my own worst enemy

[Lisa.w1979]

Hi all

i've had an obsession lately of constantly checking my heart rate. So, im just laid here on my sofa and get a pain in my chest, so checked my heart. My usual rhr is between 65 and 75. Right now its 60!! Of course this made my panic. my head hurts, my chest aches (i know this is anxiety).

Its typical that when its too fast, i worry and now its slower than usual....i worry more lol.

[Fishmanpa]

You do realize that it means you're pretty relaxed? (and that's beneficial to your health) ;)

Positive thoughts

[madge]

I got my husband to check mine the other night as I was worried it was high but like yours, mine was 60 which is probably the lowest it's ever been!

[Lisa.w1979]

lol, i did panic a bit, which inevitably sped my heart up, but these cbt techniques of just letting it wash over you were good.

[Fishmanpa]

FYI... I'm chillin' out in my recliner, listening to music and browsing the internet. My resting HR is 54 (my doctors would ^5 me! ~lol~).

Positive and chilling thoughts

[Lisa.w1979]

where abouts in the states are you fmp? My mum lives in washington. I'd love to get over to visit here. Seeing the sights in america is top of my bucket list.

[barrym]

Fishmanpa,
I'm exactly the same, like to lie back, earphones in (I listen to a station on internet called American Ballads) and surf the net. I find it helps tremendously to settle my anxiety which is high at moment due to constant numb/pressure feeling in head and also just started a low dose of amiytriptline (spelling) for my headaches/fibromyalgia (day 8 so trying to push through the heightened anxiety/side effects). Music certainly helps to soothe/relax and let the mind drift away.

Lisa,

Sightseeing in the USA is something I would love, my sister stays in Dublin, San Francisco and is always at me to go over, hopefully I will in the near future. Is it something your thinking about doing soon?

BarryM

[Lisa.w1979]

barrym are you from ireland originally?

[barrym]

Lisa,

I'm from Scotland, small place called Bonnybridge (UFO capital of the UK lol, haven't seen one myself, just think it's the locals seeing things after drinking to much Buckfast)

BarryM

[Lisa.w1979]

ah, ok. Its just the way you worded the last message, i read it in an irish accent lol.

Im not planning on going to america any time in the near future. I cant afford it, and im a single mum so finding childcare will be a nightmare. Mt two sisters are going over to new york in three weeks and to visit my mum, but my older sister doesn't know yet...it was birthday surprise from her hubby. I really want to see the grand canyon, giant redwoods, vegas and drive on route 66. Might sound cliche, but i really want to lol.

[Round in circles]

Lisa, a heart rate of 60 bpm is pretty good. I've always had quite a slow heart rate despite not being very active, much to my gym bunny sister's annoyance as mine was always lower than hers. Mine is around about 50 bpm. I've had a 72 hour holter for palpitations before and they never commented on my heart rate so I guess it must be ok.

[Lisa.w1979]

i just freak at any change in my body. if something changes, there must be a reason for it and i have to know what that reason is. i just neeeeed to lol.

[Round in circles]

I understand how that goes. If we can find the reason, then we'll be ok!

[Lisa.w1979]

Exactly. And if I can't find a reason, the inevitable panic sets in. I must be ill. There HAS to be a reason this has happened etc. I often suffer full blown panic attacks that seen unrelated to health anxiety and to be honest, I'd rather have a full blown panic attack that last for maybe an hour than have this constant niggling fear that I'm dying. At least with A PA, I know its anxiety. With this I'm almost always sure its not.

[Izzytheanxietyqueen]

I am just like you I panic about my heart rate and I'm only 15! I promise you tho it gets better with the whole anxiety thing I am way better with the heart anxiety now it fades when you just let it be and don't concentrate too much on it! x

[Catherine S]

My sister-in-law and her hubby...keen bikers both in their 50s, are flying out to take the route 66 experience next weekend on a 2-week biking holiday and they're really excited. I would be wrecked flying to the US, sadly my claustrophobia which includes being closed in a plane means I can just about manage Europe!

