Re: Mom's issue triggering first time heart worries!
Originally Posted by
ErinKC
I'm about to turn 39 and I'm in the worst shape of my life (225 pounds, no regular exercise, unbalanced diet).
You can change this.
After that walk it was 148. I sat down and it went back down to 80 pretty quickly.
Despite your lifestyle, that's a healthy recovery time.
It seems that when I'm up and walking around and doing normal things - getting dressed, showering, etc... it's ranged from 108-125. I know this isn't EXTREMELY bad, but also probably not great.
Why do you think that? You're moving around, your heart is (and should be) pumping faster. Stress will also push that heart rate up, and you are understandably stressed after that phone call with your mum, as anybody would be..
I do get palpitations sometimes, which I've also never worried about, but now I am! They don't happen often, but occasionally I'll just be sitting there, or laying down in bed, and it will feel like my heart is flopping around in my chest. I assumed these are "normal" palpitations.
Palpitations are common and mostly harmless. If you're concerned, see your GP.
I'm worried about my mom and obviously redirecting that anxiety to me, as one does when they have anxiety. It's making me get flooded with the overwhelming feeling of how far I've let myself go health wise and how difficult it will be to get back in shape and if I've done permanent damage to my heart, etc...
You have the awareness to understand what's happening here. This is your mum's story, not yours. You were fine re your heart before she called you and now you are hyper-focused on your own heart and in classic HA style you are experiencing fight or flight symptoms (because the stress response has been triggered) so those increased beats & palpitations (which haven't bothered you until now) means that you are now equating that to a dicky ticker. I've done exactly the same in my very long history of health anxiety and, as of today, my ticker is doing well and always has been, just running a little fast due to anxiety is all.
At 39 it's a good idea to get yourself back into shape. When people say things start to decline after 40, they're not kidding. Our bodies put up with all sorts of crap from us, and they do a magnificent job for us but there comes a point when we need to give our bodies some care and become a co-pilot instead of a passenger. If you are concerned, see your doctor who will listen to your heart and reassure you. Once you've been checked out by a medical professional (we're not doctors on here) then you can get on with the task of looking after your mum and yourself..
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A thought is harmless unless we believe it.