Absolutely terrified of a heart attack, please help!!

[fizzle90]

I am absolutely terrified that I am going to have a heart attack. Last year I had my first panic attack that was so intense and foreign to me that I had to call an ambulance. I was told my heart was enlarged and I went for an MRI scan. Results showed nothing in particular to worry about, just that my heart likes to beat a bit fast and is a bit large. Since my first panic attack I've suffered with anxiety, was on Citalopram for about 7 months and decided with the help of my GP to come off them in October. Now I suffer terribly with heart palpitations, missed beats, and racing sometimes. I am absolutely convinced that I will have a heart attack in the future, and I am so unbelievably terrified of it to the point where I can't sleep in case I don't wake up. It's 10 times worse at night, I can feel my heart thumping. I tell myself, you are not going to have a heart attack, stop worrying, etc etc. I've even cried myself to sleep some nights because I just want the thumping to stop (this sounds pathetic now I write it down :blush:). Yesterday I was put on some antihistamines for my severe hayfever, I read the leaflet and it says one side effect (although rare and uncommon) was a fast, racing heart. Ever since I read that my anxiety has shot through the roof and I feel my heart racing. It could my phsycological but I just can't snap out of it. I wondered if it was worth going to the GP and asking for Beta Blockers?

Sorry for the long pathetic post :(

[countrygirl]

Fizzie you sound as if you are in the same state as me at the moment. YOu need to do something about your anxiety, it sounds as if the cit worked for you as your symptoms returned once you stopped it so maybe go back onto it. Betablockers are another option but not everyone can take them.

I can't offer words of advice other than you have had your heart thoroughly checked out and nothing nasty was found and these symptoms can be pure anxiety. Like you I am finding that putting up with symptoms in the night when you can't sleep is horrible.

[fizzle90]

Fizzie you sound as if you are in the same state as me at the moment. YOu need to do something about your anxiety, it sounds as if the cit worked for you as your symptoms returned once you stopped it so maybe go back onto it. Betablockers are another option but not everyone can take them.

I can't offer words of advice other than you have had your heart thoroughly checked out and nothing nasty was found and these symptoms can be pure anxiety. Like you I am finding that putting up with symptoms in the night when you can't sleep is horrible.


Thanks for the reply :) I should've mentioned actually in my original post that Citalopram was vile, it didn't help me at all (the reason I stayed on it for 7 months was because I was trying to convince myself they were helping) they also plunged me into a deep depression, which is ironic. I don't want to be taking meds especially anti-depressants, for many reasons but they just zombified be, which is why I thought maybe beta blockers might be worth a go? I might even try a bit of CBT, if it's worth it? I need to just get it out of my head that I'm going to have a heart attack :weep:

[terror-x]

I cq relate to this it has happened to me before as well just try and calm yourself when it happened

[saab]

Totally understand. I was in the same state 8 years ago when I was diagnosed with ectopics - just kept expecting to drop dead. Reading CBT books has helped me a lot with being more rational about my health and Claire Weekes books helped a lot with the anxiety.

The funny thing is that anxiety makes you do all the stuff that is bad for your heart - eat rubbish, don't exercise, and so on - so I would try to change your diet and lifestyle.

If they really felt there was any issue they would have done more tests or started you on medication.

I have wasted 8 years waiting for a heart attack that has never arrived, so I would advise you to start working on the anxiety now. I am sure if you rang and asked to speak to your gp, he/she could put your mind at rest.

The All Experts Cardiology site has helped me a lot - the cardiologists there basically seem to say that if you have a normal ecg and echocardiogram then missed beats are harmless:

http://en.allexperts.com/sitesearch.htm?terms=skipped+beats&cnl=Heart-Cardiology-964&sdn=www

[fizzle90]

Thank you so much :)