funny HR
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yirara
Posts: 9,558 Member
*sigh* so I visited a cardiologist today because my GP thought I should see one. He hold me the problem I'm having is unlikely and he never heard of something like this. So I wonder if someone ever heard of something like this.
As long as I can think I have difficulty walking up mountains. On steep inclines I force myself to do 50-100 steps, then need a break to get my breath and muscle strength back and can walk on. Rinse and repeat. So I used my running HR sensor to see if there's something strange. And there is: my HR rises to a certain level when I start walking up. As the incline increases nothing really happens with my HR, and then I run out of breath and my leg muscles get weak. I stop. A short moment later my HR jumps up. Once that happened I'm fine to go on again. Now you'd think a higher heart rate would help with walking on. But what happens is that my heart rate actually goes down again after a few steps and once it reaches a certain steady level above happens again. As if I'm on natural beta blockers, really.
I first saw this when running, or rather when warming up for running. I often do a brisk walk up a very slight incline (about 8 meters in 4 minutes) as this is right in front of my home. Once I've reached the top and walk slightly down again I see the same jump in heart rate. The best jump I've ever seen doing that was almost up to my estimated max HR at 210. When I run and run out of breath due to turning into the wind, slight uphill or just having a bad day and walk a few steps the same thing happens. Not always, but about half of all times. As soon as the downhill part ends or I run again my HR goes down again.
I don't think this got worse in time. when I was 20 I was terribly unfit. Now having worked out a lot over the last few years with 40ish, nothing has improved either though.
As long as I can think I have difficulty walking up mountains. On steep inclines I force myself to do 50-100 steps, then need a break to get my breath and muscle strength back and can walk on. Rinse and repeat. So I used my running HR sensor to see if there's something strange. And there is: my HR rises to a certain level when I start walking up. As the incline increases nothing really happens with my HR, and then I run out of breath and my leg muscles get weak. I stop. A short moment later my HR jumps up. Once that happened I'm fine to go on again. Now you'd think a higher heart rate would help with walking on. But what happens is that my heart rate actually goes down again after a few steps and once it reaches a certain steady level above happens again. As if I'm on natural beta blockers, really.
I first saw this when running, or rather when warming up for running. I often do a brisk walk up a very slight incline (about 8 meters in 4 minutes) as this is right in front of my home. Once I've reached the top and walk slightly down again I see the same jump in heart rate. The best jump I've ever seen doing that was almost up to my estimated max HR at 210. When I run and run out of breath due to turning into the wind, slight uphill or just having a bad day and walk a few steps the same thing happens. Not always, but about half of all times. As soon as the downhill part ends or I run again my HR goes down again.
I don't think this got worse in time. when I was 20 I was terribly unfit. Now having worked out a lot over the last few years with 40ish, nothing has improved either though.
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Replies
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sounds like the heart strap is faulty, and that you are out of shape.
what did the cardiologist say?0 -
sounds like the heart strap is faulty, and that you are out of shape.
what did the cardiologist say?
I use a optical sensor on my lower arm, and confirm these measurements on my neck. They are absolutely real. When I get this jump and simply stop there I get a normal HR decline curve down to my normal standing around HR. When I continue running the decline is much faster with my 'usual' running HR as end of the decline. I run for over a year now, have been doing lots of other cardio (interval strength training mainly) over the years and should not be unfit. I don't feel unfit anymore.
The cardiologist didn't want to look at my printout and said he never heard of anything like it. He still signed me up for a 48h ECG and wants me to work out during that time. That's something.0 -
Is your cardiologist going to do a stress test? That would be the most useful for something like this.
Also optical sensors are wildly inaccurate. If you are really interested, pony up the money to get something with a chest strap.0 -
Yep, my optical sensor (fitbit charge HR) is basically useless. Chest strap is actually pretty accurate, if the electrodes are properly wetted when you put it on.
How are you confirming on your neck if you are running? In all, your test method sounds highly suspect and I would pay $30 for a more accurate monitor to confirm, after all you are already paying for a cardiologist.0 -
blues4miles wrote: »Is your cardiologist going to do a stress test? That would be the most useful for something like this.
Also optical sensors are wildly inaccurate. If you are really interested, pony up the money to get something with a chest strap.
Sorry, DCrainmaker tested it (scosche rhythm plus) be be more accurate than chest straps. It uses a different technology than the Fitbit and similar sensors and is not worn on the wrist where blood flow might be limited due to cold. And yes, I can confirm the measurements while running and walking. I mean, I'm not sprinting, and everyone should be able to do something else with one hand for 10 seconds, right? So counting to 20, 26 or 31 is not a problem.
