Heart rate post virus... whats going on?
Discussion
I'm 52, an experienced/reasonably fit rider and had been doing a fair amount of structured Zwift training sessions inc easier rides and a VO2max session once a week. My heart rate in these sessions had been coming right down, minimal HR drift etc and my power had been increasing. All good.
Then I got a nasty fluey bronchitis thing on Xmas eve, which largely cleared up around 2nd Jan in time to go back to the office, yay! I did some gentle spins then have gradually reintroduced my old sessions.
Anyhow, doing the same sessions as before, my HR is much higher, and the sessions feel tougher albeit doable. Last night my av and peak HR during the session was actually slightly higher than when I did the same session last week.
Can I have lost that much fitness with basically 10 days off the bike? Am I still recovering? I feel fine in all other respects.
Should I carry on training as before, or go for more recovery time?
Then I got a nasty fluey bronchitis thing on Xmas eve, which largely cleared up around 2nd Jan in time to go back to the office, yay! I did some gentle spins then have gradually reintroduced my old sessions.
Anyhow, doing the same sessions as before, my HR is much higher, and the sessions feel tougher albeit doable. Last night my av and peak HR during the session was actually slightly higher than when I did the same session last week.
Can I have lost that much fitness with basically 10 days off the bike? Am I still recovering? I feel fine in all other respects.
Should I carry on training as before, or go for more recovery time?
I tracked my heart rate 24/7 for two years and one of the more interesting things about that, was having advance warning of when I was getting ill before I felt ill, and also an indicator of when I was recovered enough to resume full activities. Sometimes you don't realise that you're still ill until you start exercising.
Your resting heart rate is a very good measure of general health. If it's still raised but you feel fine, then I would approach exercise with caution but listen to your body. If you struggling, then that's a clear message.
Also it makes sense that the flu increases your risk of cardiac events, given the increased strain and inflammation from the virus, which is why having the flu vaccine is often important for anyone with a heart condition.
(and also the covid vaccine **ducks**)
Your resting heart rate is a very good measure of general health. If it's still raised but you feel fine, then I would approach exercise with caution but listen to your body. If you struggling, then that's a clear message.
Also it makes sense that the flu increases your risk of cardiac events, given the increased strain and inflammation from the virus, which is why having the flu vaccine is often important for anyone with a heart condition.
(and also the covid vaccine **ducks**)
Edited by lizardbrain on Thursday 15th January 19:38
Just following on from the above, if your heart rate has changed, I'd get checked out before any further serious exercise. Viruses can affect the heart, and I can be added to the list of myocarditis sufferers, which luckily only ended with a "minor" stroke when my heart was damaged. It was sport that triggered the event (and this was years before Covid.. just to clarify for some).
df76 said:
Just following on from the above, if your heart rate has changed, I'd get checked out before any further serious exercise. Viruses can affect the heart, and I can be added to the list of myocarditis sufferers, which luckily only ended with a "minor" stroke when my heart was damaged. It was sport that triggered the event (and this was years before Covid.. just to clarify for some).
100% this!I won't bore you with my heart stuff but the conclusion from the experts was 'could have been a virus'.
Get yourself checked by a cardiologist - not just your GP.
Scary numbers last week when I got sick. Now back to normal but a week ago Saturday it was like I was running a marathon.
I probably would have started cycling into work again last Thursday but skipped it till this week to make sure HR was fully normal and not just mostly back to normal.
I probably would have started cycling into work again last Thursday but skipped it till this week to make sure HR was fully normal and not just mostly back to normal.
jamm13dodger said:
Scary numbers last week when I got sick. Now back to normal but a week ago Saturday it was like I was running a marathon.
I probably would have started cycling into work again last Thursday but skipped it till this week to make sure HR was fully normal and not just mostly back to normal.
Is that an illustration or an ecg your watch has done?.I probably would have started cycling into work again last Thursday but skipped it till this week to make sure HR was fully normal and not just mostly back to normal.
