Exercise... Advised to do it...Causes Palpitations

[adriel]

I seen a counsellor for the first time the other day and she advised me to get in some exercise to naturally stimulate all the good hormones or whatnot but I can barely make a flight of stairs without feeling heart palpitations... any suggestions? should I just plow through... the palpitations scare the heck out of me...tends to lead to a day in bed...
thanks

[xxlisaxx08]

Hey, my psychologist advised me to start using my running machine but i'm exactly the same as you. I'm terrified there's something wrong with my heart. I started doing 2 mins and then coming off no matter if I was feeling ok I can now stay on for 10 mins without feeling any symptoms of anxiety and I feel good after it my mind feels clearer and I feel content i'm getting some excercise. Perhaps you could do it for a little while then gradually increase how long you do it for? This will build up your confidence about the situation and you might notice that the "worry thoughts" are reduced which is always good!!

Lisa x

[so jems like]

hi =) exercise is good for you! You may think that you are getting heart palpitations but think about it, your heart beats really fast and hard when you exercise. It's normal :] Don't overwork yourself to the point where you have chest pains. In the beginning climbing a flight of scares made me scared but you have to take your mind away from that. If it's better for you, start slow. Take nice short/long walks. Then jog for a little and walk and then gradually start running or going on the treadmill, etc .. But, don't worry =)

[Nechtan]

It's very hard to do and a worry. But if you build up slowly then you'll be OK. It might not seem like you are doing much but it's not going to happen overnight. Personally I would suggest just a little exercise each day within yourself and without pushing it. The more you do this then over time you will find you can do a little more. Over time, and it might take a long time, you will start to feel the benefits.

All the best

Nechtan

[adriel]

Thanks everyone... I'm going to try starting slow and work up to more..its nice to even know that its not just me..
Thanks =)

[Donny]

During my first big attack I ended up phoning 999 cause I did not know what was happening to me. I made the mistake of looking round at the little portable heart monitor they had me attached to me in the ambulance and I saw that my heart rate was over 170 beats per minute.

That was a bad mistake. For the next year and a half I always associated a high heart rate with the onset of an attack.

I pretty much done nothing strenous for that period and my fitness nose-dived. I went for advice and was always told to get more excercise (Healthy Body - Healthy Mind ! Hah Hah ).

I got myself a heart monitor and done a lot of research on heart rates. I was always scared that if my heart rate went too high I would have a heart attack.

Over time the heart rate monitor was either a great piece of kit to have or the worst. If I was having an attack I could look at the monitor and if my heart-rate wasn't too high it would help me get a grip of it before it could go full-blown. On the other hand if i was doing something strenous and I happened to look at it and my HR was high it would tend to bring one on. (Feel free to laugh at this point. It is funny looking back at it.)

But after constant exercise, building up to walking up Scotland's ten highest mountains in ten days this September, I found that I could sustain an average heart rate of 160 beats per minute for up to three hours.

Once I found out that my heart could sustain this rate for that amount of time it helped me deal a lot better with the attacks; because I knew that even though it felt that my heart was wanting to burst out of my chest at times, It could cope with more than that.

I would suggest that you keep going, but do what YOU are comfortable with and increase your workout (whatever it is) slowly and only when you are ready.

It has taken me three years to sort myself out (I will probably always have attacks but I can cope with and sometimes control them now) so dont lose hope keep on trying.