bradycardia -- what's a too-low heart rate?

My Apple Watch buzzed me regarding low heart rate for ten minutes . Otherwise I wasn’t aware and had symptoms of fatigue and dizziness. If it wasn’t for my Apple Watch i won’t have known about my condition. Had an emergency pacemaker implanted in Taiwan. I really like my Apple Watch.

When you all are talking about fainting, do you mean really fainting…like passing out or just feeling weak? I’m trying to determine how my mom can be fainting yet able to stay fully alert, maintain good blood pressure and pulse and carry on a conversation. She’s reported this 3 times over the last 3 weeks. One time she insisted I call the ambulance, which took her to the hospital. She doesn’t have Afib or heart issue after multiple test at the hospital.

If you are fainting would you be able to loudly shout your daughter’s name about 20 times to wake her from a sound sleep? She has seen her primary and the doctors at the hospital for over a week. I’m wondering if this anxiety and not a heart issue. She has a history of panic attacks.

Me too!

Identical for me. At age 79, night time drops to 40 twice per night, usually stays around 45-50. Resting, watching TV can be 55-60. Cardiologist isn’t concerned after stress, echo and 30 day holter monitor. Gets up around 80 if active. Real active or ANXIOUS is goes to 90s and then stays there for several hours even though I am back to resting! Hope this helps. PTL

I went through a little over two years of bradycardia before I got my pacemaker. I'd had a long history of atrial tachycardia, and had taken metoprolol, which worked well to control my runaway heart rate. When my heart rate began to fall into the 40's, and sometimes 30's at night, I was informed that as long as I was asymptomatic and the heart rate rose appropriately with activity, there was no worry. Over that two years or so, however, it got to where I would feel lightheaded and dizzy, a little short of breath, and so tired it was difficult to complete any task- this would occur during those low heart rates. It got to the point where my heart rate often wouldn't go above the low 50's, even when I was trying to carry out normal activities, ( I remember trying to do yard work and wash windows) and when I stopped for anything it would fall back into the low 40's. This got to be the norm unless I was having tachycardia, in which case my heart rate would go into the 140- 150 range. I had a couple of two week ZIO patch monitors, using these we were able to document the bradycardia episodes and the accompanying symptoms- also recorded the tachycardia episodes and those symptoms. The EP I was referred to was able to diagnose sick sinus syndrome (SSS) from these records, and after about 6 weeks during which time replacing the metoprolol ( in case that was causing the bradycardia) with diltiazem showed no real change with the bradycardia and NO control of the tachycardia, he recommended a pacemaker, which has made the world of difference to me.
You asked about fainting with the bradycardia. I know my sister, who had A-fib and was also diagnosed with SSS had no idea what was happening to her before she got up one night to go to the john and fainted dead away. The paramedics said she had a heart rate of 38 and she was taken to the hospital and got her pacemaker the next day. It improved her quality of life immensely, just like mine was.
I had heard reports that people who fainted from a low heart rate did so suddenly, with no clue that they were about to pass out. I don't know that this always happens, though, as they report "syncope" ie, when the person passes completely out, and "presyncopal episodes", when a person feels as though they will pass out, and they either do pass out, or recover and don't. I've had a few of those presyncopal episodes associated with bradycardia, where things looked as though they were going fuzzy, I felt light-headed and somewhat nauseated. Fortunately most of the time when that happened I was able to lean against something, or sit down, take some deep breaths and it got better. There was one time, though, where I think maybe I did pass out from bradycardia. Fortunately I was home, and trying to cook breakfast for the family. My heart rate was running in the 40's that day, and not rising much with activity. I had a couple of presyncopal episodes where things started going dark, light-headedness and just feeling like I would pass out completely ( and frustrated that it was happening despite my efforts to keep on keeping on). I leaned up against the kitchen counter a couple times and recovered somewhat. But then I went to our bedroom, into our bedroom closet, and that's when I think I passed out completely. I vaguely recall falling into the clothes on my side of the closet, and I think I came to right after that. I remember thinking it was lucky I'd hit my side of the closet, if I'd fallen on my husband's side with all his junk I'd have gotten hurt!
I'm thinking that there's likely not much time to call for help or even react much when you pass completely out from a low heart rate, or a pause in the heartbeat. But with those presyncopal episodes, where you're feeling so lousy and that you might pass out, you may have enough time and reserves to yell for help, perhaps that is what your mother is doing. Do you know if she has bradycardia?

No, she hasn’t been diagnosed with any heart condition. She was recently in the hospital for a couple of weeks where she had all kinds of tests. And, since seen by her primary. Nothing was found. It’s just now that she’s gotten home that this has started. She is prone to panic attacks, so I wonder about that too.