Why can't I raise my heart rate during exercise while on beta blockers?

[RyanS]

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[FrankSM]

I’ve been on a beta blocker for my hypertension for about six months now, and while my blood pressure is much better controlled, I’ve noticed I just can’t seem to get my heart rate up during exercise like I used to. My morning jog feels completely different, almost like I’m hitting a ceiling. Has anyone else experienced this kind of exercise limitation with their medication?

[BrianR]

I’ve been there after starting that medicine. My workouts felt flat and my heart rate wouldn’t climb like it used to, even at what felt like the same effort. I kept going but focused on how I felt rather than the numbers.

[Olivia9]

Mine slowed down gradually. I kept a log for a few weeks and noticed the HR ceiling you’re talking about. I tried longer warmups, easier starts, and watched for signs I was overdoing it, but the ceiling stayed there until I talked to my clinician.

[Jeffrey.M]

A buddy suggested I measure effort by how hard it feels rather than the readout, and that helped not to push too hard too soon. It wasn’t perfect, but I could still finish workouts without feeling wiped out.

[Hannah_J]

I did ask a doctor about it and they warned that some exertion responses get muted with certain meds. They suggested we review timing or dose, but only with checkups first.

[Joseph.R]

One day I realized I was chasing pace numbers and forgot to listen to my body. I slowed down for a few workouts, then noticed a tiny improvement in how I felt, even if the HR ceiling was still there. It felt like a small victory that didn’t totally resolve the issue.

[Mia52]

Sometimes I use a wearable to glance at the trend, and it makes the mismatch between effort and HR clearer. It helped me decide when to back off, but it didn’t fix the root cause.

[Nicholas_J]

Do you think this is the real problem, or could other factors like sleep or caffeine be masking it?