One step forward and two steps back(low pulse)

[Alisonj]

So I have been doing quite well lately. Not as anxious as normal etc.
Today I woke up and did my usual thing and suddenly started feeling sick and dizzy. I thought maybe it was because I had not ate yet even though that never usually happens so I ate and felt better.
Then tonight I am having the stupid missed beats and fluttery feeling in my heart. My pulse is in the high 40's and that always scares me alone. I wish it would atleast stay in the mid to upper 50's. So I just did a workout to try and raise it some. It has come up to 62 now and that is about 20 minutes after my workout.
I hate worrying about this. I wish my pulse would just be at a normal level. My doctor keeps telling me it is nothing to worry about but that doesnt help. I WORRY!!! Badly:weep: My Blood pressures have been fairly good for weeks now and of course now that I did a workout I am getting 112/72 and to me(for some reason) that is high and that makes me worry too!
I just want to feel normal, be normal and not be so terrified!!!!!!
Does anyone else have a really low pulse rate?

[joyce1980]

I have a resting pulse of 118, normal for my anxiety.

Do you have an underactive thyroid??? that causes a slow heart beat.
You may just be a very fit person.

If your Dr isn't worried try to relax a little or you can demand they check it out, I'm sure they would do that for you.

x x x

[countrygirl]

I am sure nearly eveyone on here would be ecstatic if they had blood pressure of 112/7? as that is quite low. So no need to worry about that one.

You say you did a workout which makes it sound like you are very fit which always gives you a slow pulse. When my son was doing competition downhill racing on his mountain bike he had a very slow pulse. Now he is older and no longer as active it is back up to normal.

I am like JOyce - slightest nervousness and it shoots up to 120 at least. In fact everytime I have to go for a hospital test where they take your blood pressure and pulse they always get in a tizzy about my high pulse and keep taking it whcih makes me more nervous so it goes faster. As soon as the test is over and they take it again it has dropped alot although will still be fast.

[joyce1980]

Ah yeah that always happens to me when I have my pulse taken, I was so upset by a nurse one day that it got to 138 !!

[Alisonj]

I can get my BP to shoot up with my anxiety and occasionally my pulse as well. I just hate that it is so low! I have had my thyroid checked several times. I am not super fit by any means but do workout.

[missy_swallows]

what is a normal heart beat? i an sitting here freaking out that mine is high!!!!

[Cathy V]

I think theres such a wide range of normal for the heart-rate, 50,60,70,80 at rest and of course when anxious or exercising anything up to 178 is considered normal and of course as has already been said, if your body is healthy, with or without working out, your pulse will be lower. Blood pressure is abit different and the normal range is not quite so wide. Normal is usually between 120/80 and 138/88 from what i can remember, but can be lower if you're more fit, and a bit higher if not so fit, or again if in a nervous situation.

Mine shot up to 180/110 last year, and together with a migraine id had for 4 days the gave me propranolol. Since then my bp has hovered between 138/85 and 145/92. They like the bottom number to be more steady and below 90 if poss, but they accept that the top number will cahnge with our moods!

Cathy xxx :D

[Alisonj]

Thanks all. I am not so much worried about my BP at all but my pulse mainly. It is only 5pm and it is already down to 50. As the evening comes it tends to go lower. I want to believe its normal I really do. My husband is on nights tonight and will be gone for 14 hours and works over an hour away so I am really scared that if it goes too low I will be on my own with my three kids and not be able to get looked at etc. Or something might happen to me.
I am soooo scared and hate this feeling!

[Alisonj]

Please please if anyone knows anything or can say anything to help me not obsess or turn into a full blown panic attack I would love to hear it

[Cathy V]

Ali, try not to worry. If your pulse was so low to be a problem you would feel ill, and i mean not just anxious and panicky, but really ill. If this is something that you know about yourself, and something that your doc knows too, then you'll be fine. Sounds to me that you have a really good heart, and its really looking after you...try to think of it as your friend, its doing ok for you, believe it ok? id give anything for mine to be so low!

[Alisonj]

Thank you Cathy that does help. I hate this anxiety so much. I am sure if my dad had died from Cancer then that would be my worry instead of my heart. Hugs and thanks for the reply.

[JoT]

Wow, you must be superfit having a pulse rate in the high 40s. I know that Athlete's and superfit people can often have heart rates in the 40s.

If that is normal for you and your doctor isn't concerned either then you have no reason to worry.

I think my resting heart rate when i am lying down is in in the upper 50s, but it can go nuts when I'm panicking

[Alisonj]

See that is just it I am not super fit. fit maybe but not super fit and that is why I am scared!

[AtmoLav]

Alison,

Quick question: why do you tak your pulse? What benefit do you get out of it? It sounds to me like it's totally counterproductive. I have no idea what my resting pusle is, nor do I want to know.

[Alisonj]

It is my obsession. Part of my OCD.

[neil1975]

Hi Alison,

I also have a low resting heart beat in the 40's or 50's mostly. I do quite a bit of running which is notorious for making your resting pulse go lower.
Some people genetically have a low resting heart rates.
Unless you are getting any symptoms such as dizzyness or blackouts then it's nothing to worry about and perfectly normal.
Lance Armstrong had a resting heartbeat in the low 30's

Take Care

Neil

[ShineUK]

Hi Ali,
If you haven't had a thyroid function blood test done try and make an appointment. Do you have any more symptoms? Anxiety is obviously one of them!!! In the mean time take a thermometer to bed with you and as soon as you wake in the morning. Its called the barnes Basal temperature test. Place the shaken down thermometer under your armpit for 10 minutes whilst you are still laying down. Take a reading and if your temperature is below 97.8 its a good indication that that may be the cause. Do it for a few mornings and keep note. I have run a thyroid support line for a private GP in Surrey for the past 10 years. It will be interesting to see what your temperature is!! Don't worry if this is the problem it's easily treated.