My heart & pulse....Anxiety, Really????

[ISLASMUMMY]

Hi everyone,

How do you 'KNOW' that when your heart does something odd, that its anxiety???

Everyone tells me, oh its just anxiety!! Well it doesnt feel like anxiety, and actually I can be quite calm and happy when the horrible heart palpy/flutter/boom things happen......I dont get it!!

I had an ECG recently - Fine, I had a holter and echo 3yrs ago - Fine, Bloods - Fine............Yet, here I am absolutly terrified living a second rate life because im too scared to do anything, in fear of my heart giving out.

Im a mum of 2 very young girls who are absolutely beautiful, and yet a huge stress to me!

I get flutters, tickles, big bangs, achey pain, and shooting pains, and im constantly checking my pulse......that another stress, my pulse when anxious goes lower! Whats that all about??

I am on meds for GAD, I take Pregabalin 200 mg Twice a day & Prozac 20mg Once a day.......Im 33, and work in the NHS.

Please give me some advice, or some words of wisdom

Lisa xxx

[daisydoo]

Hi. I get the same palpitations out the blue and always after exertion. I constantly check my pulse and cant work out why sometimes it is slow when im i a real panic and sometimes when i feel calm its racing. I have had all the tests you have and know exactly what you mean about it taking over your life. I also have two young girls. We must take reassurance from the tests that everything is ok! But its easy to say and so hard to do. I feel so guilty as i feel such a rubbish mom sometimes because my health occupies my whole mind. So just to say your not on your own! No help really xx

[ISLASMUMMY]

Thankyou so much for replying! I know exactly what you mean about feeling like a rubbish mum.....im always putting off things that i should be doing with the girls because of my anxiety.

Its just so real to me, im sure it is to you too!

Hugs xxx

[daisydoo]

Its horrible and i would do so much mire if i could let go of my anxiety. I seem to go from one symptom to the next but my heart anxiety always stays with me. I never worried about my health until my second pregnancy. I also worry my girls will realise what i am like and end up as crazy as me. Whilst i am not at all pleased you suffer like me i am so glad someone else feels like me xx

[kinnygirl1]

Hi there. I am another one who cannot let go of her heart anxiety. I go through times of coping better but right now I seem to be back in a phase of constantly thinking about my heart. It can even wake me up - last night I woke up with pain in my left arm and convinced I was just about to have a heart attack. I have had the tests and hate myself for wasting my time worrying about it but I just can't get over it.( I am also 34 with a young daughter.)

[Scared_11]

I am exactly the same. Its when they come when I am resting they bother me the most. I was realy effected by this about 5 years ago and wouldn't do anything because I was terrified I had a heart condition. I use to lie the fair and water parks but when I was realy worried about my heart I wouldn't do anything.

My heart fear has come back abit lately and I am making a conscious effort to make myself do things. I have still been going the gym regularly and yesterday I even done an indoor skydive. Filling in the risk form at the start was hard because i wanted to tick the box for 'has a heart condition' but I told myself that I have health anxiety just do it. And I did an it was amazing. I had afew palps when I got into bed after it but so glad I didn't sit out and watch.

I think we need to challenge ourselves. Maybe start with a list of things we want to do so that you have targets. We need to take risks, as terrifying as it sounds, I think it's key in overcoming this type of anxiety.