Bradychardia

[LMG]

As with many of you, I have a low resting heart rate. I feel much worse when it is in the lower 50's. The past few nights it has dropped to the 40's. Other than having taken an epsom salt bath (which has magnesium which can slow heart rate), which I won't do again, I haven't changed meds etc. I feel like I have relapsed and feel awful again. Anyone find a way to raise heart rate? I know I can help raise my low bp with salt, gatoraide and florinef when bp tanks but not sure what to do with this.

Thanks

[corina]

I can have days where I run so low that I can hardly leave my bed. When I have to use the bathroom I put my feet up and kind of "air bike" to get my hr up, go use the bathroom and back in bed. Nobody is able to explain why this happens. It usally takes 2 to 5 days and then Iḿ back on my feet.

[LMG]

Thanks Corina,I am on day three of this. Supposed to take a trip to see the in laws...my first trip since onset of POTS so hoping it passes soon.

Do you get back to your baseline afterwards? It feels just like the first 4 or 5 months of my onset. Miserable.

I googled bradychardia...no real treatments for it.

Anyone have any management tips?

[Guest Alex]

I've had such episodes in the past but mine were related to my meds. When I mentioned them to my dr he wasn't concerned and told me not to worry excessively over this. Truth is my episodes were always short lived - couple hrs at the most. Can you talk to your dr and get his/her opinion?

It's interesting how we're all different and we respond differently to meds/supplements. I read about someone else complaining of hypotension after an Epsom salts bath. In my case I had no issues with my BP or HR after such a bath, plus I take magnesium supplements as they help control my HR.

Corina's suggestion of some light form of exercise is a good one and all I can think about. That's pretty much what my dr suggested - get up and move around if possible whenever this happens.

Hope you feel better soon.

Alex

[AllAboutPeace]

Hi LMG

I hope this was just related to the salts and isn't a setback for you!

I feel awful with brady too. I just had an episode a few days ago when I felt pre-syncope while sitting. I actually ended up calling a relative to come over because I felt so awful and didn't want my son to be alone with me. It feels like passing out at that stage wouldnt be like a regular faint (sudden drop in bp and hr which typically, for me, occurs with standing) that you would recover from pretty quickly once you get flat. When I checked my HR it was low 40's and it feels like it gets 'stuck' there.

I have tried different things before to increase HR at those times but, for me, nothing works (which makes sense, I suppose if its neurally mediated). I've tried caffeine, moving around and even got on the recumbent bike to try to get the blood pumping (although that's tough to do when you can barely function!). Nothing works. The only thing I can do is wait it out - usually an overnight sleep will reset things.

So, hopefully someone else will have some helpful suggestions I can definitely empathize with you though...

[Charlotte1]

I also have bradycardia with low blood pressure. I am finding that sudafed sometimes works for the low heart rate as well as boosting the blood pressure. You might want to try that if you're not hypertensive.

[Iheartfrogs217]

Great discussion and I'm so happy to have found this article! I have been experiencing bradycardia lately too. This is a new symptom for me so I was wondering if it was dangerous or just another POTS symptom? My heart rate went down to 43 when laying in bed. Is that concerning? Thanks for your help!

[Freaked]

My main problem is tachy, but lately I've started getting longer spells of a lower hr. Mostly just about 60, but that's enough to make me feel faint. Not on meds atm. It's like this slow pounding for me, and I'm pretty sure it might be a vagus nerve thing. It often coincides with periods of increased pain in that sort of distribution.