Heart Issues worrying me

[RobG]

So for the last 8 weeks, i've been experiencing a few issues with my heart.
I got so concerned (early on in the 8 week period) with my heart that i actually was convinced i was having a heart attack and so i went to A&E.

After 3 ECGs and 2 Blood tests, the doctor told me my heart was perfectly fine, my heart rate was high but he asked me what i was thinking about.
After a long conversation, he said i have anxiety or more specifically health anxiety.

6 weeks later, i'm at a point where i feel like i'm really at the end of my rope.
During the day i feel mostly fine - but at night before i got to sleep my anxiety really ramps up. I went for a run last week to try and prove to myself everthing was fun - i did 3 miles! But when i finished, my heart rate was so high i was worried i was going to get a heart attack.

What is a heart palpitation? Is it when you can feel your heart beat in your chest, ears or head? (i sometimes feel it in my chest in bed for a couple of hours) Or is it when it feels like you're heart skips a beat or you randomly feel it for a second and suddenly you dont. I've also noticed my heart beating in my belly instead of my chest. Either way, everything described above is what i have been experiencing at night for the last 8 weeks and i can't seem to stop noticing it - i definitely am hypersensitive to whatever is going on in my chest and it's making me incredibly tired.

I look really pale and my eyes are dark due to the lack of sleep i am getting. I'm too scared to exercise now due to a fear of bringing on another palpitation or even worse.

How do i get through this? I'm really struggling to believe i'm perfectly fine.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[nomorepanic]

You have been checked out so your heart is ok.:D

These links may help:

https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/healthanxiety

https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/palpitations

[Josht]

I know this is hard to believe and accept, because I went through the same thing, but it is all classic health anxiety.
The reason it is noticeable at night is because you are not distracted by other things. You have time to think and feel your body more. “Feeling” your heartbeat, even in your stomach, totally normal. Skipped beats, Totally normal.
I remember wrestling with my boys and feeling like I pushed too far and was going to die. Nope. It was just anxiety.
I am a year or so from my last major symptoms. Actually that isn’t true. I still get skipped beats etc, but I know now that they are not signs of impending doom, so I ignore them.
Re-assurance from doctors only helps for a day or two. You need to believe you are ok and you will notice the symptoms going away. My turning point was a bicycle ride. I pushed hard, and I survived. Told my heart, “ok now is totally the time, do your worst!” There was no issue, even though I imagined the drama and worst case scenario.
Check out Hope and Help for your Nerves. Great book.


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[RobG]

Thank you for the links - weirdly just saw those after i posted this so i felt like an absolute fool!

[RobG]

Yep, i'm going to get some CBT and counselling in place to help me cope.
Going to try and do some exercise as well to help.
Thank you for your kind words.

[ankietyjoe]

Why would you expect your heart rate NOT to be high after a 3 mile run?

If you're not used to doing that, I would expect your heart rate to be over 150bpm, and not come down fully for at least a few hours.

[Alde]

Sounds very much like how my health anxiety started! Best advice I could give you would be to accept what the doctor told you and move on. At 8 weeks you’re still relatively early in the health anxiety journey. If you can get on top of it now you will save yourself months/years of worry and different/worsening symptoms.