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Give and get support around quitting

PrimeNumberJD
Member

Resting Heart Rate

I am sort of intrigued, when someone quits, eating heart rate is reduced by an average of 7 beats per minute. I went from a resting heart rate (RHR) of 65 to an 82 as of today. 

Now there are many factors that mess with RHR, sleep, illness, activity (too much or too little) and so forth. 

I have been traveling (3 weeks straight now, 6 weeks in 2 months) and I am at a higher elevation then I'm used to. I don't tend to sleep much anymore (8 plus hours to feel rested before writing, 5 hours now). I had an initial drop (first week), but have been steadily climbing since. 

When I get home, traveling today, I'll check my BP, though i have had high BP before and don't feel like it is high. Some limitations is my measurement is a Fitbit, but it is a common device with months of data prior to quitting. 

Has anyone experienced an increased RHR where a decrease should be seen? 

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12 Replies
Daniela2016
Member

If I were to guess, I would say the cravings might be causing it.  As you pointed out, all studies are finding quitting smoking brings a decrease in heart rate, as well as BP.  I do wear a fitbit too, and I could see the heart rate going down during the first 6 months of quitting.

However, another element contributed to the decrease, it took a while to diagnose, but I had developed Hashimoto's thyroiditis, levels of thyroid extremely low, and so was the hart rate.

But here is what I found today, trying to figure out a cause for your high RHR:

"People with Hashimoto's thyroiditis often initially experience ahyperthyroid phase (too much thyroid hormone), called hashitoxicosis, as thyroid hormone leaks out of the damaged gland as it is destroyed. Eventually, they become hypothyroid."https://www.google.com/search?q=hashimoto%27s+thyroiditis+hyperthyroid&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS857US857&oq=H...

I would not worry about it, just get home and watch it for a while, sometimes I do not trust the fitbit, mostly in the sleep analysis section.  When I get up remembering how many times I was awake during the night, and the device is congratulating on a good night sleep, I doubt the accuracy of it

Let us know how it goes

PrimeNumberJD
Member

The funny thing is, I have several of those symptoms due to quitting! Lmao.

I'm not overly worried, I did find one study that showed there was variation in the first month, I'm at month 2. The limitations if the study seemed to be it was 1 month and the number of people studied (7 if I remember correctly).

Overall, it is still in a normal range. I will keep am eye on it, check my BP, and if it continues to rise past 90 BPM resting, I'll see my doctor (love him, he is a good balance between medication and actions to mitigate). 

Good thing is, I don't often, if at all, have cravings anymore. When I try to think the last time I wanted one, it is hard to specify a point. 

Thank you for sharing your experience!

sweetplt
Member

Yes but I have high blood pressure that is controlled by medicine due to two brain aneurysm’s...so I am an exception...however, it is important I keep my RHB in low 70’s or I must see my Doctor... Anything you feel out of the norm or bothersome...check with your Doctor hon...keep us posted...Colleen 270 DOF 

PrimeNumberJD
Member

I gather I'll chalk this one up to over working at altitude. Since returning home, it has dropped down to the mid 70s. And is on a downward spiral.

Daniela2016
Member

Nice!  Glad to hear it PrimeNumberJD

Mine has a weir behavior; while for the last about 10 months was at/around 60-62, and THS one of the Thyroid regulating hormones seemed to be suppressed by the treatment, I started decreasing the amount of Synthroid (some people take it to increase their metabolism, to lose weight), since I started decreasing, my heart rate goes up, almost every day.  To me it is a good sign, I guess my own metabolism is starting to be self-regulated, I hope  But theoretically, decreasing the amount of Thyroid should decrease the heart rate, mine is going up, crazy!!!

Here is how it looks in the last 30 days (Cut down the drug from 100mcg/day to 92.8).  Just curious how much higher it is going to get

Heartrateatrest.jpg

Barbara145
Member

I am a wee bit obsessed about my heart rate.  I say take good care of yourself.  Your body is just getting you a little bit more blood right now.  (Our bodies are always working at healing us.)

PrimeNumberJD
Member

Screenshot_20190902-175527_Fitbit.jpg

May be able to see my concern here, the drop over July is where I quit, the being a steady incline became worrisome, but it is begging to drop back down. RHR has gone down 10 bpm turning to a new normal. 

I feel better about this trend! Still will keep an eye on it. 

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PrimeNumberJD
Member

20190914_122840.jpg

So, as it would seem, at least for me, that quitting causes fluctuation. Since Colorado, where I started to have some concern, my RHR has significantly dropped. While it shows that it is turning towards a flat line, I anticipate significant decreases in the coming weeks. If RHR drops 7 bpm on average, then I anticipate I'll be around 60 bpm when I stabilize again. 

This graph represents the rollercoaster I put my body through when smoking. The physical changes are still happening at 2.5 months later! My next big milestones:

Screenshot_20190914-134408_Smoke Free.jpg

I'm thankful on the third one, the coughing and wheezing has, seemingly, been over for a while now!

Legend
Member

Next time you go on the road try an experiment with your B/P and heart rate. See what your B/P and heart rate is before you travel and make a log of it and what you were eating every day and what your sodium intake is with each meal then make a log of your B/P and heart rate when you are traveling and what you eat each day and what your sodium intake is with each meal. I am thinking the food that you eat when you are on the road it might be higher in sodium than the food you eat at home that you fix and you would have more stress on you traveling than when at home. I have very high blood pressure and if I eat out my B/P can go sky high very fast I really have to watch what I eat and take my medicine. My heart rate is high because I have heart damage from my heart attack that’s what I get for smoking so I try to keep my stress level down and not overdue what all I need to do. If you eat French fries when out on the road some places really pack on the salt. Also try and keep track of your caffeine at home and how much you drink on the road and see if there is a link to that also. I hope you can keep both your B/P and heart rate at a good level. My cardiologist warned me about caffeine and sodium just to keep it down as much as I could. Best wishes to you.