Is anyone obese with bradycardia?
ShrinkingStargazer
Posts: 26 Member
Hi everyone, I have bradycardia my resting heart rate is 45-50 bpm and I was told by my doctor to lose weight I stressed to him how im scared cause I feel like I have to keep eating salty foods to keep my heart rate up. He told me not to worry unless it goes in the 30's and i also told him how once you lose weight your heart rate drops more. I also feel like my pulse is very weak when its low and i do feel dizzy so i have to keep eating. I am getting a second opinion from another doctor but i don't really hear about anyone who is obese who has bradycardia and if you do have it or had it and lost weight with it, did it lower it more? What do you eat? i really want to lose weight but scared my heart is going to stop from it getting too low.
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Replies
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If you're dizzy and your pulse is low, call an ambulance.
You need that second opinion from a good doctor.0 -
it happens all the time, i saw a cardiologist and he wasn't too concerned. I have an appointment next week with a new doctor. Oh and it goes higher once i eat salty foods or overeat which is bad. Also anxiety will make it higher.1
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I don't know a lot about it, but a family member of mine has bradycardia. His doctor said yes to watch electrolytes (in his case he needed more sodium than he had been consuming), but otherwise live normally.
My relative is very athletic, though - had no trouble with the stress tests, e.g. - and he has always been at the low-middle BMI (except for one bad year after a breakup, where he gained a bit)
I think it's good you're getting a second opinion.0 -
It sounds like you are just making excuses. You have seen two doctors who have told you that this is not an issue, one of whom was a cardiologist. The third doctor will tell you the same thing.
At some point you've got to decide: either choose to lose weight or choose to be obese.
Sodium is not a chronotropic substance (ie. does not make your heart rate increase). Losing weight does not worsen bradycardia. Wherever you got those notions from, they are not correct.2 -
Staying well hydrated and listening to my body are the only things that really help me. I also have orthostatic hypotension so it can be frustrating to try to workout when anything too strenuous can lead to dizziness/fainting.0
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Also at the age of 30, a pulse of 50 probably isn't even bradycardic... I'd consider that within the range of normal.2
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It sounds like you are just making excuses. You have seen two doctors who have told you that this is not an issue, one of whom was a cardiologist. The third doctor will tell you the same thing.
At some point you've got to decide: either choose to lose weight or choose to be obese.
Sodium is not a chronotropic substance (ie. does not make your heart rate increase). Losing weight does not worsen bradycardia. Wherever you got those notions from, they are not correct.
But if you have an imbalance, i.e. you aren't consuming enough, your heart rate can drop, right?0 -
excuse me? I'm making excuses? how dare you say that to me you are a real rude person! my pulse has been in low 40's so no im not just making excuses!1
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Pardon me for not quoting here, but sodium can help with retaining water, which affects blood pressure, which affects heart rate. I don't know all the terminology here, but it does make a difference. It's not a fun experience to be without a pulse, and it sucks to feel like you can't be as intense with your workouts as you'd like to be. It's not an excuse. It's a legitimate medical concern. Unfortunately, there aren't good treatments for some conditions that do affect the ability to exercise and lose weight safely.0
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It sounds like you are just making excuses. You have seen two doctors who have told you that this is not an issue, one of whom was a cardiologist. The third doctor will tell you the same thing.
At some point you've got to decide: either choose to lose weight or choose to be obese.
Sodium is not a chronotropic substance (ie. does not make your heart rate increase). Losing weight does not worsen bradycardia. Wherever you got those notions from, they are not correct.
But if you have an imbalance, i.e. you aren't consuming enough, your heart rate can drop, right?
Sodium not so much. Someone with syncopal episodes due to a neurally mediated hypotension (heart rate doesn't increase despite low blood pressure) may need more sodium to deal with blood pressure, but that is independent of rate.
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Pardon me for not quoting here, but sodium can help with retaining water, which affects blood pressure, which affects heart rate. I don't know all the terminology here, but it does make a difference. It's not a fun experience to be without a pulse, and it sucks to feel like you can't be as intense with your workouts as you'd like to be. It's not an excuse. It's a legitimate medical concern. Unfortunately, there aren't good treatments for some conditions that do affect the ability to exercise and lose weight safely.
