Last hurdle

[SarahNah]

FMP is right, all you can do is ignore it.

Your heart is doing what it's designed to do, and has been medically assessed as working properly.

The thing to work on isn't slowing your heart rate down (as you'd then be trying to get it to do something unnatural). The thing to do is work on your perception of 'a problem'. There is no problem there, it's your mental chatter telling you there is.

What helped me was exercise. Deliberately making my heart rate go up, getting used to that and then letting it go back down again. Eventually your brain just accepts that your heart rate goes up and down, like it did before you started obsessing over it.

You made some really good points here Joe!

I know it's something I really have to get in control (Well learn to live with and move on from) next week I'm going to Germany for a trail run of my new job. I need to get used to these feelings as I'll be alone there, in a new city. So I can't give into the fear and give up to head home.

I'll try to lightly push it again with exercise, it get it pumping again and used to that. Like my Doctor said before, I've been thinking about it so often and for so long- she was sure in that time if there was a issue it would have shown itself by now anyway!I'm doing better at trying to just roll with the feelings, if my heart goes up, it goes up and if it feels low that's it doing it's thing! Not always easy but doing my best to live and carry on with everything!

[ankietyjoe]

When I became hyper focused on my heart rate I could tell you what it was without checking and was never more than 1-2bpm off. I could be sitting in the car with my misses and say "85", and I would check and I'd be either right or only 1-2 bpm off. It's a serious problem if you let it become one.

I have friends that would post their fitbit results on exercise runs/cycles/whatever that they had done and it would show averages over 100bpm and peaks of 160-170bpm, and the very idea of deliberately doing that would fill me with dread. I had no idea how they could push themselves like that. Yet...I would have done exactly the same thing for decades before I had anxiety.

It's just perception of an issue rather than an actual issue.

Good luck in your move to Germany. Being alone there is an ideal opportunity to really take up and practice meditation

[SarahNah]

When I became hyper focused on my heart rate I could tell you what it was without checking and was never more than 1-2bpm off. I could be sitting in the car with my misses and say "85", and I would check and I'd be either right or only 1-2 bpm off. It's a serious problem if you let it become one.

I have friends that would post their fitbit results on exercise runs/cycles/whatever that they had done and it would show averages over 100bpm and peaks of 160-170bpm, and the very idea of deliberately doing that would fill me with dread. I had no idea how they could push themselves like that. Yet...I would have done exactly the same thing for decades before I had anxiety.

It's just perception of an issue rather than an actual issue.

Good luck in your move to Germany. Being alone there is an ideal opportunity to really take up and practice meditation

Yeah like, when today I felt that well known feeling of my heart rate climbing and climbing. I just waved it off and continued what I was doing. Saying there was nothing wrong, it's gotten fast before and nothings ever happened. What has happened is I have reacted to it and this is when it would get bad.

I had a bad panic attack this morning, I woke up just in a attack. I sat up, planted my feet on the ground and started working on my breathing. About ten minutes later and I was able to get up and get ready for work. That was something I never thought I could do- just go to work after a bad panic attack but I did it! I feeling rather tried this evening- which I'm putting down to as to why I feel so heavy and racing heart. I haven't been sleeping very well at all recently and of course that's not going to help anything!

I'm happy to say I'm looking forward to going to Germany, not filled with dread and fear. I know these down moments will happen and I will be able to deal with them !

[SarahNah]

How's everyone!

So a update,


Still a little bit worried about the heart but not to much!


I've decided I need to drink more water as I think maybe being dehydrated is part of my issue?? Only one way to tell!

I've actually lost a few pounds in the last few days from not being able to eat alot- thinking maybe it's nerves from going next week! But I'm trying to eat at least one good meal a day even if I feel sick afterwards. That's my current issue, I'm tucked up on the couch- feeling like I want to get sick but things coming out!


Hoping it's all clear for next week! The last thing I want when traveling is a poorly stomach!

(Update: aload of acid came up when I got sick)

[SarahNah]

So, at nights I've been burping alot- like my chest fills up with so much gasp/pressure. It's like no matter how much the burps come out, it's never enough? It also feels like there's a lot of fluid or something building up at the back of my throat and it makes it hard to breath abit? I don't know how to describe it really

I tried using gavison for the acid but it's not really working for me personal.

[SarahNah]

Last night was the first time in a loooonnnnggg time I had jerks/woke up gasping which resulted in me getting like a hours sleep before a busy day of work

[ankietyjoe]

Sounds like you have a touch of reflux/GERD. This can cause heart rate issues as well as your vagus nerve is irritated. I always have sleep issues if I have GERD too.

[SarahNah]

Sounds like you have a touch of reflux/GERD. This can cause heart rate issues as well as your vagus nerve is irritated. I always have sleep issues if I have GERD too.

Hey Joe! Thanks for the reply. I actually have been told I suffer with reflux in the past- it just never really showed up like this.

[SarahNah]

Okay so I'm being a little nervous right now, probably due to lack of sleep but my heart rate at rest is like 60 bpm yet when I'm up and working it's like well over 100. I'm getting a little bit of anixety build up over this. Which is probably silly. I had loads of heart tests done in 2018 and my gp always tells me my heart is fine. It's like, my anixety is looking for something to worry about

[Fishmanpa]

It's like, my anixety is looking for something to worry about

Exactly! And you're feeding it by taking your pulse. There's no need nor reason at all to be doing so! And documenting it along with reassurance seeking isn't helping either.

Positive thoughts