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Low heart rate - Pacemaker???
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 2010-10-18 11:04 AM |
Extreme Veteran  601   Bainbridge Island, Washington |  Subject: Low heart rate - Pacemaker???So I was told that I need to see a cardiologist this week because my heart rate is too low, and they may have to put a pacemaker in. Anyone else heard or dealt with this? I'm sorta freakin' out here! Wondering what it will do to my training. |
| 2010-10-18 11:46 AM in reply to: #3158002 |
Pro 5011 Twin Cities | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? How low is "too low"? |
| 2010-10-18 12:22 PM in reply to: #3158152 |
Extreme Veteran 601 Bainbridge Island, Washington | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Resting is right around 40, sometimes as low as 38. It's causing dizziness at times. |
| 2010-10-18 2:53 PM in reply to: #3158272 |
Pro 5011 Twin Cities | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Huh. I don't know--my RHR is in the low 40s, and depending in meds has been in the 30s. But I never was having any issues from it. Did your referring doc know you are an athlete? Def. discuss when you see a cardiologist. |
| 2010-10-18 2:56 PM in reply to: #3158682 |
Extreme Veteran 601 Bainbridge Island, Washington | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Yep, they know I'm an endurance athlete. She said it shouldn't cause the dizzyness I've been describing though. The best way I can describe it, is like when you're drunk and have the bed spins lol |
| 2010-10-18 4:24 PM in reply to: #3158002 |
 Master 1324 Rochester, NY | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? You sure the dizziness is from a low heart rate and not something else like vertigo? There are a lot of folks on these boards with resting HR in the 40 range, myself included. That RHR is not uncommon among endurance athletes. |
| 2010-10-18 4:29 PM in reply to: #3158002 |
Extreme Veteran 601 Bainbridge Island, Washington | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Dunno - that's what the cardiologist is for. I should also say that I have high blood pressure, so maybe that's why they think it's something to do with the heart? The dizzyness only happens when I'm in bed, which would also be when my heart rate is at it's lowest - possibly into the 30 range. I'm hoping it's just nothing, and will be able to go without a freakin pacemaker! What the heck would that do to my training??? |
| 2010-10-19 2:39 PM in reply to: #3158913 |
Pro 5011 Twin Cities | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Are you taking any meds to regulate your BP? I was on a beta blocker for migraines for awhile, and it caused my HR to drop down into the 20s. I def. couldn't train, either. In the end, I had to go off them. (But there's obviously a difference between migraines and heart/BP issues in terms of what happens w/out meds!) |
| 2010-10-19 2:41 PM in reply to: #3160804 |
Extreme Veteran 601 Bainbridge Island, Washington | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? My heart rate has always been really low, and BP has always been borderline until last year. I started on medication for it but thought it was causing the dizziness, so went off of it. I'm back on it now after consulting with my doc. |
| 2010-10-20 3:53 PM in reply to: #3158002 |
Extreme Veteran 635 Georgia | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Please dont sign on the line for an operation just yet. Im no doctor, but there are several very imformative threads about low rhr. I would def want to print these out and have your doctor read through these replys from MANY BT'ers with the same RHR as you. I know in the general population a RHR around 40 is given a clinical name and diagnosis. The endurance athlete is the 1% that does not prove the rule.. PLEASE ensure that your doctor knows about this population of athletic individuals before jumping to conclusions. Yes your dizziness is important, yes he could be right, but I wouldnt bet $10 on it. |
| 2010-10-20 3:54 PM in reply to: #3163394 |
Extreme Veteran 601 Bainbridge Island, Washington | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Will do - thanks for the info. Appt. is tomorrow afternoon. Stay tuned! |
| 2010-10-20 4:41 PM in reply to: #3158002 |
Extreme Veteran 635 Georgia | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Migeul Indurain five time tour de France winner. Rhr 28 . Pacemaker candidate? Doubt it. Edited by mxr746 2010-10-20 4:42 PM |
| 2010-10-20 4:54 PM in reply to: #3163541 |
Extreme Veteran 601 Bainbridge Island, Washington | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Lol well I'm hardly an elite athlete like that!  mxr746 - 2010-10-20 4:41 PM Migeul Indurain five time tour de France winner. Rhr 28 . Pacemaker candidate? Doubt it. |
| 2010-10-20 4:54 PM in reply to: #3163541 |
Champion 8936 | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? mxr746 - 2010-10-20 4:41 PM Migeul Indurain five time tour de France winner. Rhr 28 . Pacemaker candidate? Doubt it. Actually he more than likely is. There are several well known elite endurance athletes who've had to have pacemakers because of symptomatic bradycardia. For some reason we all love to brag about our low heartrates, but there does exist a point where stroke volume can't make up for it. You don't get a pacemaker unless you're having significant symptoms, so the number itself isn't super important. Bringing in BT threads isn't going to influence a cardiologist one bit about that decision, nor should it. |
| 2010-10-20 7:53 PM in reply to: #3163566 |
