On and off for years. Scared to take now because of lower heart rate.
I've been on and off Prozac for years. It's basically the only SSRI that has been a constant staple basically and one that I feel comfortable taking. I had just started back up and had been on for maybe a month and noticed my heart rate was low. At rest in bed before I fall asleep it's usually around 45-55 bpm. I recently had a doctors appointment and mentioned the low heart rate and he said unless I'm passing out than not to worry. I had a stress test done about 4 years ago for a suspected murmur but everything was fine. I feel I need to be on something because at the moment it's like I'm teetering on the edge. Hypochondria and OCD are my main culprits amongst other problems. I feel if I were exercising and my stress was lower(in the middle of opening a business) that I might not have to be on it. But that's not the case so I can't dwell on that. I guess I'm just worried about it affecting my heart and BPM. I was a traveling soccer player for 5 years and played for 9 or 10 and after highshool was big into weightlifting and some cardio.
Re: On and off for years. Scared to take now because of lower heart rate.
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Originally Posted by
Deepseathree
At rest in bed before I fall asleep it's usually around 45-55 bpm.
The normal resting heart rate range for an adult of average fitness is 60-100 bpm, but those who exercise a lot often have lower rates as their bigger, more efficient hearts don't need to pump as vigorously.
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I guess I'm just worried about it affecting my heart and BPM.
It probably won't have much affect on heart rate, but serotonergic antidepressants are mild anticoagulants and also tend to dilate blood vessels so can reduce the risk of heart attack and ischemic stroke (but may slightly increase the risk of the much less common hemorrhagic stroke). SSRIs are often prescribed to treat depression in heart attack survivors.
Re: On and off for years. Scared to take now because of lower heart rate.
Well I started taking it again this evening. I had some 20 mg pill that I'm going to start with and work up to the 40mg. I've got myself worried about Serotonin syndrome now. I know it's not likely. Especially since I've been on Prozac before, or at least that's my assumption. But I'm worried never the less.
Re: On and off for years. Scared to take now because of lower heart rate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Deepseathree
Well I started taking it again this evening. I had some 20 mg pill that I'm going to start with and work up to the 40mg.
Starting at 10mg for the first 2 weeks if you can would probably make life easier for you as the side-effects are likely to be less severe.
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I've got myself worried about Serotonin syndrome now. I know it's not likely.
Serotonin syndrome is only an issue if you're taking another med, including some supplements which inhibits serotonin reuptake, or increases brain levels.
There is probably more male bovine manure online about serotonin syndrome/toxicity than any other aspect of SSRIs. Some of it even comes from official sources, drug company product data/monographs and doctors. To quote one of the world's leading experts on the subject, P. Ken Gillman:
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Even now, in 2016, more than a decade after key research and reviews that demonstrated the essentials of the interactions relevant to serotonin toxicity, there remains a great deal of misinformation and misunderstanding both in medical and non-medical texts.
...Such lack of knowledge and misunderstanding are reflected in advice and warnings concerning ST issued by ‘official’ agencies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the American FDA, the UK MHRA, Health Canada and the Australian TGA: their comments and advice have frequently been incorrect and misinformed.
You have a better chance of flying to the Moon by flapping your arms than being harmed by serotonin syndrome from taking just fluoxetine.
Re: On and off for years. Scared to take now because of lower heart rate.
Brad Wiggins has a resting HR of 35bpm and I am led to understand that it is all governed by the Pericardium Membrane around the heart and how large it will allow the heart to grow.
They say that this could become the next sports cheating method, altering it with drugs.
So yours for a fit person is fine.
Re: On and off for years. Scared to take now because of lower heart rate.
I am pretty sure that SSRI's do have an affect on my resting heart rate too. Just chilling in bed writing this and mine is 45bpm. Sometimes it goes to 43 but averages around 47-47. Thism can be normal for fitness freaks but I am not one of those but am not unfit. I personally believe its the drug itself that does it but as someone else said above, there seems to be evidence to suggest these drugs may prevent heart attacks.
When I came off my last antidepressant my resting heart beat normalised and was in 60s and 70s thus why I believe it is related specifically to the drug.
I don't think it is something to worry about and you have told your gp who would investigate if he thought it necessary.
Glad to know there is someone else in the same boat though. I upped my dose from 20mgs to 40 mgs 12 days ago. How much are you taking?
