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very low heart rate when I sit down

I recenty had a mitral valve replacement with a mechanical valve. Since the surgery my heart rate has changed from a normal 85 bpm to 55 when I lie down. My heart rate goes down to 32 bpm and becomes irregular (PAC, PVC, PAF) when I am in a sitting down position. When I sit down I get lightheaded and a little short of breat. I think this is due to the slow heart rate. As soon as I lie down the rate goes up to 55 and becomes regular, and I'll be fine. I cannot get a convincing answer from the surgent and the cardialogist. My cardialogist is planning on putting me on a halter moniter for a couple of days. Any idea what could have happened to my heart as the result of the surgery and is it life threatening. I a small female, 5 feet tall. My heart had never been irregular before surgery and it avraged around 85 bpm in sitting position. Thanks,
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612551 tn?1450022175
COMMUNITY LEADER
I continue to suffer from AFib and am now taking only Metroprolo to slow my HR to the high 70s when at rest.  When my heart is in sinus I get a HR near 60 at rest.  My ER has suggested I try Amiodarone, but if I remember the names correctly this is a very powerful drug that requires hospitalization for its implementation.  I have not yet agreed to use it.

That said, I understand that one has to continue taking whatever drug was used to convert them to sinus rhythm, and I read your note to say you stopped Amiodarone. That may be the reason for your rhythm problems.  

My AFig symptoms are not too troublesome, the worse being a shortness of breath when I engage in physical activity.   I do not suffer from PVC, best I understand my condition.  
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Avatar universal
Thanks for responding. I had the surgery a little over six months ago. My HR is about 55 when laying down in bed. As soon as I sit down it goes down to 32 and becomes irregular. After surgery I developed A-fib. The doctors were able to control it with Amiodarone and Metoprolol. 5 months ago I gradually stopped taking the Amiodarone and metoprolol and soon after my heart went irregular. I do not take any drugs now and suffer from PAC, PVC and PAF. This all is strange to me and cannot get any convincing answers from the doctors. I am wondering if anyone else has experienced what I am going through.
Nabat

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612551 tn?1450022175
COMMUNITY LEADER
Welcome to the "club". I had a mitral valve repair done exactly one year ago today.  

When was your surgery done?  Give it some time.

As for HR, your past "normal" 85 is a bit high, so I wouldn't be concerned about it being lower, I think that's better and could be due (in my non-medical opinion) to the fact that your valve working properly makes the heart pump more efficiently, i.e., slower.

A rest HR of 55 sounds good to me, but I do wonder about going as low as 32, did you say the rate is higher (55) when laying down than (32) when sitting?  That sounds strange as I would expect laying to be the lowest rate, the least work for your heart.

I suffer from AFib, before and after surgery.  My HR is a bit high, more like your old rate and I take Toprol to slow it down.  I run in the 70-80 range when at rest, and in the 100 neighborhood when walking on level ground.  Toprol will slow the heart down, are you on it or some other beta blocker?  That could be pushing your HR down.
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