heart rates on treadmills/working out

[Guest guest]

,

I think the very first symptom I had that made me curious (I had no idea

what afib was) was when I got on my treadmill at home and I was more out of

breath than usual. I kept telling myself I was just stressed because for about a

week or more I had times when I thought I might be hyperventilating and times

when I felt breathless, even when lying down and lying still, I might feel

suddenly a bit out of breath.

I took my HR on the treadmill and it was WAY HIGH, like 145 BPM? I never

broke 90 in my LIFE on a treadmill because of the beta blockers I was taking for

years. So here it was 145 BPM! Did I do anything about this? Of course not. I

figured it was something wrong with the monitor on the treadmill. Went

for walks with friends, huffing and puffing. Amazing how we live in denial.

Took me two more weeks to get to a cardiologist and find out I was in afib.

Now I know just what to look for, though.

Lil

In a message dated 5/6/2006 3:36:02 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,

ceasargracie@... writes:

The lesson for me is not to let my HR get above 140 when working out. This

is my plan and we'll see how it goes. I just thought I would post this info

and I would be appreciative of any comments from yourself and anyone else as

well. I wonder if there is any significance in this that I am missing. Best

wishes and much gratitude for all that you and the members do,

[Guest guest]

Lil, denial sure is a common thing I remember my first AF episode. Felt like a

my chest had become a popcorn maker. Now I like popcorn as much as anyone, it's

just that I don't like to feel like a popcorn maker. Anyway I was working as an

EMS coordinator at the time, so I grabbed an EKG machine and saw it was AF.

Naturally the next step was that I, without delay, put the whole thing out of my

mind as soon as the episode ended. Of course it came back in a couple of days

and I had to deal with it finally. Oh well. Thanks for the levity, always

appreciated!

cnetwork@... wrote:

,

I think the very first symptom I had that made me curious (I had no idea

what afib was) was when I got on my treadmill at home and I was more out of

breath than usual. I kept telling myself I was just stressed because for about a

week or more I had times when I thought I might be hyperventilating and times

when I felt breathless, even when lying down and lying still, I might feel

suddenly a bit out of breath.

I took my HR on the treadmill and it was WAY HIGH, like 145 BPM? I never

broke 90 in my LIFE on a treadmill because of the beta blockers I was taking for

years. So here it was 145 BPM! Did I do anything about this? Of course not. I

figured it was something wrong with the monitor on the treadmill. Went

for walks with friends, huffing and puffing. Amazing how we live in denial.

Took me two more weeks to get to a cardiologist and find out I was in afib.

Now I know just what to look for, though.

Lil

In a message dated 5/6/2006 3:36:02 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,

ceasargracie@... writes:

The lesson for me is not to let my HR get above 140 when working out. This

is my plan and we'll see how it goes. I just thought I would post this info

and I would be appreciative of any comments from yourself and anyone else as

well. I wonder if there is any significance in this that I am missing. Best

wishes and much gratitude for all that you and the members do,

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/6/2006 3:41:32 P.M. Central Standard Time,

cnetwork@... writes:

Amazing how we live in denial.

Took me two more weeks to get to a cardiologist and find out I was in afib.

Now I know just what to look for, though.

Lil

In a message dated 5/6/2006 3:36:02 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,

ceasargracie@... writes:

The lesson for me is not to let my HR get above 140 when working out. This

is my plan and we'll see how it goes. I just thought I would post this

info

and I would be appreciative of any comments from yourself and anyone else as

well. I wonder if there is any significance in this that I am missing.

Best

wishes and much gratitude for all that you and the members do,

and Lil

It took me 6 mo. before seeing a Dr. during my first long afib episode.

; you said you try and keep your heart rate under 140. 220 minus your

age is considered to be your max heart rate although I am sure it varies by

individual but most workout regimens recommend a target of 85% of (220-age). I

always feel that if I stay below the target rate, whether or not I am in afib,

I will be OK. My problem is like Lil,s though, I recently upped my dose of

atenolol to get my blood pressure down and I can hardly get my rate over 110.

Guy

[Guest guest]

Guy, thanks for the interesting post. I am also on a beta blocker, Toprolol.

The usual formula for target heart rate really doesn't apply to us because our

rate is somewhat controlled by the med. One informed trainer told me that the

best way is to use a 1 -10 scale from easy to hardest imaginable and to work up

over time to about a six or seven level. It sounds solid to me. I'll ask my EP

about it next visit.

guygooch@... wrote:

In a message dated 5/6/2006 3:41:32 P.M. Central Standard Time,

cnetwork@... writes:

and Lil

It took me 6 mo. before seeing a Dr. during my first long afib episode.

