Shortness of breath and irregular heartbeat while working out?
 

Okay, I know working out is supposed to get your heart rate up and make you breath heavier, but I think what I experience is out of the norm...

When I work out, particularly when I do a lot of squats or lunges (blood flow to the legs), I get light headed and feel like my heart is beating too fast and that I might black out. It happens even if I haven't worked up much of a sweat or hit muscle fatigue. I literally have to stop and lay down with my head between my legs until it passes.

This has always happened to me, as far back as I can remember. I also experienced spells of blacking out when pregnant. When I was working out a lot a few years back, my trainer would be working me hard and I would be following along with everything until I couldn't even stand anymore because I would be going into a black out. She would yell at me for not telling her sooner that I was feeling bad. This doesn't happen when I'm running on the treadmill... but it will happen if I'm outside running around playing football in the heat.

I hate it because I feel like I'm not getting the work out I want taking these breaks. Plus, it makes working out not so much fun. I guess I should go see a doctor about it, but I thought I would check in here and see if anyone has experienced something similar... or maybe this is totally normal and I can save a doctor's visit.

you didn't mention it to your doctor when you were pregnant?

I've never been pregnant but I am always paranoid.

I get anxiety attacks and feel that way sometimes though.

Definitely definitely definitely definitely definitely see a cardiologist.

Definitely get checked out. You never want to play around with heart stuff.

Was that you keeled over at O2 Fitness... hehe

anything that gives an irregular heart beat needs checking out, but from what you described, it doesn't sound irregular, just fast. Sounds like low blood pressure though. See your PCP/GP

Out of all places, GFY is not the place to ask medical questions. Please see a doctor and get checked.

I am regularly impressed with responses around here... and I've seen a lot of threads about working out related stuff. Go GFY! :thumbsup

heart stuff sounds like a loss of blood somewhere maybe heart or ulcers

any alergies?

You are dying.

None that I know of.

WhaTS yer eating habits?
Ya eat healthy food?

Could be a number of factors but regardles I would talk to your doctor.

That being said, take a look at how you are breathing during these exercises. From your description it sounds like you get these symptoms with high exertion exercises.

You would be surpised at how many people don't even think about their breathing and hold it while exerting themselves depriving their muscles with much need oxygen. This causes light headedness, increased heartrate, etc.

This is why i don't work out... :2 cents:

I had a banana and granola bar and a bottle of water this morning before I went to the gym. I mean, I love some wings and beer during football, but in general I prefer to eat healthier stuff just by nature.

This is a great tip, thanks!

Yeah... with my being a girl, it's kind of required. :upsidedow

I am a retired fireman :)

PLEASE see a doctor. Tell him everything!

>>>Winners WIN because they NEVER GIVE UP!<<<

PS, Hi Anthony :)

Goddamn! Blast from the past! :)

I had the same problem his morning on the treadmill. I almost had to put out my cigarette and put my beer down. But seriously, go see a doctor.

To the doctor it is. You guys are surprisingly big softies underneath all your hard exterior. :)

You'd better see a doctor, jut to check it out!!

Sounds like rapid more than irregular, but get it checked out

At your age, it's probably unlikely you have anything serious. Seems like a fast heartbeat and not irregular. Your anxiety toward it probably makes it worse. But still, you should see a doctor soon. Since it only effects you when you workout, they'll probably make you take a stress test. It's pretty easy and they'll at least know for sure. But I would probably stop heavily working out until you've had it looked at.

You should see a doctor, but I would suggest also fueling your workout with some protein as well, either eggs, chicken or tuna or something. Forget the granola bar, that's garbage. Granola bars are just candied oats with extra sugar. Eat some plain oats or a piece of toast with the protein and the banana, and then you are fueled up for your workout and the day.

Ignore symptoms - drop dead of a heart attack..
If you're too busy to bother seeing a doctor, it's just nature's way of culling the herd

Seriously tho, I've been through a heart attack. I didn't ignore the symptoms and got the care I needed. I was lucky in that the cardiologist and his entire team was at the hospital on a Sunday afternoon and within 30 minutes of arriving, got the stent I needed.