No, the doctor won't do a stress test for now. I never had the funny sensation while cycling anyway, I suppose because it's too low impact for me compared to running or walking uphill. It might still happen though, who knows. He'll do a 48h test and wants me to work out during that time: walk up my house mountain and go running.0 -
It sounds like you might need to tweak the placement of the sensor. Nothing else about this sounds odd. You exercise, get out of breath, the muscles stall for lack of oxygen, and pausing for a break let's you get back down to a level you're comfortable with.0
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Is the question here "why do I get exhausted and why does my heart rate increase when I walk up steep inclines?" Is that really the question?0
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Is the question here "why do I get exhausted and why does my heart rate increase when I walk up steep inclines?" Is that really the question?
No, the question is "why do I get exhausted and my HR does not increase when I walk up steep inclines - until I take a break and then HR spikes".
Answer, could be perfectly normal - increase in HR & the HR monitor interval lags behind increase in effort. That could be all you're seeing. The Rhythm+ (I use one, too) is not perfectly accurate - other people have had issues with major spikes, though those tend to be very early and they don't start out low. Could be you've got some physiological anomaly.
Either way, The ECG you'll be doing will answer your question and if you've got a problem it'll convince your doc, too. Even if someone does post they have something similar, an internet diagnosis is pretty useless and may cause you a lot of stress you don't need.0 -
Is the question here "why do I get exhausted and why does my heart rate increase when I walk up steep inclines?" Is that really the question?
No, the question is "why do I get exhausted and my HR does not increase when I walk up steep inclines - until I take a break and then HR spikes".
Answer, could be perfectly normal - increase in HR & the HR monitor interval lags behind increase in effort. That could be all you're seeing. The Rhythm+ (I use one, too) is not perfectly accurate - other people have had issues with major spikes, though those tend to be very early and they don't start out low. Could be you've got some physiological anomaly.
Either way, The ECG you'll be doing will answer your question and if you've got a problem it'll convince your doc, too. Even if someone does post they have something similar, an internet diagnosis is pretty useless and may cause you a lot of stress you don't need.
Hold on. Let me check WebMD...... Yep. It's cancer.0 -
Is the question here "why do I get exhausted and why does my heart rate increase when I walk up steep inclines?" Is that really the question?
No, the question is "why do I get exhausted and my HR does not increase when I walk up steep inclines - until I take a break and then HR spikes".
Answer, could be perfectly normal - increase in HR & the HR monitor interval lags behind increase in effort. That could be all you're seeing. The Rhythm+ (I use one, too) is not perfectly accurate - other people have had issues with major spikes, though those tend to be very early and they don't start out low. Could be you've got some physiological anomaly.
Either way, The ECG you'll be doing will answer your question and if you've got a problem it'll convince your doc, too. Even if someone does post they have something similar, an internet diagnosis is pretty useless and may cause you a lot of stress you don't need.
Wut? She's taking a break after 50 steps. How quickly where we expecting her heart rate to increase? That's about half a minute worth of walking. Of course it's going up after she stops because she stopping almost immediately.0 -
Sorry, DCrainmaker tested it (scosche rhythm plus) be be more accurate than chest straps. It uses a different technology than the Fitbit
Okay, but that doesnt mean it's infallible. Plenty of people report problems with this device and every other HRM on the market.
The HRM is still the most questionable part of this situation.
What is more likely, you have an incredibly rare cardiac condition that your doctor has dismissed, or the blinky light gizmo on your arm is giving you some noise?
Perhaps you are not working as hard on a bike as you are walking uphill. Perhaps the stillness of your arms on a bike helps the HRM be more accurate. Etc etc
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Is the question here "why do I get exhausted and why does my heart rate increase when I walk up steep inclines?" Is that really the question?
No, the question is "why do I get exhausted and my HR does not increase when I walk up steep inclines - until I take a break and then HR spikes".
Answer, could be perfectly normal - increase in HR & the HR monitor interval lags behind increase in effort. That could be all you're seeing. The Rhythm+ (I use one, too) is not perfectly accurate - other people have had issues with major spikes, though those tend to be very early and they don't start out low. Could be you've got some physiological anomaly.
Either way, The ECG you'll be doing will answer your question and if you've got a problem it'll convince your doc, too. Even if someone does post they have something similar, an internet diagnosis is pretty useless and may cause you a lot of stress you don't need.
