Need reassurance

[jothenurse]

I think I'm just looking for some reassurance. I've been having much more anxiety lately and more tachycardia episodes which my Nurse Practitioner is saying is due to the anxiety. But I'm so scared, because I was a little better and now I'm having more tachycardia and anxiety in general. Does anyone else get panicky in the shower? I sometimes get tachycardia during my shower. I don't know if it's because I feel vulnerable and it's like what if my heart starts pounding and I don't have any clothes on?? I'm not sure why the tachycardia episodes are more frequent. My counselor says it's just the anxiety and I'm focusing in on it. I'm just so scared when it happens and now I'm feeling lightheaded and shakey and I need to go do some errands. Any help?

[jothenurse]

Anyone?

[shropshire_lad]

I've had serious bouts of tachycardia since the mid 90's, mainly sinus tachy but occasionally SVT, which can be very unnerving, pulse up to 230! :scared15:

Try not to think about it when it starts and try some box breathing or 7-11 breathing... Breathing slow and steady can bring it down quickly and also calm your anxiety.

It's horrible I know, but just go with it... Accept the feelings, many people get them.

Good luck!

:winks:

[jothenurse]

Do you exercise or take any medications? I used to love to exercise, but now every time I feel my pulse go up, I get scared and panicky and then it shoots way up. I only take a small amount of ativan if I really need it.
If you do exercise, how did you ever get over the panicky feeling with your pulse elevated? And, you say you deep breathe for calm down?

[Sanmarbro]

Jo - see the Mindfulness thread next to this one.

Yes I've had panics in the shower and have got past them now. You will too.

[hamster lady]

Hi there

I hope you are feeling a bit better now.:flowers: I know exactly how you feel about feeling panicky in the shower, I can get it in the shower if I have had a bad panicky night, a bit like last night actually! I can also feel panicky in the bath because I tend to concentrate too much on my heart when I am in there - I used to find baths relaxing but I don't anymore! I too have started to feel panicky when I exercise because I don't like my heart rate going up! I went out today with my family and I was OK until we walked up a steep hill and when my heart started to pound I felt a panic attack looming. I distracted myself by talking to my husband and luckily I managed to fight it off. I try and do some deep breathing or sniff my lavender oil and that seems to help a bit. I know exactly how you feel about having a racing heart, it is so scary and it doesn't even help to know that it doesn't do you any harm, I still panic! I really hope you feel better soon.:flowers:

[jothenurse]

Thank you for your replies.
Where is the mindfulness thread?

[marisasue]

Hi there,

I too have had anxiety like that, terrible in the shower! I saw another post that mentioned breathing, and I agree with that. I just started a program that i teaching my body to relax as I'm having anxiety and it really seems to be working... I wish I knew exactly how to explain it as simply as it is being taught to me, but what it says is that when the nervous feeling start to cme you completely relax all your muscles and startto focus on your breathing. It really is working! I guess the idea is after a little while (I'm new to all of this) your body becomes conditioned to relaxing and the attacks will go away. I know it sounds too good, but for me right now it's really working. I hope that this helps, I am in NO WAY an expert, I just wanted to share as I've been there too many times to count! God Bless!!!

[Anxious_gal]

I've heart palpitations for 4 years, I hate waking up with them in the mornings as they make me feel breathless.
Diagnosed with sinus tachycardia this year, also bought a finger pulse reader.
my heart rate is 57-60 in the morning, then up to 90 if I'm moving around the house.
I get very out of breath with simple tasks such as mopping the floor, I get too warm and dizzy but I find a cold bottle of water helps with this.
if something upsets me, an argument for example, my heart rate goes up to 150, my chest gets tighter and tighter, my head will hurt, my breathing goes too fast and I'll feel like I will faint.
If I'm just having the usual panic attack, it goes up to 130 and eventually after relaxing it will drop to 110bpm.

I do hold the heart palpations and tachycardia responsible for some of my anxiety and its pretty much this awful cycle, one causes the other!! :(

Noise can set off my anxiety, so could be noise of the shower.
I feel rather vulnerable too in the shower, I can't escape really with out getting dressed first lol
Sometimes I get dizzy spells in the shower which then makes me think I better hurry up, just in case I faint and drown in my shower!
Then other times I find the shower makes me feel calmer and refreshed ,
I dont know how I can help but just that I get light headed and dizzy and faint too x I understand how it feels I guess :)

[KayleighJane]

hi there, just been reading this thread with interest as i am getting these kind of symptoms alot lately, feel a bit silly for asking but what is tachy cardia? and sinus tachy? :blush:

[jothenurse]

Tachycardia is a fast heart rate, over 100. Sinus Tachycardia is a rapid heart beat, but the rhythm is normal.

