alicegreen
26-05-10, 14:30
I have always been really anxious on and off, coupled usually with spells of depression.
One way that I have always managed my anxiety is through exercise, and I mean a lot. I walk my dogs for an hour twice a day and usually go to the gym for 1-2 hours as well as this.
I have been having tests for a while now as just after Christmas I was woken suddenly and felt my heart race. I tried to calm down, thinking did I have a bad dream etc but could feel myself getting worried. I ran downstairs for a drink and kept feeling my pulse, which just got faster! I ran back up and woke my husband (heart was really thudding at this point and my stomach felt all upset as well) I asked hubby to call 999 which he did and I got taken to hospital. By the time the ambulance came my heart was still fast but not thudding like it had been and I had also got terrible shakes making my teeth chatter. ECG at the hospital was about 120 falling to 100 a few hours later but I felt a lot calmer in myself at this point. I also had a random blood glucose of 8.4 which worried me silly but have since had a normal fasting sample done with a routine load of blood tests at the GP's. They diagnosed tachycardia and advised GP follow up. (I had cad cardio investigation about 5 years ago for ectopics and told that there was nothing wrong with me)
I then went for an echo in April and was utterly terrified when the scanner told me that I had some leaking around the mitral and tricuspid valves. I came away utterly utterly devastated and spent the weekend unable to eat sleep or stop crying.
I have not been quite so bad since, but still feel very anxious. I have seen teh cardiologist who sad that there is no prolapse and the leaks are trivial, often seen in young women and of no significance. Only treatment is to be scanned again in 3-5 years time. She feels that my problem is anxiety alone and said that I can exercise like before with no problem, but I just cant make myself do anything more than a very slow walk with my (very frustrated!) dogs. I am currently halfway through a 7 day heart monitor and I did manage to capture an "episode" on Sunday night. (think I was maybe aware of my HR being a bit fast as I had been drinking then focussed on that and it got faster maybe?
The other thing is that I have become OBSESSED with checking my pulse and BP, which ten impacts on them. My heartrate can speed up really easily from an excellent resting pulse of say 52 to over 120, and my BP when I am laying calm can be 110/60 but the slightest worry I get it reaches 140/95. It is mad but worrying about the effects of stress on my body and health is making me more prone to ill health.
I just don't seem to be able to shake myself out of this like I have done before. I guess that is the problem with doing tests and not getting the result that we hoped for.
I feel so low:weep: (ETA I have managed to avoid google which is a small triumph!)
One way that I have always managed my anxiety is through exercise, and I mean a lot. I walk my dogs for an hour twice a day and usually go to the gym for 1-2 hours as well as this.
I have been having tests for a while now as just after Christmas I was woken suddenly and felt my heart race. I tried to calm down, thinking did I have a bad dream etc but could feel myself getting worried. I ran downstairs for a drink and kept feeling my pulse, which just got faster! I ran back up and woke my husband (heart was really thudding at this point and my stomach felt all upset as well) I asked hubby to call 999 which he did and I got taken to hospital. By the time the ambulance came my heart was still fast but not thudding like it had been and I had also got terrible shakes making my teeth chatter. ECG at the hospital was about 120 falling to 100 a few hours later but I felt a lot calmer in myself at this point. I also had a random blood glucose of 8.4 which worried me silly but have since had a normal fasting sample done with a routine load of blood tests at the GP's. They diagnosed tachycardia and advised GP follow up. (I had cad cardio investigation about 5 years ago for ectopics and told that there was nothing wrong with me)
I then went for an echo in April and was utterly terrified when the scanner told me that I had some leaking around the mitral and tricuspid valves. I came away utterly utterly devastated and spent the weekend unable to eat sleep or stop crying.
I have not been quite so bad since, but still feel very anxious. I have seen teh cardiologist who sad that there is no prolapse and the leaks are trivial, often seen in young women and of no significance. Only treatment is to be scanned again in 3-5 years time. She feels that my problem is anxiety alone and said that I can exercise like before with no problem, but I just cant make myself do anything more than a very slow walk with my (very frustrated!) dogs. I am currently halfway through a 7 day heart monitor and I did manage to capture an "episode" on Sunday night. (think I was maybe aware of my HR being a bit fast as I had been drinking then focussed on that and it got faster maybe?
The other thing is that I have become OBSESSED with checking my pulse and BP, which ten impacts on them. My heartrate can speed up really easily from an excellent resting pulse of say 52 to over 120, and my BP when I am laying calm can be 110/60 but the slightest worry I get it reaches 140/95. It is mad but worrying about the effects of stress on my body and health is making me more prone to ill health.
I just don't seem to be able to shake myself out of this like I have done before. I guess that is the problem with doing tests and not getting the result that we hoped for.
I feel so low:weep: (ETA I have managed to avoid google which is a small triumph!)