The slow heart rate thing

[Typer]

While I have ectopics almost all day long and while I am truly trying to manage them by reading Claire Weeks and slowly following her advice....I also get bouts of a slow heart rate. So when trying to walk etc...it feels like my heart cannot keep up. I get so dizzy all day...really it feels like I'll topple over.

Looking for reassurance really and trying to convince myself it must be anxiety, even though I do not feel anxious until a symptom hits me

[Corinne]

I get that too and can't figure out why. Sometimes my heart rate will go down to the 50s.

[Jimpy]

Hi typer,

sorry to hear that your having this particular symptom, I have read about having a slow heart rate can be caused by having a high anxiety level. I recently attended my second CBT appointment and we where trying to find out what was currently causing my high anxiety and chest pain. I said I reckon the chest pain was coming first followed closely by an anxiety attack or at the very least a hightened state of anxiety.

This made me worry at first. My simple view if anxiety and its effect was making me worse. All u could think was "if it was anxiety and not an underlying issue then I would be anxious FIRST then that would be followed by the chest pain" but I had it explained to me we could get the symptoms first then the anxiety.

Sometimes if we have high anxiety and we operate with this level of hightened awareness day after day then any reduction of
that anxiety makes us feel sortof normal anf fairly ok. When infact we are still
very anxious in a general respect. In this state a symptom that strikes
will appear to strike us when we are ok making us maybe believe it's an underlying issue!!

This happens to me ALL the time and it is so
hard to live with!!! I would always advocate seeing your Dr and explaing all your symptoms, just for your own piece of mind! I hate saying see your Dr, it's always the last thing I want to read when I post! But I honestly felt much better after speaking to my doc and having him explain that to all intents and purposes I am ok and anxiety is causing these symptoms.

Jim

[Midnight]

Hi Typer,

Slowing of the heart rate is a common symptom of anxiety, sometimes mine feels so slow I am scared it's going to stop and other times it is beating out of my chest.

It is also a side affect of some meds, if you are on meds check whether it appears on your side effects sheet, if so maybe your Dr needs to alter the dosage.

[Typer]

Thanks for all your replies - it's reassuring that others get this....not that I wish it on anyone.

No not on any meds at all.

[NeverRelaxed]

when you say slow, how slow does it get? sometimes when im in bed at night feeling sleepy..Mine will be in the mid 50's...The resting heart rate varies greatly from person to person...Bradycardia doesn't usually produce symtoms unless the HR drops below the fifties.

[Typer]

My resting heart can drop to mid 50's but sometimes in the day when I am walking, it begins to go slower than I need it to when doing things.

Years ago I was on a beta blocker for high BP - which turned out to be a kidney problem which was fixed. I no longer take beta blockers but remember the feeling that my heart lagged behind me and any exertion made me feel the same way I keep feeling - its not all the time, but happens a few times in the day