Heart Rate During Exercise

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Curious to know if any of our athletes notice heart rate issues brought on by exercise? I always wear my heart rate monitor during power walking, stationary bike, and/or running. Two weeks ago my heart rate went into the 170s after about 5 or so minutes of running on the treadmill, I usually make it through the first 30 minutes before I reach 170s. I power walked to bring it down but not sure if I should be concerned. Yesterday, at the Y, I power walked at 3.5 mph for entire workout, noticed my heart rate would be 119, then shoot up into the 140s, settle back down, shoot up again, the treadmill kept telling me to slow down, LOL, my only option is to be placed on a beta blocker and I'm avoiding that like the plague. Afraid my SVT is coming back, had this post op. My checkup is due in April, thinking about calling my cardio sooner rather than later and get checked out. I know, when in doubt, check it out.

So, if you have a similar problem, did your cardio put you on a beta blocker? What dosage are you on? How is the beta blocker affecting your exercise capabilities?
 
First thing worth noting is that HR monitors may not be capturing your true rate. I found that HR devices (the band) when a couple of years old can give you misleading values. In terms of your HR during exercise, this highly depends on your age and how long you have been doing endurance training.

I would see about getting an exercise stress test to get a better read on how your HR is going.

Beta blockers will generally limit your endurance, but this is highly dependent on dose and the individual. Knwoing what I know now, if a BB will be suggested, I would ask for a stress test before and after 50 mg of BB to get a baseline on effectiveness.
 
Just want to second John's experience with the chest straps. After a couple of years, I had to replace mine to get back to normal readings. The numbers were leaping all over after a long stretch of wonderful functioning. It seems the strap's interior materials degrade over time and washings.

Also, if you do go with a new HR strap and the HR issue continues, you're spot on in going early for the cardio visit, as you're thinking.

And for what it's worth, I take a small beta-blocker dose, and it doesn't seem to matter at all. My hear rate still gets way up there, and I can do endurance events. It is individual, of course, but working with your cardio will get you to a good exercise place. Let us know how all this develops. All the best.
 
Thank you for your responses. I will make a trip to REI and scout out a new heart rate monitor. I just may upgrade too! I don't need all of the fancy stuff like GIS but I would like to have heart rate, average heart rate, mileage, calories burned. I'll take mine with me so they can steer me to the upgrade without a lot of fluff.

I ran on the treadmill last Friday morning, 4+ miles, 45 minutes, with a 5 minute walking cool down. My heart rate reached the mid 170s about 30 minutes in, no discomfort, felt good throughout. During cool down, as my heart rate came down, it fluctuated up and down, then came down to mid 120s before I stepped off of the treadmill.

Yesterday's run, average heart rate 165, max 180. I run tomorrow, 45 minutes of running for now as I am building my endurance. I'd like to increase to 1 hour over the next couple of weeks.

The Y's treadmills have a heart rate monitor too so I can see the readings throughout my run. It picks up my monitor's readings without my touching the hand grips. The treadmill will be off maybe a few beats, for the most part, it matches my heart rate monitor readings.

Let's see what a new heart rate monitor tells me. :)
 
My Polar monitor strap lasted about 2 years before I started to get weird readings. Ordered a new strap and all is good again. Once in a while it will give me a bogus max HR(230) "NOT", but I can usually tell it is way off. Dr wants me to stay below 130 for continuous readings(cardio). Lifting I do peak in the 145-155 for a few seconds.
 
This is nice to hear! My polar HR monitor is 6 years old. I guess I HAVE to replace that strap now... I really don't think my HR went down to 40 and up to 135 while working out yesterday.
I've been putting off replacing it...
 
It's not the HR Monitor....

It's not the HR Monitor....

I bought a Polar FT7 yesterday. The strap is a lot more comfortable than my F4. Four mile run, 44 minutes, 5 minute cool down. Average heart rate 174, max 181(briefly). I felt good, no problems with breathing, still had fluctuation during the cool down. I've noticed some other things such as when I walk to my car after work, up an incline in the parking garage, sometimes I'm out of breath by the time I reach my car, I walk fast so I ignored it. I'm not out of shape, been back at the gym using the machines, free weights and running since mid October, I had minor foot surgery in August. Been working out and running for many years.

