Tuned in to heart all the time . . . .

[dizzyd]

Been having a really rough time lately. I have tried to keep my anxiety behind me but it is catching me up when I least expect it. :weep:
For those of you that don't know me I am a regular 'read only' member with occasional postings on Lisa's 'Life of a Country Quirk' thread. :)
I began with panics about my heart about 6 years ago, after witnessing a man die in a supermarket - it was a massive 3rd heart attack. I took cirpramil for a couple of years and then gradually weaned off them. Then after a year my panics came back - mostly focussed on heart but with helpings of dizziness and unable to catch my breath. Cipralex really helped this time. Been off all meds for over a year now but I can feel the anxiety level rising.
As a Christian I turn to my faith and the power of prayer :emot-pray: and I do find it really helps to re-focus my thinking and realisation that no matter how much I would like to be in control of my body - I am in His hands.
However, a few weeks ago I ended up having an ECG, blood test and Chest X-Ray following pain in the heart area. Needless to say all tests were normal. One thing keeps nagging me though - the Nurses/Docs kept on commenting on my fast pulse - 138. Whilst hooked up to the monitor for 2 hours it never seemed to drop (although I am sure I didn't help things by constantly checking the reading !) The Doc was happy that ECG/ blood was fine and said the racing pulse was Anxiety related. - Surprise, Surprise.
Now I find throughout the day and more so - the Night I am tuning into my heart and noticing every bump, race, missed beat etc. I wake often through the night to it going like the clappers. I am not sure whether the shock of waking is stimulating it or whether the racing heart is what wakens me? :shrug: I just know it frightens me. :ohmy:
I resent Anxiety robbing me of my inner peace that I have slowly gathered over the last couple of years so this half-term I have gone out and about with my son and tried to push forward but I really feel 'on the edge'.
I visited my Surgery yesterday and saw a Doc I haven't seen before. She was very abrupt and matter of fact and basically said ' What do you hope to get out of today's visit?' I said re-assurance and maybe to consider beta-blockers ? Suffice it to say I left feeling worse and the receptionist noticed I was upset and to cut a long story short I am returning tomorrow to see my usual Doctor. Note - I have only been to docs 3 times in last 12 months so it's not like I am always on their doorstep.
So what do I hope to achieve from posting today? :shrug:
I think I would just like to know that others ' Wake through the night with a racing heart- almost a quivering feeling - If so How do you deal with it? '
Thanks for reading my post
Love Dawn x

[lorac]

Dawn

Just last night I was woken with a really racing heart beat that made my whole body feel like it was rocking. I have been getting these on and off for years and now become quite used to them, so used to them that I just roll over and go back to sleep again. I used to take beta blockers and they did calm my heart down during the day but I found that when they wore off in the night my heart raced even more Try not to worry too much about the racing heart Dawn, the more notice you give it the worse it gets.

Love Carol x

[Quirky]

Hi Dawn my friend :D

Nice to see you here again mate, wish you were feeling better though :hugs:

You know I totally understand all your heart worries and have had all your symptoms myself over the last few years. I used to be aware of every beat I think and it always seems worse in the still of the night eh. My heart used to go fast (occasionally still does), pound, thump, miss beats (although I was rarely aware of the missed beats) and do all sorts of flips and shakes!

My heart often goes fast in the day more than the night but I do often wake with my heart doing all sorts, like you say almost like the shock of waking up is stimulating or a shock or something. I think it happes as we get so sensitised.

Over time though I hardly think of my heart at all now, just the occasional blip but even then it's a short lived worry normally now. I don't know how I stopped worrying over it but I think it was partly that I really trusted the cardio that told me I was ok and nothing was wrong.

A high pulse in itself is noting to worry about (although I know how scary and horrid it feels). I have managed 135 purely from anx before, even 155 once I think! The reason they are not worried though is that they have done an ECG and found it to be normal - ie yes it is fast sometimes but from no sinister cause so most likely anxiety etc.

I used to check my pulse and bp so much but it's rare I do now. If I do normally my pulse is low 60's or even high 50's - of course I then worried it was too slow for a while too :wacko:

Sorry that doc was no help, some of them just seem to have no idea about anxiety do they! Grrr. I once saw a doc that waved some seroxat at me and told me I'd never improve otherwise and I'd end up agorophobic too (I didn't) - anyway I found a nice female doctor and neither happened - shame he has left or I'd be telling him he was wrong! lol

Anyway what I am trying to say in my normal long winded way is that I totally understand mate :hugs: I hope this all passes for you soon and that you get that inner peace you so deserve :flowers:

Lisa x

PS Did you know that the most relaxing thing ever is supposed to be stroking a puppy - so get stroking your little doggy lol

[TracyL]

Hi Dawn

I can completely relate to you hun. I too have experienced all these symptons and am very aware of my heartbeat. I have had a really bad time this last couple of weeks and had further tests. I have to go for the results today and i'm nearly having kittens worrying about it.

Take care and know it is anxiety and that is a nuisence. However you're not alone so please try and take it easy

Keep smiling
Tracy

[dizzyd]

Thanks for your replies Carol Lisa and Tracy. It always helps to hear others know exactly what you mean!

