Palpitations: Blip, feeling like crap

[Faethra]

Hi everyone.

I suffer from health anxiety related to heart palpitations. I have been getting them occasionally since I was young, high school most notably.
Two years ago I had them so strongly and frequently that I saw a doctor. All of my tests came out fine, so I should be of good health. I do have to agree because they do come and they go... I'll get them occasionally for weeks on end and then go for months without.

However, I'm having a blip.

Yesterday I had a string of three strong palpitations in a row that left me feeling weak and tired, along with having an anxiety attack. I felt much better by the end of the night, but was exhausted. Today I am still having palpitations, though not as disturbing as yesterday. Tomorrow I work a long shift, having to wake up early to open the store I work at. I'm nervous and feeling very uneasy. I live alone and feel vulnerable. I worry that I might be developing a problem, but I'm sure that's just nonsense, because my pulse is always steady when it take it after a palpitation.

Does anyone else have similar problems? Reading up on palpitations can be quite frightening... :S

[nikatorman]

I have palpations quite often which often freighten me but they are normal if you have HA, I had it the other night in bed and could feel my bed shaking:) just relax your fine it comes and goes...

Take Care...

[Rob83]

Yeah they are quite a normal thing, no heart beats perfectly regular, mine flutters every now and again or occasionally heaves for a few really strong beats but it soon returns to normal. When anxious and panicking your heart will always beat more strongly and faster, just a response to adrenalin and very good sign that your heart is behaving in a healthy and normal manner. Don't worry about your heart, give it credit where credit is due, its doing a grand job and will continue to do so for many many years to come.

[Faethra]

Thanks guys. :)

My palpitations lead into anxiety though. Even when I'm feeling at my best, sometimes they'll come suddenly out of the blue. They're not always bad but... when I have one it seems I am more prone to having more in the near future. Sometimes if I eat too much, or eat too little, sit with bad posture, stand with bad posture, crouch down, stand up, talk too long without breathing... they will strike. Sometimes they take my breath away for that moment. :(

[Faethra]

Just an update:
Had a panic attack about palpitations this morning, so I took off from work and saw my doctor. We had a chat and ran some tests. Everything came out perfect. Chatting with the doctor made me feel so much better... I think I will be able to put it behind me now. :) Thanks again for the support guys. :hugs:

[r2p2]

Hi I'm new to this site but I am so scared. I have suffered with panic attacks and anxiety since i was a teenager, however it has become unbearable since christmas when my doctor told me my heart rate was way too high. She prescribed me a beta blocker to take whilst awaiting a cardiologist appointment. They did an ECG and an echo which showed that although it was beating fast it was normal. He then did a 2 week event monitor - which again showed beats ranging from 70 - 140 bpm but all normal, just fast. He said it was up to me whether i took the beta blockers or not. However I have just got worse and worse - i worry about taking the pills but then i worry that if i don;t take them i'll have a heart attack. (The doctor said to me at the beginning that at my age (32) my heart could take the pace but in 20-30 years it may not be able to). I'm so worried. (sorry to waffle on!!)

[jothenurse]

I was on beta blockers for awhile, because during a panic attack my heart would go up to 160 per minute. Very scary. Since then, and after many EKG's, they tell me my heart is fine and I am healthy. I am not on the beta blockers any more, though sometimes I wonder if I should be. They told me it was stress induced, so am working on my anxiety/panic attacks. I take a small amount of Ativan, .5mg in the morning, and .25mg at noon. I can always have another one if I need to, but don't usually need to take one in the evening because I usually feel pretty good at that time. I'm supposed to relax, do some breathing exercises, and also exercise so I can get used to my pulse being up there with the anxiety and not fearing it. That is the big thing - not to fear it. Are you on any medications beside a beta-blocker?

[r2p2]

Hi Jothenurse - No, I don't take anything else- I really struggled with having to take the beta blockers as I have low blood pressure and I get myself in a state when i've taken one incase it reduces my bp too much! I just find that at any given time i can feel what my heart is doing without taking my pulse - I am just so aware of it. Part of my problem too is I have locked on to what the doctor said about it continuing at this rate for another 20 years or so.

I totally agree with you about having the pills there "just in case" and sometimes thats enough. I am about to start a course of CBT next week so hopefully I can try and get some sense of control back

It's comforting to read on here about other people who are going or have gone through the same thing so thank you for your time, I suppose part of the battle is believing the professionals when they tell us we are healthy.

[jothenurse]

I have low blood pressure at times, too, and the beta-blockers made that worse. But, just make sure you drink plenty of fluids to keep your blood volume up and make sure you get up slowly and you should be fine.