stress test

My heart rate goes high when I exercise, and my doctor wanted me to have that checked out. I had the stress test this morning, first having the fight I expected with the doctor conducting the test, who didn’t want to let me go above the normal maximum heart rate for my age. Luckily I had anticipated the problem and could say that my cardiologist had promised to tell the doctor conducting the test to let me keep going. I did get within 5 points of the highest heart rate I have observed, but I was nowhere near pushing myself to the maximum—I was puffing but could still talk. The doctor conducting the test wouldn’t let me go any farther because there was an abnormality on the EKG. I got a call from my cardiologist’s office that he wants to see me today, and I also have an echocardiogram scheduled.

Now I’m scared. I’ve lost nearly 50 pounds in the last year since I was diagnosed with diabetes, and I’ve been getting into serious bicycling for 4 months. I feel great, and I’m having fun. Exercise clearly has an unusually strong effect on me—my reaction is if it were a drug it would be illegal. The physical changes have also been very important to me in reinforcing my healing journey. I’m so afraid of being told to stop. I could push myself a little less hard, but slowing down very much would take the fun out of it.