TL:DR: my heart rate is really really high, what gives?

The longer version: I’ve been running 50-60km/week for years, and I know my pace/effort levels pretty well. I can (or could) run all day in Z2. I’m not built for speed, but Z4 meant sub 4min/km.

The last couple of months, my pace has gone down and my heart rate has been going up. WAY UP.

Here’s a run from 6 months ago. Mostly Z2 with a Z4 sprint toward the end:

Here’s this morning’s should-have-been Z2 run, which was in fact mostly Z4. I was going super easy, as far as legs and lungs were concerned I may as well have been sat on the sofa. My heart was doing its finest death metal drummer impression though.

I’m 6’2, 65kg, and have been since I was like 16 (31 now) – so nothings changed there. I’ve tried several HR devices (Fenix 2+chest strap, Fenix 5, 735XT) and they all tell a similar tale.

Obviously this is extremely annoying, but what is likely to be going on here? Will I get laughed out of the GP surgery for saying ‘I’m running really slowly and my heart rate is really high’?

I’m sure the doctors on here will tell you to go to your GP.

I would.

https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/heart-and-blood-vessels/conditions/supraventricular-tachycardia#diagnosing-supraventricular-tachycardia

https://eput.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Section-15-Treatment-of-Eating-Disorders-updated-Apr-2018.pdf

Do you ever stop and think before you post Paton.

Put Google down.

I know the op and you have NO idea.

I’m nothing like as fit as you, but back in September I was healthy & decently fit (lots of cycling). I started getting an odd discomfort in my chest when cycling, saw a practice nurse and got given a less than 5% risk of heart problems based on a lifestyle assessment (booked in for a non-urgent ECG). I had a major heart attack whilst out cycling a few days later. I had a second, fortunately very mild, heart attack 5 months later & I still suffer from angina.

You don’t mention any pain/discomfort and I’m afraid that your figures and graphs mean very little to me, so I’m not out to worry you, but I’m of the opinion now, that anyone with any concerns that their heart isn’t working properly gets it looked at ASAP; it’s scary just how suddenly, unexpectedly and potentially, completely they can fail. Fitness doesn’t exempt you unfortunately.

Well worth (and sensible) getting it checked out (have seen a number of news report advising that medics are currently very concerned that folk aren’t coming forward with heart concerns due to CV-19 and encouraging them to do so).

Will I get laughed out of the GP surgery for saying ‘I’m running really slowly and my heart rate is really high’?

No, you wont, GP will be happy you came in, you’ve got data to show something may be wrong, an easy referral for the doc.

You definitely won’t get laughed out of the docs. I went to the docs last mon with chest pain. I was in cardiology in hospital on tues morning for tests. They don’t mess around with heart stuff.

were you using the same HR recording device(s) back when your first trace was taken ?

One day, when we have an available, suitable test, you may find you’ve had the co-lurgy

Can you feel that your heart rate is up ie not just faulty equipment?

I would be getting to the docs.

One day, when we have an available, suitable test, you may find you’ve had the co-lurgy

Yep, I’d be a little careful. My GP is pretty sure I’ve had covid-19 and my HR has been all over the place and generally elevated. More to the point, the missus had super mild symptoms – three-days of head-ache, tight chest and a weird sensitive skin thing – and she was getting mad HR spikes for about six weeks afterwards. It’s taken me over 12 weeks to get back to gentle exercise.

I’m absolutely not saying you have covid-19, but I’d also be aware that it messes with HR quite badly, so it’s not entirely impossible.

There is some suggestion that COVID-19 is actually a disease of blood vessels given the huge range of weird apparently unrelated symptoms, and there’s a bit of biology to support the idea too. And irregular heartbeat is listed as a symptom.

I’ve always been susceptible to arrythmia, particularly ectopic beats if I have too much caffeine or artificial sweetners (or both). But a couple of weeks ago I had it really really badly despite slashing my intake of both. I rested for a week and whilst I felt fine generally I felt a bit of weirdness in my heart like I was anxious, like I’d had too much coffee when I hadn’t had any. I’m alright now and riding is back to normal.

This link might be interesting, it could explain both my symptoms via inflammation and the OP’s via low oxygenation. It was said on the Coronavirus thread that patients were showing low blood oxygenation before any other symptoms at all. That would explain a raised heart rate.

