Heart Pounding Heart when trying to sleep, jolting awake! [Archive]

Ella_Jayne

05-11-10, 09:07

Hi Everyone, :flowers:

The last couple of nights, everytime I try to go asleep I can feel my heart beating very strong in my chest and anyway I lay. It's a regular beat and not PVCs but it's very frustrating. Last night I was pretty stressed trying to get asleep and then I must have dozed off for a few mins only to be jolted awake and up right with an incresed heart rate. I felt like I was dying, full of fear. :shrug:

My heart rate came down after a couple of mins but when I tried to go asleep again the pounding remained and stopped me from falling asleep for a long time.

I'm on my own for most of today and keep thinking my heart is just going to pack in and that nobody will be around to help. Thanks to doctor Google i keep worrying about things like Myocarditis, I read smething about it a while ago but I'm afraid to google again incase it sends me into a spin. Anyone know if it sounds like this? :ohmy:

I'm 22 and have had many cardiac tests, ECG's, ECHO, Holter etc... which have all came back normal. The last ECG had was about 4-5 months ago and Echo's and everything else were done about 9 months ago.Could anything have changed since then? I'm just a bit worried. I would appreciate any advice. :weep:

Thanks x

PokerFace

05-11-10, 11:19

Hmm, no idea about Myocarditus I'm afraid! I tend to stick my head in the sand when it comes to heart related problems cuz I'm a firm beleiver in ignorance is bliss lol.

I've had similar jolting awake right after I've fell asleep, breathless and heart pounding, it really is due to stress and anxiety. My heart rate usually stays hard when that happens to me, not fast just REALLY hard and very distracting but it's stopped since I've started taking beta blockers again.

I've been alone all day everyday, except weekends, since September started and it really is horrible isn't it. You drive yourself more crazy being alone because you think if you die no ones gonna be there to help you! But remember, if you DID have a heart attack (which your not) a lot of people survive unless they're really really old. That means you've got time to get to the phone ring 999 and open the door so they can find you! Also I don't know if this would be any help to you, but in my book it said that your body releases endorphins if you're having a heart attack so you won't get panicky which would mean you'd still beable to think clearly!

I don't think anything would have changed with your heart in 9 months. Your heart is only 22 years old, and if you think about it, the average life expectancy in the UK is 79/80! That means your heart is just a baby and very very strong! It's just reacting to what your brain is telling it to do, wether you mean to or not. :)xx

Ella_Jayne

05-11-10, 12:07

Thanks again. You're always such a great help to me. x

I don't really worry about getting a heart attack as such, it's more sudden death from some unfound condition, sounds stupid when I write it down...:blush:

I worry that I'll just drop dead, I know my cholesterol is fine and have no family history of heart attacks so for some reason I don't worry about a typical heart attack.

Things like Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome scare the life out of me, conditions like Long QT, and so on have the same effect.

I keep thinking that I have one of these rare conditions and one day I'll just drop dead... I know I've been checked but sometimes my anxiety gets the better of me and I think 'Doctors are only human, they can make mistakes or over look things'.

I've been feeling a bit ill lately and my Mum said 'Oh you probably just have a viral infection' and straight away I remembered something I read ages ago that after you're ill from a virus or whatever your body can attack your heart and mistake it as a threat, and you can die suddenly or have a major heart attack, it's called Myocarditis (Inflammation of the heart muscle, i think). I can't remember all the details and I'm too chicken to Google but this freaks me out. Apparently it's rare and people might say 'Why would YOU get that', I always say 'Why Not???'

Staying on my own is the worst!!! I try to stay busy but sometimes I just don't want to do too much incase I start freaking out from Ectopics or something. I get palps more when I'm moving about. Ugh, it really it horrible!!!

x

PokerFace

05-11-10, 12:20

You've had loads of tests of your heart, they would of found anything wrong. One doctor MIGHT make a mistake but with all the tests and seeing a heart specialist I really really think you're in the clear.

Yea I remember reading viruses can go to your heart, I don't know too much about it but I'd guess it would mostly be for ederly people. Think how many people get sick every year from viruses and it doesn't attack their hearts, I've just had a horrible one and it didn't attack mine! :D

With the sudden death, dodo posted a good post about it the other day. She said if more people had ECGs it wouldn't happen as often because it's a problem with the left ventricle and it shows it on ECG's. You're definatley NOT going to die of that!

