Low pulse rate....

[Guest guest]

33 bpm is pretty low. I have arrythmia, or however it's spelled.. irregular heart beat. They said my heartbeats were like snowflakes...no two alike. They ran a 7-day Holter monitor which sent a signal back to an office. After that, they put me on Metoprolol, I think it is, which will help regulate the heart rate. They also said they figured I'd need a pacemaker in a year or two. As a heart patient, I know that when your heart beat seems irregular, or even when it drops down low like that, you can cough and sort of stabilize it. I don't know why, but it usually works. You should at least alert one of your doctors that your heart beat dropped to 33. They might want to do a holter monitor. I don't request tests. I just tell them what's going on and let them decide. So far, so good.

Bill C. PF 10/08

In the deep freeze in PA.

[Guest guest]

Something weird happened. Or maybe not. I woke up last night and checked my

sat rate and found a pulse rate of 33. I wasn't alarmed, because I felt fine.

I checked on the internet for low pulse rate and found out the normal range is

60-90 beats per minute. I did know I have a tendency for bigeminy (a double

heart beat) during exercise, but nothing anyone has ever gotten over-excited

about. I have had my heart checked many times... not because of low pulse rate

problems (I have never experienced dizziness or weakness and have always been a

classic shallow breather). My mother suffered problems with her thyroid, but is

on medication for that and is still alive and well at 92 (come February 12). I

routinely have my thyroid function tested (every 2 years) because of the family

history. I guess my concern is that sometimes (once every 2-3 months) I will

wake up during the night and have tingling in my arms and legs (sometimes both).

I usually start pumping my fists and flexing my feet to encourage blood

circulation, but am concerned that maybe I need something more. I was an avid

swimmer as a youth and both my brother and I typically will have a heart rate,

when relaxed, around 48. We are both able to take it from 48 to 42 within 5

minutes by simply concentrating on it. We have made a contest out of it ....

because we can, to see who can go down quicker. I wouldn't call myself fit,

though my brother is a runner and typically more fit than me... though only a

year different in age. We have both noticed the low pulse rate before, but

neither of us have doctors that have ever mentioned any reason for concern. It

was attributed to my quitting smoking years ago as my pulse rate would drop

without the nicotine stimulation. My brother also smoked, but quit. I have

thought that genetically, we are both subject to a lower than normal heart rate

and that was one of the contributing factors to smoking... our bodies were

driven to seek a stimulant. We have both quit, but now we both have low pulse

rates. Long story short, is this something I need to review with my doctors? I

have been to a cardiologist twice in the last two years, though not looking at

the low pulse rate. They think my heart is healthy. I have had several

different stress tests (the last one chemically induced) that I pass every time

with flying colors. They think I am nuts to be concerned. The last heart

specialist was upset with me because he said I should be more concerned about my

lungs (the pulmo-dude I had gotten the original ILD diagnosiss from was from the

same medical heart-lung group) and he thought I was wasting my/his time by

requesting tests on my heart. Of course, I was equally frustrated because I

thought the ILD diagnosis was too generic... that was when I met you all and got

to a center of excellence to find out I had PF (one of many forms of ILD). Long

story short, and root of my question... Is there still a reason to pursue the

heart issue? Is there a possibility my medications should be reviewed, or my

heart should be monitored for pulse maker consideration? Am I looking for

trouble where it doesn't exist?

Stefani 61 year old Utahn

ILD 2/2006, NSIP (fibrotic) 10/2009, Diabetes II 2/2006, Sleep Apnea 4/2009