View Full Version : Too scared to exercise in case I drop dead!
It sounds silly typing this but my health anxieties are far from silly.
Since a traumatic time last August, my health anxieties have resurfaced.... Bad!
I broke down to my GP and for the first time, agreed I needed medicine to get me through my anxiety and depression so I started on sertraline. They calmed me down but came with some annoying side effects and I had to keep upping the dosage so I stopped them, cold turkey!
I have 3-4 stone to lose and decided to turn to exercise and healthy eating as a healthier focus. I rejoined a gym and was feeling good exercising regularly then out of the blue, 1 week ago, I got lightheaded and had palpitations. As always, panicked and haven't returned to the gym since. My palpitations are there once or twicea day since, even without any exercise, and I feel down and defeated again.
I just want to live a normal life! I crave for health but even trying to become healthy is causing me anxiety. I obsess over high blood pressure, have had a lid of pelvic pain this last week (leading me to google woman cancers) and I can't stop googling about the heart and doing online assessments on the likeliness of dropping dead during exercise. I really don't want to keep bothering my doctor as they will just look at my notes and say anxiety so what's the point?
I'm not sure why I'm writing this thread. Maybe it is therapeutic; maybe I need reassurance that others know what I'm going through so can offer advice and maybe it's because I can offer reassurance to someone reading this who thought they were alone with their fears.
Whatever the reason, healthy anxiety/general anxiety sucks! It's debilitating and time wasting and I hate it. I desperately need to find natural ways of dealing with it and I thought exercise was a good move (I still do) but have lost my confidence.
Wish I could stay positive :weep:
Hi there
I had the exact same thing and with the gym I still do...
When I go to the gym I get obsessed with my heart rate and constantly check it... Sometimes it jumps up to 180/190 and I get so freaked out that I start gettin dizzy.... The best is when the machine told me to stop as my heart rate was too high! Can you imagine my reaction as an anxiety sufferer! My heart rates an odd one it can rest at 55bpm and then it goes up to 190 when exercising... I have seen a cardiologist and he said it's not an issue and he more we exercise the more it will help. I saw the cardiologist as I was getting dizzy spells and had a slightly odd ecg... Just a short pr rate and nothing to worry about :)
But to help the way I now exercise without panicking is avoiding the gym and go running instead... When I run outside in the fresh air and have things to distract me I feel great! I look at people's houses, gardens, cars and it seems to occupy my mind... When I'm at the gym all I can focus on is me and I think that's when I start to panic!
I have no idea if that helps and sorry for the long response but you are not alone :)
Hi there I have the same thing as you 2 was doing fine till tonight went to the dr Monday and Bp was little elevated and then went today another dr appt and it was even more elevated. So was getting little worried came home and took it and it was lower but heart rate was not normal was high 80s usually 60s so I exercised and checked and usually it drops fast but it stayed up and I started to get worried. I haven't checked it yet. I hope things get better if you wanna chat message me .
MyNameIsTerry
29-01-15, 06:13
I don't have HA, but exercise was a big issue for me with my GAD. I had my first real panic attack about a few months into the GAD starting when I was working out. I had taken some sports supplements as usual but I added something strong to them (all legal stuff) but it was just too strong in that combination for me and it resulting it a massive adrenaline rush that caused a panic attack.
Ever since then I was afraid to exercise.
Breaking past this one does come down to exposure though. When you are at your most anxious stage you find yourself so sensitised to any stimulus that you avoid it, which only makes it harder to work back from. The key in moving forward is to take a graduated approach to it and take it down brick by brick, like with agoraphobia. Start small, its all micro goals, and then gradually move towards harder forms of exercise as you will habituate during this process and eventually you will push beyond it.
Breaking past this one does come down to exposure though. When you are at your most anxious stage you find yourself so sensitised to any stimulus that you avoid it, which only makes it harder to work back from. The key in moving forward is to take a graduated approach to it and take it down brick by brick, like with agoraphobia. Start small, its all micro goals, and then gradually move towards harder forms of exercise as you will habituate during this process and eventually you will push beyond it.
