required a bit of effort

Age

Did you sleep well or badly last night?

The only numbers I've read for heart rate are that "normal" is 60 - 100. But there are plenty of people I've read about whose heart rate is much lower than 60 because they are very fit and do loads of exercise. But people who are hypothyroid and untreated or under-treated can have low heart rate too.

I actually have a fairly fast heart rate most of the time (I'm not athletic and I take too little exercise mainly because I have several health problems besides dodgy thyroid function) but I feel terrible when my heart rate goes much above 90, so I take a tiny dose of beta blocker when I can't stand it any more. But a doctor would say a pulse of 90 was fine.

As for blood pressure... This is one of those things like cholesterol levels... Pharma companies have been driving the reference ranges lower and lower because it helps them to sell more drugs.

At one time, perhaps back in the 90s, a normal blood pressure in adults was considered to be 160/90 or below or something like that, and it was considered "normal" for blood pressure to rise to that level as people got older. Then "normal" and "healthy" was reduced quite substantially over time to approx 120/80 or below. Doctors are now telling some diabetic patients that they should aim to get their blood pressure to 110 over something.

This link :

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper...

tells me that I have "pre-hypertension". Or I might have Stage 1 hypertension.

So, I don't know what a healthy blood pressure is any more. I don't trust Pharma companies because I think they just want to sell more drugs. And doctors are affected by Pharma brainwashing too, so I don't know whether I trust them either. Personally, I'm happy if my BP is between 120 and 130 over 70 (ish). But other people may think that is dreadful.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to humanbean]

Gosh - a pulse of 90 and I would feel really wired and ill.

I always think it’s funny how my heart rate can go up really high - when I exercise and I feel ok because it goes down again as soon as I stop yet if it is high for any reason when I’m not exercising - I mean in the 80s rather than hitting 90 I feel absolutely terrible.

I’ve noticed too that if I’m lying in bed reading at night my pulse can be as low as 60. Soon as I move though it goes up a bit but when I used to wear a Fitbit my resting heat rate was in the 60s

My BP is usually around just above or below 120 / over somewhere between 70 and 80 - but I take blood pressure tablets.

[humanbean in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

I used to have a much lower heart rate. But things went pear-shaped for me starting from about 2007 or 2008. It's a long involved story that would take ages to go through, so I'll leave it at that.

[Canu in reply to humanbean]

Thanks humanbean!

[endomad in reply to humanbean]

Thank you for that I often forget the big pharma scare machine, my blood pressure has gone up recent months to 130/80 and Dr raised eyebrow, usually 115-120/80 so I don't think 130 is life threatening. Hubby's best buddy is cardiologist he says the 5 years of wrong thyroid treatment would do more harm to my heart than a lifetime of t3 so I listen to what he says rather than anyone else.

[Canu in reply to endomad]

Very interesting what the cardiologist said, endomad!

[suztango]

A low blood pressure and high heart rate would indicate low cortisol. Low heart rate and low temperature = under medicated. Etc... It's really for those on T3 because it has such a short half life that its useful to figure out dosing.

[endomad in reply to suztango]

Iv been t3 only 5 years and a big dose all at once at bedtime. My temp still averages 35 degrees, better than the 34 it was when really I'll but still under. I track my pulse and blood pressure which are good.

[Canu in reply to suztango]

Thank you suztango!

[ShelWhitt]

Hi. Just noticed this post. Interesting. Hope you don't mind my jumping in. Long story short. Until recently my BP has averaged around 140/80. BP72. Been feeling really ill for the last two years, but much worse recently, and 'think' it is possibly due to thyroid mis management. Paid for private blood testing and found to have low T3 amongst other slight anomolies. Discovered from asking on this site, that I have hashimotos. Doc won't accept private blood test results, only their own and says thyroid OK. Levo medication is lowest it has ever been 75/50 alt days. Just before lockdown was intending to arrrange a private endo. consult, but everything shelved for now. However, I did see my doc with palpitations, heart fluttering and pounding which was concerning me. Was referred and had ECG. Result. Slight abnormality (one depression - whatever that means) so apparently not a problem, no mediation needed, I have now noticed my BP average has been dropping (apart from occasional spike) to 130's and pulse dropping to high 50's. When I read your post I wondered if I should be concerned. Have not seen doc before lockdown and am trying to avoid it if I can. Also am taking extra vitamins to see if that helps for now, Vit D and B12. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Murphysmum in reply to ShelWhitt]

Sorry to jump in with a reply too 😜 but I’m wondering if you presumably have different dose levo tablets (?) could you increase your dose yourself?

This way you could increase if you think it’s required for a few months, retest bloods and repeat or return to your go and present the evidence... assuming it helps and you feel better.

Just asking as I thought it might help 🙂

[ShelWhitt in reply to Murphysmum]

Thanks it's a thought. Trying to avoid doctor's for now if I can!.

[Murphysmum in reply to ShelWhitt]

I would! Honestly, with the guidance of the people on here and a bit of common sense, you can adjust your levo to see if it helps.

Then take the doctor bit from here!

[ShelWhitt in reply to Murphysmum]

Thanks. I agree the people on here are far more 'savvy' than the doctors!

[humanbean in reply to ShelWhitt]

To get some help on your results your best option is to create a new thread and post your results and reference ranges. Mention the BP and heart rate questions you have in your post as well. Otherwise your questions get mixed up with the original poster's question.

A dose of 75/50 on alternate days is just a starter dose. Few people with hypothyroidism would do well on that and you are probably under-dosed. Your doctor has no doubt dosed you on the basis of your TSH only. It's what they all do.

Doctors think there are certain things that never, ever, ever go wrong in the human body, and one of those is TSH. It is always perfect! I'm being sarcastic [about doctors] - TSH can be affected by all sorts of things which are just conveniently ignored.

[ShelWhitt in reply to humanbean]

Thank you humanbean. I have certainly learned a lot over these last few months, and I am still learning.

[Bob00752]

A bit over 2 years ago my GP suggested raising levo from 75 to 100 but wanted it checked after 8 weeks with appointment when the test results were in. TSH finally down below 5 but he then said he wanted to check my heart rate. I took a couple if deep breaths at this surprise (to me). When my pulse was 54 I joked “no white coat syndrome today then” and both GP and myself were happy with the increased dose!

Seeing the other posts in pulse rate, I would draw a distinction between resting heart rate (sitting or lying down well away from any exercise) and exercise heart rate - say up to your age taken away from 220. So at age 70 that would be 150. Some then take that difference (max less resting, 90 with the above example and resting 60, so 150-60=90) and say to aim for no more than 80% of that added back onto resting, so 80% of 90 is 72, add back resting of 60 and you get 132. Some fitness monitors like fitbit have fat burning ranges, aerobic ranges and maximum ranges based on similar calculations based in your age and observed resting rate when you see the daily reports or a report for an exercise period.

[Canu in reply to Bob00752]

Thank you Bob00752

[Thyb]

I think BP and pulse rate are very much down to Individual differences. Also, whether you've eaten/drank/exercised/had vitamin supplements/any other tablets etc etc. Best to take BP/Pulse either before/after food, before or after exercise. Being consistent is key to find out what is right for you.

E.g. my resting pulse can be between 55/60. Bp can range from 124/80, 114/60, 122/67, 110/68, 118/64, 105/63, 97/57. I have a finger pulse oximeter measuring saturation/oxygen levels which can range from 95-99.

Age 65

[Canu in reply to Thyb]

Thank you Thyb!