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/what-does-coronavirus-do-to-your-body

Covid screwed with my heart rate and my symptoms were generally mild.

Thanks for the input all.

I’m going to take a few days off running and give the docs a shout.

were you using the same HR recording device(s) back when your first trace was taken ?

Can you feel that your heart rate is up ie not just faulty equipment?

The older stuff was with a fenix 2 and chest strap. Newer stuff, I’ve tried the three devices listed in the OP (including that same fenix 2) and they give the same sort of numbers. I’ve also just stopped and felt my pulse and it matches the HR monitors pretty well.

I’m absolutely not saying you have covid-19, but I’d also be aware that it messes with HR quite badly, so it’s not entirely impossible.

The Covid thing had definitely occurred to me, but there’s no test for having had it afaik so there’s not much I can do about it.
A colleague and paragliding buddy came back from holiday in Spain in February, shortly before getting quite ill. I was ill a few days later, though not as bad as he was. We hadn’t really hit Covid DEFCON 1 at that point, and it just seemed like a bad cold for me, so I didn’t think much of it at the time.

I had a “funny spell” earlier this year where my chest felt a bit tight and I felt like I was going to faint, and went to see the GP about it – I wasn’t laughed at and was slotted in for (iirc) blood test & ?ECG?.

You only get the one heart, if something weird is going on WHICH CLEARLY IT IS then go see the doctor.

Not sure about Covid-19 but definitely give your GP a call. It might be worth looking at the British Heart Foundation website for wider info into things like arrhythmia.

It sounds like you’re fit but unfortunately this doesn’t mean that your heart’s electrics can’t go awry. Loads of endurance athletes encounter rhythm irregularities, unfortunately.

If you get hold of a portable electrocardiograph recorder (about the size of a deck of cards) from your GP, you could record the occurrences properly and get a more accurate diagnosis than some well-meaning bike riders can provide!

If it does turn out to be something abnormal, rest assured that most of these can be managed either with drugs or keyhole procedures, so don’t overly stress yourself about it.

Hope it all works out for you.

I’ve had (suspected) Covid and still wiped 10 weeks later. Other viral infections can have a similar effect and the doctor may be able to do a blood test. They did mine in the hospital 5 weeks ago as my pulse kept racing and the blood test showed viral infection. Covid test was negative but it was 5 weeks after ‘the flu’.
Make a GP appointment. At the moment you usually get at 10 minute phone appointment first so you’re not wasting anyone’s time and most of the doctors are great.
Good luck and hopefully it only requires some time and rest although that is frustrating the hell out of me.

As many above, hospital thought it likely that covid in Feb /March is why I still have chest bother now. But my cholesterol has risen dramatically to 7.75 so other stuff needs investigating so I am not clear yet.
Good luck OP.

COVID-19, or you forgot to mention the group of busty babes jogging ahead of you while Benny Hill music was playing. 😉

Yes call your gp, I did for my mother last year. I think she said she was short of breath so I called her gp. They said come in for ECG with the practice nurse, so she did. Once you ‘re in the system service was brilliant. They called her back for further tests at the hospital with a consultant.

Hope it works out.

Just to add if I request gp appt it’s ages so we ask to see a practice nurse, if she deems it serious she calls in the gp. Practice nurse is brilliant for burns, ECG, ears etc and same day service.

OP, do you have access to a pulse oximeter? If not, I’d see if you can get one, mine was from Argos. A look at your blood oxygen saturation would be a good clue to whether your symptoms are Covid related.

Another saying go to GP

I’m fit and developed Atrial fibrillation at 44. Endurance athletes are reportedly 5x more likely to develop arrhythmias – if it’s not C-19 related

Doing the right thing going to the GP, so many different things out could be.

One other thing I’ve found with HR is that it can be helpful to have resting heartrate overnight.
For me, that can be a very useful early warning to an infection coming on.

I look at those traces and think ‘how does he keep it so low!’, 150 is recovery training for me!

But, given the change in HR you should go see a GP!

My wife had a series of seizures last year. Bloody scary. Most serious one was whilst she was driving our kids to school. She blanked out just as she drove into the car park. Luckily there weren’t too many pedestrians around and she was able to bury the car between a wheelie-bin and the school gates. She said that it was the scariest thing that had ever happened to her. (Kids were terrified…. but they’ll live.)

