resting heart rate

[mtkst13]

does anyone out there have a resting heart rate lower than 60?

i don't work out much, so it's not because i'm in "great shape"...i'm far from that.  i get so groggy and tired and can't keep my eyes open.  i took my pulse, and it's 57 beats a minute.  i would think my resting hr should be about 70.  i'd even be happy at 65 at this point.  i need a pick-me-up.  when i was hyper, my resting hr was 84.  what a difference!

the grogginess really interferes with my work.  i read an email 15 times before sending it because i couldn't comprehend what i was reading, and i wanted to make sure i didn't write something bizarre.  i'm a software developer.  sometimes i fall asleep in the middle of writing code or in the middle of transfering data.  i worry about deleting or overwriting something important.

i got labs drawn today and finally got free t3 tested.  i hate to say this, but i'm hoping my ft3 is low so that something can explain my fatigue and low heart rate.  i've supposedly been stabilized for the last 6 months with a tsh of .51 and a free t4 in the mid-range.

i'm really starting to get frustrated and tired of feeling this way!!!

[Gooney58]

I HAVE HYPOTYROID AND HAVE TAKEN MEDS FOR YEARS MY RESTING HR IS SOMETIMES 46 DURING THE DAY ITS ABOUT 53-70 I DO FEEL TIRED SOMETIMES BUT I DONT REST WELL EITHER...BUT MY CARDIOLIGIST SAYS DONT WORRY,EVEN WORE MONITOR .SO YEAH IT CONCERNS ME BUT WHAT DO YOU DO?

[goolarra]

If you've just recently started thyroid meds, you may find that your heartrate will settle down once your body adjusts to the new meds...maybe not to the level it was before, but somewhere in between...63 is still very respectable!

[rakers80]

I was recently diagnosed with hypothyroid. My pulse is usually 48 to 52 per minute. I am an athlete...so that was the reasoning before my hypo diagnosis. But I have noticed that since starting on synthroid my heart rate has boosted up to about 63.

[chel 81]

goolarra is correct- hypothyroidism can cause bradycardia. One thing though is that you may just have a lower heart rate. I say that because you said that when you were hyper your heart rate was only 84- actually quite low for someone who is hyper. Many experience resting heart rates in the mid to uppers 100's or even higher so 84 is very low compared to that. My resting heart rate when I am healthy ranges between 53-60 but I am a runner when I'm able to be and not sick. However, when they overdosed me I've had periods when my resting heart rate was 105+ even in the middle of the night. Don't be too worried about 57, 60 is actually considered a perfect resting heart rate so you're right about there not too much lower. Definitely get your thyroid numbers though and if your heart rate goes lower than the low 50's that's when you should be concerned.

[goolarra]

Let's wait for the FT3...we can speculate later if we have to.  I doubt you're just bored...unless you're very, very bored...I don't thnink so.

[mtkst13]

i'm anxious to see the ft3 as well.  i don't understand why docs don't order it.  i guess they don't want to throw another variable into the equation.  it's strange being that ft3 is more potent.  i had t3 toxicosis when i was diagnosed.  it's hard to say how long i was hyperthyroid before it was caught.  i could have had high ft4 as well.    

if it's not thyroid that's causing the low heartrate, what is?  is it normal?  am i bored?  it's frustrating.

[goolarra]

Hypothyroidism can cause bradycardia (slow heart rate).  Your whole body slows down.

Glad to hear you're going to see your FT3.  I see more and more people (it seems) who's doctor's don't do FT3.  I'm beginning to wonder if it's a trend.  My endo, who always did FT3, FT4 and TSH previously, didn't order FT3 at my last labs.  I whipped my arm back from the resident vampire and wouldn't let her take my blood until she added FT3.  I don't care if my endo wanted to see it or not, I did.

It will be interesting to see yours.