There are plenty of treatments for symptomatic and/or unstable bradycardia.0 -
It sounds like you are just making excuses. You have seen two doctors who have told you that this is not an issue, one of whom was a cardiologist. The third doctor will tell you the same thing.
At some point you've got to decide: either choose to lose weight or choose to be obese.
Sodium is not a chronotropic substance (ie. does not make your heart rate increase). Losing weight does not worsen bradycardia. Wherever you got those notions from, they are not correct.
But if you have an imbalance, i.e. you aren't consuming enough, your heart rate can drop, right?
A sodium deficit (hyponatremia) is almost never from under-consumption; there are very few conditions that require a high salt diet and they are all quite rare. Things like pre-op patients with pheochromocytomas, cerebral salt wasting, sometimes with the syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion (though salt supplements are not a first line treatment).
Most of the time hyponatremia is a side effect of another problem like diuretic use/abuse, dehydration, thyroid dysfunction, SIADH, head injuries, primary polydipsia, etc. The treatment tends to be treating the underlying dysfunction, not supplementing with salt. There are exceptions of course, as in everything, but in general it's quite unusual to be recommended a high salt diet.0 -
Also, bradycardia is defined as a normal heart rate of less than 60 bpm. A lower resting heart rate for say, a marathon runner is one thing, but to be obese and have slower rate is troublesome. If the heart isn't pumping blood efficiently, the blood pressure drops, **** gets real.0
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Pardon me for not quoting here, but sodium can help with retaining water, which affects blood pressure, which affects heart rate. I don't know all the terminology here, but it does make a difference. It's not a fun experience to be without a pulse, and it sucks to feel like you can't be as intense with your workouts as you'd like to be. It's not an excuse. It's a legitimate medical concern. Unfortunately, there aren't good treatments for some conditions that do affect the ability to exercise and lose weight safely.
Thank you!
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pollypocket1021 wrote: »It sounds like you are just making excuses. You have seen two doctors who have told you that this is not an issue, one of whom was a cardiologist. The third doctor will tell you the same thing.
At some point you've got to decide: either choose to lose weight or choose to be obese.
Sodium is not a chronotropic substance (ie. does not make your heart rate increase). Losing weight does not worsen bradycardia. Wherever you got those notions from, they are not correct.
But if you have an imbalance, i.e. you aren't consuming enough, your heart rate can drop, right?
Sodium not so much. Someone with syncopal episodes due to a neurally mediated hypotension (heart rate doesn't increase despite low blood pressure) may need more sodium to deal with blood pressure, but that is independent of rate.
Hmm, ok, thanks.
(I just did some reading about neurally mediated syncope - is that what my relative must have experienced, then? I guess you can't know, lol
He does have bradycardia - can't remember his bpm, but his doctor hadn't seen one that low - and sometimes faints. But from what I can tell (from a six second search 
) - people with neurally mediated syncope often also have fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, are female - my relative was a 30 year old athlete when diagnosed, seems weird... I'll ask him more about it. Thanks
Sorry for the derail, OP. Good luck in sorting it out.0 -
It sounds like you are just making excuses. You have seen two doctors who have told you that this is not an issue, one of whom was a cardiologist. The third doctor will tell you the same thing.
At some point you've got to decide: either choose to lose weight or choose to be obese.
Sodium is not a chronotropic substance (ie. does not make your heart rate increase). Losing weight does not worsen bradycardia. Wherever you got those notions from, they are not correct.
But if you have an imbalance, i.e. you aren't consuming enough, your heart rate can drop, right?
A sodium deficit (hyponatremia) is almost never from under-consumption; there are very few conditions that require a high salt diet and they are all quite rare. Things like pre-op patients with pheochromocytomas, cerebral salt wasting, sometimes with the syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion (though salt supplements are not a first line treatment).
