Is all this irrational?

[mummyanxious]

Ok so everyone knows I have massive heart fears.
In the morning when I wake up my bp is normal. Usually around 120/69.
As soon as I stand up my bp and hr shoot up. For instance this morning I got out slowly to the kids and went back to bed and it was 128/116 and hr was over 100!
My legs started to feel weak and wobbly and I felt a pain in the left side of my chest on the side.
Is this normal phenomena for bp or is that just way too high? The top figure is normal but bottom is going really high and I worry that indicates a problem.
I've had numerous ecgs which have shown nothing until last one was left axis deviation. While I was assured the ECG was normal and this can be a normal finding, its never been on my ECG before so I'm worried it means something is developing and they are ignoring it.
I have to admit I've been worried over the whole kurtis thing. I knew it would bother me. He's poorly and was ignored through normal tests. Before he was diagnosed my worry was I was having coronary artery spasms.
They can be brought on by stress apparently.
Finally I've got it into my head last night my cholesterol is sky high and I have blockages. This being because I had gallstones very young indeed and these are made up of cholesterol. So if I had those then maybe the cholesteol has now collected in my arteries and I'm at massive risk.
I know my thoughts are spiralling but I have shortness on breath on mild exertion, I get tightness just going up the stairs.
I'm mid thirties so I'm heading towards 40 when these things start to become more if a problem.
I know artery spasms and narrowing a aren't picked up on standard tests so I just don't know where to turn next :(

[Humly]

Hi. I admit that I know nothing about blood pressure and hearts to be honest I just wanted to show some support for you. I know what its like to be overwhelmed with fear. What does your doctor say about all this? Is he/she aware of just how terrified you are and how its affecting your life. Would they perhaps refer you to a cardiologist to get an expert opinion and then maybe that would put your mind at rest. Take care. Hope you feel better soon x

[mummyanxious]

I've told them I was that worried I was considering paying privately and they still ignored it and brushed it off as anxiety.
My father has type 2 diabetes so is on statins, bp med etc so that increases my risk too.

I also keep getting pains in the side of my head in the left. Only left. Worried its narrowing of the arteries to my brain. I've had the test for temporal arteritis and that was normal but I'm not sure that rules anything else out.

---------- Post added at 08:17 ---------- Previous post was at 08:14 ----------

I think the trouble the drs have with us is when we present with symptoms that could be anxiety symptoms as well they diagnose anxiety.
I was incredibly young to have gallstones which were missed so I'm concerned for my health again now.
My legs also get tired easily and ache all the time. Leg symptoms are also in the list I saw.
Then of course there are a couple of tiny brown lines on my nails....

[Annie0904]

You have had tests that show everything is fine. Havibg had gall stones does not make you more at risk of heart problems. I had my gall bladder removedyears ago. After resting over night and suddenly moving about your heart rate will increase. Your bp sounds fine.

[mummyanxious]

I was in my early twenties when I had gallstones. They are made up of cholesterol.
I really am such a worry wort.
I've only had ECG in recent years and that won't pick all that up :(

[Annie0904]

A blood test would pick up high cholestarol. Have you had it checked?

[Phuzella]

These things can all be anxiety symptoms:)

[mummyanxious]

No they won't do anything Annie :(

---------- Post added at 08:48 ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 ----------

Ah I know they can Phuzilla. Rationally I know that. But they can also be other things and my mind still hasn't quite grasped it.

[Annie0904]

I had my cholesterol checked at the chemist. I had gall stones but have always had low cholesterol. It is not the same thing and having gall stones does not mean your cholesterol will be high. What you really need support with is your anxieties about this so you can learn not to focus on it so much. My husband had high cholesterol and has had 2 heart attacks but he works full time and is probably fitter than me :-) It is really not worth worrying about. Keep a healthy diet and exercise regulary and enjoy life.

[Phuzella]

I know, be kind to yourself, have a nice day in the sunshine. :)

[mummyanxious]

Thanks for explaining that Annie. You see that's why this forum is useful because I didn't know that re gallstones. Thank you :)

[Annie0904]

I know it is not easy to do but please dont worry so much about your heart. If only you could do that I am sure most of your aches and pains would go :-) I always say if my doctor doesnt seem worried than I'm not either :-) Change every negative thought to a positive rational one and enjoy life!