Badda said:
Sorry I meant the ecg trace at the bottom. My Apple Watch for example does an actual ecg, is that one or just a picture on the app?
Looks like a graphic to me. No p wave.For OP I have two cyclist mates. Both medics. One did a hard ride shortly after a fairly innocuous flu like illness. Felt peculiar at work and was admitted to his own hospital's CCU with pericarditis. Made a full recovery but the scare has probably limited his confidence and long term fitness has suffered as a consequence
The other is a long term high level time trialler still doing 20m (on a fast course) 10 milers in his 50s. He has ended up with scarring and is having regular MRIs and reviews and has been told an implantable defibrillator may be required due to the risk of cardiac arrhythmia arising from the scar tissue in the heart muscle.
I was invited to join a Leeds University study looking at heart patholgy in older endurance 'athletes' but didn't quite meet the entry requirements of 10 or more hours every week for at least 15 years
but the study is now published here
Interesting thread, i seem to be in a similar boat with feeling a bit 'off' ( had a mild cold virus over the Christmas holiday) but without getting onto the conspiracy bandwagon I’ve have never felt 100% right since the COVID vaccine in terms of my cardio. Had an ECG last week and have a resting heart rate of 52 ( defined as slow by the GP) but I know going full gas I can nudge 180. Noticed the last few months if I get off the sofa and do a spirited jog up the stairs I get a feeling the old ticker is going like the clappers very quickly but drops down again almost as fast. Waiting for a call back from my GP next week so see whats going on.
Edited by oddball1313 on Friday 30th January 07:55
oddball1313 said:
have a resting heart rate of 52 ( defined as slow by the GP) but I know going full gas I can nudge 180.
Mine is similarly slow at tickover, dropping into the 40s at night, although never getting anywhere near your heights at full throttle. I'm not super-fit but like to keep moving.All the doc' says about slow heart rate is, "it's fine, so long as you're not falling over". Most reassuring.
oddball1313 said:
Interesting thread, i seem to be in a similar boat with feeling a bit 'off' ( had a mild cold virus over the Christmas holiday) but without getting onto the conspiracy bandwagon I ve have never felt 100% right since the COVID vaccine in terms of my cardio. Had an ECG last week and have a resting heart rate of 52 ( defined as slow by the GP) but I know going full gas I can nudge 180. Noticed the last few months if I get off the sofa and do a spirited jog up the stairs I get a feeling the old ticker is going like the clappers very quickly but drops down again almost as fast. Waiting for a call back from my GP next week so see whats going on.
Curious why you are not placing more suspicion on the covid virus itself? Which is a bigger dose?Edited by oddball1313 on Friday 30th January 07:55
lizardbrain said:
oddball1313 said:
Interesting thread, i seem to be in a similar boat with feeling a bit 'off' ( had a mild cold virus over the Christmas holiday) but without getting onto the conspiracy bandwagon I ve have never felt 100% right since the COVID vaccine in terms of my cardio. Had an ECG last week and have a resting heart rate of 52 ( defined as slow by the GP) but I know going full gas I can nudge 180. Noticed the last few months if I get off the sofa and do a spirited jog up the stairs I get a feeling the old ticker is going like the clappers very quickly but drops down again almost as fast. Waiting for a call back from my GP next week so see whats going on.
Curious why you are not placing more suspicion on the covid virus itself? Which is a bigger dose?Edited by oddball1313 on Friday 30th January 07:55
There is no set dosage of mRNA within a given injection, and there is no way to control (or measure) the amount of toxic spike proteins subsequently produced by the body - every individual will be different.
It appears that both mRNA and the spike proteins it triggers have been shown to still exist within the body over three years after last injection, and that changes to the immune response take place that result in 'tolerance' (and therefore ongoing existence/circulation) rather than clearance.
It would seem reasonable to be suspicious of the mRNA products on that basis.
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