[Lisa.w1979]

oh no ISB. Im fine with enclosed spaces, and social settings. i dont particularly like meeting new people but thats just because i dont like people lol.

oh, im sooo jealous of your sis right now!!

[Catherine S]

Its a bummer and does limit my life somewhat, but I'm a cup half full person so find ways to at least try and live life within those limits. I always try to remind myself that even life with some limitations is still better than the life some ppl in the world have to endure. So I can't fly to USA, so what? UK has lots of lovely places that I have never even seen...parts of Scotland for example. I try to turn a neg into a poz wherever I can lol! Or maybe that's a cop-out...sort of not facing up to my fears?

[Lisa.w1979]

one step at a time ISB. You're right about there being lots of places in the UK to see, plus your keeping your carbon footprint smaller by not flying. Saving the planet and all that. xx

[Catherine S]

Thanks Lisa :)

[Lisa.w1979]

:hugs: you're welcome. i dont drive because im scared of failing the test. But shhhhh, i tell ppl im on a one woman mission to save the earth lol. xx

[madge]

Lisa, we did that back in 1998 and I can recommend it. Just don't go in February as the Grand Canyon was full of fog and we couldn't see a thing! Lol

[Female healthanxiety]

Gosh I wish mine was 60!

My resting HR is 87!

[Lisa.w1979]

I'll remember that Madge, although I don't know what year I may go, let alone month lol.

FHA, I spoke too soon!! Had a massive panic attack last night and was willing my heart back down to 60! It was up to 118 at one point. I thought after reading the cbt books, I'd be ready for the dragon....i was wrong!! Oh well, it takes practice so I'll have wait for the next one to try again.

[Female healthanxiety]

Lisa,

118 is still fine!

Look - when I went to the Cardiologist a few weeks ago for my results of my 24hr holter, my Beats per minute on average throught the day was between 85-100 and only when I was sleeping it was 65 -- he did not even mention this as a concern.

MY BPM have been upto 160 when I have been anxious - it really is nothing to worry about, you are ANXIOUS and that will make your body react to that, it is the Fight or Flight.... and you need to keep telling yourself that.

I was like you for a whole 3 years with checking my pulse, and I was also so bad I used to check other people's.... but years later it was just a waste of my life, because nothing come from it....

I found sometimes when I read CBT books they sometimes made me feel worse! But keep reading it over and over again.

Things will get better for you, and your heart rate is perfect, I would actually say very good!

My heart rate at the moment is: 72bpm and I have not even been anxious :-)

xxx

[Lisa.w1979]

It is, for a smoker who doesn't exercise lol. I think thats why it freaked me out, as i shouldnt really have such a good HR

my HR right now it 76 but i am still a bit on edge from last night.

I will keep reading the books and practicing the steps when i have an attack. I resisted the urge to google my new symptom(heart speeding up and slowing down for half an hour before the attack) so that's an accomplishment in itself. xx

[Female healthanxiety]

76 IS PERFECT!

I smoke and find it hard to exercise, so its a viscious circle really!

[mummyanxious]

If you look through my posts on the past I had this worry too. My HR has always been about 75 but about a year ago I noticed it was around 60, sometimes as low as 57. Freaked exactly like you did. And I am unfit so I'm not a top athlete. Also my usual bp is normal to low. This is all in highly anxious times.
If you've read Claire weekes book it says that sometimes the opposite happens with stress that your bp and hr go down instead of up, but still normal.
I'm a fine one to talk as it still worries me now.
My worry now is how wildly the bp and Hr can fluctuate. Like completely normal to sky high just by climbing the stairs.

[Lisa.w1979]

Mummy, i think i'm guna have to get a few claire weekes books. I've heard loads of great things about them. Has she written many? Which one do you recommend for a starter?

Im glad i'm not the only who freaks out about things like this. xx

[mummyanxious]

Self help for your nerves is the one I'm reading atm. I've got three but one is like two combined. Can't remember what it's called off the top of my head. Got all mine off amazon.