My big big fear is jus the standard heart attack, cuz IDK about the other things that can go wrong because I know I'd jus start to go mental about them too! Though I did think "OMG ENLARGED HEART MUSCLE!!!" the other day, I have no idea why now though :huh:.

My missed beats come on a lot when I move, usually if I turn round in bed or bend down to get something or even put my arms across my chest. This is gonna sound so sad but I'm even afraid to laugh cuz that brings on massive missed beats for me too ;( They are by far the most scariest thing I've ever experienced, scarier than the muscle spasm that set all this off for me! But really they ARE normal. If missed beats were a sign we were gonna die of a heart related problem pretty much everybody on earth would be dead because probably everyone gets them!

You've had the test where they scan your heart kinda like what they do to look at babies in the womb right? (idk what it's called sorry) If you have that means they've seen your heart and it's doing its job just fine! Yay! If there was anything, they would have found it. xx

Ella_Jayne

05-11-10, 13:09

Yeah I've had an ECHO (Ultrasound) and it came back normal. I know when I tell people what I worry about it sounds ridiculous, I really wish I didn't think like this.

You made me laugh when you said you were afraid to laugh due to ectopics, I've been like this too. :D What are we like? I always get ectopics when emotional. I had a massive argument with my sister a few weeks ago and I was getting LOADS of Ectopics, it didn't freak me out at the time as i was really angry but later I was like 'Oh god, that was a lot'. They are horrible, actually I just got one while typing this, UGH!!!

I've seen probably 20 different doctors about my heart, all have said it it 100% fine, but I'm my own worst enemy, I'll read stories from people who have just died from a heart condition even after being checked and then my anxiety goes mental! I've been okay over the past few weeks, it's just the last few days that have been quite tough.

How are you getting on? :)

What do you say to yourself when you find yourself worrying about your heart? How do you get passed it?

xxx

PokerFace

05-11-10, 13:23

Yep, you should definatley stop googling and readin scare stories! I've been told to face my fear head on and activley go looking for stories of people that die of heart attacks but I REALLY don't think that will help me lol.

I had an ectopic earlier when I picked my cat up, poor thing, I nrly dropped him lol! They're just something we've gotta get used to, one of our anxiety symtpoms is ectopics so not much we can do really except grin and bear it! ;(

Umm I'm not doing so great myself! Had a scare earlier this week, got a vile chest pain that just WOULDN'T shift itself it's eased down a lot now though so I guess I pulled a muscle or something! ;s And I had a HORRIBLE heart flutter, lasted about 3 seconds, but was longest 3 seconds of my life actually felt like my heart was convulsing lol ;( I keep meaning to start excersising again but with no one in the house I'm too scared to incase I die and by the time they get home it's too late and I don't like exercising late at night. ;(

When I get chest pains or missed beats I just keep sayin to myself over and over in my head "face everything and recover" OR I count to 100 perfectly and if I manage it I'll be ok! Silly coping methods really but they work for me! I don't know how I really get past it, I don't think I ever do to be honest else the fear wouldn't come back! Something I've gotta work out and learn, hopefully soon" xx

Ella_Jayne

05-11-10, 13:38

LOL! Your poor cat! :D

I used to be afraid to exercise too, so I just started little by little, going for walks with friends, then the gym and now I can go for a run and not worry too much. I think it's better to start small, so even if that means starting with a couple of mins of Wii Fit and then building up then that's progress. I always tell myself to remember that exercise is really good for your heart. It was really tough when I first started exercising aging, I would hyperventilate and get myself into a right panic. But you just have to keep on trying.

There is no chance at all of you having an actual heart attack, none. You're far too young for anything like that. They're caused from high Cholestorol, bad lifestyle and bad genes. And I doubt you have any of those.

You're right though I should stay away from all stories about heart problems, it really doesn't help. I used to be like you, just worried about standard heart attacks and by looking at stories it just opened up a whole new can of worms. I'd stay away from it if I was you!

I get horrible chest pain too, I used to go straight to A&E then I just tried to manage it at home. It's terrible and I always have a fear that one day a pain will be something serious and I'll treat it as an anxiety symptom until it's too late.