I was the 3rd 40-something year-old person to have a heart attack that day - the first 2 died.

All 3 of us are now statistic's - I'm just glad I'm in the opposite column that they are!

It could be a number of things but I don't think it's too serious from how you described it. Do get it checked out though, they'll give you an EKG and also make you probably wear a small portable EKG monitor for 24 hours, in which they will want you to work out so they can get a print out of exactly what your heart is doing during that time.

BTW, I know more about the heart than any normal person should have to.

You are aware arent you that heart attack is the number 1 killer of women?
Do you also know that most women do NOT have the "traditional" signs such as tingling in the left arm, and elephant on the chest crushing pain??

You NEED to go to the ER or cardiologist immediately. Fuck the advice that says otherwise UNTIL you've BEEN to the heart doctor! For christs sake dont be selfish, think of your loved ones :(

When I had my heart attack and was in the ER being monitored until I could be admitted for surgery, I had 1 irregular beat and instantly 2 RN's ran into my little waiting room. So if you wanted an idea of how seriously a medical person would respond to an irregular heart beat, well there ya go. They come RUNNING.


I'm like Bama in a way because I was lucky to not have simply been a CORPSE when the ambulance arrived! And I was also only 42 and had a stent installed. Dont be dead if you can help it.

Go to a cardiologist, they will give you a 24/7 heart monitor, during the time you wear it of course you'll have no symptoms and you'll be as clueless as you were before. My cardiologist did say it may have to do with my heart skipping beats sometimes. When I'm sick, it's really bad, I can't blow my nose without sitting down otherwise I'll pass out. I kinda gave up figuring it out.

it could be anything from high blood pressure, stress, to some really bad stuff (knock on wood) - def see a doctor

Legs is a tough work out . I get out of breath and For one leg excerise I get very light headed almost at the pass out point .. However the fact that you get spells while you were preggers you should apsolutely conslut a doctor before starting a training program

If this happened when you were doing heavy squats then it's perfectly normal....If I were you, I'd try Yoga.

age is no immunity from heart issues, we all know that some people are born with them

get checked out asap

Damm man's world ... you should rebel, NikKay!

be prepared for blood tests :(

As someone with heart issues, I agree. Please go see a cardiologist. It could be nothing, it could be a mitral valve prolapse (which is very common in women) or a number of things. Get yourself peace of mind. The tests they will run on you are not painful at all. They will most likely do a stress test since you seem to be having this problem when you work out. You will get to walk on a treadmill as they keep cranking it up while you are attached to a heart monitor to see if they can replicate the irregular heartbeat. They may also do an Echocardiogram which is just an ultrasound on your heart (that is actually kind of cool to watch).

Good luck to you and please, let us know how things go.

Thank you for your caring reply! I will update this thread with what the doc ends up telling me.

my bet is that i'ts anemia.

are you a vegetarian?

do you bleed normally during menstruation?

go to the doctor, um now please!! do not even get me started!! call me next week and let me know how it goes ;o)

If I didnt care I wouldnt have said anything.

I think alot of people dont know that women typically do NOT get the standard symptoms that men do. You may just feel shortness of breath, or heartburn, or weakness or lightheadedness and it could be full blown. A man may feel his left arm go numb, and the weight of 1000lbs crushing his chest and be in the exact same boat.

Well, you said you've had this as long as you can remember which probably means you are not going to drop dead any time soon.

I have irregular heart beats and palpitations and scares the shit out of you. I've had every test known to man, they've recorded the irregular beats, seen them on a echo stress test but just told me to live with it since they can't find any cause for it.

Go to the Doc for sure, but be prepared to leave without any answers.

Did they talk to you about anxiety and panic attacks? Both can cause irregular heart beats.

I've had this exact same thing happen to me. I'm in good shape, not overweight, and work out, but when I push too hard I get light headed and once I passed out at the gym. Yay. After that happened I went to a cardiologist and did the 24 hr EKG test and quite a few others. The end result? 'You have an irregular heartbeat'. it happens in a small &#37; of people for no reason. I keep my workouts light < one hour and haven't had issues if I don't overdo it.