I guess I'll make that call....if I need to be on a beta blocker then I need to. Darn SVT :mad2:
 
I do know that my HR monitor gives me wacky readings. The other day it said 240 after just a few minutes on the treadmill. I am just happy that my ICD didn't get the same number because I would have gotten a shock. Sure enough, within 2 minutes it was back to 106.

But I will concede that I still have a bit of variability in terms of how I feel during my workouts since valve repair a year ago. 2 weeks ago 10 miles no problems. Last weekend I had to stop after 8 miles when my hamstrings locked up. Two days later I struggled to run 5 miles, after 1 mile I was out of breath, but somehow came back to life and picked up the pace for the last two miles. Today on the treadmill I cranked it up and did 4 miles before I looked at the readout. (and I generally hate running for extended periods on the TM) I felt great but my HR barely got above 125. I could have gone much much faster.

HR is very specific to the individual, so this comes back to the doctor's opinion. In my case, because of my meds, aint no way I could get my HR up to 170, not with the beta bockers and flecainide they have me on. Now I start to feel anaerobic at 135 or so.
 
I never had a HRM, so don't know how they can react, but I have a pulse meter on my treadmill and it is erratic because my heart rate can be erratic. If you get irregular beats at all, it confuses the hell out of the counter.
 
I have had the same problems with HR jumping up. April of last year my HR during workout would go from 150 to 200 within a few seconds. I know it was that high because I could feel it. Went to the doc and they found aortic stenosis, severe. She said this was not the problem that cause my HR to jump up. But I had to have surgery to repair in June. Got back to exercising in Aug and had 2 other episodes of jumping HR in Oct. Doc told me to keeping an eye on it, have had no other problems but I under doc orders to hold around 130-140 bpm.

I have a Zephyr bluetooth HR monitor that connects to my Android phone. It is rechargeable and has a really good strap. I run the strap under water and then put it on. Have had no problems with it. I have used Timex in the past and had lots of problems. When I bike at the Y (stationary) or Arc Trainer, I typically hold the grips and it reads the same at the HR monitor.
 
I have not been using any monitoring gizmos.I am 6 months post-op and have been going to spinning classes 3 times a week. I do feel my heart beat going up but it comes right back down during recovery. I have not passed out (yet. knock on wood) :) Should I get a heart monitor in this case ?
 
enkaynj said:
I have not been using any monitoring gizmos.I am 6 months post-op and have been going to spinning classes 3 times a week. I do feel my heart beat going up but it comes right back down during recovery. I have not passed out (yet. knock on wood) :) Should I get a heart monitor in this case ?
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Yes, you should get one of these gizmos. :eek: My cardiologist advised this after my AVR. I never used one prior to surgery, using one post op helps me to guage my heart health and fitness. That's also how I know I'm having rhythm issues now.


wgreene said:
I have had the same problems with HR jumping up. April of last year my HR during workout would go from 150 to 200 within a few seconds. I know it was that high because I could feel it. Went to the doc and they found aortic stenosis, severe. She said this was not the problem that cause my HR to jump up. But I had to have surgery to repair in June. Got back to exercising in Aug and had 2 other episodes of jumping HR in Oct. Doc told me to keeping an eye on it, have had no other problems but I under doc orders to hold around 130-140 bpm.

I have a Zephyr bluetooth HR monitor that connects to my Android phone. It is rechargeable and has a really good strap. I run the strap under water and then put it on. Have had no problems with it. I have used Timex in the past and had lots of problems. When I bike at the Y (stationary) or Arc Trainer, I typically hold the grips and it reads the same at the HR monitor.
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I like my polar. I ran years ago with some men from work, one was a serious training type. He wore his all the time and he said it helped him to train properly for races. I was fast, he wanted to train me for a faster time at the marathon distance after I finished my first at 3:55:09, I had always hoped to finish in 3:30. Maybe if I get these rhythm issues under control that could be a possibility. :) I have run 5 marathons total.

