Heart and blood pressure

[Bakebeansrule]

If I had any heart problems at all would I have high blood pressure? Mine is always around 120/90. I'm going to the Drs next week to ask about cbt but i just need to get this straight in my head first that my heart is healthy. After a nurse telling my last week that I needed an ecg as my bpm was too high at 100 ( went up to 120 when I was having a panic attack then came down again within an hour ) this has me worried and now I'm feeling aches and twinges in my chest and back that I'm putting down to anxiety but as ever that's always that little voice in the back of my head saying it could be something else

[DoraFlora]

120/80 is "normal", but there are a lot of variables and ranges.
Stress and anxiety can cause high bp.
I am surprisingly the opposite!

I have had bad anxiety the past 3 days, poor sleeping, shaking limbs. And today my bp was quite low! (so now I am scared there)

Those twinges and chest sensations are common with anxiety.

If you want to ask a gp to check it out to feel better, you certainly can. But if they say all is well, please believe them.

[Bakebeansrule]

Thank you for your reply. I've got another week until I can see my dr but I don't really know how to describe to her how I'm feeling. I know I'm tense my chest and back aches so much today and I keep noticing I'm hunching my shoulders so I'm sure that isn't helping either

[Jaco45er]

Sounds like classic physical anxiety symptoms. 120/90 is nothing to worry about, 90 is a touch high, but not panic stations. My BP goes from 125/70 to 160/100 all the time, has done for years, I posted on this forum about it 10 years ago !!! but there's a lot of scaremongering over Blood Pressure. Even at 160/100, Doc's will still recommend lifestyle changes (as long as there is no other factors) before meds. It needs to be taken seriously, but honestly, I've read some rubbish about BP.

Remember, when you think "anxiously", the physical byproduct of this is the release of chemicals into your blood stream, including among others, adrenaline. This acts on your heart and other organs, you become more aware of your heart pumping through your body, tingling, feeling hot, and before you know it you're ready to run from danger (and your body wants to get lighter, hence you feel like throwing up or worse !!!). But there is no danger, only your mind letting you believe there is, because your mind started the physical trigger off, and now the physical trigger feeds your mind. It's a Self-fulfilling prophecy !!

As for your BPM, 60 - 100 is normal. It's no surprise that you're hitting 120 during panic (see above).

Now once you have the ECG, and all's well, then the work begins. CBT will be good (expect a waiting list I'm afraid) but ultimately you'll learn to challenge irrational thoughts with hard evidence, and that's the road to recovery.

Good luck :)

[Bakebeansrule]

Thank you for your reply. I can't say I have real pain it just an ache which I'm putting down to anxiety which like you said causes the vicious cycle of I'm anxious because I'm worried about the ache then the ache is caused because of the anxiety.

My mum is quite poorly with heart disease (she needs a triple bypass but won't have the surgery) and I know with her angina she had terrible pain so I guess in the back of my mind I'm worried the same will happen to me

[Elise]

I also have these twinges! I also had 120bpm when i entered the hospital and wasn't even having a panic attack, but of course still anxious. It went down soon after and it's never that high usually unless i am really panicking :) Hope you're ok

[Bakebeansrule]

Thank you for replying. I had a really good day yesterday and felt amazing then today I took about 50 steps backwards ☹️. My back and shoulder hurt as soon as I woke up then my chest started hurting and I could feel my heart beating really fast. I managed to stay at work (even though all I wanted to do was go home) and it settled a little in the afternoon then since I've been home I've hardly had any pain at all. My bpm is about 72 and I've just packed all my shopping away so it will go down more when I relax.

Have you been told you twinges are due to anxiety? I've never had chest pains due to my anxiety before so it's very scary. I have quite a physical job and I keep telling myself I wouldn't be able to do it if there was any problems with my heart. Today I lifted a radiator and a toilet both around 35kg and neither caused any pain I'm just scared to put it all down to anxiety Incase there is a problem

[Elise]

i've been told different- anxiety and muscle spasms, and my doctor today suggested costochondritis (a benign rib cage inflammation that goes away on its own) i don't believe that one though,, i haven't done anything or had anything that would cause an inflammation! I'm getting the twinges in all sorts of areas now, upper stomach, under armpit, i can calm with these ones but when it twinges near my heart that sets me off! Hope you're feeling better.
Elise

[Bakebeansrule]

I'm the same when it's in my ribs or back im ok but as soon as I feel it around my heart it really scares me. I get it right in the middle of my chest and also right side up towards my collar bone. How long have you had these twinges? Sorry for all the questions

[Elise]

No that's ok and a few weeks :( ! x

[gothic_rose]

hey

I sympahise. for the record my heart rate is often in the 90s even when resting and I vary from early 80s to over a 100 when anxious. and my b/p varies enormously. I have had pre-eclampsia twice so have to moniter myself now and on average Im 140/80 but can go down right to 120/70 on an anxiety free day. My nurse/dr have always said to take 3 readings in a row and to make sure u have nt just stopped being physical so about 10 mins after sitting down. Take 3 readings and average them out. Ive been told drs don't really worry and start dishing out meds unless either number is consistently high and I can get to 150/100 before mine start freaking out.

Ive been told I too have costo and Im not sure I believe that either.... I have aches and pains and twinges and burning and all sorts going on in my chest for about 4ish years although the last year has been the worst. Apparantly all is normal!

[Bakebeansrule]

I've been to the Drs today and my pulse and blood pressure were fine, heart and lungs sounded perfect but my muscles are really tense so she thinks that what's probably causing my aches and pains. She's got no conserns just see how I go really.

I'm really going to try and be positive and relax a friends 4 year old is really poorly at the min going through chemo, if all I have wrong with me is anxiety I'm really lucky