1. < Heart Rhythm Conditions

44 years old just dx with Sinus Bradycardia

Posted by sharondh @sharondh, Jul 30 11:01am

Hello. I’ve been having bouts of lightheadedness daily And got dizzy last week while driving and went to the emergency room. Numerous tests (MRI,MRA with and WO contrast, Echocardiogram, CT scan- all normal) were performed however a result just came back this morning that reflected sinus bradycardia. I am physically fit gym 4 days a week cardio and strength training, average weight, eat very well. This has me very stressed out and scared as I have two young kids.. Anyone have any insight or experience with this? Thank you so much…

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gloaming | @gloaming | Jul 30 1:06pm

Technically, bradycardia is an arrhythmia, but in its case it is just an abnormally slow heart rate. Also technically, any record showing BPM of < 60 is deemed to show bradycardia.

However, individuals have different factors going for them. Age, history of intense physical exercise, drug abuse, drug prescriptions, alcoholism/abuse, poor sleeping habits, poor nutrition (including bulimia and anorexia)...these are but some of what makes some of us have slow resting pulses while others might be in the 75-90 range and be perfectly healthy.

As a life-long athlete, my resting heart rate while watching TV 30 years ago was 38. A physician who took my pulse back then raised one eyebrow and asked me if I was a runner. Yup. That was all he needed to know. I'll bet my HR dropped into the 30-34 range while I was asleep.

I have seen where physicians feel the technical limit of 60 is too high. They felt that they wouldn't worry about bradycardia in all but a very few of their patients until it dropped below 50.

So, you have normal sinus rhythm (thumb up), but the attending physician feels you have a slow pulse. What was the number? What was your blood pressure at the time? If both were slow/low, you do have a pulse and pressure that is simply too low...........for you. There are medications, or there is the seemingly drastic step of a pacemaker. I urge you to read all you can. Pacemakers, like hearing aids, are a fact of life for literally hundreds of millions of people over the past 50 years. They get their hearing back, or much of it, or they find that they can bend over and garden again, go for hikes, ride a bike...and just not feel ill and worried. It will happen to you. And that's if you don't have an easily corrected lifestyle problem or something that medications can fix.

Good luck!

REPLY
1 reply
mfenn | @mfenn | Jul 31 6:22am

While I was much older than you I was very active with strength training, loving my deadlifts, squats, and bench press (my achilles heel). I thought my heart rate was going down because my heart was stronger from the exercise. I had a bit of dizziness and more fatigue than I thought I should have.
When my heart rate dropped to 34 and 31 on the weekend before I was to meet with my doctor, the telehealth nurse told me to go to the hospital. I did and after all the tests the doctor told me I would be getting a pacemaker Monday morning.
I thought my lifting days would be over but not so. Starting slowly and under the supervision of a trainer, I am lifting again and not too far from my 1 rep maxes. I am still strong and happy. Will hit my second anniversary with the pm in September.
Medication may be an option for you. But if it isn't, don't be afraid to get a pacemaker.

REPLY
3 replies
sharondh | @sharondh | Jul 31 10:39am
In reply to @gloaming "Technically, bradycardia is an arrhythmia, but in its case it is just an abnormally slow heart..." + (show)
@gloaming

Technically, bradycardia is an arrhythmia, but in its case it is just an abnormally slow heart rate. Also technically, any record showing BPM of < 60 is deemed to show bradycardia.

However, individuals have different factors going for them. Age, history of intense physical exercise, drug abuse, drug prescriptions, alcoholism/abuse, poor sleeping habits, poor nutrition (including bulimia and anorexia)...these are but some of what makes some of us have slow resting pulses while others might be in the 75-90 range and be perfectly healthy.

As a life-long athlete, my resting heart rate while watching TV 30 years ago was 38. A physician who took my pulse back then raised one eyebrow and asked me if I was a runner. Yup. That was all he needed to know. I'll bet my HR dropped into the 30-34 range while I was asleep.

I have seen where physicians feel the technical limit of 60 is too high. They felt that they wouldn't worry about bradycardia in all but a very few of their patients until it dropped below 50.

