50 bpm heart rate and 140/78 bp should I be worried ?

peanut

very unfit and grossly overweight I embarked on a fitness and weightloss program in September. (cycle 30 mins v hilly once a week)
I went to the local gym last night to enroll on a referral from the quacks .
I was surprised that my resting heart rate was only 50bpm ? it was only 54bpm when I was superfit years ago
I have been getting very breathless lately from just walking up 2 flights of stairs at work and had a couple of dizzy spells (few seconds)
2 weeks ago I re-started taking 50mgs of thyroxin for hypothyroidism

should I be worried

ColinJ

peanut wrote:

...should I be worried

The correct answer to your question is that you should be asking your doctor that question !

peanut

you are probably right but he doesn't care. He referred me for a fitness program but didn't bother to take my blood pressure. ?

Rockhopper

I would say your bp is a bit high, 120/80 is normal but then what do i know, i'm an architect!

chrisberry

I'm neither an architect nor a doctor, but I know ColinJ is right on this one.

Low heart rate could be sign of hypothyroidism and so may improve with your meds. But it can also be caused by other things, and may be worth checking out. Would be useful to know more about why you have only just restarted the thyroxine, is this on medical advice from your doctor?

But generally, if your doctor is not bothered, give him a chance to be bothered and then if need be find one that is.

peanut

Rockhopper wrote:

I would say your bp is a bit high, 120/80 is normal but then what do i know, i'm an architect!

me too

Simon Notley

If you are grossly overweight and have been referred for an exercise regime it's probably not surprising that your BP is a little elevated. As with everyone else who has posted so far I am NOT a doctor, so could be talking rubbish. I don't think the low HR is anything to panic about, but high BP puts you at increased risk of heart problems (I do have medical refs for this, but can't find them right now), so dropping some weight sounds like a good idea. Good luck!

Special K

Hi there Peanut

I referred this to the medic in the family and concurring with advise on here received the following:

"1. See a doctor. If not happy with level of care or attention, then get yourself referred and/or get yourself put through a private health screening. This may cost a bit but it will be worth it and you might find that your insurance will pay for some of it.
2. The figures alone are not enough to make a comment, particularly given your weight, medication and age. Don't worry yourself with online diagnosis etc - either stop worrying or present yourself to a decent doctor.
3. Have you been tested for diabetes recently? Otherwise sensible rate of weight loss can only be a good thing. Just remember the importance of recovery times and listen to your body.
4. If you are getting dizzy during exercise then you must ease off on the intensity, and see a doctor, especially if this persists beyond the first 6 weeks of your exercise regime."

peanut

Thank you for your post and advice special K .

I have changed surgeries three times in the past 4 years to try to get someone to take me seriously. I'm afraid I have a very low regard for the medical profession. Too many it seems to me are only interested in making money and advancing themselves in my experience. Very rare you meet a Dr that has a genuine interest in medicine and patient care in my experience.
That said I have now consulted the third Doctor in this particular surgery who has at least conceeded to my request for a referral to a health and fitness program at the local gym.

I haven't experienced a reocurrance of the dizzy spell after climbing stairs fortunately . I have a chronic chest infection which is quite bad at the moment which could explain the breathlessness. That said I went out on a 8 mile very hilly cycle yesterday and did it at 12.7 mph av and breathing seemed fine. I made a very quick recovery and felt great.

I'll mention the low resting hr the next time I see my Dr .

Special K wrote:

Hi there Peanut

I referred this to the medic in the family and concurring with advise on here received the following:

"1. See a doctor. If not happy with level of care or attention, then get yourself referred and/or get yourself put through a private health screening. This may cost a bit but it will be worth it and you might find that your insurance will pay for some of it.
2. The figures alone are not enough to make a comment, particularly given your weight, medication and age. Don't worry yourself with online diagnosis etc - either stop worrying or present yourself to a decent doctor.
3. Have you been tested for diabetes recently? Otherwise sensible rate of weight loss can only be a good thing. Just remember the importance of recovery times and listen to your body.
4. If you are getting dizzy during exercise then you must ease off on the intensity, and see a doctor, especially if this persists beyond the first 6 weeks of your exercise regime."

Ash_

peanut wrote:

you are probably right but he doesn't care. He referred me for a fitness program but didn't bother to take my blood pressure. ?

Can I assume from this that your blood pressure was take either at the gym or by yourself? You should go back to the doctor and get this simple test done properly. It's a good idea to monitor your own blood pressure, but the units you can buy for home use (which is probably what the gym would have) are only useful for comparing against themselves.

As many others here have said - talk to your doctor about it...

peanut

Ash_ wrote:

peanut wrote:

yIt's a good idea to monitor your own blood pressure,

..

why is it ?

keef66

I got one of the diy blood pressure things just for peace of mind. Quite rewarding watching it come down as fitness improves. Also measures resting heart rate.

nwallace

Rockhopper wrote:

I would say your bp is a bit high, 120/80 is normal but then what do i know, i'm an architect!

If I was at work I could have checked what we have set for the "highlight in red" values, as it is I can't remember which is Systolic and which is Diastolic.
One of them has a much wider range for OKness than the other.

Has your heart rate always been low (i.e. since you were super fit) or has it been up to normal values and dropped back down?

Rockhopper

Its worth taking your own BP becuase it eliminates the possibilty of "white coat syndrome". I have issues with my BP that were picked up at my Army medical, it was well high, i went to my Gp and it was even higher, they were so worried they considered sending me right to hospital! Anyhow i took one of their machines home and took it myself over a week and nearly all the readings were fine! Took them back to my GP and he said he wouldn't have any worries about me.