Anyone else hitting cardio levels (on Fitbit) when doing simple tasks?
For those of you that use a Fitbit and who seem to hit cardio level when doing simple tasks like standing or cooking. (AND who do not have POTS)
Taking the advice of my PT and OT therapists, I track both zone and cardio minutes using my Fitbit watch with Premium each day. When my heart rate hits a predetermined level (for me it is 100bpm), I immediately sit down and do belly breathing. After one month of modifying my actions, I am now able to reliably control my heart rate!! And I am able do start doing more. 😁
**The minutes below are doing normal daily tasks. I have not yet begun exercise. **
I populated my zone and cardio minutes in a spreadsheet. In the last 4 weeks BOTH weekly values have gone down!!
Zone minutes from 700 per week to 574 per week
Cardio minutes from 252 per week to 143 per week!! Using my fitbit to know when to sit (when HR reaches 100), has made a LOT of difference!😁
Hoping this means my body is slowly returning to normal.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.
Same. I can be sitting in a chair and suddenly get bursting balloons of whatever that I've completed my walking for the week. It's Monday! I get told Ive done 12 sets of stairs when I've done none
But I've been dx'd with POTS because of this - not to say it's only COVID and not POTS? I never had an unstable pulse (and BP) before. But nobody ever checked my pulse and BP standing up. I'd get it doctor, sit and rest then in 15 minutes they ask me questions, then take my 02, pulse etc. Because I've been talking my 02 is 97 rather than 90 - or worse.y BP and pulse will have returned to normal. 2.5 years of SOB just making a sandwich, no ody ever checked. I now carry the diagnosis of POTS. Curious why you said those not DX with POTS. MY BP goes high not low. 180/110 once at the doctor's. My norm pre-covid 100/70!
My PT is the one who suggested I get a Fitbit.
I'm shocked how little actual sleep I'm getting and how esp very little REM and deep sleep I'm getting.
I'm right now on orebiao
This is an interesting discussion about the FitBit, especially "I'm shocked how little actual sleep I'm getting and how esp very little REM and deep sleep I'm getting."
We have had the same experience with our FitBit tracking - even before Covid (which luckily I didn't have.) Then one day we took a close look at it - my husband comes to be much later than I, and usually I am fast asleep - don't even hear him. But the FitBit will report that my night's sleep did not begin until much later than his observation. Or I will rise in the morning, while he is still sound asleep (and snoring) for another hour or more. When we look his FitBit reports that he was awake when I got up. Also according to sleep specialists, our REM sleep is very vulnerable to disruption when we have other physical problems or are taking medications.
So we don't place too much faith in the sleep tracking feature.
As for cardio levels on FitBit, my daughter who has long Covid for 2 1/2 years sees that as well, and has learned to STOP and deep breathe for 5 minutes or so. After trying every med change they could, this is apparently her new normal, and she is learning to live with it. Sadly it means she can no longer go mountain hiking with her friends.
I had the same experience (without Covid) and showed it to my PCP. We discussed it & she sent me back to my pulmonologist (I have a few lung issues.) Turns out the culprit was using the wrong medication to manage my asthma. When we switched, it still happens occasionally, but not as often. When it does, belly breathing is my solution as well. If that doesn't work, I have to be on the lookout for an exacerbation in my lungs - it turns out the high heart rate is my body's "early warning system" to tell me a problem is coming.
So the FitBit is indeed a handy tool. I am glad that those of you dealing with long Covid are using it, and that some doctors are figuring out how to use it as an early warning device.
Sue
@baker00l
Hi, I was recently diagnosed with POTS-like condition/sinus tachycardia after having COVID this summer. I have been having these symptoms for about 2 months and wanted to reach out to you to ask how are you doing now, quite a few months after your original post. Did you continue to improve? Did you find anything particularly helpful, beyond pacing. Were you ever prescribed medication to slow your heart rate. Any insight from the more seasoned veterans is very welcome!!
Amlodipine helped lower my heart rate and later the increased blood pressure that came with Covid. I wish you good health!