Smoker with low resting heart rate ?

[Jess5566]

I’ve been searching google and websites for some sort of reassurance into my symptoms for a long time, and on the off chance I’ve seen this post!

I could have wrote this myself, I’ve had palpitations for years, everyday and they’ve never settled or left, I’ve seen so many doctors and had scan, stress tests, 24hr ecgs etc.

I’ve actually just asked if I could get another one because when I had coronavirus I was given a oxy meter and that’s when I learned my resting heart rate was in its 50s, I panicked and contacted the doctor and they said it isn’t unusual but they’ll do another one just to check nothing has changed because my last 24hr ecg showed my resting rate to be no lower than 62.

I’m a smoker too, and have about 10 a day.

I have lost a considerable amount of weight since my last ECG ( down from 9st to 7st) so I hoping it’s just that.

hope you’re doing well.

[panic_down_under]

I was given a oxy meter and that’s when I learned my resting heart rate was in its 50s, I panicked and contacted the doctor and they said it isn’t unusual

A resting heart rate of between 60-100bpm was long considered normal for adults, but cardiologists are increasingly coming to the view that 50-75bpm is the idea. See: What is a Normal Heart Rate? and 5 Heart Rate Myths Debunked

I’m a smoker too, and have about 10 a day.

As one of the few long-term lung cancer survivors, only about 12-15% of us are still alive 5 years after diagnosis, even less make it to 10 years, I urge you to quit. Yes, it isn't easy, but nor is dealing with the day to day issues of living with impaired lung function. Just one of the issues is my blood pressure is now kept lower than normal because the lungs act as shock absorbers moderating blood flow from the heart and the half a lung I'm missing has to be compensated for. A side-effect is my heart rate is now in the mid 40bpm to low 50bpm range about 10bpm less than before surgery.

If you can't/won't quit then at least be proactive and start having regular chest x-rays every couple of years from around age 50. I had several other risk factors in addition to having smoked for about a decade from my late teens to late twenties, so my then GP and I decided regular x-rays were a good idea. The second one picked up the LC nodule when it was only ~12mm in diameter which meant surgery would likely be curative. Once tumours grows to ~30mm they has often already begun to metastasise and survival odds then drop dramatically.

[nomorepanic]

banned

[pav1984]

I'm no doctor however that may just be normal for you. You might want to go to the doctor and check you are ok and maybe ask if they can help you with your motivation and energy levels.