I'm back and worse than ever..

[Trueman]

Hi, haven't been on for a while and usually post in the Health Anxiety section. But have popped in here because I am having a TERRIBLE time with panic attacks and health anxiety.

To cut a long story short, my heart rate randomly (maybe twice a day) just suddenly increases to around 120+, I can't breath, I get hot and feel dizzy. Now, I have tried several times and sometimes it works - to do my breathing exercises and it usually can calm it down within 10mins or so. Still feeling rubbish after. But this morning, no matter what I did it just kept racing and racing. So I grabbed the Propanolol that was prescribed and took half a 10mg tablet. I have taken a couple before and felt dreadful after. But I took the risk again..

Of course it did bring my heart rate down but again has left me feeling sick, dizzy, slightly confused and absolutely freezing hands. Just feel plain awful.

Anyone else experienced these issues with Propanolol? I know it is a really low dose but blooming knocks the wind out me when I take them.

So my day is pretty much checking my heart rate. I have sat for 2 hours in the same seat just checking and checking my heart rate.

This is just PANTS.

Just to add, there is a suspicion by the GP I am suffering from overactive thyroid symptoms having had a high end of normal result that then when back into just normal range..

Help me!!!
My life is just rubbish. I can't do anything without worrying about these attacks and my heart. I am so fed up.

Advice?
Thank you.

[hanshan]

First advice is don't check your heart rate so much. Heartrate varies a lot over the day, so variability is not a problem. If it is consistently over 100 bpm and never falls below, you should definitely consult a doctor.

[jimsmrs]

Ask your GP for a Thyroid function test....Know what you're going through, having diagnosed probs with mine at the moment...when the Thyroid goes haywire it messes your whole body up, from heart rate to bowels, all down to Adrenaline.

[courierdude]

i have had the same physical suffering as you during panic attacks years ago and i also ended up taking propanalol. 10 mg shouldnt really make you feel very much at all, i think it might be the actual after effect of your actual panic experience that might be draining you. it doesnt sound like you are taking your meds as a course and that you take them as and when you need them, i thought that propranalol takes a while to actually train your brain to see you through the panic process and not just to provide instant relief..? that is the intention of the drug even though i know that they work from the very first one that you take there is still an accumulative psychological effect from taking a regular course as opposed to single pills here and there. not that i am a fan of pharmaceuticals fullstop.

what i learned to do in this instance-and it does work is to actually physically go along with what your heart is doing and jumping on a bicycle or brisk walk always seemed to regulate my heartbeat and i would then be in a better position to try rationalise and ignore my other symptoms.

its just energy isnt it, its just seems to sit there dormant waiting to explode in you. next time it happens to you have a spade ready and dig a hole in the garden or something-your heart isnt going to beat any faster and will start to notice that it should be working in accordance with your body and it'll stop trying to consume you.

[sarainadream]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. I get similar feelings of dizziness/high heart rate/feeling hot etc. For while I was told I had an inner ear virus or ear crystals and when that was ruled out, it was migraines without an aura. I currently take amitriplyne for migraine prevention but I honestly don't think I get them. My chronic headaches (which are rarely headsplitting like a migraine) are minor compared to the attacks. I still take 100mg of Elavil a day as these attacks would not let me sleep. I would lay down and get a headrush, and feel like I was going to drop dead. I am currently undergoing tests to see if its a thyroid issue or if something is wrong with my blood sugar levels. I would cancel off as many potentials as you can!

[Meltdown]

It won't be the Proprananol....1/2 of 10mg is nothing - I have 40mg tablets, although I hardly ever need them these days, and when I do, I usually take 1/2

I think what you are feeling is just the after effects of the panic attack. The fact that you have taken a minute dose of a tablet is co-incidental.

The fact that you keep taking your pulse shows you are worried about your heart, and possibly worried about having a heart attack? Don't be - raised heart rate, missed beats, palpitations, etc are all caused by panic, which in turn is caused by excess adreneline....taking your pulse is just a way of re-affirming your worries - whcih in turn makes your symptoms worse - Stop doing it!

As for being back here - I have been back several times, and had the perception in the past that I have been getting worse - but over several years, I have actually got a lot better, to the point where I rarely have a full-blown panic attack. When I do, I don't try to fight it, but just go with it, even invite it - and it soon passes!

In my experience Propranonol helps a lot to even out the heart rate, and I do take it when I get a lot of heart disturbances - but always the underlying cause is always stress and anxiety!...