ADHD Medication and Heart Rate?

[Crankin]

"I am not a doctor," but I have been a teacher for 30 years and I have 2 kids who have ADD. One of my kids took medication for 7 years. The other one couldn't take it. The short answer is yes, Concerta could be elevating your HR. Any stimulant could. I would discuss it with your doctor who prescribes it. If you are not bothered by it, I'm not sure if a medical person would consider it a problem.But, I would rule out any other causes. My HR tends to be higher than it should be, especially at the beginning of a ride. I've read some current research that says that the target HR zones that are commonly published are not applicable to trained people. In other words, your maximum is really a lot higher than 220- minus your age.
What is your resting HR when you first get up, before you put your feet on the floor?

Robyn

[Eden]

Also not a doctor here - but I have anecdotal evidence that medications can elevate your hr. Last spring I tried some OTC allergy medication (some generic version of Allegra or something similar I think). It raised my normal hr a lot. I didn't feel any different - percieved exertion wise, but my hr ran about 10 beats higher than normal.

[Deanna]

I would confirm with your doctor, but I would not be at all surprised that your meds affect your heartrate. I experience the opposite effect--I'm on medication for high blood pressure, which keeps my heart rate low. I rarely see it above 170, and when I do, it's usually followed by the immediate realization that I forgot my morning dose.

[SouthernBelle]

Although I assume the rates you are referring to are when you are working out hard and not resting. These rates are not out of the ballpark. I'm nearly 10 years older than you and in a workout shoot for the high 150s, even low 160s.