Whats The Target Heartrate For Exercising While On Beta Blockers?

[miajnt]

Can anyone share their exercise protocal specifically, what should you try to reach with your heart rate while on meds and how long do you keep it at a high rate? I dont see my electrophys for 2 weeks so Im exercising but not sure what my goal should be to improve??

[puppylove]

When I asked my doctor this, he said there wasn't an exact number, but as long as I could still hold a conversation and wasn't huffing and puffing . That's just me though, it's probably different for everyone.

[flyingsquirrel]

For me it's all symptom driven. My "target numbers" are the same as someone without IST and not on beta blockers (or calcium channel blockers). Back when I was on high dose beta blockers and actually had good heart rate control (and therefore couldn't get my heart rate up to my "target") I just ran a distance and speed that felt like a good workout.

Now that I'm on a much lower dose of beta blocker (and many other meds) I have poor heart rate control and am often over my "target" by the time I finish tying my shoes. Again, I just run at a pace that feels like a good workout. If I start to get chest pain or short of breath (more than just from running) I ease up. I also try to keep my heart rate under 200.

[roxie]

I was at my dr today too & he said with a bb you should target about 30 beats lower than your target range.

So if you know you non-bb target target subtract 30

[miajnt]

thanks guys, I have been wondering since i started exercising

[POTLUCK]

This was a tough question for me. Without b-blocker I can't function. Exercise is supposed to be very beneficial.

For a normal person your maximum heart rate is ~ 220- your age=

Cardio zone is 80% of this.

But this is very different with POTS with much higher heart rates. I can easily run 10 points higher than my calculated max, even with B-blocker slowing down the heart.

I started at Propranolol ER 80 mg twice daily and have been decreasing by 20mg every 2 weeks, while trying to run 10% more each week. I simply try to run at a pace I can do because a slow pace can still raise HR alot. My cardiologist said it was OK to run over my maximum HR, and I have even had a stress treadmill ( where I went 27 beats/min over my calculated max before they stopped me ) so I feel pretty safe doing it, but it wears me out. I am down to Propranolol ER 30mg twice daily - starting yesterday, and hope to do 14 miles this week.

[Guest Alex]

Ideally - like POTLUCK said your HR should be 220 - your age. While taking a beta blocker, having POTS, I think your dr is the only one who can tell you how "high" to go.

From my personal experience, while on propranolol (10 mg 2x day, plus florinef, plus midodrine, plus 3-4 L fluids, plus as much salt as I can stomach) my HR while exercising would easily reach 160 - which I was told is too high given all the meds I am on and the level of exercise I was doing. The truth is out there ... I have days when taking the stairs makes my heart go in overdrive easily, while at other times I stay around a comfortable 70-80 bpm despite making quite a bit of effort (i.e cleaning, gardening, 3 hrs brisk walking). It seems to me that the numbers are so random, so I just try to "ignore" them and focus on how I feel instead. Needless to say that I have tried exercising but couldn't really follow the regimen my dr suggested, so i decided to take it easy and do as much as i can, when I can. I'm fortunate enough not to be bedridden, but there are days when a HR of 90 feels extremely uncomfortable.

Best,

Alex