Heart rate decrease

[jeffp]

Before surgery, my resting HR was around 60-65. Right after surgery in ICU it was around 110. Gradually has been decreasing and now with 4 months post-op and finish cardiac rehab, I feel much better, less SOB (still crash and nap each day) and resting rate is around 85. Went to see cardio today, pleased with my progress. He wasn't. Said it was still to high (which I know, but better - had a lot of dissection done during loooooong surgery and probably lots of muscle healing and recovery to do). I was hoping to get off some of the beta blockers, now he wants me on more. Bummer, now I'm starting to get drepressed! I ahte taking all these pills!
How long did it take you guys/gals on average to get back to resonable heart rate (70's ish)? Do you ever get off the blockers?

 

[tobagotwo]

Currently taking 50mg (25mg, twice a day) of Atenolol. Pulse is averaging around sixty, BP is normal.

You might consider talking to the cardio about temporarily using something to slow down the heart rate. It may just need something to help it "get the idea" for a while. Hearts do strange things after surgery, but they generally seem to drift back toward good function if there's no permanent damage. The hard part will be getting him to take you off the prescription later. They hate to let your heart go solo.

Best wishes,

 

[Marty]

Post op heart rate

Post op heart rate

My restng heart rate was still fast about six months post op @ 100 t0 120. I finished hospital rehab feeling pretty good and my cardiologist took me off all medicines( digitalis, beta blockers, percoset, ambien, etc.) except warfarin.I continued working out at a fitness center including treadmill 45' with heart rate over 120 for 20' of that time as he prescribed.. Resting heart rate gradually came down to 60-65.
About the max I can get it up to now is 110-115, most of my workout ,its below 100. I'm too old(79) to work much harder than this.

 

[jeffp]

Thanks Marty,
At least you had a positive spin on the subject. I figured that the rate would get to normal eventually. He's such a "downer" type of guy sometimes. He could have said "it will take some time, maybe months or a year" but instead his response was "we'll need to increase your dose...it'll be years if ever that you'll be off the beta blockers". I'm going to keep working out to my limit (120- 130 bpm) and give it some time. Will try the increased dose and monitor what it does. If not much, I'll stay where I'm at. Once things are stable, I'll look around for a cardio with a more upbeat attitude. (The guy's got me all mopey today - %$^& I hate feeling like this. On a positive note - my INRatio meter should be here tommorrow

 

[Mary]

Jeff,
I haven't been too happy with my heart rate either, but my cardio said to give it time.
Mine was running between 100-110 after surgery, but he didn't put me on any medicine. I remembered what Marty said about exercising, and I've been putting 40 minutes on the treadmill every day.

I've been down as low as 82 (I'm 7 weeks out), but there are days when just moving around, doing normal stuff gets it up in the high 90's. Anyway, I don't intend to take any medicine for it. I'm going to keep the exercise up, and I'm working on losing the weight I gained before surgery.

I would think that a HR of 85 would be perfectly acceptable for now, but that's only my opinion.
Mary

 

[Granbonny]

Did I have surgery?

Did I have surgery?

When I went to see my Cardio..3 weeks post-op..My son went in the room with me.. He told my Cardio..my Mom is feeling badly for all the meds she came home with..He took a look-see and discontinued them all. All but the Coumadin. He scripts them for me and I report to his Nurse every 4 weeks. 3 years and never had to change doseage. ....My b/p is normal..My pulse sits on 70.. NO meds for anything. I go to see my PCP every 6 months.. He says maybe you need to take some Statin drugs..and I say..NEVER... I am age 65..Feel great..eat and enjoy life..No meds for me until I need them ....Now, I do walk my dog every day..run like crazy with an age 13 year old Grandson and NOW..Enjoying life with my 2 Russian Blessins. ..Age 65 is STILL young..don't want to be drugged out. ......Our Hometown Editor of our Weekly newspaper had a Heart attack Sat. Died..Age 45 and overweight. She made the front page of local paper in Gainesville, Ga. what a wonderful person... she was my neighbor and we just were in the pool Friday together chatting. She always laid in the sun for hours..I could never do that..but, would come into pool to cool down. Noticed she had a hard time pulling herself up out of pool...We are all (county) sad for her family..single Lady that lived here with her Mom..Sorry, Jeff, didn't mean to hiJack your thread..Just venting..Sadness....I know in my heart..Her weight got her in the end..Bonnie

 

[Nancy]

Joe had afib and flutter for a very long time, he also had bradycardia on occasion. They implanted a pacemaker to keep the brady in control, then started him on Betas to keep the high heart rate in control. He just could not tolerate them at all. He blew up with fluid and had to be hospitalized. So scratch that wonderful plan. Several other cards have tried all the other Betas. It was a no go.

So they just let his high heart rate fly with only Digoxin. It was high for the longest time and irregular. About a year ago, it started reverting on its own. He's NSR and in a normal rate range at the moment.

To what does he owe that honor---who knows? We don't ask questions much anymore, as long as things are going in the right direction.

His last heart surgery was about 4 years ago.

So, yeah, I guess it does take a little time.

But you're a great deal healthier than Joe, so maybe you'll get good results soon. Just be patient.