Extreme Veteran 635 Georgia | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Actually I don't like the idea of my low rhr, as it seems too low for my level of activity. But I have to mention the only friends I have that are my age that do endurance sport coincidentally have low rhr. I disagree that a dr shouldn't consider what seems important to a patient. If it's a possibility that I exist in a group of people who may possibly have a more common occurrence of low rhr I would want my dr to acknowledge my concerns, and then make their decision. Who is going to have the lowest average rhr, 100 people off the street or 100 triathletes? I dont have the answer but then the dr may not either. So if I were in the op's shoes, I would want to feel comfortable in knowing I asked about low rhr in the / endurance population. |
| 2010-10-20 9:13 PM in reply to: #3163811 |
Champion 8936 | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? mxr746 - 2010-10-20 7:53 PM Actually I don't like the idea of my low rhr, as it seems too low for my level of activity. But I have to mention the only friends I have that are my age that do endurance sport coincidentally have low rhr. I disagree that a dr shouldn't consider what seems important to a patient. If it's a possibility that I exist in a group of people who may possibly have a more common occurrence of low rhr I would want my dr to acknowledge my concerns, and then make their decision. Who is going to have the lowest average rhr, 100 people off the street or 100 triathletes? I dont have the answer but then the dr may not either. So if I were in the op's shoes, I would want to feel comfortable in knowing I asked about low rhr in the / endurance population. We're very well aware that endurance athletes have lower than normal heartrates. There's no need to bring in threads from a message board about it. Again, you don't get a pacemaker because your heartrate is low. You get it if you have significant symptoms related to it. |
| 2010-10-20 10:32 PM in reply to: #3163923 |
Extreme Veteran 601 Bainbridge Island, Washington | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Thanks everyone for all the opinions. I will let you all know what the prognosis is after my appt. tomorrow. I'm sure it's nothing, but better to be safe than sorry...I posted this when I was first referred to a cardiologist, and was completely freaked out about it so needed to hear from others what their opinions were. Reassurance maybe. I have also done some research on the 'net and have found that it could be nothing, but it could also be something as serious as needing a pacemaker. I guess it's better not to get all freaked out over it until I have to. |
| 2010-10-22 3:37 PM in reply to: #3158002 |
Extreme Veteran 601 Bainbridge Island, Washington | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? OK, so the prognosis -NO PACEMAKER! He said my heart is awesome. They did a sonogram, EKG and stress test. They thought I'd break their treadmill lol My heart was in the mid-30's most of the appt. and while they were amazed, they said it's just because of my activity level and partially hereditary. The dizziness is not attributed to anything related to my heart. However, he did send me in for blood tests today to check my Thyroid because that apparently can cause low heart rates, and my sister has had major thyroid issues. The other possible reason for the dizzyness would be something called "positional vertigo". So anyway, my heart is healthy, and NO PACEMAKER will be in my near future! Whew! Thanks everyone for all of your support and advice. Kris |
| 2010-10-22 9:55 PM in reply to: #3158002 |
Champion 8936 | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? Good to hear! |
| 2010-10-23 5:35 AM in reply to: #3168142 |
Veteran 117 | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? WOO HOO! |
| 2010-10-23 1:01 PM in reply to: #3164062 |
Champion 7704 Williamston, Michigan | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? rnner66 - 2010-10-20 11:32 PM Thanks everyone for all the opinions. I will let you all know what the prognosis is after my appt. tomorrow. I'm sure it's nothing, but better to be safe than sorry...I posted this when I was first referred to a cardiologist, and was completely freaked out about it so needed to hear from others what their opinions were. Reassurance maybe. I have also done some research on the 'net and have found that it could be nothing, but it could also be something as serious as needing a pacemaker. I guess it's better not to get all freaked out over it until I have to. YAY most excellent news!!! |
| 2010-10-24 10:31 AM in reply to: #3167709 |
Extreme Veteran 635 Georgia | Subject: RE: Low heart rate - Pacemaker??? rnner66 - 2010-10-22 3:37 PMOK, so the prognosis -NO PACEMAKER! He said my heart is awesome. They did a sonogram, EKG and stress test. They thought I'd break their treadmill lol My heart was in the mid-30's most of the appt. and while they were amazed, they said it's just because of my activity level and partially hereditary. The dizziness is not attributed to anything related to my heart. However, he did send me in for blood tests today to check my Thyroid because that apparently can cause low heart rates, and my sister has had major thyroid issues. The other possible reason for the dizzyness would be something called "positional vertigo". So anyway, my heart is healthy, and NO PACEMAKER will be in my near future! Whew! Thanks everyone for all of your support and advice. Kris Great news!! I'm interested to see what the thyroid tests show, and what happens with the dizziness. I had a stress test 6 years ago but they couldn't or wouldn't turn the treadmill up fast enough to reproduce the chest pains I had been experiencing during training. Did they bill you for the treadmill motor? |
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