So, you have normal sinus rhythm (thumb up), but the attending physician feels you have a slow pulse. What was the number? What was your blood pressure at the time? If both were slow/low, you do have a pulse and pressure that is simply too low...........for you. There are medications, or there is the seemingly drastic step of a pacemaker. I urge you to read all you can. Pacemakers, like hearing aids, are a fact of life for literally hundreds of millions of people over the past 50 years. They get their hearing back, or much of it, or they find that they can bend over and garden again, go for hikes, ride a bike...and just not feel ill and worried. It will happen to you. And that's if you don't have an easily corrected lifestyle problem or something that medications can fix.

Good luck!

Jump to this post

Thank you so much for your reply,My HR was not very low, as you have seemed to experience, and my blood pressure was a little low not much in the ER. I currently have a heart monitor on so that they can explore this further. I appreciate your insight and your reply as it does comfort me….

REPLY
sharondh | @sharondh | Jul 31 10:42am
In reply to @mfenn "While I was much older than you I was very active with strength training, loving my..." + (show)
@mfenn

While I was much older than you I was very active with strength training, loving my deadlifts, squats, and bench press (my achilles heel). I thought my heart rate was going down because my heart was stronger from the exercise. I had a bit of dizziness and more fatigue than I thought I should have.
When my heart rate dropped to 34 and 31 on the weekend before I was to meet with my doctor, the telehealth nurse told me to go to the hospital. I did and after all the tests the doctor told me I would be getting a pacemaker Monday morning.
I thought my lifting days would be over but not so. Starting slowly and under the supervision of a trainer, I am lifting again and not too far from my 1 rep maxes. I am still strong and happy. Will hit my second anniversary with the pm in September.
Medication may be an option for you. But if it isn't, don't be afraid to get a pacemaker.

Jump to this post

This is very comforting to know I really appreciate you taking the time out to reply. My doctor is monitoring me and will explore options… thank you 🙏

REPLY
jer22 | @jer22 | Aug 1 9:28am
In reply to @mfenn "While I was much older than you I was very active with strength training, loving my..." + (show)
@mfenn

While I was much older than you I was very active with strength training, loving my deadlifts, squats, and bench press (my achilles heel). I thought my heart rate was going down because my heart was stronger from the exercise. I had a bit of dizziness and more fatigue than I thought I should have.
When my heart rate dropped to 34 and 31 on the weekend before I was to meet with my doctor, the telehealth nurse told me to go to the hospital. I did and after all the tests the doctor told me I would be getting a pacemaker Monday morning.
I thought my lifting days would be over but not so. Starting slowly and under the supervision of a trainer, I am lifting again and not too far from my 1 rep maxes. I am still strong and happy. Will hit my second anniversary with the pm in September.
Medication may be an option for you. But if it isn't, don't be afraid to get a pacemaker.

Jump to this post

I also was told I should have a pacemaker for bradycardia and sick sinus.-My heart rate when sleeping is around 45 and during the day when doing daily activity will be between 58 to 80 and will spike at times to around 110.
I am on 25mg of metoprolol succ. and 50mg losartan for blood pressure and 50mg flecanide for arrithmia per day.
my blood pressure is an average of 125 over 65.
I hope I will be able to lower my meds, and start feeling not so tired and winded.
Thanks all for good info on pacemakers and etc.

REPLY
dokane | @dokane | Oct 6 8:37pm
In reply to @mfenn "While I was much older than you I was very active with strength training, loving my..." + (show)
@mfenn

While I was much older than you I was very active with strength training, loving my deadlifts, squats, and bench press (my achilles heel). I thought my heart rate was going down because my heart was stronger from the exercise. I had a bit of dizziness and more fatigue than I thought I should have.
When my heart rate dropped to 34 and 31 on the weekend before I was to meet with my doctor, the telehealth nurse told me to go to the hospital. I did and after all the tests the doctor told me I would be getting a pacemaker Monday morning.
I thought my lifting days would be over but not so. Starting slowly and under the supervision of a trainer, I am lifting again and not too far from my 1 rep maxes. I am still strong and happy. Will hit my second anniversary with the pm in September.
Medication may be an option for you. But if it isn't, don't be afraid to get a pacemaker.

Jump to this post

I’m so relieved to see your reply. I was not a heavy exerciser but a busy busy person. This started several years ago. Is now almost daily snd am likely getting paced. I was worried I wouldn’t get my life back but it sounds like you have. Yeah!

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