to go to the Urgent Care Centre for this?

[changeroorooroo]

I can't work out if I'm being a drama queen or not!

I always seem to have a high heart rate while exercising but yesterdays session at the gym was ridiculous. I was pootling along on the cross trainer, barely puffing, and really struggled to keep my heart rate below 170. I know those machines are famously inaccurate but this happens quite often on all different machines - and all the people around me who are working much harder on the same machines seem to be around 120/130.

As a (perhaps slightly insane) experiment, I got on the treadmill and had a little jog, so working a little harder than I was before but by no means sprinting. I wouldn't even call it running. Again others around me were running much, much faster. I grabbed the heart rate thing and it showed a pretty terrifying 240. Got off straight away and then felt dizzy (I often am dizzy after cardio). I didn't think about it that much yesterday beyond thinking I should make a GP appointment at some point but I've just Googled a bit and am now a bit freaked out.

My GP doesn't have any appointments left today (it's a 'ring up in the morning' job) but there's a walk in centre right next door to my work. At least, I thought that's what it was, I've just Googled it and it's actually and Urgent Care Centre.

WWYD, go along and risk being branded a time-waster or wait for GP tomorrow? I'm struggling to concentrate at work because I keep worrying about it.

How is the machine detecting your pulse?

Have you actually counted your pulse?

If you otherwise feel fine I would make a GP appointment for tomorrow and just not exercise in the meantime

Yep, at one point I thought this can't be right so I counted the beats in 15 seconds then multiplied by 4, it was around 180 at that point.

I can’t imagine the machine is very accurate.

Do you have any other symptoms other than feeling dizzy after lots of exercise? I won’t not say it was an urgent issue.

You can’t rely on the accuracy of those machines. If you were lightheaded/fainting/breathless after walking up a short flight of stairs/had chest pain then absolutely see someone today.
Otherwise GP (or actually practise nurse) tomorrow will be fine.

I wouldnt worry about going to A&E but do go to the doctor. I have tachycardia - but signed off by the cardiologist after a lot of testing. Whats your resting heart rate ?

Resting heart rate is fine - it's only when I exercise. The only other thing I have is ectopic beats which I had about a million tapes for them to find. I had an ETT about 15 years. Echo was normal. I've only noticed this in the past year or so.

I wouldn't worry about going to A&E

Deffo wasn't suggesting A&E! I only just realised next door was classified as Urgent Care. I've been before with a badly infected earring and they didn't seem to think I was wasting their time.

Think I'll probably just sit it out.

Routine GP appointment when you can get one, unless you become symptomatic.

You say your resting heart rate is fine but what is it ? Have you had your blood pressure checked recently ?

I'd say routine GP appointment would be fine.

If you want it checked out, you will have to see a cardiologist. So step 1 is the GP. Dont exercise in the meantime. If you feel chest tightness or dizzy go straight to A and E. Do get it looked at.

Sorry jut realised I'm using two usernames!

Dont exercise in the meantime

I'm not going to, it freaked me out a bit

The dizziness after cardio isn't like normal dizziness it's almost like a falling sensation - like when you go over a bridge fast in a car.

It doesn't need urgent care, just a routine GP appointment.

Hello op, have u thought of going into a chemist. Pharmasist can go through ur symtoms. Some will do ur blood pressure, if it's high they will sign post u to the relevant place . I hope u feel better soon.

All you need is a GP appointment. I have a high blood pressure which is hereditary. I am also anaemic which pumps up my blood rate to the skies if I am not on high iron supplement.
Sorted with regular blood pressure medication and iron tablets and before I started taking iron, I was almost incapable of walking up a hill without feeling like my heart is going to explode. Really inconvenient as we are all a very sporty family.

When you did your cardio did you cool down by slowing your running speed and going down to a walk for a few minutes, or did you just stop and step off the treadmill?

If you did the latter then it isn't surprising you felt dizzy. Some people actually faint doing that.

Agree with @SeaToSki - another thing to watch out for is if you spontaneously get a very rapid heartbeat. But try not to worry about it in the meantime or it will become a self fulfilling prophecy!

Sorry, I’m going to go against the grain and say this needs an urgent appointment. Acute dizziness immediately after or during cardiovascular exercise is a red flag for arrhythmias and I would want you to see a doctor sooner rather than later.

When you did your cardio did you cool down by slowing your running speed and going down to a walk for a few minutes, or did you just stop and step off the treadmill?

No I slowed down then got off. It doesn't make a difference really, always seem to have a little dizzy spell.

Then you need to go and see a doctor.

Please don't go to Urgent Care. This is definitely a GP thing. It's not like that now and only happened when you exerted yourself. Not an urgent matter.

If I came out to you for post cardio dizziness at the very least you’d get a 12lead ecg and most likely a trip to A&E, if you had fainted during or immediately after exertion then you would definitely have won yourself a trip to hospital. I would expect you to be referred to cardiology. It’s a huge red flag for cardiac problems.