Topic: Heart rate question

[Red Beret]

I started up with a personal trainer on 7 August and have had three sessions with him.  It's been challenging and I've pushed myself, but not tried to do more than I felt I could handle.  First two sessions I needed a break and found myself hyperventilating, but I think that's as much down to anxiety (getting out of my comfort zone) as anything else.

But yesterday I developed a weird heart beat.  Palpitations, and just a touch erratic, with the odd half second extra between two beats, followed by several slightly quicker ones.  It's like a weird, queasy feeling that comes and goes, but in the chest rather than the stomach.

It was my birthday yesterday, so I have had some meals out and a few drinks on several nights, but nothing i would consider OTT.  But perhaps that combined with my reducing my caffeine intake a bit and intense exercising in the heat of last week might have put me slightly out of kilter.

Just to state, although I've always had trouble with my weight, I'm relatively active.  I aim for 10k steps a day, often do yoga or my cross trainer etc, and I've got a reasonable constitution.  I've never had heart trouble at all, and my heart rate is usually around 60-65bpm at rest.  At the moment it's dipped below that, to about 56 to 58 bpm, but it tends to go away when I'm in bed.  Had my blood pressure done back in February and it's very good for a person my age.

It's probably nothing, but I was wondering if others had similar experiences?  I can always call the doctor tomorrow.

[Pheeny]

  call the doctor tomorrow.

There is your answer,never take a risk when your heart is concerned!

[Red Beret]

There is your answer,never take a risk when your heart is concerned!

It's mostly faded after about 48-72 hours.  But I've been left with an occasional cough and slight wheeze.  The skipped beats would sometimes cause a cough spasm.  It's not quite sore.  Trying not to get paranoid that it's Covid - it would be just my luck to pick it up from a gym when I just hired a PT!

[So… Howard Philips]

It's mostly faded after about 48-72 hours.  But I've been left with an occasional cough and slight wheeze.  The skipped beats would sometimes cause a cough spasm.  It's not quite sore.  Trying not to get paranoid that it's Covid - it would be just my luck to pick it up from a gym when I just hired a PT!

It could be benign arrhythmia, which isn't as benign as it sounds.

I had had it ten years ago and ended up in hospital overnight and released following a brief course of medication. The heart pumps out of sync causing poor circulation.

I'd get to the doctors and have it checked but it's a bit like those intermittent electrical faults on your car. The sneaky bastards disappear when you book it in for a service.

[Red Beret]

It could be benign arrhythmia, which isn't as benign as it sounds.

I had had it ten years ago and ended up in hospital overnight and released following a brief course of medication. The heart pumps out of sync causing poor circulation.

I'd get to the doctors and have it checked but it's a bit like those intermittent electrical faults on your car. The sneaky bastards disappear when you book it in for a service.

Yep.  My heart rate is back up to normal, about 60-65bpm, although the odd beat is still dropped.  Oddly I notice it mostly in the afternoons or evenings. 

I'm putting it down to intense exercise in serious heat in the run up to my birthday.  It was a big step up for me after 3 months of doing relatively little other than some yoga and 10k steps a day.  But of course I am keeping an eye on it!

[Welshred]

Don't keep an eye on it see your GP

[soxfan]

As you may know I had open heart surgery to repair my mitral valve last year. It was preceded by 6 years of heartbeat issues and other problems.

What you have is likely nothing. Nearly everyone gets "flutter" on occasion. The cause can be nothing, or too much caffeine, or stress, or something you ate, almost anything. Don't worry.

The yellow flag is if it starts consistently happening. Even then it's probably 98% not dangerous. But at that point a cardiologist should check you out and probably run an echocardiogram to see what's causing it. 

To ease your mind, understand that in the final months before surgery I had palpitations 40-50x per hour. It was unrelenting. I had many skipped heartbeats per hour.  I could not lay on my left side at night because my heartbeat was so messed up it would keep me awake. I could also -- I'm NOT exaggerating -- stop my heart from beating for 3-4 seconds by holding my breath. On demand, any time I wanted.

So you are ok. Stop worrying.

[Welshred]

So you are ok. Stop worrying.

You don't know this and it's dangerous to be suggesting that just because it doesn't match your situation that everything is fine. The only people who can advise Red Berry that he is ok and should stop worrying are GP's and Cardiologists, not some bloke on the internet.

[soxfan]

You don't know this and it's dangerous to be suggesting that just because it doesn't match your situation that everything is fine. The only people who can advise Red Berry that he is ok and should stop worrying are GP's and Cardiologists, not some bloke on the internet.

The bloke on the internet said:

The yellow flag is if it starts consistently happening. Even then it's probably 98% not dangerous. But at that point a cardiologist should check you out and probably run an echocardiogram to see what's causing it. 

So I stand by what I said. Based on more tests and conversations with my cardiologists and surgeon than I can even count.

[Welshred]

Your experience is only relevant to you and no one else.

[So… Howard Philips]

Your experience is only relevant to you and no one else.

I put my hospital trip with arrhythmia down as a one off, carried on as normal and ended up having a heartache and being strapped to a table in Broadgreen having a stent inserted. Not the worst outcome but unpleasant, particularly as my arm swelled up around the point they inserted the catheter.

Craig should be seeing his GP - if he can get a fucking appointment!!!!

[Welshred]

If he can't get an appointment with his GP then I'd suggest a trip to A&E the next time it occurs. It's always better to be safer than sorry.

[rob1966]

I put my hospital trip with arrhythmia down as a one off, carried on as normal and ended up having a heartache and being strapped to a table in Broadgreen having a stent inserted. Not the worst outcome but unpleasant, particularly as my arm swelled up around the point they inserted the catheter.

Craig should be seeing his GP - if he can get a fucking appointment!!!!

I ignored some stuff once for about a year or so, I've a scar that runs from my throat, straight down my sternum that finishes just below my ribs, 3 scars where the drain tubes exited, and a wire that was once holding the sternum together after they sawed it through to remove my pericardium.

I don't ignore stuff anymore.

Yep.  My heart rate is back up to normal, about 60-65bpm, although the odd beat is still dropped.  Oddly I notice it mostly in the afternoons or evenings. 

I'm putting it down to intense exercise in serious heat in the run up to my birthday.  It was a big step up for me after 3 months of doing relatively little other than some yoga and 10k steps a day.  But of course I am keeping an eye on it!

Make an appt to see the GP, as mine has said to me in the past, they much prefer to see you and say there is nothing wrong than you not go and something is actually up.

[reddebs]

You've all got me a bit worried now though I doubt it's anything serious as it's been going on for 20yrs+.

I've had palpitations/heart flutters on and off for years.  No pain or shortness of breathing, dizziness or any of the other things just simply an irregular heart beat for a few minutes, then it settles back to normal.

[Welshred]

There's more than likely nothing to be worried about Debs but getting a proper medical opinion on something like this rather than take the word of a stranger on a football forum is preferable.

[reddebs]

There's more than likely nothing to be worried about Debs but getting a proper medical opinion on something like this rather than take the word of a stranger on a football forum is preferable.

I'll speak to them tomorrow see what they say.