Have you had CBT?

x

PokerFace

05-11-10, 14:04

Yea I always think that one day I'll have a heart attack and I'll ignore it! But I think we'd know if it actually ever came down to it. :)

Nope I've not had CBT, I've been to A&E once the day it all started and the doctors 3 times. Doctor jus keeps chucking propranolol at me and tells me I'm NOT gonna have a heart attack, he hasn't offered me anything except propranolol! I'm scared of doctors and hosptials, I get worse when I'm in a medical environment I don't know why! My pulse shoots through the roof as soon as I get in the door of the doctors usually, and the day I went to A&E was pretty much a constant panic attack, adrenaline rushes every 5 minutes! ;(

I've got a book that tries to teach CBT, but I find it hard to stick to cuz it's just me and I've got no one to answer to if I don't to the exercsies and no one to cheer me on so I end up not doing anything like usual =/ I know I should be doing more about my health anxiety I just feel like I can't do anything when I'm alone all day cuz I get too scared lol ;( x

Ella_Jayne

05-11-10, 14:57

Yeah we probably would know if we actually had a heart attack, atleast I'd bloody hope so! Lol!

My heart is the exact same when I go to the doctors or hospital my heart rate flys up. Even if I just go with someone else. By boyfriend hurt his arm a few months ago and before we left for the hospital I had a panic attack, and the whole time I was in the hospital I was biting my nails and feeling VERY restless.

I don't know where all this anxiety came from, my Mum and Dad are probably the least anxious people that you could meet so I don't know what happened to me. LOL!

Why don't you ask your doctor if he can refer you for CBT? I went for it twice, the first time it didn't work at all but the second time helped me a lot. It might be what you need. You seem really clued into Anxiety in general and with someone there to answer any questions you have or just for extra support I'd say it would help you a lot.

I was on propranolol for a few weeks but when I went for my review at the Cardiologists office I was complaining of headaches and he told me to come off them, but to take one if I'm having a 'Jumpy heart' day. I haven't tried taking one since. Do you know if they work well if you take them just when you need them?

I'm glad someone else feels uneasy when they're at home alone due to anxiety, I thought I was alone for a while. At the start of my panic and anxiety I found it even hard to shower, I used to have the fastet showers just so I didn't have to be alone in the bathroom for long. I think the whole Brittany Murphy thing didn't help that. Thank god I've overcome that now. LOL!

x :)

PokerFace

05-11-10, 15:07

Lol! I used to get really wound up about having baths/showers cuz they'd give me missed beats. I used to dread it every single day but it has to be done! It's stopped now but I still get a little tetchy about it, especially if I'm alone.

It's so weird you say that, my mum and dad are anxiety free to!! I've read a lot it starts with the parents, you learn behaviour patterns from them but mine were never like that! Neither is my sister so I don't know what happend with me either lol! My whole family are just like..."why the hell is she doing this to herself for?" and I really can't answer that ;(

I used to just take the propranolol as and when I needed it and it worked fine to stop your heart goin fast/hard when needed, gets into your system really quick, but I went back to the doctors cuz I wanted help cuz I was still convinced I was gonna have a heart attack and he said to take them 3 times a day without fail, last time I went back he's told me to take 2 tablets 3 times a day but I REALLY don't wanna take 6 of them a day lol. I'm not the most confident person in the world so I find it really difficult to go into the doctors and actually ask for certain medication or counselling or anything I usually just say 1 thing then let him talk and just answer his questions lol! I keep meaning to ask if theres anything else I can do but idk, I get in there and go completely blank and scared/nervous.! x

Ella_Jayne

05-11-10, 15:45

I know I heard a lot of people that have anxiety usually have 1 parent that has it too. But it's the same with me, both of mine are anxiety free, as are my 2 sisters and bro. They don't seem to understand. After I had a few ECG's they were like 'Why are you worrying now, you've had the test done, you're fine, move on, but it's not that easy.

I've been there with doctors as well, I go in all fired up and when I sit down and talk I just start to almost feel stupid and then don't say half the things that I wanted to, then I'll be thinking later 'Why didn't I just ask that or tell him this' it's hard but one time I just researched the nearest CBT and rang them up and they said you need a doctors referral letter so I just went to my doctor and said 'Look I need a letter for CBT' and he just gave it to me, and that was that. The second time I was referred by the cardiologist I seen, he just made the appointment for me.

Try and find the courage to ask, it could turn this anxiety thing right around for you. CBT helps you see how irrational your thinking really is, and to accept anx symptoms. I haven't been in a few months but I have a review in a couple of weeks. They don't stop the CBT until you feel better and able to manage alone.

