How Low Is Too Low For Heart Rate?

[mandasmom]

I recently started taking a higher than normal dose of proamatine. It has done the trick in raising BP however it has really lowered my heart rate. My rate right now is 35bpm. I'm feeling pretty cruddy at the moment, weak, clammy, fuzzy headed and feeling like I need to breath deeply. I am also exhausted and just want to sleep but I am a bit concerned to sleep with the heart rate so low. Am I just being paranoid? I know you aren't doctors, just looking for input.

[Rachel]

Hi there,

35bpm is very low. I'd give your doc a call right away. I think average for a healthy person is around 60. Hope you start feeling better soon.

Rachel

[MightyMouse]

35 is way too low. If you cannot get a hold of your doctor and it's still that low, you may need to go to the ER--of course if it's near the end of your dose cycle, your heart rate bounces up, you may want to skip your proamatine until you talk to you doctor.

[mandasmom]

Thanks Rachel and Mighty Mouse,

Meds are beginning to wear off, HR is back in the 40's and head is MUCH clearer. I came close to going to the ER when I couldn't reach the doctor. I will not be taking any more of this until I speak with the doctor on Monday.

[Rachel]

I'm glad your hr is climbing back up. Definitely keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't drop again. I hope you can find the delicate med balance you need.

Rachel

[Ernie]

Hi,

Below 60 is bradycardia. I would be unconscious at 35!

[ajw4790]

Wow! That does sound very low! I hope it continues to go up and you feel better! I think it is definitly important to consult with your dr. and continue to monitor it. If you have more problems you may want to consider the ER. Has anything like this ever happened before?

I hope you feel better soon!

[mandasmom]

Hi,

Below 60 is bradycardia. I would be unconscious at 35!

Ernie, for awhile it was getting pretty close to that. It was all I could do to keep my eyes open and stay awake. I kept trying to move my body to get the rate up.

[mandasmom]

AJW,

It has gotten down to 40 before, quite a few times, ususally when they were messing around with my beta blockers. It has been recorded multiple times on various monitors and even when I was in the hospital and nobody ever seemed to think it was a big deal. But yes, I will be keeping an eye on it. I have an implantable heart monitor so I was sure to record a reading tonight also.

[ajw4790]

Sounds like you are on top of things! I hope it works well for you! Ironically I was just going to ask you if you are on a beta blocker because that could be doing that to your heart rate. But, you answered my question!

What did you have the monitor implanted for? The low heart beat or for other arrhythmias?

I wonder why they were not at least a little concerned? Esp. if you were up and moving?

Good luck!

[Ernie]

Hi,

When my BB dosage were too high and my HR was in the 40s (at the hospital) my doctors decreased the dosage.

If your HR is not high enough your vital organs don't get enough blood and nourishement. In the long run it can cause damage.

I don't understand why your doctors are not doing anything. If you were not on BB they would be offering you a PM.

[juliegee]

This certainly does NOT apply to mandasmom situation, but thought I'd share. My son's HR gets into the 30's when he's got something going on, like a GI bacterial overgrowth. I have taken him to the ER when it was in the mid to high 30's. They were shocked to see him feeling so well, tossing a rubber ball to anyone who walked into his room. Mind you, he was having a bit of "D" (because of the BO)and sleeping an awful lot, but basically feeling OK. His cardiologist did a thorough work-up, mumbled something about increased vagal tone, and declared him fit. So, low HR's can be "normal" and just another part of dyautonomia. My son was also very athletic at the time, an avid skateboarder. His cardiologist says he'd be much more concerned if Mack was displaying symptoms at the time, like trouble breathing, maintaining consciousness, etc.

Julie