Heart fears

[KatiePink]

Hi everyone,

Last few days my health anxiety has come back mainly over my heart and I can't seem to shake it off.
It started because a few mornings ago about 10 minutes after I was up, my heart starting beating really fast and I could feel it in my ears, I tried slowing my breathing down and to relax but it wouldn't settle, lasted about 10 minutes and then it all went silent, couldn't hear or feel my heart, which funnily enough have me more anxiety (it can't win)

This started me thinking about my heart and it's been downhill from there. I was told I had 'Sinus Arrhythmia' in A&E one time, and even though they said it's normal I've never been able to let it go, I don't really know what it is I was only on the ECG for a few minutes.

Can anyone re assure me, tell me what this sinus arrhythmia means, or relate to the heart beating really fast for a period of time like that?

I wish I could be hypnotised to get over my heart fears, if I hear a heart beat on the tele or anyone talks about a heart I get really bad panic.

Thanks in advance

[MyNameIsTerry]

All they meant is that your heart rate was increasing as you inhaled, which is normal. It's just the fancy medical name for a normal, and expected bodily function.

That increase when you wake up or get up is very common with panic & anxiety. I've had it for years and it used to make me start to panic. It's just adrenaline. Remember that our cortisol levels are the highest when we wake too. There will be a connection in there to that, I've never dug that deep as I got over mine.

I have found the best thing is to get up and get moving. Wake your body up so it starts to metabolise adrenaline into other chemicals it needs. Deep breathing also does this and may help. You may also be a little dehydrated.

[KatiePink]

All they meant is that your heart rate was increasing as you inhaled, which is normal. It's just the fancy medical name for a normal, and expected bodily function.

That increase when you wake up or get up is very common with panic & anxiety. I've had it for years and it used to make me start to panic. It's just adrenaline. Remember that our cortisol levels are the highest when we wake too. There will be a connection in there to that, I've never dug that deep as I got over mine.

I have found the best thing is to get up and get moving. Wake your body up so it starts to metabolise adrenaline into other chemicals it needs. Deep breathing also does this and may help. You may also be a little dehydrated.

Thanks for replying Terry, that's what I keep telling myself cause it says it's just a normal heartbeat, but why the need to tell me I had it if it's just normal, the way the doctor told me was as if it's something I should know. I wasn't impressed with her :roflmao:

Dehydrated sounds about right actually, and it makes sense about the adrenaline. I usually get up and do nothing for a good hour, so my anxiety is high, I will try changing my morning habits and see if that helps

[MyNameIsTerry]

Yeah Katie, some doctors forget they aren't talking to their peers when they don't explain various complicated names for things let alone being very careful to explain why something is irrelevant or nothing to the HA people.

You can't beat a doctor with a good bedside manner.

It could have been worse though, it could have been Doc Martin 'you're fine, now get out!' :roflmao:

Hopefully you can decrease it with some alteration. Morning anxiety is so common and it can be a real pain to get rid of. Sometimes it feels like when you wake from a nightmare and your chest is all tense & on edge. Early on it's hard not to react with more anxiety or even panic to that but that changes as your overall anxiety levels get lower all the time.