Well I saw my lovely Doc today - didn't mention Wednesdays experience! (Although I think the Practice Manager may have put notes on my file to explain why I was re-visiting docs so soon after prev appointment appointment). Anyway Doc used to be a heart surgeon and he explained so thoroughly why I get ectopics - adreneline release stimulates the heart. (I already knew this but the way he said it was so definite)

He also said when he completed a heart transplant he was always amazed at how keen the heart was to start up again after being stopped for up to an hour. He said the heart wants to beat. Even if it seems to pause and quicken it just wants to beat and I have the proof that it will always self regulate. He was really reassuring. He said that a 24 hour trace would show up my ectopics and excited heart but that is all it would show as ECGs and bloods have proved that even though I have had them for 7 years there is no heart damage. I felt totally reassured after speaking to him and he ended by saying - Remember you have a tried and tested safety net of Cipralex - let's keep it as a last resort - but you know you can always go back on them if necessary.

So - I went for a long walk along the beach with 'pooch' and just felt so free - So one day at a time - and in the words of a church poster I saw the other day -

' Fear sees obstacles, freedom sees oppportunities '

Love to one and all
Dawn x

[Quirky]

Dawn,

What a lovely post to read, I was so happy for you when I read that :hugs:

The doc you saw today sounds lovely, it makes all the difference doesn't it.

Glad you had a lovely walk and felt free :yesyes:

Remember what was said today and hold onto these feelings of freedom :flowers:

Love Lisa x

[miss motown]

Ive Just Read Your Post As I Am Also Going Thru A Bad Time With The Racining Heart And Missed Beats Do You By Any Chance Have All The Other Horrible Symptoms That Goes With It Like Chest Pain Jaw Pain And The Pain Down Your Left Arm Also Do You Experiance Any Buzzing Ur Ringing Of The Ears,my Gp Says Its Anxiety But Im So Convinced Its My Heart I Was Rushed To A&e In Febuary With Chest Pain I Stayed Over Night And Was Givin Asprin And A Spray And Was On A 24hr Trace They Thought It Was Angina But When My Results Came Back They Say It Was Anxiety I Just Carnt Belive All The Symptoms Are Related To Anxiety When Ther So Like The Symptoms Of A Heart Attack Im So Sorry To Go On

[shaz01]

Hi Dawn,

Thats great your doctor took time out to discuss it sensibly with you, my GP is also okay, last time I went back with the eratic jumpy heartbeats he said hes still happy with my tests (which were a while ago) and thats its all anxiety related. Its is hard however still not to panic.
miss motown - I think many people get all the symptoms of a heart attack with anxiety but it should re-assure you that the hospital checked you out.

Shaz x

[decca]

I to have this heart fixation,constantly checking my pulse to see how fast or how slow it's going.
I'm soo sorry for the other posters but dare I say thank you,well at least for sharing your problems 'cos I thought it was just me.
I used to be a very confident outgoing person then suddenly one night in September I suddenly woke up in the night with the room spinning around me and my heart doing about 120 bpm, I couldn't do anything but sit up in bed and wait for it to pass, I must have gone back to sleep 'cos in the morning when I woke up all I had was a bit of light headedness, 2 days later the same thing happened again and I was taken to A&E where they immediatly did an ECG ,chest X-ray and blood tests which were all normal eccept for high cholesteral, the Dr thought I was dehidrated so they let a drip run through then took a posturing BP which was ok so they let me go home.
Everything was OK for 2 weeks then it happened again,no giddiness this time just racing and pounding heart which started early evening and lasted through the night,still racing next morning so I went to see my GP who dis another ECG and bloods for thyroid etc.all of which were normal again.
None of my doctors have ever suggested that it was panic attacks but have prescibed calcium channel blockers.
Now I'm constantly anxious about having a re-occurance and keep checking my pulse to see what it's doing, I havn't been to work for 6 weeks and I'm almost afraid to go out in case I'm ill,but I guess that's just a case of gaining my confidence again.
Sorry I've babbled on a bit, but I just had to tell my story.
Best wishes to everyone.
Decca

[miss motown]

decca your fears seems to be the same as mine im so frightened its going to happen againe its so scairy when your in that situation with the racing heart and being put on a heart trace and all the other tests that they do when you go to a&e mine came back with high collestral aswell and they told me to watch my weight im so frightened of the reacurance that its put a stop on things i like doing such as going to town ur just out socializing its very traumatic whe youve gone thru it like me i carnt get it out of my head and im expecting it to happen at any time its sooooo annoying isnt it

[decca]

Hi Miss Motown,
Yea, I've never experienced anything like it up to now,but I'm sure I'm in a vicious circle with it now - fear of it happening is making me anxious so therefore something does.
One of my Docs gave me Diazepam and Ciprimil but I'm afraid to take them because of the possible side effects,but I'm getting to the stage where I think I need something so I might try the Diazepam just to see if it helps break the cycle.
Btw - I also get the tingly arms and tinitus thing.
Best wishes.
Decca