Im back.. worse than ever.

[Trueman]

:weep:
Hi, haven't been on for a while and usually post in the Health Anxiety section. I posted this in the panic attack section but most I think are venturing in and out of the health anxiety section so have reposted in here to see if someone can help because I am worse than ever..

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.

[blondielady]

I have not taken this medication but I have heard that if thyroid tests are borderline high it is best to see an endocrinologist rather than a regular doc to explore that further.

Also checking your heart rate leads to more anxiety. I have been scolded by my doc many times for checking my pulse over and over and using a blood pressure monitor a lot. I have AVNRT which is an arrhythmia so I get panicky about that a lot. The thing is, I can't monitor when it comes on and it is blatantly obvious when it happens, so there really is no reason for me to check my pulse at all these other random times.

Anyway, I am not sure if that drug is a beta blocker but I know those can make people feel yucky. My mom takes beta blockers every day for high blood pressure and is fine. Me, I take one and feel horrible because I normally have low blood pressure.

[Trueman]

Thank you for the reply. The doctor said she would keep an eye on it and said beta blockers are prescribed initially for an overactive thyroid but I just felt AWFUL on them. I will go back to the doctor and see what the alternative is.

I just can't cope with these sudden increases in HR. Today was SCARY. Usually I can say 'ok I can control this, I can bring the HR down with my breathing etc' but boy this increase did not want to come down at all..

Of course it did with the beta blocker. But I can't decided which is worse the beta blocker side effects or the HR increase! I think the HR increase but then it just knocks my day out. This is all just sooo depressing :(

Why didn't my breathing exercises work this time arrrgh... ?!