Agree, I had the same fear of dropping dead when exercising - it stopped me almost completely. However, think of it this way, exercise helps to improve your BP and heart rate will get better the fitter you become, so best to jump back on that horse - but start slowly. Don't hit the gym for hours on end every day of the week, start with short half hour sessions a couple of times and only do what you feel you can - get used to the sensations of exercise (the faster heart rate etc) and also make sure you cool down and stretch properly at the end. I.e. be gentle with your body. I actually got a personal trainer who is very understanding and has helped and supported me times a million! It's taken quite a few months, but I feel much fitter now than I did, and am now longer afraid of exercising. Good luck :hugs:
MyNameIsTerry
29-01-15, 11:47
Agree, I had the same fear of dropping dead when exercising - it stopped me almost completely. However, think of it this way, exercise helps to improve your BP and heart rate will get better the fitter you become, so best to jump back on that horse - but start slowly. Don't hit the gym for hours on end every day of the week, start with short half hour sessions a couple of times and only do what you feel you can - get used to the sensations of exercise (the faster heart rate etc) and also make sure you cool down and stretch properly at the end. I.e. be gentle with your body. I actually got a personal trainer who is very understanding and has helped and supported me times a million! It's taken quite a few months, but I feel much fitter now than I did, and am now longer afraid of exercising. Good luck :hugs:
That raises another interesting possibility which I don't think many people are aware of - a GP can refer patients for a number of free sessions with a PT who has registered beyond standard PT Level 3 to obtain the REPS Level 4 qualification in GP Exercise Referral. This covers mental health as well.
There are also various self referral schemes popping up to. When I had CBT I was offered a certain amount of free sessions because a PT from the local premiership football club had obtained grants for an exercise scheme that was aimed at physical & mental health disorders.
So, it might be worth people asking their GP for a referral to make use of a PT's expertise.
That raises another interesting possibility which I don't think many people are aware of - a GP can refer patients for a number of free sessions with a PT who has registered beyond standard PT Level 3 to obtain the REPS Level 4 qualification in GP Exercise Referral. This covers mental health as well.
There are also various self referral schemes popping up to. When I had CBT I was offered a certain amount of free sessions because a PT from the local premiership football club had obtained grants for an exercise scheme that was aimed at physical & mental health disorders.
So, it might be worth people asking their GP for a referral to make use of a PT's expertise.
Did not know that, that's awesome - definitely try that!
Although, as a back up if you have a Pure Gym near you, their PTs are pretty cheap, although I only do one half hour session a week with her now to stay on budget - they can also write you a training programme and show you what to do :) Like with any kind of way of dealing with your anxiety though, I think it makes a HUGE difference to make sure you will get along with them first!
AlexandriaUK
29-01-15, 15:10
I love this thread, I also had the most horrendous case of exercise phobia, it lasted for all my life until 3 weeks ago, my new Dr said you are fine even after having dodgy ecgs (see older thread) high BP etc, I will refer you to the Gym, reasons white coat syndrome, fast heart rate when anxious, eeeek I was petrified, the trainer specialises in certain areas not just training you.
So I went, they do a medical assessment first, my BP was 160/84 Heart rate 110, I was all for going home but she said No your stopping so I did, that first day was horrid, I spent all my time watching the heart rate monitor at first but then it started to go down instead of up the more I put some pace in it, the first few times I suffered from post exercise panic, that did put me off but I have kept going and now I love it, make sure you have enough food in your system to burn those calories, I have a bowl of porridge and a banana 2 hours before I go and feel much better.
So from being a couch potato to a gym bunny in 3 weeks and at a ripe old age of 62.
Go for it, you can only feel better I promise.
