frightening palpitations

[newbiechris]

Hello everyone. As you'll probably gather from the username. . I'm new! The reason I've signed up is because I've found the site and I'm amazed at how many other people are frightened about the same thing as me!
Basically. .. I've had palpitations most of my life. I remember being quite young and thinking 'what on earth is happening to me? '. The worst thing is that I don't know anyone else who gets them and so I feel very alone.
Sometimes I get the first few early in the morning which sets me into terrified mode! Then I can't get back to sleep through worry. My whole day is then ruined whilst all I think about is when the next one will be.
I must admit. . Compared to some of you guys I seem to be lucky as I don't think mine are so bad.
I just can't stop myself feeling terrified though and it's destroying me.
I would love to chat to anyone who suffers from these dreadful things too!

[Freaked]

Hi, Chris. By palpitations do you mean ectopic beats ('skipped' beats)? I've also had the odd one all my life, though they're worse in times of anxiety or when I'm sick. Have you ever had a cardiac work-up, or an ECG/holter monitor at least? Ectopics are benign in the vast majority of people, but it's better to be sure about that.

They are very anxiety-making, and hard to get 'used' to since they sort of take your breath and all. I find it can be helpful to take a moment to centre myself after I have one, like a mini meditation, and then quickly move on in that calm state of mind. Doesn't always work, but of course the more you worry about them, the more you get them sometimes.

[janerbelle]

Hi chris,
I get them :) they suddenly started about 8 months ago... Scared the life out of me.. I had a week of constantly having them and then it settled down to a few a day. Eptopic beats are common. (I was a cardiographer and spent everyday doing ecg's and they are really common. A lot of people don't know they are having them )
I take magnesium tablets and eat a banana everyday :D this helps a lot... ( not sure if its in my head but hey it works for me .. I have cut out caffeine too..
Hope this helps
Jan

[jared]

About your worrying - what helps me is, every time I've felt that "this is the one, this is real" and especially when accompanied with a new symptom, I have to remind myself I've been here before and have come out fine. If it really IS something, then so be it. I'm sure of my eternal destiny in Christ. It is tough to not worry, or feel you are ignoring your body, but YOU yourself SAID - "I've had them since I was little and was wondering what was wrong". So you've had them all your life, it is nothing to you to have them again! No reason this time is different than the last, or the one before that, or the one after this. Hang in there, things will be alright.