; you said you try and keep your heart rate under 140. 220 minus your

age is considered to be your max heart rate although I am sure it varies by

individual but most workout regimens recommend a target of 85% of (220-age). I

always feel that if I stay below the target rate, whether or not I am in afib,

I will be OK. My problem is like Lil,s though, I recently upped my dose of

atenolol to get my blood pressure down and I can hardly get my rate over 110.

Guy

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/8/2006 2:32:14 A.M. Central Standard Time,

ceasargracie@... writes:

Guy, thanks for the interesting post. I am also on a beta blocker, Toprolol.

The usual formula for target heart rate really doesn't apply to us because

our rate is somewhat controlled by the med. One informed trainer told me that

the best way is to use a 1 -10 scale from easy to hardest imaginable and to

work up over time to about a six or seven level. It sounds solid to me. I'll

ask my EP about it next visit.

Hi ; Please let me know what he says. I hope to start biking a lot now

that summer is hear, if that lowers my blood pressure I may ask my Dr. if I

can cut back on the atenolol. I am also considering asking for a blood pressure

medicine that does not lower the heart rate as much as a beta blocker. But

then I will have another list of side effects to wonder about.

Guy

[Guest guest]

Guy, Will do.

guygooch@... wrote:

In a message dated 5/8/2006 2:32:14 A.M. Central Standard Time,

ceasargracie@... writes:

Guy, thanks for the interesting post. I am also on a beta blocker, Toprolol.

The usual formula for target heart rate really doesn't apply to us because

our rate is somewhat controlled by the med. One informed trainer told me that

the best way is to use a 1 -10 scale from easy to hardest imaginable and to

work up over time to about a six or seven level. It sounds solid to me. I'll

ask my EP about it next visit.

Hi ; Please let me know what he says. I hope to start biking a lot now

that summer is hear, if that lowers my blood pressure I may ask my Dr. if I

can cut back on the atenolol. I am also considering asking for a blood pressure

medicine that does not lower the heart rate as much as a beta blocker. But

then I will have another list of side effects to wonder about.

Guy

[Guest guest]

It's variable how patient's respond to exercise while on beta blockade. I'm on a

b-blocker (sectral) and can get my HR up, but not to target. I perform ETTs

(exercise treadmill stress tests) on my job, and many of our patient's are on

b-blockers. Most meet their target, some do not...it's really variable.

When I'm exercising, I judge my optimal exercise level by my speach. If I can

talk but it's not easy (breathlessness), I'm in the correct zone. If it's easy

to speak, I'm not working hard enough. If I'm too breathless to speak, I'm

working too hard.

Hope this guideline, although simplistic, is helpful.

....

guygooch@... wrote:

In a message dated 5/8/2006 2:32:14 A.M. Central Standard Time,

ceasargracie@... writes:

Guy, thanks for the interesting post. I am also on a beta blocker, Toprolol.

The usual formula for target heart rate really doesn't apply to us because

our rate is somewhat controlled by the med. One informed trainer told me that

the best way is to use a 1 -10 scale from easy to hardest imaginable and to

work up over time to about a six or seven level. It sounds solid to me. I'll

ask my EP about it next visit.

Hi ; Please let me know what he says. I hope to start biking a lot now

that summer is hear, if that lowers my blood pressure I may ask my Dr. if I

can cut back on the atenolol. I am also considering asking for a blood pressure

medicine that does not lower the heart rate as much as a beta blocker. But

then I will have another list of side effects to wonder about.

Guy

[Guest guest]

, I am disappointed today again I went into AF while doing a

recumbent bike. This is the second workout in a row in which this has happened.

Last Friday when my HR got to 140+ it started. Today it started at 125. The

dissappointing part is that I was not particularly winded when it occured. I

have had lone AF for 16 years and it is only during this past 6 months that I

have been having problems in spite of med changes and adjustments. I am watching

your post closely about your search for an excellent EP to perform a PVI. Please

keep posting, because at this point my EP suggests having a PVI, and I am

shopping. Your search is instuctive as are your posts. Thanks,

Carroll carroll_chris2@...> wrote:

When I'm exercising, I judge my optimal exercise level by my speach. If I can

talk but it's not easy (breathlessness), I'm in the correct zone. If it's easy

to speak, I'm not working hard enough. If I'm too breathless to speak, I'm

working too hard.

Hope this guideline, although simplistic, is helpful.

....

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/8/2006 9:03:46 P.M. Central Standard Time,

carroll_chris2@... writes:

When I'm exercising, I judge my optimal exercise level by my speach. If I

can talk but it's not easy (breathlessness), I'm in the correct zone. If it's

easy to speak, I'm not working hard enough. If I'm too breathless to speak,

I'm working too hard.

Hope this guideline, although simplistic, is helpful.

.....

Good guideline!

Guy