My wife is really into tennis, so she asked what she should do about the seizures on tennisforum.com

Since then she hasn’t had a single seizure. I know you have a “heart-thingy” going on but they might be able to help.

Good luck. Hope you get it sorted.

Without any medical training, I’m going to guess you have a viral infection and it is having an impact.
Only reason I’m saying that is because everything was fine and now it isn’t without any real change…so if it isn’t lifestyle/physical then it is something else.
As said, absolutely no medical knowledge but just a guesstimate.

My wife is really into tennis, so she asked what she should do about the seizures on <span class=”skimlinks-unlinked”>tennisforum.com</span>

I knew they were the go to place for elbows but thanks for the psa on their heart expertise.

I’ve been off the bike since March due to heart rate issues. I haven’t had any of the classic C-19 symptoms – high fever, cough etc so can’t say that is whats caused it but I felt horribly ill for a number of weeks – nausea/palpitations/racing heart/chest pains. I kept going in to the local A+E and they kept sticking me on a ECG but it didn’t show anything interesting. I’m over the worst of the symptoms and have since tried a few sessions on the road bike but my heart rate doesn’t come back down to resting again. I end up lying in bed with an uncomfortably high heart rate that stops me from sleeping. I’m hoping to get an echocardiogram but unsurprisingly the NHS has come to a grinding halt.

I think the answer might be REM. What’s the frequency Kenneth?

Your symptoms are very much like when I was just starting with afib, and it was initially when exercising that was bringing it on. You won’t get laughed out of the surgery for bringing up heart conditions, especially as you have data to back it up, don’t leave it too long I did, and as my heart spent too long beating quick and inefficient, it changed thickening the muscles and shrinking the overall volume, which takes an equal amount of time to reverse (years).

You won’t get laughed out of the surgery for bringing up heart conditions, especially as you have data to back it up

The conversation with the charge nurse went something like this:

‘Is your resting heart rate above 100?’
‘No’
‘Do you have any chest pain?’
‘No’
‘Are you breathless?’
‘No’
‘Nothing too concerning there, take it easy for a month and if you’re still having problems get back to us.’

To be fair, I have been known to under-do the rest thing a bit. On trail-rat’s advice I’m taking a few days off running to see what happens.

GPs aren’t really the best for folk with your sorts of issues. They’re too busy dealing with folk who’ve never done any exercise in their lives, can’t breathe after they get up off the sofa, and have a festival of other symptoms that come along in a buy one get three free sort of way.

I’d say over-training with a virus, IANAD.

GPs aren’t really the best for folk with your sorts of issues. They’re too busy dealing with folk who’ve never done any exercise in their lives

My previous experience certainly ties in with this. When I had a knee injury a few years ago it took several visits before I spoke to a doctor who did some running, who referred me to someone (Niall Elliott, who deserves a mention as he was very good) who could help.
Response from the regular doctor was pretty much ‘So you’ve hurt your knee running? How about just don’t run then?’

GPs aren’t really the best for folk with your sorts of issues. They’re too busy dealing with folk who’ve never done any exercise in their lives

This. I use a really good, but quite large GP practice with a rotating cast of doctors. When I book an appointment, I always ask if there’s anyone there who is an active cyclist, runner, triathlete, fitness freak precisely because they’re far more likely to ‘get’ that you have different parameters to a more sedentary patient.

The conversation with the charge nurse went something like this:

I don’t think that’s unreasonable. If someone has no symptoms, their resting HR is fine, and their HR increases appropriately with exercise, then it’s probably not a primary heart rhythm problem. I.e. the problem is not with the heart itself. There are very rare exceptions / caveats but I’d put money on this being on *something* else just making the heart work a bit harder.

As others have suggested, a mild viral illness, overtraining etc. And if it is one of those things then time is the best healer. If it’s not, then returning after a month is also a reasonable course of action.

To the OP: I’m a doctor. Not your doctor, I don’t know you. Don’t take this as personalised medical advice. Your HR curve is very flat (even on the first example) – do you do very steady efforts? I’d expect the HR to bounce around a bit more (mine certainly does) although if you’re maintaining a steady effort on the flat that’s probably appropriate.

