Heart/Palpitation Anxiety HELP

[NervousKittie]

Hello all. I am new here but a long tine lurker. I am just in a really bad place right now. Here is my story.

I am a 27 year old female. About 25 -30lbs overweight. Non smoker. About 5 months ago I got what I think was a panic attack. I got up to go to the bathroom and felt a little dizzy. Then BOOM. My heart started beating harder and faster than I thought possible. I had to sit down. All I could keep thinking is that I was going to pass out. I had my boyfriend bring me some water. I drank about 3 bottles in 3 minutes. I just felt thirsty from dry mouth and closed up throat. After a few minutes I seemed to just calm down. But after I got chills for about 30 minutes. I mean bad chills. I was shaking like crazy.

I would say this has happened a total of 3 or 4 times. About once a month. There is never any chest pain or difficulty breathing with whatever these episodes are.

I have googled my symptoms and apparently for a female everything is a sign of an oncoming heart attack. This is what I believe started my heart anxiety.

I have gone to the ER 3 times over this. Never while it is happening. Usually days or a week later. After an episode I get very paranoid that something is wrong with my heart. I am convinced I am going to have a heart attack. I have random aches and pains in my wrists and arms and upper back along with my jaw. Not severe pains, just pain that lasts for a few seconds and then goes away. I also get palpitations where my heart skips beats.

I have had several EKGS and blood work done. Chest Xrays as well. All normal every time. I finally went to a cardiologist who told me I was perfectly healthy and did not even run tests on me. He said he felt as though I had POTS and told me to increase my salt intake. After this I was perfectly fine for a month or so.

Last night though .. I did not sleep at all. I had another episode and today my palpitations are really bad. I am having wrist pain when I try and rest or sleep and I am really freaking out. I have no insurance so I am trying to not rush to the ER again. I just feel like my heart will stop at any moment.

Sorry for rambling. I just needed to vent. I feel alone and scared and nobody takes me seriously

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your problem.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

[Aaahhfreakout]

I think a lot of us here can sympathise with you about this.

That you've had several attacks and nothing has shown up on the ECG or with blood work suggests your heart is fine, though. A heart attack leaves changes which can be read. Even changes which are putting it under strain can be read from the ECG.

Of course, the problem we have is that heart symptoms and anxiety symptoms overlap to such an extent.

Hyperventilation from anxiety in particular can cause all sorts of weird things to happen with muscles. And of course the heart is a muscle.

Have a read about "respiratory alkalosis" and see what you think. Just breathing a little too quickly gives symptoms like dry mouth, dizziness, palpitations, pins and needles and muscle spasms.

Next attack, try breathing slowly and see if it helps. Hopefully, it does. It can be surprisingly hard to do when you're feeling bad, though, as I'm sure many of us here can tell you. :)

[trus75]

I know it will sound totally crazy but I have my own method to stop a panic attack: I put a fan directly to my face. The cold wind makes my mind concentrate in other stuff, it works really well for me. If I am close to my car, I just turn on the A/C. If I'm not at home and not near my car, I try to catch some big paper and use it as a "hand fan". Try this weird technique next time, it won't make you worse! :)

About the other symptoms, I recognize them very well. My panic attacks start with some dizziness very often. I know exactly how you feel. Remember you won't die from this. Just let the panic go, don't fight it. Lay on your bed if you can, try to take some deep breaths and you will be fine ;)

[Emmett]

Trus75!

I sleep with a fan next to my face! It's the only way for me! Even if I'm cold if I can feel that fan blowing, it's all I need to help calm me down!

Nice to know im not alone lol! X

[trus75]

Trus75!

I sleep with a fan next to my face! It's the only way for me! Even if I'm cold if I can feel that fan blowing, it's all I need to help calm me down!

Nice to know im not alone lol! X


That's nice to hear ! Now I know we are at least two crazy people here :yesyes::yesyes:

The wind works so well to stop my attacks, it's like magic. If My heart rate is 180 (yes, I can reach this level), I put the fan directly to my face / throat and it goes back to 120-130 in less than one minute. Then I calm down. I think it works because I can't feel any palpitations when the wind is blowing, or maybe the wind just have some effect on our nervous systems. Who cares, it works!!

Take care my friend ;)

[fallingstar]

I'm a 29 yr old (almost) female - about 20 lbs over what I should be for a proper BMI. I don't smoke either. I've had the same identical things! And the ER visits too - all day monitoring and EKG and tests - totally fine! I've made multiple visits for this in the past. I stopped going after a while as I couldn't bring myself to be in another hospital where they may tell me I'm just imagining it because it only made my anxiety worse. Haven't been to one for anxiety related symptoms in forever - only to my GP for symptoms. I'm so so procrastinating on getting to a psychiatrist to help with my attacks. I know from all these past tests that I'm fine, yet I still worry about it - which makes no sense to me when my head is completely clear and anxiety free. When are heads aren't clear it's easy to think these things though.

Hope it subsides for you a bit!Oh and stay away from google. Everything I've ever typed in symptom wise comes back as cancer or heart attack or stroke - it's like it knows how to make me more anxious (btw, it's never been any of those things - not even remotely close).

[AllIsWellNow]

Hi,

THE NIH has carried studies on wireless signal induced palpitations. Here's one: "Replication of heart rate variability provocation study with 2.4-GHz cordless phone confirms original findings."

Do you sleep with your cell phone close by? You might like to try keeping it as far away from you as possible.. and turn it OFF. If you can try minimizing wireless buzz from laptops, phones an the like.. maybe one day in a week go without these gadgets.

Taking a cue from Ahhfreakout's "And of course the heart is a muscle.", I would suggest trying these balms. They're loaded with super relaxing essential oils.
a. Bone & Muscle salve
b. Breathing salve (I love it. You can feel your chest expand. Smells great, too. I use it for a variety of situations, for instance, when I feel a headache coming on from being stuck in traffic or when I just want a break from the polluted air where I live. And of course, works very well in conjunction with the "Mental Clarity" salve in the event of a panic attack. Over time, they work as preventives.)

Best.
Just do a search for "Sacred Healing Salves" + the names of the salves + "Love Energy Techniques online store"

[natalie5555]

that's definitely panic attacks.. I have it the same alot of the time where u feel dizzy or i get bad vertigo then heart starts going so fast and then i shake like crazy after too! All the symptoms u have described i get too. It all sounds defos like anxiety. I had a 24 hour monitor and it came back normal except for ectopics which he said were normal. They are scary though. The less u pay attention to it, the less u will get it. U will have times where it completely goes but it can come back too. I hadn't had any bad panics in over a year and recently it came back from pressing a nerve in my neck.. Now i keep having palps etc too. It scares the crap out of u but know that it cant hurt u its only panic. I know its hard to stop worrying so maybe try and take up a new hobbie or something to distract yourself from thinking about it! I hope u feel better soon!!