I love this thread, I also had the most horrendous case of exercise phobia, it lasted for all my life until 3 weeks ago, my new Dr said you are fine even after having dodgy ecgs (see older thread) high BP etc, I will refer you to the Gym, reasons white coat syndrome, fast heart rate when anxious, eeeek I was petrified, the trainer specialises in certain areas not just training you.
So I went, they do a medical assessment first, my BP was 160/84 Heart rate 110, I was all for going home but she said No your stopping so I did, that first day was horrid, I spent all my time watching the heart rate monitor at first but then it started to go down instead of up the more I put some pace in it, the first few times I suffered from post exercise panic, that did put me off but I have kept going and now I love it, make sure you have enough food in your system to burn those calories, I have a bowl of porridge and a banana 2 hours before I go and feel much better.
So from being a couch potato to a gym bunny in 3 weeks and at a ripe old age of 62.
Go for it, you can only feel better I promise.
Wow, huge success over the dragon, well done :yesyes:
Good advice about calories too, I usually just have a biggish lunch, and take a banana to eat after a work out as when my sugar levels drop I go all sorts of doolally anxious... :) I had the post-exercise panics too, my PT had me on my back on the floor at the end of each workout doing breathing exercises (you can pretend it's stretching)!
Funny that you've posted this now is this has been me for a week or so. Went to the doc about something else which turned out to be my HA again and he said get some excercise. I swim once a week with the kids but somehow I can't seem to do anything else without anxiety about the excercise heart rate etc.
I am going to do it though, these stories have helped so I'm going to go with the starting small approach. Cool.
Hi guys
I have heath anxiety and low mood and a mental health anxiety lol but coming back to the gym I to found it hard to push my self at the gym for fear of a heart attack I went with my cbt therapists and she went on the running machine next to mine I faced my fear and took my pulce rate to 150 that was 2 yrs ago and today I still take my rate upto 150 170 with out fear
I'm trying to deal with other stuff now if only I was as confident
AlexandriaUK
29-01-15, 20:12
One thing when starting exercise for the first time or after a few years get the go ahead from your Dr, this is normal practice so not meant to scare anyone, also remember to eat two hours before no less and good carbs and take a big bottle of water with you.
Take your age from 220 this gives you your top heart rate which you can check with Dr as well.
, the fitter you get the lower it will go.
Remember you will ache after so don't worry, also some people, I was one get post exercise anxiety, trainer said this is common, she gets perfectly relaxed people who have never worried get anxious too.
May I suggest you read the postings from user "RLR" on here - he is without a doubt one of the most helpful people to contribute to easing people's minds regarding medical worries. He is a retired Dr ( around 90 years old apparently!)
I will link you to his profile here -
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/member.php?u=4444
Click "read previous posts" I'm sure you'll get some answers you're looking for.
He also has his own website where he's answered dozens of questions
http://palps.chemicalforums.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
Hope all that helps, it's certainly a decent chunk of bedtime reading!
Thank you for all your replies. Some very useful information. Unfortunately I'm my health anxiety has hit rock bottom at the moment due to muscle aches and pains so I'm writing this in bed after another depressing and fearful night believing I'm about to drop dead. So I'm back on nmp looking at other threads to get me through this next episode. Hope it ends soon as I really want to continue with exercise but my body is shutting down. Or so it feels.... Thank you everyone
AlexandriaUK
23-02-15, 18:50
Word of advice, if you do treadmill get next to someone who is unfit then there heart rates higher than mine LOL
Hi Jenza20,
I have suffered from anxiety for soooo many years. Docs kept telling me that exercise would help it bu tI couldn't get going cause I was to afraid. 7 years ago, I finally started exercising and I haven't stopped since. I started very very slowly. Like 2 minute run on the treadmill for weeks and then went up to 4 minutes ect. Now I can run for 20 without stopping :-) I have had up and downs with heart palpitations and panic attacks at the gym. Overall though, my heart has become stronger and I have less anxiety symptoms or heart palpitations since I started working out. It turns out that I am a STRONG believer of exercise will help anxiety. Try it! Little by little. Baby steps!
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