Wednesday 7 November

Not been such a good few days.
I had planned Saturday as a quiet day. Just took the dogs for a walk in the morning after dropping my son Garry off at work. 3k along tracks and through the woods. Very pleasant but not vigorous.


Sunday.
Slept soundly Sat night but only about 8 hours and woke with a very slow pulse – around 46. This happens sometimes. Its as if everything has just relaxed and does not want to start up properly. Its always a bad sign and the arrhythmia started after breakfast.
We had friends call in before they headed for shopping. I took our dogs and their big lab out for a 3k walk round one of the local farms. Again fairly relaxed especially as the heart rate discouraged anything vigorous. Had the arrhythmia all day till evening dinner before our friends headed home.
I generally have the dogs out for a 1.5k walk each evening before bed. I rarely miss that walk. It makes a way of seeing the year and currently I enjoy the dark nights. One of the boys may come with me as Jamie did tonight. He generally does when he is home.
Monday saw another dog walk, another arrhythmia. That makes it sound like they are linked – not at all. Like Saturday walked the woods near Garry's work. Its a lovely walk with fine views of Bennachie - our local hill. A beautiful morning with geese flying, gaggling overhead with a low autumn sun. That soon turned to rain.
Bennachie

We sell logs colonised with mushrooms and needed some taken from store up for packing. That provided half an hour harder work.
Tuesday much the same but did not have my walk with the dogs in the morning.
Wednesday today had a pulse of 60 first thing. Good 3k walk in the morning round local roads and tracks. We have a lab and a border terrier who is now 15. She is arthritic but can still walk OK on smooth ground. She is pretty deaf and her sight is deteriorating – if she cannot see you easily she will just wander off. Calling after her is no use. Sometimes the lab will go and fetch her but that is rare. I need to run after her and since that's a sudden effort try to avoid an arrhythmia!
I had planned to go out on my bike but that got lost somewhere. No arrhythmia so far! Into Aberdeen to see our son's new council flat. That is new to him. Badly needs decorating but basically its sound and he should get the keys tomorrow. That will be good. Slow pulse again this evening. So its post this and off for the dog's evening walk.

arrhythmia rules so lets start a revolution

Well this is my blog and to start with its for me. Just to put on record dealing with arrhythmia: what it does to you, how you feel, how it does your head as well as your heart. And of course how I continue to do some of the things I want, that are important to me as well as some of what I have to do as part of life.
I hope some folk may find it interesting, even useful.
I will put in bits about me as things go on.
But to start with I'm 62, a war baby born in June 45, male. I started being aware of
arrhythmias about 6 to 7 years ago. I used to jog each morning and started getting these racing heart beats. They left me breathless and not able to jog. Eventually went to the Dr and had a few tests. I was told my heart was basically sound and they prescribed beta blockers - Sotalol. Did not take them for a year but in Feb 05 I was planning a cycle trip to the French alps with a friend of mine and reckoned I ought to take them to make sure I gave the trip my best shot.
Col de Noyer nr Gap
Finally came off the beta blockers at New Year 07 and currently do not take anything directly for the arrhythmia.
Still try to cycle, keep fit etc as will become clear with the blog. Oh arrhythmias - well 3 to 12 per month they usually last 12 to 20 hours, occasionally a day plus.
So that will do for now. Except this is meant to be a diary blog. So today.
Bit knackered this morning after cutting logs for our mushroom business yesterday - 4 hours shifted and cut a few tons of logs. Had an arrhythmia during the night, not surprising since its been a heavy week with late nights. The surprise was my pulse was normal in the morning: 62-64. Slightly raised from my base of 56 but expected after the work and the late nights. Actually its the first morning for a few days where the pulse has been where it "ought" to be, past few mornings it has been a bit low which is always a bad sign.
So tired today, plutered (ie did little) doing things on the computer then went for another load of logs this afternoon. So in all about 80 mins of labour with pulse about 85. Felt better after the work
Previous winters I have done the tree felling as well as cutting. This year we are buying in the logs pre cut to 1 or 2 metre lengths and it seems to be working well so far.
I have this hypothesis that arrhythmias are partly the result of inappropriate body and heart stress. Low level work say to 65% max heart rate (and perhaps lower if less fit) will strengthen the heart and body against arrhythmias and reduce their incidence. Being sedentary or tired or inappropriate stress will all encourage arrhythmias. Feel this week supports my hypothesis.