I already know that I have a rapid heart rate, as determined by a Holter monitor. The doctor tried a very low dose of timolol but the side effects (I fainted!) were intolerable. So I just decided to live with it.
After losing my last job I let myself get in terrible shape. I was told it was fine for me to exercise, so I went to the gym today and spent thirty minutes on the treadmill...walking on a light incline, with about 40% of the time spent jogging. While I was jogging, my heart rate rose to 200bpm.
I felt pretty normal...well, normal for me exercising, which means I felt like ****, but it wasn't anything different. I left the gym and went to work (new job), where I stand for 7-8 hours straight. I'd say about 4-5 hours of that my heart rate hovered between 110 and 120. I found myself acutely aware of my heart rate even after I stopped checking my pulse. The palpitations were very noticeable and after a time I started to feel strange...a little lightheaded, anxious...I started coughing and felt some very mild chest pain. I do have anxiety problems so I decided that these were anxiety-related symptoms rather than an event, although I did worry for a little while that I would have a syncopal episode.
I'm 26, 5' 2", and 180 pounds. I'm pretty overweight and would like to get back in shape. I don't have a doctor right now and am trying to decide if I should find one...but if I do, what should I say? I don't want to go through all those tests again just to be told the same thing: "You have a rapid heart rate."
Is this something that would improve if I continued to exercise, or am I putting myself in danger?