Is there any point in going to my doctor with low resting rate?

[LaurieFairyCake]

My resting heart rate is 58. Which since I'm almost 50 and 4 stone overweight means that I'm not the 'athlete' category this puts me into.

According to this attachment either there are 4 possible things wrong with my heart OR I'm hypo thyroid. Obviously the doctor says my thyroid is fine when I had my hormones checked a month ago.

I already know that even the low end of normal means weight gain/fatigue but there's no way they're going to do anything about it.

Unless I see a private doc? I'm in London

Normal resting heart rate is 60-100 so you're just under that. It wouldn't have occurred to me to think that it's an issue. I'm 46, 16 1/2 stone and have a resting heart rate between 54-60. I do some exercise every week

It's definitely an issue. 60 is normal if you're dead fit and healthy. I categorically am not

My dh is about 70. He is super fit and healthy - runs 30 miles a week, BMI of 20

When the doc said your thyroid was "fine" did they give you an actual figure?

I can't remember it, I need to go and pick up my results from the surgery

Well I don't think it is. You would surely have other symptoms if there was an issue

Whenever I've had it tested before - they only do one number T4? And it's always been the number 'normal' starts at.

(having said that, my resting heart rate is about 60bpm. I was recently diagnosed as mildly hypothyroid and have started on levothyroxine and it doesn't seem to have affected my resting heart rate at all)

If it was your thyroid, you would be experiencing a lot of other symptoms

I'd get the print out and do some research. Also keep a look out for other symptoms. Wouldn't panic about it yet though

I've got loads of symptoms. Weakness, dizziness, brain fog, tired, obvs overweight when I don't overeat.

I've been putting them down to peri menopause as I also had massive overheating at night problems - got HRT last month and night heat has gone. Feel so much better on HRT

Oh in that case definitely push for a diagnosis and treatment! I don't know much about peri menopause or heart problems I'm afraid, but do double check your exact T4 number (and push to have your TSH, T3 and thyroid antibodies tested too.

They don't tend to treat low blood pressure but they do in Europe strangely. Mine is congenitally low so I tend to ignore also 58

Why on Earth is there a current MN obsession with heart rates?! A HR of 58 is entirely normal. I regularly anaesthetise unfit octogenarians with heart rates in the 50s - it is not pathological. The figures of 60-100 are very definitely used as ballpark figures.

I'm amazed mine dropped from 66 to 59 when I gave up alcohol. I googled it. It seems to be fine.

how did you measure?
a fitness tracker (phone/fitbit) or a finess bike? - these are not very reliable and can only give an indication and I would not worry on that alone. but together with your other symptoms a visit to the gp is a good idea.

My RHR is about 42. I mentioned it to my GP and he just told me not to stand up too quickly if I was getting dizzy.

I am a doctor and would even look twice at that heart rate.

It is unlikely to be T4

The usual thyroid test is TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). The range varies from area to area but if your result is close to the top of the range then it is highly likely that you would benefit from treatment. It is also highly likely that you won't get it.

My TSH needs to be close to the bottom of the scale for me to feel anything like normal

Last October mine was 48 - I'm 4 stone overweight and in my mid 40's. I run but not an athlete. Going through cancer treatment and it's gone up to 64 but dropping back down.

*would not ...

Mine is about 60 according to my Fitbit - I’m mid-40s and a healthy weight. My BP is always on the low side. My colleague told me the other day her resting heart rate is usually around 110, which I thought sounded really high. Even during a panic attack mine isn’t much above that.

Mine is usually around 56-59. I'm a slimming but not particularly fit 43 yr old.

I didn't know about the link with thyroid levels. That's interesting. I suffer with brain fog too but had put it down to perimenopause.

Slimmish, not slimming. Autocorrect wanted to go for "skirmish" second time around!

I've been putting them down to peri menopause
And it is very likely to be. My blood pressure and RHR dropped during that period to around 50, some days down to 48. Even then my GP wasn't too concerned when the lightheartedness I felt every morning turned into fainting.

I was referred to a cardiologist, had all the tests, and it confirmed heart rate went down to 39 at night. I am not overweight and do some exercise, but nothing like an athlete. My OH does twice of not more than what I do and his RHR is about 60.

I did notice that my RHR would go up gradually before my periods, and then dropped drastically in the few days after. This is when I fainted. Definitely linked to hormones.

Saying that, even if a bit overweight and not doing much exercise, if you are not smoking or drinking much, a RHR of 58 is just normal healthy.