 

[bvdr]

Jeff,

I ran a resting heart rate of over 100 for the first few months after surgery and reluctantly went back on atenolol and never felt very well on it. It did lower my heart rate to around 80, made me feel lousy but made my cardiologist feel better. He said his chief concern was the potential of cardiomyopathy from a sustained elevated heart rate. After several months (on the beta-blocker) my resting heart rate was about 70 and we cut the dose in half. When that went well we went with a bite of that piece one day and the remainder the next.....I was only taking about 12.5mg a day and then quit it totally. I was worried I would never get off them too. I used to feel over-medicated but the worst offenders for me were atenolol and cardizem. I'm on flecainide to help me stay in SR but compared to the others it is nothing.

It did take several months for me. Don't give up hope. I do believe I would be still on them if I hadn't pushed for the lowest dose possible and worked to wean off them altogether. Good luck!

 

[coryp]

Jeff,

I ran a resting heart rate of over 100 for the first few months after surgery and reluctantly went back on atenolol and never felt very well on it. It did lower my heart rate to around 80, made me feel lousy but made my cardiologist feel better. He said his chief concern was the potential of idiopathic cardiomyopathy from a sustained elevated heart rate. After several months (on the beta-blocker) my resting heart rate was about 70 and we cut the dose in half. When that went well we went with a bite of that piece one day and the remainder the next.....I was only taking about 12.5mg a day and then quit it totally. I was worried I would never get off them too. I used to feel over-medicated but the worst offenders for me were atenolol and cardizem. I'm on flecainide to help me stay in SR but compared to the others it is nothing.

It did take several months for me. Don't give up hope. I do believe I would be still on them if I hadn't pushed for the lowest dose possible and worked to wean off them altogether. Good luck!

Hi,.

What were the bad feelings associated with the medicine (atenolol)?

I had a rp of about 80 prior to surgery (7 wks ago) and I was on Tiazac (similar to Cardizem) with no ill effects. After surgery I am now aro 68 but my surgeon took me off the Tiazac and now I am on Atenolol (50mg 2x) Diovan (bp meds 1x80mg) and Zocor (20mg 1x). I did not have high bp or any Chilestorol (actually it is much lower than avg (119) but my surgeons thinks that the zocor aids the Valve and that keeping my Systolic Bp below 105 is best. My point is I have not had any effects from any of these medications that I can tell. Why do I seem so amune and many of you have so many side effects (not complaining)??

thx

 

[Marty]

Everybody is different. But beta-blockers made me feel lousy. Maybe if I stayed on them long enough I would have grown more tolerant. I'm just lucky I have doctors who don't like to load patients up with a million pills. By the way Jeff , my surgeon also said NO DAYTIME NAPS. He believes you have to try very soon postop to get back to a normal sleep pattern. I identify with you Jeff, we mitrals are a minority here and need to stick together. Keep exercising , get a good nights rest, eat right, and your pulse rate will soon be right where it was before surgery.

 

[bvdr]

Hi,.

What were the bad feelings associated with the medicine (atenolol)?

I had a rp of about 80 prior to surgery (7 wks ago) and I was on Tiazac (similar to Cardizem) with no ill effects. After surgery I am now aro 68 but my surgeon took me off the Tiazac and now I am on Atenolol (50mg 2x) Diovan (bp meds 1x80mg) and Zocor (20mg 1x). I did not have high bp or any Chilestorol (actually it is much lower than avg (119) but my surgeons thinks that the zocor aids the Valve and that keeping my Systolic Bp below 105 is best. My point is I have not had any effects from any of these medications that I can tell. Why do I seem so amune and many of you have so many side effects (not complaining)??

thx

For me, I felt like I was 45 RPM record being played on 33 RPM speed. Ok, I know that dates me . I just felt so very tired and as if I was living in a body that somehow didn't suit me anymore. It was like trying to run in a dream when your arms and legs only go in slow motion. It wasn't nausea or headache or any of those easily identifiable things but just as real anyway. I'm glad you don't have problems with side effects with your medications. You are very fortunate indeed.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I don't remember how long it took to get back to my previous normal HR, but it was longer that I expected.

After an MI, angioplasty, bypass, and AVR (spread over several years), I distinctly remember feeling like I had finally reached my 'maximum surgical benefit' 18 months post op (from AVR) when I was able to get out in the woods and hand saw trees and push mow 2 acres. I'm sure part of that was due to deconditioning and age as well as all the heart stuff.

One of the things I like about my Cardiologist is that he believes in only using the minimum dose that relieves symptoms and works with me to find that happy medium.

Just keep on doing your breathing, walking, and resting and you will get there in time. It just never seems to come as quickly as we would like!

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Jasko]

My dads heart rate is usually around 55 bpm to 60 when resting, is that ok. He had an mechanical aortic valve replacement about 1.5 months ago?

Thanks

 

[Cris N]

jeffp,

Have you gone through cardiac rehab? If not, I would talk with cardio about it. If so, are you still exercising. The one thing that is really helping me my hr down is exercise. I'm still in rehab 3x week and push myself to work a little harder each time.

Hope you get some answers.

Cris