help, my heart just jumped

[candicemarie88]

was just eating my dinner and my heart felt as though it jumped up into my throat, this happened 4 times and also felt as though it was skipping beats.

i went to my gp today so was feeling slightly better, but now am feeling awful again :(

told him about my heart worry and he didnt take it seriously or check it out, so am still worried he's missed something, because of last night and what's just happened now!

help me, what am i going to do :(

[Onthepulse]

Hi,

I've had these for the last 13 yrs and they still freak me out.
For the past 3 days i have had them constantly and they are worse when i am eating. I think it is my stomach causing them right now. Try not to worry about them (i know this is hard) as you only make them worse. I have always had them more when i am eating or after a heavy meal.
We never want to believe our dr's....i didn't for yrs, but now if i think i am worrying about them i go and visit, she has a quick listen, checks my pulse and we have a chat. My dr gets them too and she says they frighten her.
For me, i am scared of death/dying and feeling sensations in the "heart" area panics me. i try to no add "what if's".
Please try to relax and not let them worry you. It's easier said than done, i know.
I've had an irregular heartbeat from quite a young age...probably 10yrs old but it never bothered me until i was older and understood more. When i was in labour the nurse noticed it too, but i tdidn't bother me then either. It wasn't until i had PND 13 yrs ago that they started to bother me.
Good luck.

XXX

[candicemarie88]

thanks for your reply.. i just feel so horrible. just had about 4 in a minute again and my heart keeps pausing, it's so, so scary. im not in any pain just feel out of breath and worried. do you think i should go back to my doctor? xx

[KayVee]

Why are you asking what this could be? It's a symptom of health anxiety. The doctor "didn't take it seriously" because there is nothing wrong with you, bar your anxiety. The reason you are worried he missed something is because you have health anxiety, and are thinking irrationally about the situation.

You don't need to go to the doctor, calming yourself down will probably make the symptoms pass. This is the kind of thinking you seriously, seriously need to challenge, if you want to get over your health anxiety.

[candicemarie88]

maybe so, but it's still a very scary feeling and something ive been experiencing for around a month.

[mushroom]

You have had these for a while, right? And you're still here? Please be reassured that these feelings are anxiety and nothing more, and the more you focus on them, the more you will get them or notice them. Do you have any hobbies? I find that excersise is a fantastic way to shift negative feelings and symptoms of anxiety.

Take care x

[candicemarie88]

yeah i used to read a lot, but have become very distracted due to all of this worry. i guess if these were fatal they would be much more regualr, painfull and like you said, i wouldnt be here! thanks they dissapeared for a week and i felt fairly relaxed, but i had an assignment to finish for uni and only had 3 days to complete it.. of course i missed the deadline, and that's when they started again, but seem more frequent now because im worried about them.

my diet is also quite poor, so maybe eating right would be a good place to start. i have developed very blurred vision and reading gives me a headache. have tired to watch tv, but my mind is elsewhere. I don't like going out alone, but i'll ask my mum if she wants to come out with me over the weekend.

thankyou x

[mushroom]

I find reading when I get into bed really helps me switch off. But I know what you mean about feeling distracted. if I am going through a REALLY bad anxiety patch, I cant really concentrate enough. You are probably really stressed with uni, it cant be easy!

It is hard but if you really try to make an effort to get yourself and your mind busy, I promise you, it will take your mind off your feelings. Just take small managable steps. At first it may take your mind off things for only a short period....but you will be able to build up gradually.

If you dont want to go out alone, as you say, ask your mum to go out with you, even if its for a short walk. Walking is one of the best stress busters!

As for your diet, I have read so many times that eating well is good for anxiety....sugary things can increase anxiety, as can caffeine. I drink caffeine free coffee and tea. Porridge is meant to be good for us anxiety sufferers, so are eggs and banana's apparently (though not too many eggs!!)

You will be fine, try to relax and take things in small steps

x

[countrygirl]

hope this helps a week ago a very good cardiologist told me that ectopic heartbeats are a normal variation in the heart rythm and not classed as a problem at all although he agreed that they are not nice even though they are harmless and he stressed that worrying about them will always make them happen more often as the vagus nerve is very sensitive to anxiety hormones - I knew this!!!!!!!!

He also said that if you don't actually faint/black out then variation in heartbeat is rarely harmful.

I have had ectopics for over 20 yrs and I so understand what you are saying they are so horrible and scary but they are NOT harmful.

[mushroom]

hope this helps a week ago a very good cardiologist told me that ectopic heartbeats are a normal variation in the heart rythm and not classed as a problem at all although he agreed that they are not nice even though they are harmless and he stressed that worrying about them will always make them happen more often as the vagus nerve is very sensitive to anxiety hormones - I knew this!!!!!!!!

He also said that if you don't actually faint/black out then variation in heartbeat is rarely harmful.

I have had ectopics for over 20 yrs and I so understand what you are saying they are so horrible and scary but they are NOT harmful.

My parents have both been diagnosed with ectopic heartbeats and they have eventually learnt to live with it. I also have a friend that has them. i believe they are really not nice but they re harmless x