[CreteBluez]

I'm the exactly the same as you in constant fear there is something wrong with my heart. Kurtis story also got me worried! I don't know what to do. I'm terrified? But like you mentioned doctors put it all down to anxiety and panic. I'm here if you wish to talk but I don't know how much use I can be as I'm exactly the same. Struggling with life.

[RoseEve]

Hi mummy. Your blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day . It's lower when you are resting. Your emotions can also make your blood pressure high. I say put the blood pressure cuff away. How often do you check it?

[mummyanxious]

Tbh I've not used it in ages, its just been the last couple of days for some reason I wanted to do some 'experiments'.

The problem that is worrying me most at the moment is like earlier I was bending over getting washing out of the basket and suddenly my mouth went weird and I felt shirt of breath. It was like my air had been cut off and I felt intensely nauseous.
The dr keeps saying its hyperventilation but I'm pretty certain it's not. All I was doing was bending over. And I couldn't breath.

---------- Post added at 11:10 ---------- Previous post was at 10:45 ----------

This is going to ruin my weekend again I know it. My symptoms seem to worsen with going from sitting to standing, bending over and back up again.
My chest keeps going very very tight and I can't reproduce it myself which doesn't convince me its therefore muscular.
My legs go extremely weak like they are going to go from under me and I shake all over when it happens too.

[Annie0904]

The symptoms get worse because you are focusing on them so much. Earlier this year I had chest pains and they did an ECG at the surgery. As soon as my doctor told me it was fine the pains went. I stopped worrying about them and they went...it was all anxiety and I focused on it too much.

[mummyanxious]

I'm even gasping for breath when I'm talking. Just last night I was talking to my friends and went really light headed and tight chested.
Maybe its all chronic hyperventilation but I don't know how to right it.

[AlexandriaUK]

A normal non anxious heart rate at rest can be from 60 to 100 and that's resting not moving, also your BP will increase with getting out of bed etc.
So long as you BP is that great figure of 120/69 when you first take it leave it alone, as soon as you start to focus on it all will rise and its the most common symptom of anxiety I promise.
Also a slight depression on ecg also seems to be common with anxiety, try not to worry you are best to trust your GP they really do know best LOL xx

Thought I would also add that it is a sure sign of hyperventilayion, I hate that symptom always have, do you have a brown bag.

[iainm]

great minds think alike mummy im exactly the same severe heart ha that something is gonna happen and they have missed it , and kurtis story compounds, that we are certain docs have missed something but if we are rational, look back at our posts and time length, when we have said we are really ill and dying it never happened so we have to say its ha running wild like usual xxx

[harasgenster]

No one here can advise on healthy BP, but it's definitely normal for your blood pressure to increase when you get up - that's both 'get out of bed' or 'stand up' - your BP has to increase and decrease according to stimuli throughout the day. So when you're lying down, your heart has a little less work to do because it isn't fighting gravity as much to get blood to your brain. When you're standing up and moving about, your BP needs to be higher to fight gravity. That's why you go faint if you stand up too fast, because your BP hasn't time to catch up. Everybody's BP and heart rate is naturally lower when asleep and it will still be lower just after you wake up. It will ramp up a little after that.

Your BP isn't going to do you any harm, anyway. It's not something that even needs to be measured unless you have a diagnosed BP issue. Even then, most people with high BP don't measure it, they just reduce the activities that increase BP (eating saturated fat, smoking, lack of exercise etc.)

Measuring BP is a little like measuring your weight and assuming every pound 'means something'. Your BP will change throughout the day and throughout the month depending on a huge number of factors. Your weight will also change according to a huge number of factors. You wouldn't necessarily worry if you lost three pounds in a week - could have been water retention or perhaps you've been under stress - but if you continuously lost weight at a very quick rate and there was no discernible reason, that's when you go to a doctor. Similarly, with BP, if it stays within a certain range - and you can ask your doctor if that's a normal range - there's no reason to worry.