I think I'll try taking a propranolol tonight if my heart starts to beat hard again, hopefully that will help me sleep.

How do your family deal with your anxiety? Like, can you speak to them about it? My mum trys but most of the time she just says 'there's nothing wrong with you, don't be silly' and when I say I feel uneasy at home alone she just doesn't understand that. She loves being home alone, and can't comprehend why someone would be scared. It's frustrating. Thankfully my BF is a bit more understanding.

x :)

PokerFace

05-11-10, 15:54

Yea, you should try take one tonight before bed. I think it will help a lot!

My family have mixed feelings towards it. My mum uses the whole cruel to be kind thing which usually ends up with me feeling 10 times worse, my stepdad makes jokes about me, I don't see my dad often but he's just like "YOU DON'T NEED TABLETS!" *end disscussion* and my sister tries to help the best she can cuz she has a psychology degree. I feel like a burden/embarassment sometimes though! =/

My boyfriend LOL. We've been seeing each other since this time last year, it all kicked off for me 12th of March this year and he stuck around for a bit but then decided it was a bit much, then came back, then went again and now he's back again! He tries to help but he hates it cuz I went from a normal happy 20 year old girl to a nervous semi-agoraphobic wreck in literally the space of one day.!

Sucks but I don't really blame him, I'm not exactly a bundle of laughs lol! xx

Ella_Jayne

06-11-10, 12:12

I took one last night, slept like a baby, no pounding heart... Nothing! :)

Your sister must be quite helpful to have around with her having a psychology degree. She must be very understanding.

I know what you mean about feeling like an embarrasment/Burden. I feel like that a lot of the time. Mostly about my BF, we've been together for 4 and a half years and he's been VERY understanding, but when my anxiety was at it's worst, I had to have him around me ALL of the time, he was my 'safe' person. So that restricted him from doing things that he wanted, but he's never moaned about it, it just makes me feel bad looking back. But thankfully I'm not like that anymore.

Your BF obviously cares about you, I can see why it's hard for him to deal with though. I expected the same from my boyfriend but I think because we've been together so long that he could accept it a bit easier some how.

Can you go out and socialize normally or does it hold you back?

I was really bad this time last year, I couldn't even go shopping without ending up in tears on the way home. Ugh! I hope it never gets that bad again!.

x :)

PokerFace

06-11-10, 13:18

Yayy! Glad it worked good for you. :D

I don't socialize normally at all anymore. I used to be out every day, out every weekend gettin drunk, only came home occasionally to sleep! I used to stay at my bfs, my mates houses anywhere except home really! I harldy ever stay at anyone elses house now and I can probably count the number of times I've been out and got drunk with my mates at the weekend on my fingers =/

I only really make an effort to see my two best friends cuz I love them just like I love my family, they know all about what I'm going through at the moment and I feel safe with them and if I'm not out with them only person I go out with is my bf when he's actually in my life lol. I never go to see any of my other friends by myself, 1 of my 2 best friends HAVE to be there or I'd just say no.

I've gotten a lot better than I was though! When this first happend I didn't leave the house AT ALL in 3 months, and when I finally did, I threw myself right in the deep end and went to a Lady Gaga concert...STANDING!! Oh my God, I really loved it but my heart was going mental. Beasty missed beats, it was going 100 miles per hour I was stressing myself silly and nearly crying the whole time we were waiting for her to come out, which was like....6 hours LOL. After I did that though I really felt ok to go out again but I'm really not normal with it at all lol. x

Going home

06-11-10, 14:35

Ella, I may have missed this but do you eat before bedtime? Our blood sugar drops at night and if we don't eat in the evening after our main meal this can make it drop a bit more, and then more adrenaline is produced which can give some of us night panics....could be why you can feel your heart beating. If you can manage to eat just one slice of toast, or have a warm milky drink it might help. Something mums do for small children yes? well its the same for adults because we can sometimes have too many stimulants before we go to bed so a warm drink (not coffee) might just help. We also feel more fearful at night anyway, when we think we can't get help easily but you're a young girl and having had all those tests I would say don't worry too much about your heart. I was in my 20's when my heart phobia began and am now in my 50's and still waiting for the heart attack :) You'll be fine.

