To worry about this heart rate?

[Atypicaldancer]

I am anaemic and not particularly fit. I have a bmi of 28 and am trying to lose weight. I wear an Apple Watch and when I’m running my heart rate shoots up. Today it reached a max of 210 bpm. The Apple Watch doesn’t go higher. I felt awful and had to stop. It’s only running when this happens. DH thinks I should get checked out. I feel fine. What do you think.

I think the reason it doesn’t fluctuate there might be because 210 is the max the Apple Watch goes to, so it’s worth me checking I think.

A ferritin of 9 is low as you know. When was it last checked?

A symptom of anaemia can be shortness of breath as your blood cannot transport the oxygen your body needs to support itself. If you are anaemic and pushing yourself to run which is an activity which makes you breathless your sub optimal blood cannot feed the body the oxygen your muscles need so it tries harder and harder by working faster and your heart rate increases.

Your other exercise sessions are less aerobic so you probably aren't affected the same way.

Disclaimer: am not a doctor and have never had anaemia.

See the dr.

Untreated iron deficiency anaemia:
• may increase your risk of developing complications that affect the heart or lungs – such as an abnormally fast heartbeat (tachycardia)

www.nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/

I think the reason it doesn’t fluctuate there might be because 210 is the max the Apple Watch goes to

But by that reasoning, your heart rate would be 210 in the walking bits and even higher in the running bits. Which we know isn't the case, because you've already told us on the thread that your resting heart rate is on the lower side of average.

What's more likely - you have a heart rate of 59 at rest, 210 when walking and above 210 when running?
Or that a notoriously unreliable device is wrong?!

Again, I'm not saying you shouldn't get yourself checked out. You should, as there might be something wrong.

But you do seem determined to believe the watch is right, when this is the least likely scenario..

@Atypicaldancer

Thank you that’s helpful. I was run/walking- I only did two bursts of running in that time and my heart rate seemed to shoot up. I did C25k last year but have had to start again on week 5/6. I really struggled yesterday though.

Do you mean you started couch to 5k and are now on week 6? Or that you started couch to 5k on week 5 and are now on week 6?

I recall one of the weeks on couch to 5k is a big step up from previous weeks as the amount of continuous running steps up. If you have gone back to that week only it could be too much for you given your current anaemia. Hence you felt ill as the body pushed itself to the limit. The mantra for all exercise is start gently and build up. I imagine with a health condition like anaemia that is even more true. Just because you have done it in the past doesn't mean you can do it with your current ferritin level.

@trailrunner85

Again, I'm not saying you shouldn't get yourself checked out. You should, as there might be something wrong.

But you do seem determined to believe the watch is right, when this is the least likely scenario..

But she felt really ill as well which is a better indicator than a watch.

Heart rates can reach 250 bpm even when not exercising so 210 plus could have been achieved while running.

The OP should assume the watch reading was accurate and see her GP before attempting another run.

www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/heart-and-blood-vessels/conditions/supraventricular-tachycardia

My resting heart rate is usually between 53 and 60 and the highest it's ever been during exercise (and that was a high intensity interval workout, during a brief burst of maximum effort, not during a run) was 155. (I'm in my 40s.) If yours really is going up to 210, definitely see a doctor and mention that you also get palpitations. It totally might be a fault with your Apple Watch, but you need to be sure. This isn't something you can ignore.

The GP was concerned and is ringing me later.

Good luck 😊

I’m going to have a blood test and ecg just to check everything. My haemoglobin level was 95 when I last had my bloods done, so he’s checking that and thyroid as well.

That’s good you’re getting checked out

I'm under investigation for this exact same thing at the moment. Normal resting heart rate, normal weight, regular exerciser but every so often when I weight train my HR goes 210 plus, registered 223 a few weeks ago. Had 2 ecg's and my blood results were all normal so waiting for a stress test and echocardiogram. It's very frightening, I don't usually feel unwell with it and it comes down afterwards but the cardiologist said it's definitely not normal. I got a small ecg finger machine from Amazon (Kardia mobile) on his recommendation so I could try and catch it, all have been normal readings so far but really they won't know until I have the stress test so following with interest on how you get on!

Oh and I'm also 41!

It sounds like the GP is on it. As he should be given its heart related.

Normal hemoglobin in women is 120-160 per this nhs page. I think from memory there was talk of giving my dad a transfusion when his got to 80 so 95 is getting towards the severe end of the anaemia range.

https://www.uhcw.nhs.uk/download/clientfiles/files/Patient%20Information%20Leaflets/Clinical%20Support%20Services/Transfusion/118223AnaemiaainAdultss(1915)--_oct2018.pdf

OP, fitness heart rate monitors are notoriously inaccurate, in fact I had this conversation with my heart failure nurse once, when she said that they have so many people in saying how their Apple Watch, Fitbit etc is measuring their heart rate as too high and actually it can be up to 30pbm out depending on high it seems.

if you go to the GP you can be referred for a stress test where they will make you run on a treadmill and take some accurate readings of your active heart rate.

FWIW I have an ICD and my defib fires at 220 bpm. If yours was above 210 then you’re close to defib level, and having been there, you would know about it.

I am actually fairly fit these days and my heart rate is kept lower because o the meds I’m on. As a result my resting heart rate is between 47/52. I just pretend that I’m an elite athlete 😀

Glad you’re getting it checked out. I had similar and this is how my dysautonomia was diagnosed (after years of inhalers for ‘exercise-induced asthma’ which did nothing- I had noticed being out of breath and no one thought to check heart rate until I was trying to get fit, like you). I am now on medication to lower my heart rate.

Some people to just run higher. My resting HR is in the 40s but my max HR during intense exercise is over 200. It drops quickly and I am medically fit and well.

Obviously get it checked out but do be reassured that it’s not necessarily something terrible!

Atypicaldancer I'm glad you're getting checked out but it may (or may not!) be comforting to know that I too get a really high heart rate when running. At the time my BMI was around 23.5 and I was in my 30s but my heart rate would always shoot up to 180-190bpm when running., I mentioned it to the GP who said that as long as it dropped right down again it was fine and that maybe running didn't suit me. Now in my 50s with a BMI of 26 I don't run I cycle instead and in a 20-30 mile ride this weekend, my peak heart rate was180-187 with an average heart rate of around 155. Resting heart rate is upper 50s.

The GP was concerned and is ringing me later.

glad you're getting this checked - its best to be on the safe side

@Atypicaldancer did you speak to the GP? I have a stress test booked in next Sunday, if you're interested in the result I'll let you know! I went to the gym yesterday and my HR went to 185 but came down quickly when I stopped which is reassuring.

Anything above 100bmp isn't particularly good for you.

This is only true for resting heart rate, I’d expect it to go much higher than 100 when you’re running! As others have said though, your max heart rate should be 220 minus your age so mine is 191 but has occasionally gone higher than this when I’m running. I’m not overly concerned personally because I don’t feel bad when I run. If you feel dizzy, sick etc when your heart is sky high then I’d be more concerned. Good to get it checked though.

Work wouldn’t let me have the time off to go and they didn’t have any after work appointments, so I’m having to wait till next week (if they will let me go then!)

Sorry - the GP suggested an ECG and blood test but haven’t been able to get the time off work to go.