[shropshire_lad]

Do you exercise or take any medications? I used to love to exercise, but now every time I feel my pulse go up, I get scared and panicky and then it shoots way up. I only take a small amount of ativan if I really need it.
If you do exercise, how did you ever get over the panicky feeling with your pulse elevated? And, you say you deep breathe for calm down?

I exercise plenty... running, cycling hill, walking, weights etc. If my anxiety is high I do find it hard to run, I've stopped in the past when running due to panic, watching my heart rate rocket on my garmin watch was very disturbing for a while till i realised it was panic as usual.

If I am overly anxious I won't avoid cardio just do it at a low intensity to build my confidence. Even fast walking is good! I have good and bad days still, actually at the moment I'm struggling, but hey ho, it'll pass like it always does.

I am also trying midfullness, since coming off the anti-depressants. It is helping although one needs to stick with it every day. I would recommend Mindfullness for dummies book, or anything by John Kabat Zinn...

Good luck!

[jothenurse]

How fast does your rate get? When I have had panic with my pulse, it's been in the 160's. So now when I try to exercise, or sometimes after I eat, or am just anxious, if I feel my pulse elevated, I can just panic. I try to do something though, like take walks or go on my treadmill. But, I have to admit as soon as I feel my pulse elevating, I start to panic. Then of course, it shoots up.
Thanks for your reply.

[Anxious_gal]

Tachycardia is a fast heart rate, over 100. Sinus Tachycardia is a rapid heart beat, but the rhythm is normal.

I didnt know that, the way the doctor explained it, i thought sinus meant stress induced!
I did have 20 something pvcs, um i assume are the weird beats, on the 24hour hoiltor monitor.


I know with the treadmill test, it reached 230 so they had to stop the test!

with me I tend to notice the palpations more so than the fast pulse, or I'll notice I feel breathless first.

at the moment my heart rate is 88, only sitting down, typing :)

what is it about your heart rate being high, bothers you? I'm assuming it's the symptoms they cause?

[jothenurse]

I think it's the feeling of it being uncontrollable. Like I may pass out or have a heart attack. I have had several EKG's and a 24 hour halter monitor and the doctors have said my heart is ok. It is just so very uncomfortable, and I can feel the pounding and it scares me.

[xBettyBoopx]

Jo

I am exactly the same as you. I admit that I am not anywhere near as bad as I used to be but shower and bath were no no's for me, I would feel my heart racing and then panic which would make it even worse!

I also have fast heart rate sometimes after eating which apparently is very normal!

I have posted about both of these, but cannot find them at the moment.

Els

[jothenurse]

Thanks for replying. It helps. What has helped you work through it?

[xBettyBoopx]

To be honest Jo, giving up smoking has lessened my anxiety levels unfortunately it has heightened my depression, some of us just can't win, can we?:scared15::scared15:

Els

[hamster lady]

Hi Jo

I feel I exactly the same as you in that I hate the feeling of being out of control when I get a really fast heart rate due to panic. I'm also scared that I'm going to have a heart attack or faint and I absolutely hate the feeling of my heart pounding too, it is so unnerving. How are you feeling at work, are you managing to cope with your panic attacks? It must be so hard to feel like that at work. At the moment I am not working because I am looking after my poorly son but I really have no idea how I would cope with my panic attacks if I was working. I also sometimes get a pounding heart after I have eaten and I think that is why I have started to feel anxious at meal times, especially eating with a lot of other people or at a restaurant. My birthday is coming up soon and I think this is the first year that I'm not going to be able to go out for a meal to celebrate it!:lac:
I hope you start to feel better soon.:flowers:

[jothenurse]

My anxiety at work comes and goes. Sometimes I can feel my heart starting to go fast, but I try to ignore it and distract myself and it seems to come back down. I have a very stressful job. I have a lot going on and have multiple things with my staff that have to be attended to. Many meetings. Sometimes I do very well and other days, like today, I felt like my heart was going to race at many different times. Not sure why. Some days are better than others.