I have my cardio appointment scheduled. Here's my last 2 weeks rates: Dec 29, 44 min @ 4 miles, avg 174/181 max, 12-31, 44 min @ 4 miles, avg 168/177 max, 1-1 (5 mile power walk with neighbor), 1-3, 44 min @ 4 miles, avg 172/183 max, 1-5, 22 min @ 2 miles, avg 158/166 max, 1-7, 3 miles, avg 164/174 max, 1-10, 2 miles, avg 167/179 max. I decreased my mileage to see what if anything changed, guess not. :frown2:

I've also noticed my resting heart rate is in the high 70s, typically I'm low 60s. We'll figure it out, it may be the atrial flutter is back or its SVT. :confused2:
 
During exercise my heart rate gets to about 170 range. I try to keep it in the high 150 range. Im currently trying to ween off beta blocker but even on the blockers my rate seems high during exercise my cardio did a stress and took me up to 181 thought all looked well. I usually jog on the treadmill at 4 mph and elevation level 3 for a little over a mile and my rate likes to be at high 160's with these settings. It amazes me how some people only get there heart rates to 140 when they jog, I think my heart rate is too high and hoping with conditioning it will improve. I never was an active person before surgery so this may be why my rate is too high during exercise. At work I notice most the time my rate is in the mid to high 80's but when I get home and relax its in the high 60's to mid 70's at rest btw im currently on 12.5mg of metoprolol a day. I take it before bed during the day at work I feel drained and overall yucky I want to blame it on the small dose of metoprolol and lipitor. I hoping to get off both within this new year and hopfully feel better.
 
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Folks - I wish I had all of your problems with heart rate. I have a pacemaker and it confuses the stuffing out of most rate monitors. Sometimes my old Polar works, sometimes it goes wonky. Mostly I use a stationary bike or power walk on the treadmill (knees don't like running any more - bah). Most times when I walk at 4.2 mph at a 10% incline, my heart rate goes up to the 130's, but as others have noted, I sometimes see those bogus rates over 200. At these times, I don't feel anything out of the ordinary, so I just ignore it and eventually the monitor calms down. I have a new Polar unit. I should try it and see if it is more consistent.

I should try jogging once I unpack the new monitor. I am no longer 100% paced, so my heart rate may actually go above the max of 150 bpm set into my pacer. Pre-surgery, I used to run at the mid-160's. I wonder. . .
 
To 1up on epstns comment I use a finger monitor when I jog because of my pacemaker. Of course with jogging the finger monitor doesn't work well but its better then nothing and gives me an idea of where my heart is at. About a month ago I had the pacemaker clinic turn the "rate response" off on my pacemaker and it no longer gives me issues during work outs like before. Before it would bring my heart rate up to 150 by just walking fast...sheesh. I'm currently paced less than 14% of the time.
 
Julian said:
At work I notice most the time my rate is in the mid to high 80's but when I get home and relax its in the high 60's to mid 70's at rest btw im currently on 12.5mg of metoprolol a day.
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Check your heart rate first thing in the morning before you start your day, that should be your true resting heart rate.

epstns said:
Folks - I wish I had all of your problems with heart rate.
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Thank you for your reply. :) The only thing not good about a high heart rate is that it makes the heart work harder. My echo last April showed my heart to be at the upper limits of normal so I want to be sure I'm not causing more harm than good. My mom has Afib, no other heart issues, not sure if it can be genetic in nature.
 
Love my Cardiologist....

Love my Cardiologist....

Did I ever tell you all how much I love my cardiologist? I do, he is the best. I had my appt today, as I am typing I'm hooked up to a halter monitor and will turn it in tomorrow afternoon. When I was in his office today, my heart rate was 106. I did a vaso manuever, it slowed briefly and then sped right back up. I gave him a spreadsheet, from December to this morning, outlining my blood pressure in the morning, my heart rate in the morning, my exercise routine, average and high rate running, and I told him how my heart rate spikes during the 5 minute cooldown. I went to the Y and worked out as I usually do, average heart rate 171, max 178. The spikes were right on schedule so this monitor better pick them up. Depending on the results, I will follow up with the electrophysiologist I saw post op to discuss what's next. Cardio does not want to bandaid with beta blockers or anything else until they find out what is going on with my heart rate. So there you have it. :cool:

Because I worked out today so that the monitor could capture what's going on, this makes four days in a row. I haven't done that in a long time and I feel good, no aches or pains, just a fast heart rate. :rolleyes2:
 
Can a high heart rate damage a tissue valve?

Can a high heart rate damage a tissue valve?

I'm back to running and biking also. I feel almost as good as before avr. I'm about 3 years post op. I just still worry about the cow valve flapping too fast making it more susceptible to tearing, or when it gets older and weaker it will be even more susceptible to tearing. Have any of your cardios said anything about that? Why do they give beta blockers, isn't it to keep your heart rate down?
 
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