Pulse Checking

[LaiLowsMom]

I have become an obsessive compulsive pulse checker. I check my pulse... anywhere from 20 (on a good day) to 200+ a day. I am SO INCREDIBLY tired of doing this. It's such a control thing and I was wondering if anyone else is a pulse checker as well... I suppose being a pulse checker is just like being a checker of any other kind. What tips do any of you have to try to stop..... I'm thinking I'm going to end up developing a new habit if I dont kick this one properly.

HELP!

[cricketjar]

this is exactly what i do. since i have had chest pains due to anxiety i now always check how fast my heart is beating and cant stop it. i cant give you any tips because im in the same boat as you. i just checked it before i wrote this. it really annoys me.

[pollyanna]

Hi,

I still check my pulse and i try and make it a habit i dont get back into in a mega way, i like yourselves used to do it all the time, my hand was never away from my neck, my family were always telling me off about it, and of course it the more i checked it the faster it would go.
I dont really know how i stopped checking so much, i guess the more i felt ok/well i didnt do it so much, and i finally realised one day that it wasnt doing me any good, it just made me fell worse, i think also around that time i had a 24 hour tape done of my heart for palpatations( which i still get to this day)it was confirmed that my heart was having good riproaring palpatations, but they were in a normal rhythm, i think i relaxed a bit more about it. i know this isnt helpful in terms of tips in how to stop, but wanted you to know you are not alone, and it can get better.

best wishes

P x

[den68]

i used to do this loads of times a day as i was conviced there was a problem with my heart. i slowly tried to resist the temptation and would feel really on edge trying not to do it. It was hard but now i hardly ever do it maybe a couple of times a week

[mick_uk]

I think a lot of people do this because it's an easy procedure to do by yourself.
It's one of the few medical checks we can do on ourselves.
I know it sounds silly but you could get a notebook and set a target to check your pulse every hour for a day and note down your pulse rate.
On the second day do it every two hours and so on through the week until you get to a point where you do it only once a day.
Also,it will give you a record of what your pulse is, and train your brain to recognise that your pulse is healthy.