Terrified of my heart.

[TheNervousBrony]

Hello I am new to this forum, and am relieved to have finally made an account. Anyways I am an extreme hypochondriac, but for a good reason. I can literally always feel, and see my heart beat. It shakes me when I am lying down, and is visible in my neck, stomach, and the left side of my chest. I can also feel it in my head all the time, and sometimes hear it. I have had two EKG's done both coming back fine. My parents, and doctor have both told me I am fine, but the symptoms are worsening! Ever since a few months ago I have been able to see a dark spot in the corner of my vision that pulsates with my heart beat.... It scares the hell out of me, and is beyond frustrating that nobody can figure out what's wrong. This has ruined a good portion of my last year. I am scared to do heavy cardio, or anything that will bring my heart rate up high. I used to exercise a lot too. I just want to know what's wrong. All I can think about anymore is my heart, and it feels like a losing battle....

[Catherine S]

Hi there Brony.

They probably can't figure out what's wrong because there isn't anything wrong. You're just feeling your normal pulse in all the pulse points on your body and some people can feel it more than others. There are folks on here who would be happy to have their heart beating normally and evenly even it was beating loudly...me included, as I...along with many others...suffer with an irregular heartbeat, missed beats and flutters, all harmless but very uncomfortable. Mine have been this way since my 20s and now i'm 60 and my heart is still beating without any harm done. And when you say you feel its worsening that's because you are so freaked out about it so the beats are bound to feel stronger. Are you quite slim? Thinner people can see their pulse points more than people with a few layers of plump like I have. I can see the pulse in my neck, temples and ankles if i'm stressed and my heart is beating a bit stronger.

ISB x

[Serenity1990]

I can tell you with some certainty what's wrong with you without even seeing you. You do have an illness, it's not a nice one and whilst curable and treatable it can take some time. It's called anxiety.

It's a sensation familiar to many (I dare say most) on here. You're just lying there and your whole body seems to violently jolt with your heartbeat, or you can hear it, see it, or even just feel it in random parts of your body. When you exert even slightly it races, on some occasions you can even see bits of you move with your pulse.

Happily this isn't a symptom of any nasty heart problem, and the only disease I'm aware of it being a symptom of at all is anxiety. One site you might find useful is palps.chemicalforums.com, though look at older posts as the retired doctor who used to run it has sadly not need around for a while. :)

[edwardthebear]

Heart anxiety is a horrible thing, of that there is no doubt. When mine started up I was only in my teens - I used to read every bit of literature on the subject I could get hold of & follow every piece of advice known to man as far as avoiding the possibility of developing coronary heart disease - but I didn't feel healthy Why ? because the anxiety was making me ill.
That was over 30 years ago - I am still here but counting the cost of all the years that have been spoilt by this obsession. I get numerous missed beats, flutters & thumps each and every day but have been reassured by numerous Dr's and specialists, however there is part of me that still believes I am a ticking time bomb & that the experts have all missed something crucial.
You need to take hold of the situation whilst you are still young and don't end up looking back like me when you are middle aged and what should have been the best years of your life are behind you.
See your Dr, explain exactly how you feel. Maybe try CBT (It was unheard of when I was young) You can beat this - remember time is on your side.

[Fishmanpa]

I agree with the above posters that you are suffering from an illness. You say in your post "I am an extreme hypochondriac". It really is that simple. Your illness has you hyper-focused on your heart and every aspect of it.

Hearts beat. Blood flows and pulsates through our bodies. You just happen to have an rather strong focus and obsession with it. Be thankful you can feel it as the opposite would be a problem ;) Have you spoken to your doctor about getting help with your anxiety? To me, that would be the prudent thing to do.

Positive thoughts

[TheNervousBrony]

I'm about middle weight. 5"11 and about 175 pounds, and am somewhat muscular. I really appreciate you guys taking time to reply to my post! My doctor is more than well aware of my anxiety... That's pretty much all I discuss with him. I'm on lexapro for anxiety right now. I used to take klonopin, but it turned me into a zombie. After quitting I went through horrible withdrawl for half a year. Things definitely got worse after quitting klonopin.

[KeeKee]

I am so glad you posted this as I suffer the same thing! (Not glad you suffer from it though, just glad somebody else is the same). What scares me though is I keep reading that slim people can see their pulse etc, but I am definitely not slim, even when I rest my arm on my stomach it moves with my pulse.
I do have anxiety though and have so for a year but this pulse is always like this even when I don't necessarily feel anxious. Also even when I just go for a short walk my heart rate feels fast.
I had an ECG last year and the doctor has listened to it and checked my puls multiple times but he stopped once my anxiety calmed down and now I'm worried I have something that I didn't have then!

[TheNervousBrony]

I'm not too slim either so I understand your worry, and you sounds just like me. Thinking something new is wrong always happens to me as well. Especially if I take a new dose of my add medicine. I am on vyvanse right now, and it always makes my heart get faster. It also makes me see my heartbeat iny visiom a lot more. Listen to your doctor anout the EKG's. You are probably fine, and I probably am too. Physical symptoms can generate so easily just from your thought. Even when I'm not anxious I see my heart pounding in my chest, but I have proof it's anxiety. If I take any benzodiazapine medication it nearly stops. I think we are so used to comstant anxiety that we only percieve panic as actual anxiety anymore.

[KeeKee]

Your probably right, when I used to take Propranolol it certainly wasn't as noticeable, I could still see my stomach pulse though but a lot of people who aren't anxious probably can - my partner for a start although he is very skinny.
New medication of any sort was hell for me too, although I was fine after a few days once I realised I wasn't allergic or anything ha.

[TheNervousBrony]

My heart beat was literally just beating so strong that the plastic holding my seat belt made a noise with every beat.

[KeeKee]

My hand was shaking earlier when I was resting on my stomach! It's nice 2 know we aren't alone ;-)

[TheNervousBrony]

Has anyone else experienced this with the seat belt?