Extreme racing heart

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Hey guys, tonight I had one of the worst anxiety attacks of my life. Or so I assume that's what it was.
I had a rum and coke around 3pm. Alcohol does tend to make me more anxious but I'd been feeling pretty calm in recent months and alcohol doesn't typically make the THAT anxious! And quite frankly I felt ok.

I then had dinner, and instantaneously had heart palpitations. This happens a lot to me after eating. I feel like it was either a bit of anxiety, or an upset stomach from the alcohol but whatever I ate gave me a very bloated stomach and heart palpitations. I didn't measure it because then I usually freak out, but from experience it was around 120. And I'm fine with that, I'm used to it for extended periods of time.
But after about 40 minutes of that, my heart shot up to around 180. Like extremely fast!!! Up until this point I hadn't actually felt that anxious, but when this happened I got overwhelmed by fear which only made it worse.
I took a 0.5 Xanax and went to stand outside, with my bare feet on the cold concrete, in the cold air. After about 20 minutes my heart slowed down to around 140.
I'm now feeling better, but I took the Xanax 3 hours ago and my heart is still going around 80 and sometimes speeds up. I have sweaty hands and feet. And while I feel overall pretty calm, my body does not seem to calm all the way down.
I don't want to take any more Xanax because I drank alcohol earlier. But I think I'll be fine for the rest of the night now.

I just wanted to write this off me. And maybe see if anyone else has had a heart rate that high, and for how long.
I believe I read in a Claire Weeks book that your heart can sustain a heart rate of 250 for hours.
But there's also such a thing as a max. heart rate which for me is slight lower than 180. So I don't know what is dangerous and what isn't.

Any reassurance greatly appreciated, I could really use the talking down right now.

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Just want to add as well, that I don't take Xanax very often. I take it maybe once per month, and usually at the start of a day where I have a lot to go and do, as a way of stopping me from feeling too anxious.
It's the first time I took one while in the middle of a bad anxiety attack, so maybe the dose wasn't quite strong enough to bring it down fully.

[NoraB]

Hey guys, tonight I had one of the worst anxiety attacks of my life. Or so I assume that's what it was.
I had a rum and coke around 3pm. Alcohol does tend to make me more anxious but I'd been feeling pretty calm in recent months and alcohol doesn't typically make the THAT anxious! And quite frankly I felt ok.

Why drink then?

I then had dinner, and instantaneously had heart palpitations. This happens a lot to me after eating.

Alcohol and digesting a big meal (most likely salty) means that the heart has to work a lot harder. You can help yourself by not drinking and eating smaller (and healthier) meals with less salt and additives etc..

I just wanted to write this off me. And maybe see if anyone else has had a heart rate that high, and for how long.

I had a heart rate of over 145bpm sustained over 6 hours (at night) until they gave me a beta blocker in A&E, though mine turned out to be a reaction to MSG compounded by my panic disorder..

Any reassurance greatly appreciated, I could really use the talking down right now.

Bottom line: alcohol isn't good for people with anxiety disorders. Initially, it supresses symptoms, but this is short-lasting and then withdrawal symptoms (as with any drug) makes matters worse, and you certainly shouldn't be mixing alcohol and sedatives..

[ankietyjoe]

Sounds like a pretty normal panic attack fuelled by alcohol to me.

You're reading too much into it. Your heart rate wasn't 'extreme'. It was merely elevated. You're labelling it as extreme and reacting accordingly.

Unpleasant yes, but ultimately harmless.

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Why drink then?



Alcohol and digesting a big meal (most likely salty) means that the heart has to work a lot harder. You can help yourself by not drinking and eating smaller (and healthier) meals with less salt and additives etc..



I had a heart rate of over 145bpm sustained over 6 hours (at night) until they gave me a beta blocker in A&E, though mine turned out to be a reaction to MSG compounded by my panic disorder..



Bottom line: alcohol isn't good for people with anxiety disorders. Initially, it supresses symptoms, but this is short-lasting and then withdrawal symptoms (as with any drug) makes matters worse, and you certainly shouldn't be mixing alcohol and sedatives..

Yeah, I definitely said to myself last night no more alcohol! I hadn't had anything in a while, and it was the weekend so I thought: ah, go on!
But then to top it off, I didn't feel in the mood to cook so I had a packet or ramen noodles
So yes, recipe for disaster, I realize that now!

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Sounds like a pretty normal panic attack fuelled by alcohol to me.

You're reading too much into it. Your heart rate wasn't 'extreme'. It was merely elevated. You're labelling it as extreme and reacting accordingly.

