170 pulse when I walking up stairs - please help

[SunsetRunner]

Hello,

I am a 25 years old male. I am 182 cm and 90 kg, my BMI is 27,2. My resting pulse ist where between 61-70. I have a problem. I cannot go up stairs, I could go upstairs without a problem but not anymore. I can breath but my heart rate spikes up. When I go 1 floor stairs up, then I have 170 pulse and my heart pounding and in a minute it decreases until 110-120. It is 145 pulse with a half of floor. I have a very big friend, who has 42 bmi and he outwalk me.

My heart rate is 100-115 (125 - 135 uphill with my backpack) bpm when I walk.

When I cycle in hard mode for 30 minutes, I get 135-140 heart beat.

My blood pressure is normal, 6 months ago I was with a cardiologist, he make 24hr ecg and he said I am very healthy.

Do you guys any idea? Am I just out of shape?

[SunsetRunner]

Unfortunately, it’s just that you are out of shape. No need to worry though. If you have a staircase nearby or a brick wall that you can use for step-ups, practice a little bit every day or as often as you can. As you become more active your heart rate will improve. It’s normal for the heart rate to spike during activity but do a little cardio as often as you can and with time your heart rate will improve.

[emili]

@SunsetRunner... hey there.. your heart is working double time because of your weight. Being almost 200 pounds puts a lot of stress on your heart. Walking up stairs is a cardio activity which is spiking your HR. I don't think the cardiologist should have labeled you as very healthy, Maybe in the "normal" range for your heart, but maybe a consultation on a bit of weight loss should have happened.. my two cents. 

[TaraSue]

I am 5 feet 5 inches and weigh 115 pounds. I’ve always been small and petite and I have a heart problem called POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). For me, stairs are the absolute worst! I hate climbing stairs because I feel the same way you described. I can walk for miles and even run a few miles no problem, but I hate stairs. One flight of stairs can cause my heart to do crazy things! Look up POTS and maybe ask your doctor about it. My cardiologist diagnosed me with it when I was 28 and said I’ve probably had it for years. It has gotten worse as I age (31 now) and after each pregnancy. Most of the time I take medicine (a beta-blocker) that helps significantly.

[SunsetRunner]

Yeah, I could also run 2-3 km and climbing stairs is still my problem. I also have a problem, racing heart, when I stand up from sitting down or when I change my sittng position.

[Dominique]

@SunsetRunner : did you make a mental note of what your cardio fitness score was back in January? If so, how does it compare with your current score? Cardio fitness score is a metric for which Fitbit doesn’t keep historical data, it only displays your current score. Hence the need to make mental notes of what it was at various times, or to write it down. It’s a good way to see whether you’ve made any improvements. The heart is a muscle, and like other muscles, you can develop it by training it.

[Aerionne]

I have the exact same issue and was also diagnosed with POTS. They have recently changed my diagnosis to Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia. I used to be on the dance and drill team doing high kick routines, was a cheerleader, etc so I was at the pinnacle of fitness and then just suddenly I got to where I could not do simple stairs. I was thinking that maybe I was just loosing my edge and getting out of shape until someone around 300 pounds passed me on the stairs. It's insane. 

[profrich]

Do you get PVCs (heart palpitations) when you walk up stairs? I seem to get them, but my heart does not beat fast.

Thanks,

Rich

[SunsetRunner]

No I don't have PVC when I walk upstairs. I bought myself a better smartwatch, now I can test it better. When I walk upstairs it gets up 170 beats pro Minute and after a minute my pulse drops fastly to 120, in two minutes to 70-80.

[profrich]

Do you ever get PVCs? I am wondering if these conditions are related.
After walking up to my 3rd floor bedroom, if I lie on my back I can feel
my heart beating and it seems like PVCs.

[profrich]

Do you ever get PVCs? I am wondering if these conditions are related. After walking up to my 3rd floor bedroom, if I lie on my back I can feel my heart beating and it seems like PVCs.

[SunsetRunner]

I don't know, my heart go crayz with waking up after sitting like 5 minutes. My HR go slow and beat very strong and then my HR go faster and the beats weaker or normal.

[profrich]

Seems to be similar to what happens to me when I lie on my back after
walking up stairs. How old are you?

[SunsetRunner]

I am 25. For example I sit for 5-10 minutes and change my sitting position a bit without walking up. Then I have this problem again.

[profrich]

I am 73. I had no problem with my heart until I took some medicine which
gave me PVCs last October. Even though I have been off the medicine for
a while, I still have problems. I have checked out okay on a stress test
and holter monitor. Have you had these? Did you take any medicine or
supplement that may have triggered the problem?

Also, are you a vegetarian (I am). I found out vegetarians can be
deficient in taurine, which is important to heart rhythm.

[SunsetRunner]

I had 2 times 24 hours Holter, everything OK. I had this problem always but now I take 7.5 mg Mirtazapine, it has worsened my problem.

[profrich]

Antidepressants are known to mess up heart rhythm. Perhaps try 1000 mg
taurine. It is an amino acid you get naturally from meat.

[PA_Ridge]

you try running up the stairs with the holter monitor? I find it odd that you can perform other strenuous physical activities and have your heart rate respond accordingly, but stairs sends your heart haywire, only to have it return to normal within a minute? How tight are you wearing the smartwatch? Are you pumping your arms vigorously when going up stairs? Try switching wrists. I build guitars, and when it's time for me to sand and polish the finish, if I start sanding by hand with the hand currently occupied by the Fitbit, my "heart rate" shoots up to 140-ish. But it's not really my heart rate It's the device responding to the rapid movement. I've noticed on numerous occasions that rapid movement will register a false heart rate. Double check it yourself by feeling the carotid artery and seeing if it matches what the smartwatch says. Good luck. 

Phil

[Lindslou]

I also have what we believe is POTS.  I am currently in NYC and this morning I walked up 5 staircases in a row.  My heart was pounding for 5-10 minutes and I hadn’t to lie down immediately!  I thought I might faint and it was scary.  Had to take the day off in bed to regroup.  I see cardiology soon again to talk more about POTS and when symptoms occur out of the blue... yesterday I walked 10 miles around NYC with no issues!  The stairs are really a trigger.  I danced for 20 years and it’s really hard to accept limitations like that when they come on.  POTS is something for many to consider looking into...

[profrich]

Do you get heart palpitations also? Does it happen every time?

I have a 3rd floor bedroom. Sometimes I walk up to it and notice
nothing. Other times my heart is pounding with palpitations. It almost
seems if I don't think about it, it is okay.