Episodes of very low heart rate

[Piratesofponies]

I have waited until after my doctors appointment this afternoon to post this as I know that's the most important thing. I have been referred to a cardiologist for tests.

I am getting new random episodes of bradycardia where my heart rate is plummeting for 60 seconds and then quickly goes back up. I see it happen on the pulse oximeter. My hands feel freezing when this is happening and I stay cold. It goes as low as 34 for a second or 2. Then it goes right back to normal. I'm torturing myself here as I have terrible health anxiety, quite severe health anxiety actually. This has been happening for a week that i know of up to 7/8 times a day maybe more that I miss.

My resting heart rate is normally between 65/75 and outside of these incidents it Still is.

Any ideas what this could be? I know something is wrong just trying to prepare myself to help myself be calm.

I have taken propranolol 80mg slow release for a very long time (10 years) so I doubt they are suddenly the cause but maybe I am not tolerating them as well any more?

I am 42 and not very fit and healthy at all for what it's worth.

I don't know what could be causing it but I can tell you that my husband has similar, diagnosed with sinus bradycardia which is symptomatic (as some people don't notice any symptoms with it), he is not fit either and takes cholesterol medication and prescribed folic acid and uses a sleep apnea machine. It has twice caused him to faint and other times given him chest pain, arm pain, palpitations, lightheadedness. He saw a cardiologist who did an ECG and said that it's not at the point where he'd need a pace maker (his was recorded as 47 at the lowest) but they'll keep an eye on it basically with yearly check ups.
I have severe health anxiety too so I know how much panic this must be causing you and how uncomfortable it probably feels. You've done the right thing seeing a GP and I hope the referral is an urgent one so you don't have this weighing on your mind for months on end.

Mine has been doing this for a long time. As low as yours on a daily basis, normal resting rate is around 60 but drops to early thirties, forties regularly. I've not spoken to anyone about it.

sats probes can struggle to record an accurate pulse if your hands are cold - if you've only noticed it while using the probe then it may well be that your pulse is completely normal but it's a predictable failure of the monitor. They're also not often responsive enough that a 2 second drop in pulse would be accurately detected. Hope it all turns out well.