Take care
Anna xxx

Ella_Jayne

06-11-10, 16:21

Thanks for the advice Anna. I don't usually eat at night, I'll try a slice of tast from now on and see how I get on. Thanks again, xxx :)

Yayy! Glad it worked good for you. :D

I don't socialize normally at all anymore. I used to be out every day, out every weekend gettin drunk, only came home occasionally to sleep! I used to stay at my bfs, my mates houses anywhere except home really! I harldy ever stay at anyone elses house now and I can probably count the number of times I've been out and got drunk with my mates at the weekend on my fingers =/

I only really make an effort to see my two best friends cuz I love them just like I love my family, they know all about what I'm going through at the moment and I feel safe with them and if I'm not out with them only person I go out with is my bf when he's actually in my life lol. I never go to see any of my other friends by myself, 1 of my 2 best friends HAVE to be there or I'd just say no.

I've gotten a lot better than I was though! When this first happend I didn't leave the house AT ALL in 3 months, and when I finally did, I threw myself right in the deep end and went to a Lady Gaga concert...STANDING!! Oh my God, I really loved it but my heart was going mental. Beasty missed beats, it was going 100 miles per hour I was stressing myself silly and nearly crying the whole time we were waiting for her to come out, which was like....6 hours LOL. After I did that though I really felt ok to go out again but I'm really not normal with it at all lol. x

Oh you sound just like I was. I was always out a few times a week with my friends, couldn't bare to sit in on a Fri or Sat night, and I couldn't get enough alcohol. Now I find that I only drink on occasions, as it makes my heart race/skip beats.

I can't believe you went to see Lady Gaga feeling the way you did, that was really brave!!! :yesyes: I remember going cinema when I was really bad and I was just counting down the seconds until it was over so I can imagine how tough that must have been for you!!!

It's great that you have your 2 best mates to help you through it all. I've only told my best mate and she has been great too, haven't told the rest as I don't wany the whole drama of it all and I get paranoid thinking people will expect me to throw a panic attack at any given time! LOL!

Do you ever get dizzy or lightheaded when you go out? I used to (and still do sometimes), it was absolutely awful!

Did you ever worry about your heart before all this started?
What kicked it off?

PokerFace

06-11-10, 22:26

I get dizzy sometimes, but I'm usually distracted by chest pains/missed beats I get when I'm out lol ;(

Lol, yea I was really proud of myself for it. I don't think I'd have ever left the house again if I hadn't of gone. I was pushed up against a barrier by 100s of other loud sweaty people for nearly 9 hours so..suddenly going shopping with my friends didn't seem so scary! :D

Hmm, I worried about my heart a little bit when I was about 16/17 cuz I kept waking up in the middle of the night not being able to move, my heart would be goin mega fast and I'd get this immense pressure feeling like it was pouring into my head. I wasn't TOO worried at the time so just ended up eventually kicking my leg so I could move again, roll over and go back to sleep lool. Was never health concious, but this happend quite a few times so I went to the doctor, she gave me an ECG and I never thought of it again!

Hmm March the 12th this year is when it all started. My sister had just bought me my Lady Gaga ticket and IDK what the hell happend, I must have got extremely excited or something LOL but I got this really really bad pain in my chest. I was so scared I made my sister ring an ambulance for me convinced I was having a heart attack. They said it was a muscle spasm but OMG never felt pain like it, actually felt to me like someone was physically squeezing my heart. Ever since that day I've not had 1 minute really where my hearts not bin on my mind! Even through the good weeks something ALWAYS kicks me back down again cuz I'm expecting it I guess.

Sometimes I feel like this fear will ALWAYS be with me cuz I've managed to drill it into my head so hard now! Just hate being scared of my own heart lol :( xx

Ella_Jayne

07-11-10, 18:43

I know exactly what you mean about feeling like it'll always be with you cuz u've drilled it in your head so much. I feel the same. I feel that I can get a lot better but I have this thing where I just know that anytime someone mentions a heart attack or condition my attention will never be able to just ignore it. It's frustrating! :mad:

I woke up this morning feeling a bit ill, felt like heart burn or something, I could feel my heartbeat all over my body. I pushed on and went out later but while I was out I felt sooooo faint, I thought I was going to just drop! My heart felt fine but I kept attributing it to my heart, and now I'm paranoid again that I have some sort of arrhythmia that's causing all of this.

It just never bloody ends!!! Still feel awful now, a bit dizzy, will probably go to see my doctor tomorrow. I just can't seem to convince myself fully that it's not my heart! For some reason it's the first thing I jump to!!! :blush:

TheMindWar

06-12-10, 11:47