---------- Post added at 17:26 ---------- Previous post was at 17:14 ----------


My symptoms seem to worsen with going from sitting to standing, bending over and back up again.
My chest keeps going very very tight and I can't reproduce it myself which doesn't convince me its therefore muscular.
My legs go extremely weak like they are going to go from under me and I shake all over when it happens too.

Didn't see this...your BP will increase when going from sitting to standing and bending over and back up again. We will all feel this to some extent. I have relatively low BP so I tend to feel a bit woozy. If you are watching your symptoms intently, you will probably notice some change in your body when you do something that forces your BP to change (like the examples you suggest).

The chest tightness and weak legs just sounds like anxiety to me, though, if I'm honest. If your doc has checked your BP, then it's fine. You're probably noticing a change in feeling in your body as your BP rises, becoming aware of it, and getting anxious.

[Fishmanpa]

MummyA,

My heart goes out to you. I wish there was something someone could say to help you see the light and make your way out of the valley you're in :(

This is a post you made in May of last year....


I had the most awful night last night. I was lying awake worrying about my heart as its been really slow lately around 60bpm and doesn't get much higher even when I'm adjitated. My bp is really healthy again I feel it should be so much higher for a stressed person.
Anyway I started getting palpitations and stuff and felt dreadful. Knew I was having a panic attack but wasn't sure whether this time it was more. I got so bad I called 111 who were pretty much useless I have to say. I had to get a relative to come down. By the time they arrived I felt I was near passing out as I'd gone so light headed.

Anyway I calmed down and my relative left as it was very late. Felt tired so went back to bed. Was fine until I started getting a burning feeling in the top if my stomach and feeling overwhelmingly like I was going to vomit. Then these wierd sensations in my chest which made me feel like I was struggling to breath. Tried to remain calm but I was feeling hot and sweaty and all I could think was this time it is a heart attack, these are the symptoms they told me to phone back with.

Eventually I calmed down a bit and feel asleep for a couple of hours but then I woke again feeling nauseous.y chest is in a great amount of pain which I'm trying to reason with myself is from the over breathing.
But my chest feels like its burning inside.

I'm waiting for a dr callback so I can be seen. I'm so terrified but I'm still here 12 hours after the initial symptoms. Terrified doesn't cover it.

You've been going around in circles with this for way too long for your own good. I hope by posting this it gives you a perspective and inspiration to move forward and get this fear out of your head once and for all. If indeed, there was something wrong, the tests and doctors visits would have found something and you would be a very sick woman by now.

Positive thoughts and prayers

[Catherine S]

Wow, that was a year ago? That's actually a good way of measuring our anxiety fishmanpa, we should all take look back a year to see if we are still in the grip of it.

[mummyanxious]

FMP I've actually been thinking about this episode for a week or so as it was the last time I was in a really bad place and it was so very painful and awful it's so similar to now you're right.
I did get better though. I had a great summer but then the stress descended again.
I just need to stop this adrenalin and I don't know how. My body doesn't know it doesn't need to keep producing the adrenalin anymore.
The diazapam doesn't seem to be touching it. I am only taking 2mg three times a day but even so.

[Fishmanpa]

At this point, based on what I've read, it's my opinion (and I'm not a professional) your body doesn't know because your head won't let it go :( If you look back from last year, you can see it in your posts. Again, I just wish there was something someone could say, be it here or a medical or psychiatric professional that could put you on a path of healing.

Positive thoughts and prayers

[mummyanxious]

I'm waiting for counselling FMP but the lists are so very long :(
There's been so much stress in my life, looking after two kids on my own on top I've been running on pure adrenalin. But those stresses are diminishing now and the adrenalin is still flowing. I'm really hoping that talking to someone again will help me let go of some of the feelings of sadness and anger. I need to make some decisions to do with work as well as I have that hanging over my head.

[kurtis1990]

You will always have us here to vent to mummy anx :) sometimes it's good to just let it all out

[RoseEve]

:hugs: