Health anxiety back :( heart racing and really freaked out.

[ElectricAlice]

Hi guys, don't know if you remember me but I was around the forums earlier this year, left and my HA has been up and down, up and down. But right now I'm having a really bad spell.

Last week I got a cough, I think that's why it freaked me out. The cough is pretty much gone, but I keep feeling my heart beat really fast. All the time, like 90bpm. Maybe 80, not sure but it feels too fast. Even when I'm in bed. Last night I was out, and I was drinking a lot of coke and rum. Which I know caffeine is bad for HA.

But when I got home after being on my feet all day, I'm sure my ankles felt swollen. Which scared me!! They seemed fine in a bit and my friend said it was just due to being on my feet all day.

But then my heart was racing and beating so fast and it's still like thar now, when I'm awake in bed. And last night my breathing felt like I had to take extra deep breaths. I thought I was going to stop breathing. Very scary.

I'm worried my heart is beating this fast. I did have an EPG (the thing where they stick those things on you and check your heart) and it came back fine. That was earlier this year.

So is it anxiety? Do you guys get this? Any tips on how to relax?

Thanks guys for any replies, I really appreciate it.

[Nicky32]

Alcohol is the devil if you drink too much and you have anxiety.

I had a wicked hangover few weeks ago and the anxiety that came with the hangover which isn't always there was extra special it lasted for over a week and I'm still not right now. It's got me think I have something wrong with me. At the time I had high blood pressure and anxious, no pounding heart but my bpm was 110 or something I could feel something was off. I went to the hospital got some beta blockers and tests which I took a few and didn't need um any more. God I hate this.

Don't drink if you have anxiety only makes you worse I think

[chloe1990]

hey im chloe not good its really horriable but rember nothing can happeing to you ok.But anyway i have this also well used to have the racing heart running to toilet as my tummy would be in knots.I hated it that all stopped but now im left with the dizziness popping ears and pressure in my sinuses i was drinking last night also and feel pritty bad today.cut down on caffeine for sure.It does not help at all.Are you taking any medication.Also my eyes go really weird like i get blurry vision and floating objects its nae good .x

[BettyIW]

I get this a lot and then your heart goes even faster because you are worried about your heart. I was out with the kids today and i thought my heart would jump out of my chest. I sat back and breathed with my tummy instead of my chest and it stopped. Its awful but as long as you know its anxiety you can control it X

[ElectricAlice]

Thanks so much for your replies guys. I feel better today about my heart, its just another fear today though, HIV :(.

But I bought myself some valarian and hops natural tablets, and they seemed to help, i've also cut wayyy down on caffeine and started having only one cup of tea a day (which is hard :P) but i've replaced it with herbal tea like St John Worts and the Twinings Moment of Calm ones.

I tried lying on my back and breating from my stomach as well, which helped a lot, thank you Betty.

[ElectricAlice]

Oops I pressed enter there and it submitted the post without it being finished. I just checked my BPM right now and its right down at about 75 instead of 90. So big improvement there! I was so terrified I was going to have a heart attack, shows what anxiety can do to us, huh?

If only I could defeat my new fears today :(

[s11fyx]

my heart beats at 90 when im having a apnic attack the gp checked it while i was anixious he just said its nothing to worry about its not fast and the class any where between 60-110 as normal so its still 10 beats under normal x

[jaythomas]

Hi there,

Ive started to have a lot of sleeping problems lately a bit like you have where i focus on my heartbeat and i start to fall asleep and get really panicky. Also i experience cases where I feel like i have to make a conscious effort to breathe in which isnt very nice when your trying to get to sleep. Another thing that corresponds with what you say is the idea of not breathing. I often sit there trying to get to sleep and notice that im not really breathing and so make more of a conscious effort to breath which im sure doesnt help me get to sleep :P