An ECG during the periods where your heart is running fast would be helpful but obviously difficult to get (you could try a Kardia monitor, Apple Watch v4+ etc), and finding someone to interpret it might be hard. The other thing would be to see what your HR does during recovery. I.e. does it slowly drift back to <110 over a few mins then down to your resting HR over the next few hours (as it should), or does it suddenly drop from 160 to 110 or something?
If it’s not a primary heart rhythm thing but it persists then it would be worth as a minimum getting some bloods done, make sure you’re not anaemic etc.

would be worth as a minimum getting some bloods done, make sure you’re not anaemic etc.

Knowing your history Kenneth ….this wouldn’t be a bad idea.

I don’t think that’s unreasonable.

On re-reading my post, it does seem like I’m having a go – that wasn’t the intention, I agree that the response is fair enough.

Your HR curve is very flat (even on the first example) – do you do very steady efforts?

I pretty much run (on the road) with half an eye on my HR – so I adjust my pace to suit whatever HR zone I’m trying to hit. Different story if out in the hills, I’ll just run at whatever feels comfy, but there’s not much of that going on just now because lockdown 🙁

The other thing would be to see what your HR does during recovery. I.e. does it slowly drift back to <110 over a few mins then down to your resting HR over the next few hours (as it should), or does it suddenly drop from 160 to 110 or something?

Thanks for the detailed info. I haven’t really looked at what HR does during recovery before so I’ll check, but have nothing to compare it to really. I used to just stick my chest band on when actually doing stuff, only recently got the wrist HR which is always on.

I’m sure you’re all desperate to know how some random dude on the internet is getting on 😀 , so here’s the latest.

A few days after I was last on this thread, I started getting some mild chest pain in addition to the weird HR stuff, so I pretty much shat a brick and phoned the docs again.

I got taken in for blood tests and an ECG. The bloods didn’t show anything suspicious, and the ECG was fine bar a ‘right bundle branch block’, which sounded a bit ropey but apparently isn’t a particular concern. Because of the chest pain, I was referred to cardiology in case there is something else going on.

Fast forward to Saturday morning, I did the world’s slowest/shortest walk/run (as I’ve been doing to try and keep some level of activity going, I don’t do well sitting around).

HR was doing its now-usual thing:

Once I’d got home, I was pretty much floored for the rest of the day – I spent most of Saturday KO’d on the sofa. Felt the same way Sunday morning – basically no energy, and the chest pain was worse than it has been. Another phone call to the docs and they had me up at hospital for some more checks last night – chest xray, another ECG, more bloods…

Chest xray and bloods were all good, one of the tests (can’t remember which) indicated that I’m probably recovering from some sort of viral infection.

I now know that other than chest pain, I don’t have any of the signs/markers of a heart attack or pulmonary embolism. Which is nice.

On balance, they’re fairly sure that I’ve had Covid-19, and that I’m now dealing with some weird post-Covid thing. Apparently they’re seeing a number of cases of active people who have had (or are suspected to have had) Coronavirus, and afterward their exercise tolerance goes through the floor for reasons not yet fully understood.

I’ve still got to go back in to cardiology for an ultrasound of my heart, but it’s looking likely that I can blame my mate for bringing the Covid back from Spain earlier this year…

Finally – big shout out to the NHS and staff. I was very, very glad they existed yesterday. Kind of made me question my career choices to date when I could see the doctors/nurses etc directly and positively impacting people’s lives. It must be very satisfying to work in that environment (on a good day, I guess).

First time reading this thread and good to see a bit of an update 🙂

MSP stated
starting with afib, and it was initially when exercising that was bringing it on. You won’t get laughed out of the surgery for bringing up heart conditions, especially as you have data to back it up, don’t leave it too long I did, and as my heart spent too long beating quick and inefficient

What do people find their normal heart rate is for riding? Mine is normally up at 150-160, I’m 37 and 75kg. I’ve used heart rate monitors off and on over the last few years but never really monitored it, I might dig back through Strava and see if it has heart rate from when I first got my Wahoo.

My GP brushed it off years ago but fairly sure I have periods with the odd etopic beat, back when I was in my 20s and anxious about it I used to be worried about it, but rarely get anything to make me conscious of it now.