Hi John,

I fully understand your concern, since my HR has been elevated ever since my PE, in September. Yesterday, it was at 119!

However, you are still very, very early in recovery and an elevated HR can be expected. Last time I went to the ER, after falling on the ice and ending up with a monster bruise, they were only concerned when it climbed to 154! That time, it would be as high as 130 and they were not overly concerned.

If you are stressing about it, why not give your doctor a call? Stress will only serve to elevated the HR even more, and THAT is not good.

Best of luck.

@Danielle That is reassuring! Wow...I didnt know that it could go so high as yours and they not be concerned!! I have lots to learn!!! Thanks!!

John

As long as it is a regular heartbeat it can go even higher than that and doctors won't be worried so long as it isn't a prolonged episode.

The cardiologist I saw told me that as long as it was regular they would be ok seeing a HR of something like 160-170 out of me after exercise (just simply walking or climbing some steps, this is also age dependent).

Sounds more like you are stressed to me, just like I was when I first came home. I used to check my HR way too often and worry about it way too much, but sometimes you just can't help yourself. Getting stressed will make you hyper ventilate, making you think you are short of breath when you aren't as well as make your HR spike up. It's just like a fight or flight response.

I would say just try to relax a little and if you can, take some pain killers to try and dull the chest pains (my doctors put me on some).

If it really does bother you, you can always get yourself checked out, better safe than sorry, I know I went back twice for essentially nothing but reassurance.

It will get better =).

Stu.

Hi John!
I'm over a year out now and my heart rate is still much higher than pre PE, and with stress it isn't unusual for my resting heart rate to be in the high 90s, when it used to be in the high 50s. It is slowly coming back down, but has taken a long time. I will now have a resting HR somewhere in the 60s if I'm relaxed, but it still goes up more drastically with stress and exertion. My doctor isn't worried, and I've survived for a year this way and am finally seeing improvement, so I guess this is just part of adjusting to my "new normal"!

Stuart and Jenner,

Thank you for the reassurance and information. I did ok during the day but in the evenings and before I go to sleep are times that have been tough. My BP elevates and the pain and swelling increase and then I am anxious.

Reading the replies does indeed help me to relax a bit and so I really appreciate you folks taking time to reply. I am Thankful!

John

Hi John,

Hope you feel better soon. Our bodies are remarkable healers!

This is my second month since my PE's & I use oxygen at night and when I exercise. My doctor told me if I have pain in my chest along with shortness of breath, it's possible my heart isn't getting enough oxygen. I figure at this point it's better to be cautious and get checked out. I have an O2 monitor which helps me figure out if my oxygen is too low and it helps me calm down when I psych myself out even when it isn't.

BTW, My husband has asthma and one time lived with a heart rate of 120ish for over a year.

Thatch,

It would appear thar I am just on high alert so to speak and making to much of my rate. I must be lucky because what seems to be cause for concern for me is no where near what others like you and your hubby have experienced.......

I do think I will purchase the oximetry just for the peace of mind aspect. Though I understand this is not totally indicative of the condition.

It is amazing to me to see how many other folks have PE......and how you all are willing to share knowledge and experiences.

John

I got out of the hospital on a Tuesday evening. Wednesday morning I was on the computer (googling "PEs) and my heart rate soared. I tried to calm myself down, but that didn't work and I called my doctor, basically panicking and on the edge of tears. I wound up calling an ambulance and went back to the hospital less than 24 hours after getting out.

They looked me over and it turned out to be just anxiety. Nothing more than panic and fear taking over my body. They gave me some anti-anxiety meds and sent me home.

It really is amazing how much anxiety can affect your body and how you're functioning. Definitely keep an eye on it. If it winds up taking over your life, you might want to consider meds or therapy to help you cope. At this point, there are so many better (healing) things to spend energy on other than worrying.