24/7 Pounding Heart / Health Anxiety ?

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your thread was merged with another of your threads.

Please when posting on similar topics add it onto your previous post rather than starting a new one.

It is nothing personal it is just to make it easier for people to follow your story and to give you advice as a whole.

[glassgirlw]

So worried about my heart. Can constantly see it beating in my stomach and chest. It does not go away. It shakes my belly and boobs. I feel my pulse everywhere its really disturbing me. Its constantly pounding not a minutes break from it. Can anyone relate does anyone else have this? I'm scared I have heart disease or heart failure 

I am not a doctor, none of us are on here. But I personally think that your anxiety is so heightened right now that you are hyper aware of what is essentially a normal bodily function - your heat beating. Sure, it may be beating faster than normal (side effect of anxiety) or feel like it’s harder than normal (also a side effect of anxiety), but if you’ve been seen by your GP and cleared of heart issues, the next step is to start finding ways to manage the anxiety. It’s not easy at all, especially with the post partum hormones you’re dealing with. I’m not very familiar with your medical system but I know others on here have been somewhat successful getting help via CBT or other services with your NHS. Have you talked to your GP about mental health services at all?

[Lj12]

I have just reffered myself for cbt waiting for an appointment and also just been started on sertraline 50mg hoping this takes it away, I have never suffered with anxiety like this which is why I find it hard to believe the symptoms that can come with this ?! I feel like doctors don't take me seriously but I have had many blood tests and chest xray and ecg and they all come back clear. I just want to shake this feeling off. I want to be back to the fun outgoing person I was. I fear I have a medical condition that is been missed 😪😔 I'm so tired of it.

[anom]

You responded to my thread so I won't post the same in here

It is tiring, its very very tiring, I'm 18 months into it now - 24/7 non stop

I feel the longer it goes on without any "serious" symptoms - the more likely it is that its harmless.

I have such a massive phobia of doctors I'm currently riding it out and just assuming its probably fine because I've had it so long.

The cardiologist I paid privately to see for my sanity wanted to give me an MRI as he thought I might have had a small chest cavity but due to wait times and the fact it was right in the middle of a lockdown I only ended up having a CT scan. They didn't even really mention my heart on the results, even my GP was confused so he tried to get some answers but I think the end result was its clearly all in my head and I'm making it up (I suggest if anyone thinks I'm making it up they are free to watch me bounce in my chair due to how strong it gets at times)

I would be interested to know if Sertraline does anything, I went through 3-4 beta blockers and none of them did anything of use! I've give up with them now

[Lj12]

Ph it's certainly annoying not sure if I've just noticed it and had it before or if it's just come along! I do have low iron too so not sure if linked so defo worth having your vitamin levels checked. My hair even pulses along 😔
Unless we have become really aware of our own heartbeat if that makes sense.

[anom]

Well I've had whatever my GP regards as full bloods, but I did consider one of these private £150 type things you see online/on tv that test for everything as I'm led to believe the "full bloods" at a GP doesn't really cover much? (I just got 3 text messages back saying no follow ups needed)

It's something I've had since I was 16/17 (I'm 35 now) - I came back from going out drinking one night and freaked out about being aware of my heart, I had the holter monitor and various ECG's back then and none of them found anything but a heart murmur. I'd say what I had from the age of 16 to 33 was only really noticeable when I tried to sleep. What I've had the last 18 months or so is like the next level up? its generally annoying during the daytime and really annoying when trying to sleep, infact I have to sleep watching/listening to something as I find it nearly impossible to sleep with it without distractions. I just dont believe its anxiety, I can be feeling quite calm, time off work/I'm deep into watching something interesting or playing a game, not thinking about my health or getting worked up or anything but I can pick my phone up to try and read something and you can see my whole arm/hand/phone bouncing to my heart - bloody annoying!

I know what you mean, its very frustrating when the doctors don't take you seriously. My GP rang me up once with a "well what do you want me to do, you self referred yourself to a cardiologist - I can't do anything else. we are all aware of out heartbeats if we try and focus on them" I'm like, I'm not trying to focus on it! I can tell you my bpm while watching TV without trying! this isn't normal