Exercise Vs Resting Heart Rate

[mkoven]

Before I started having symptoms, my resting heart rate was in the low 60s, and when I'd exercise it would be around 120. (With my joints, I couldn't go harder.)

What's weird is that now my resting heart rate is upper 80s at the lowest and often upper 90s, but when I'm exercising (recumbent bike) it still only goes up to 120. And 100 on the bike feels like some effort, even though 100 lying down just makes me feel like my heart is "spinning its wheels" -- but 100 on the bike feels like it serves a purpose. So I'm baffled...

[Lukkychrm42]

Are you on medications? Before I became super-symptomatic a few years ago, my HR might be in a normal exercise range of 135 or so, and it might be more along 180+, depending on the day and time.

Now that I'm on medication, when it's WORKING and at an OK time for exercise (like after 4 pm or so), then my HR often doesn't go over 110 when doing moderate exercise on the recumbent bike (AKA sitting down!!)

More often on the recumbent bike it might be 85-95 with my meds, and my resting HR at 45 or so.

Since there's so much more to POTS than just tachycardia, most of us, I think, get various symptoms even when our HR is in the "normal range."

Anyway, if you're on meds, then that might be why your HR isn't going up higher when you exercise. If not, it could be more natural variances in your body.

Also, if you were doing exercise standing up, it might fluctuate more. But I don't think it means that your body isn't working as hard or harder when you exercise now as when you were before.

I think it's normal for you to feel the difference, because a HR of 100 when you're lying down is high, but when you're exercising, it's not considered high or too high.

Moreover, if your HR runs like you're doing a marathon when you're lying down, I don't think it would be that strange for it do do the same when you're exercising, even if it's not going up higher.