Unpleasant yes, but ultimately harmless.

Thank you! I think this was it. My heart rate was elevate for a while, which I'm used to and doesn't freak me out. But at one point it just went faster and then it felt extreme and enveloped me with fear.
Only the 2nd time in my life I've considered calling an ambulance, but thankfully I didn't need to. Woke up this morning and still alive!

Thanks for the reassurance! I already had an appointment with my GP on Tuesday to talk about possibly going on some meds, which I have put off for 8 years, but I feel it's time.

[ankietyjoe]

Thank you! I think this was it. My heart rate was elevate for a while, which I'm used to and doesn't freak me out. But at one point it just went faster and then it felt extreme and enveloped me with fear.
Only the 2nd time in my life I've considered calling an ambulance, but thankfully I didn't need to. Woke up this morning and still alive!

Thanks for the reassurance! I already had an appointment with my GP on Tuesday to talk about possibly going on some meds, which I have put off for 8 years, but I feel it's time.

Maybe it's better to change your relationship with anxiety before considering meds?

Have you been offered counselling before, specicially CBT?

Probably worth reading up and educating yourself a bit more about the vagus nerve too. If you ate a meal that triggered palps, it's likely fatty food? On top of that you had alcohol. This can irritate the vagus nerve, which is directly connected with heart rate.

Perhaps this is a dietary issue as much as anything?

Do you really want to take medication to smother an anxiety response to something harmless that might be caused by a dietary issue?

I'm not saying this IS what's happening, just playing devils advocate. Will also put my hand up as the most guilty forum anti medication nutcase


YMMV....of course.

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Maybe it's better to change your relationship with anxiety before considering meds?

Have you been offered counselling before, specicially CBT?

Probably worth reading up and educating yourself a bit more about the vagus nerve too. If you ate a meal that triggered palps, it's likely fatty food? On top of that you had alcohol. This can irritate the vagus nerve, which is directly connected with heart rate.

Perhaps this is a dietary issue as much as anything?

Do you really want to take medication to smother an anxiety response to something harmless that might be caused by a dietary issue?

I'm not saying this IS what's happening, just playing devils advocate. Will also put my hand up as the most guilty forum anti medication nutcase


YMMV....of course.

Oh no, trust me! I have had an 8 year long journey with anxiety! I've had counseling, CBT and the works! And I'm in a MUCH better place than I was last year.
I typically no longer fear my symptoms (except for last night) and just go: ah, let them pass! and it's fine.
My issue is that my body is never calm. I spoke to a friend of mine, who's a nurse, and she went on medication for a year. She explained, given how reluctant I was, that sometimes our body just needs a bit of extra help to unlearn bad habits even though our mind has done most of the work already. And even my GP said medication is not forever in most cases, I can come off them after a year. He also recommended it for me last year but i wasn't ready. But he said the same thing: sometimes your body needs the extra help

[ankietyjoe]

Oh no, trust me! I have had an 8 year long journey with anxiety! I've had counseling, CBT and the works! And I'm in a MUCH better place than I was last year.
I typically no longer fear my symptoms (except for last night) and just go: ah, let them pass! and it's fine.
My issue is that my body is never calm. I spoke to a friend of mine, who's a nurse, and she went on medication for a year. She explained, given how reluctant I was, that sometimes our body just needs a bit of extra help to unlearn bad habits even though our mind has done most of the work already. And even my GP said medication is not forever in most cases, I can come off them after a year. He also recommended it for me last year but i wasn't ready. But he said the same thing: sometimes your body needs the extra help

Good attitude to approach it with I think.

But, do look into the vagus nerve reaction too. It basically controls what you're experiencing a lot of the time, and diet alone can have a huge effect on that kind of triggering. Especially given the nature of the bloating and reaction you described.

Also, it might be worth reading up on the often miraculous response that some people have to a ketogenic diet when it comes to anxiety recovery.

Food plays an absurdly massive role in how we feel.

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Good attitude to approach it with I think.

But, do look into the vagus nerve reaction too. It basically controls what you're experiencing a lot of the time, and diet alone can have a huge effect on that kind of triggering. Especially given the nature of the bloating and reaction you described.

Also, it might be worth reading up on the often miraculous response that some people have to a ketogenic diet when it comes to anxiety recovery.

Food plays an absurdly massive role in how we feel.

I've noticed that! My stomach is the main issue. I have digestive issues every day. And it very much determines how I feel. I try to get everything outside done in the morning before I eat, because once I eat I feel like crap.