Resting Heart Rate

Hi All - First post

Came across this site a few months ago and found it really useful to check that others out there have some similar (harmless) symptoms as me and that I am not going mad.

I have suffered with health anxiety for the past year - two previous bouts of A Fib due to heavy drinking (last on in February). I am not an alcoholic but just went too far on a night out etc and had a bad reaction. In fact I have been off the booze for 6 weeks now (to help anxiety).

I have been for all cardio tests (holter monitor, ECG, Echo) and all came back fine. BP was high over the past month but coming down nicely now and am taking a small dose of meds.

I have suffered from palps in the past and have inderal/emcor tabs to take when needed. Last night I was anxious going to bed and slept ok but was fairly broken. Woke up this morning with HR at over 90bpm and it would not go down (resting HR is 60bpm). Did some meditation this morning and this brought it down slightly to 80bpm. Eventually took some Emcor this afternoon and now it is 66bpm lying in bed.

Is this normal for people with anxiety to get these swings in resting HR? I have been anxious over the w/end and light headed also. I just finished some Augmentin for a sinus infection too and not sure if they were making me more anxious.

Any thoughts would be welcome - Thanks. :)

Hi Chap

Yer sounds normal anxiety to me, My resting HB when chilled is 58, but my BP rises (167/98 ish when feeling anxious) with anxiety and my resting HB can top up around 90 when things are getting to me.

Anxiety eh? I say outlaw it.

TC

Jaco

I think you are concentrating on your heart rate way too much!!!!
You should not be checking it every two minutes- its unhealthy.
Your heart rate increases & decreases all the time & will certainly increases with your anxiety & stress over it.

Heart rate for an average adult is 60-100BPM this is relaxing or exercising, its a very individual thing.

Stop taking it !!

Thanks Guys

It seems to be normal this morning - I am doing CBT at the moment and one of my tasks for this week is to stop checking HR etc!! Finding CBT useful but when anxiety is up, I feel like I have difficulty breathing. Having asthma, I check my peak flow reading and it is always perfect. This is the worst part of the anxiety for me - I have to keep telling myself I am not short of breath and it is only the stupid anxiety trying to wreck my head!

Heya, this is normal with anxiety, i have this often except my heart rate goes well over 100, you've had all the tests and they came back normal, take comfort in that and tell yourself that you're normal...also try to stop pulse checking, thats a sure way to slow it down as when you check you anticipate a 'bad' rate which automatically makes it worse for us peeps!

Take care, you are not alone xxxxxxxxxxx

Hell, I wish I had 66 bpm. Usually at rest it's like 80, when in panic - 150 or more!