Exactly, that's the case. Yes, there's a tiny lag between the actual HR and what the Scosche records or sends to the phone, but this seems to be a lag of about 1-2 seconds only. Otherwise it is very accurate for me. But then I have rather skinny arms and thin, pale skin. So far I've not seen it spike at the beginning of a workout when I'm still cold. But then I warm up inside before I go out. I only ever see spikes when I slow down.
The annoying thing for me is: yes, I love being in the mountains, and these constant stops to get my leg muscles fit and my breath back again are not normal. I mean, old people overtake me and talk to another. I'm certainly not able to talk when I'm fighting on uphill. This is also annoying if a spontaneous sprint is needed, to catch a bus, or a connecting plane after a delay. I never could sprint at school sports because my legs got weak halfway through these short 100m and my blood circulation feels like it was on a standstill. Few seconds after I arrived I felt fine again, but just getting there felt terrible.0 -
Wut? She's taking a break after 50 steps. How quickly where we expecting her heart rate to increase? That's about half a minute worth of walking. Of course it's going up after she stops because she stopping almost immediately.
No, if the incline is very steep I slowly drag myself upwards 50-100 steps which takes quite a bit longer than half a minute I can assure you. While doing so after a stop my HR doesn't decrease slowly, it rather drops like a stone, which is what I assume causes the breathlessness and heavy legs. It's like being on natural beta blockers. And of course, if the incline isn't quite so steep I can walk more than 50-100 steps. But the same still happens.0 -
For those saying the sensor is faulty: Yes, I checked often enough on my neck to confirm it's not faulty. Plus there's this little hillock outside of town here. It's not high, and it's surrounded by open countryside, thus nothing that could disturb or bounce a digital signal around. Tonight I briskly walked over this little hill several times, each time the spike in HR showed up just after passing the peak of the hill and walking down again at a constant speed. Every time. Then I very slowly drove over it by car to still make sure there's nothing disturbing the signal. Nope, there isn't.0
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I don't know what you want us to say. If you have to stop because you're out of breath then you are just out of shape. Walk and run more and you'll have to stop less often.
You have consistently denied that the heart rate monitor could possibly be wrong, despite the fact that these things are all known to be quite prone to error for many people. Taking your pulse on your neck isn't perfect either, and neither one is anywhere close to accurate enough for a medical diagnosis.
If you are convinced you have a rare heart condition, you should seek a second opinion and do a stress test with an ECG under medical supervision, instead of asking the internet.0 -
A. Your ekg will show a rare cardiac condition.
B. Your HRM is unable to get a good read and is giving you a lag in data.
I really dont see a 3rd viable option. But then again I am not a cardiologist or HRM developer.
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Well.. this thing has been going on for pretty much all my life, thus whatever is happening: it doesn't seem to be doing any damage or getting worse. It stinks if you can't simply do a simple sprint and I wonder what the implications might be for a later age and if spiking HR is still no problem then. And not being fit: I've been working out several times per week for 4-5 years straight now. I do change the workout every now and then, depending on the country my job brings me to and what I can do there, but I'm currently training for my first half marathon and can easy deadlift more than my body weight. I'm not unfit. But all this has no influence on my difficulty of walking uphill. Whatever is happening there, it is annoying.0
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Walking uphill requires aerobic fitness. Maybe you have some, but apparently not enough to walk uphill continuously. It's just a reason to train more.
What you have described is "I have difficulty walking uphill, my heart rate goes up and I get out of breath and have to stop." That is the body's natural reaction to walking uphill. As you get fitter it will happen less and less.
Also, try walking uphill more slowly, you will go farther before you have to stop.
And see a doctor0 -
Yes. See a MD. You need a 24 hour Halter Monitor test to see what your heart is doing over a given time period. But the easy fix is very simple...if this only occurs with steep inclines, stay flat. Other than that a pacemaker MAY help. But that is rather extreme considering the potential complications.0
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Walking uphill requires aerobic fitness. Maybe you have some, but apparently not enough to walk uphill continuously. It's just a reason to train more.
What you have described is "I have difficulty walking uphill, my heart rate goes up and I get out of breath and have to stop." That is the body's natural reaction to walking uphill. As you get fitter it will happen less and less.
Also, try walking uphill more slowly, you will go farther before you have to stop.
And see a doctor
My gp thought I should see a specialist and I did. He told me he'd never heard such a thing but eill put me on a 48h thingy, during which I'm supposed to workout... in a few weeks probably. Things aren't fast here.
And no, my hr doesnot spike when I walk uphill. It spikes when I take a break which causes me to feel good again. When I then walk on it drops to a rate that is seemingly to low for the effort. And no, I don't walk too fast if frail looking old people overtake me.0
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