Most of the time hyponatremia is a side effect of another problem like diuretic use/abuse, dehydration, thyroid dysfunction, SIADH, head injuries, primary polydipsia, etc. The treatment tends to be treating the underlying dysfunction, not supplementing with salt. There are exceptions of course, as in everything, but in general it's quite unusual to be recommended a high salt diet.
No one recommended a high salt diet for me but i was saying that I feel like i need to overeat or eat higher salty foods cause of my heart rate dropping. Lets say i ate chicken with fruit and veg with no salt on it, my heart rate will be in the 40's and no, it's not fun. I saw my cardiologist and I asked about medications but he told me that would increase my blood pressure which would not be good for me and that they don't do anything for your bradycardia until it hits the 30's and you're symptomatic then they have you get a pacemaker. I took his advice and started to calorie count and i was consuming 1800 calories a day and still found my HR to be low and I felt spaced out/dizzy feeling. Ran to fridge and ate a bunch of food and heart rate increased and felt so much better. So I went to my primary regular doctor(not heart doctor) and he did an ecg on me and said that it looked fine but he was concerned about my bradycardia and to find a different doctor ffor a second opinion which i will be doing. Believe me when I say I want to lose weight and get healthy. I love working out and dancing it's so much fun and right now i'm scared.
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pollypocket1021 wrote: »It sounds like you are just making excuses. You have seen two doctors who have told you that this is not an issue, one of whom was a cardiologist. The third doctor will tell you the same thing.
At some point you've got to decide: either choose to lose weight or choose to be obese.
Sodium is not a chronotropic substance (ie. does not make your heart rate increase). Losing weight does not worsen bradycardia. Wherever you got those notions from, they are not correct.
But if you have an imbalance, i.e. you aren't consuming enough, your heart rate can drop, right?
Sodium not so much. Someone with syncopal episodes due to a neurally mediated hypotension (heart rate doesn't increase despite low blood pressure) may need more sodium to deal with blood pressure, but that is independent of rate.
Hmm, ok, thanks.
(I just did some reading about neurally mediated syncope - is that what my relative must have experienced, then? I guess you can't know, lol He does have bradycardia - can't remember his bpm, but his doctor hadn't seen one that low - and sometimes faints. But from what I can tell (from a six second search ) - people with neurally mediated syncope often also have fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, are female - my relative was a 30 year old athlete when diagnosed, seems weird... I'll ask him more about it. Thanks
Sorry for the derail, OP. Good luck in sorting it out.
I've only seen it in teenage girls, none with any comorbidities. Generally, they seem to outgrow it over time.
My point was, even in SYMPTOMATIC patients with bradycardia, salt does not treat the rate, it helps with the concurrent hypotension.1 -
btw my blood pressure runs high and i have bradycardia.0
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It sounds like you are just making excuses. You have seen two doctors who have told you that this is not an issue, one of whom was a cardiologist. The third doctor will tell you the same thing.
At some point you've got to decide: either choose to lose weight or choose to be obese.
Sodium is not a chronotropic substance (ie. does not make your heart rate increase). Losing weight does not worsen bradycardia. Wherever you got those notions from, they are not correct.
But if you have an imbalance, i.e. you aren't consuming enough, your heart rate can drop, right?
A sodium deficit (hyponatremia) is almost never from under-consumption; there are very few conditions that require a high salt diet and they are all quite rare. Things like pre-op patients with pheochromocytomas, cerebral salt wasting, sometimes with the syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion (though salt supplements are not a first line treatment).
Most of the time hyponatremia is a side effect of another problem like diuretic use/abuse, dehydration, thyroid dysfunction, SIADH, head injuries, primary polydipsia, etc. The treatment tends to be treating the underlying dysfunction, not supplementing with salt. There are exceptions of course, as in everything, but in general it's quite unusual to be recommended a high salt diet.
Gotcha. Thank you. My relative does prefer a low-salt diet, left to his own devices, but it sounds like he'd have to be basically not eating any food available in North America to get himself that low. I think what must have happened is that he dehydrated himself, being the genius he is. (I really have to ask him about this, he's kind of doctor-shy as it is, and I'm not convinced he followed up properly.)
I thought there might have been some misunderstanding between OP and her medical team, with regard to salt intake.
@pollypocket1021 - thanks for the clarification.0 -
@ShrinkingStargazer It's important that if you want to start this journey that you be committed to it. It may help you to commit if you are fully reassured that your heart is fine. Go see the third doctor if that will help you. When you're cleared to proceed, you've already found a great resource in MFP and I hope you kick butt!1
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Salt has nothing to do with heart rate. Salt is correlated with blood pressure. If you ever feel dizzy with a low heart rate, you need to call 911 immediately.Pardon me for not quoting here, but sodium can help with retaining water, which affects blood pressure, which affects heart rate. I don't know all the terminology here, but it does make a difference. It's not a fun experience to be without a pulse, and it sucks to feel like you can't be as intense with your workouts as you'd like to be. It's not an excuse. It's a legitimate medical concern. Unfortunately, there aren't good treatments for some conditions that do affect the ability to exercise and lose weight safely.
If you have no pulse, you are in cardiac arrest (ie dead). Not sure what you were trying to say here, but I don't think that is what you meant.1 -
@ShrinkingStargazer It's important that if you want to start this journey that you be committed to it. It may help you to commit if you are fully reassured that your heart is fine. Go see the third doctor if that will help you. When you're cleared to proceed, you've already found a great resource in MFP and I hope you kick butt!
Thank you, i hope so too.0 -
I was bradycardic (is that a word?) and obese... as I've lost weight, my heart rate has actually come up. I was also told to add salt, which I do. And add water, which I also do. Being obese is dangerous for your heart. Losing weight relieves strain on the muscle. If your doctor says it's safe, trust him/her. I'm glad I did. I still have a long way to go, but I have more energy and better circulation now, which helps to motivate me.0
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If your cardiologist told you it was fine as long as you monitor it I don't think it's going to cause any harm.
The cardiologist has far more experience with this than your regular doctor.
If you want a second opinion, get one, from another cardiologist (not another GP).
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I have Bradycardia. When I was 31years old I had extreme SVT and had to have heart surgery to slow my heart down. Now I have bradycardia but it was better than the other option of being in ICU near death and passing out and unable to function. I am 80 pounds or so overweight and have lost 10 pounds with the help of people on this site. The Dr has a hard time even finding my pulse in my neck it is very faint and runs 50 or under. I am feeling better with the 10 pound lose and it has not slowed my heart down at all. I just make sure to stay well hydrated and eat enough to lose weight but not starve. I have found that my worst enemy is hot humid weather. It really takes a lot out of me. I think it is important to find a good DR. that you trust but losing weight will help in the long run. My heart has to work a lot harder to support all this weight. I was 172 lbs when I had my surgery and slowing my heart down lead to this weight gain, I was at 257 and am at 242 today. It is harder for me to get a good cardio work out and raise my heart rate due to becoming faint or too hot. I have found that swimming is my thing and I love it. I swim at a pool with a life guard that watches me and feel great afterwards. I hope this helps and wish you the best.0
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I spoke to my cardiologist about this a few months ago. Basically he asked do I feel light headed or faint or unable to exercise.
I said no and he said not to worry about it.
From the sounds of it your cardiologist told you to monitor it but not to be concern. Seems like good advice if your not experiencing and effects.0 -
Sorry for the triple posts
But am I missing something.
The op wants to lose weight but won't in case their heart rate drops too low?
Can't they lose weight while eating salt like they seem to be?
But if you have bradycardia wouldn't being fit and healthy be better than over weight or obese? Doing cardio to work out the heart muscles?
So is you pulse low and that's it. Or did I miss the part where you mentioned fainting on a treadmill? Is that what you meant by it happens all the time? That you get dizzy?
What are you doing when getting dizzy?0 -
Sorry for the triple posts
yes thank you everyone, @merkavar i am fine when i workout, actually it takes a bit for me to get into it and i can get my heart rate up pretty good but then afterwards about 2 hours later my pulse drops down to lower 40's, i get confused and spacey feeling and my pulse is very faint. but u are right, i guess its better to do cardio and work my heart out and to be fit rather then obese, i just get scared lol0
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