Scared of heart failure...

[ScaredAsHeck]

I could have written this post myself. Right now I’m sat here and I can feel every heart beat in my chest and it feels like there’s a ferret in there wriggling around! I’ve had ecgs, chest X-rays and an echo and been told my heart is healthy but I’m still obsessed. I’d love to also know a way past this. I’m forever checking my pulse and then I panic when it’s slightly raised which makes it faster and we go round in circles!

Yes! It feels like it’s beating weird or there’s something in there but I know it’s not. 3 weeks ago I had a 24 hr holter moniter, echo and stress test as well as a crap load of EKG’s. Everything came back normal. Yet I still get some nasty panic attacks and my heart is always elevated in the 90s-100s everyday because I focus on my heartbeat too much and wonder if it’s beating properly. You know like, s1-s2..s1,s2. Lol when my mind is off of my anxieties my heart rate is in the 60s, not 70s or 80s but when I’m fully calmed down and laying in bed chilling on my phone is hr is 60-66.

[ankietyjoe]

So you posted twice in your two separate threads complaining of people not responding or sarcastically commenting about how long they took to respond, and then you completely ignore the unanimously agreed on way to 'get over' the thing you've started the thread about in the first place?

Ok, sure.

[ScaredAsHeck]

Step 1. Stop checking.
Step 2. No really, stop checking.

That's pretty much it.

I used to be able to tell my partner what my heart rate was within about 1-2bpm without even checking it I was SO hyper aware of it every single second of the day.

Now I work out every day and deliberately push it up to 150bpm or more.

The trick is step 1 and step 2.

Stop, checking.

Wow within 1-2 beats you were able to tell? Now that is some serious skill. Right now I’m able to tell within 5 beats. It sucks because of my heart always being fast and me paying attention to it I’m scared to workout now, pretty silly right? But the fear sucks.

Honestly though not paying attention to it is the best advice. I just wished I never googled stuff because I have seen some pretty stupid stuff that someone with anxiety shouldn’t see.

---------- Post added at 19:32 ---------- Previous post was at 19:30 ----------

So you posted twice in your two separate threads complaining of people not responding or sarcastically commenting about how long they took to respond, and then you completely ignore the unanimously agreed on way to 'get over' the thing you've started the thread about in the first place?

Ok, sure.

What do you mean? I kept refreshing this page a lot yesterday and never got help so I posted in the heart palpitation section today because I didn’t check this thread in this section today. When you told me this thread got responses I was like “oh wow I should have checked instead of making a new one”.

[jray23]

Though I've certainly worried about a lot of other stuff at times, heart issues have always been at the heart of my health anxiety issues in the past. (see what I did there?). Yes, it does suck. No, it it not easy to get away from but the steps are very clear.

As mentioned by Joe, Step 1, stop checking your pulse. Step 2, stop checking your pulse. Step 3, if you have a Fitbit or whatever, throw it away so that it stops checking your pulse.

Step 4, trust the professional(s) who has already told you that your heart is healthy. They know more about how your heart works than you ever will.

But mostly you must resist the urge to check your pulse. Ask yourself, do you feel better or worse after checking???

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[ankietyjoe]

Wow within 1-2 beats you were able to tell? Now that is some serious skill. Right now I’m able to tell within 5 beats. It sucks because of my heart always being fast and me paying attention to it I’m scared to workout now, pretty silly right? But the fear sucks.

Honestly though not paying attention to it is the best advice. I just wished I never googled stuff because I have seen some pretty stupid stuff that someone with anxiety shouldn’t see.

---------- Post added at 19:32 ---------- Previous post was at 19:30 ----------




What do you mean? I kept refreshing this page a lot yesterday and never got help so I posted in the heart palpitation section today because I didn’t check this thread in this section today. When you told me this thread got responses I was like “oh wow I should have checked instead of making a new one”.

My bad

But yes, I could tell within 1-2bpm every time, and even though it was a 'skill', it's a skill that nobody should really develop!

Even now I don't pay any attention to my heart rate at all I can still feel my pulse and be within 2-3 bpm of the right amount.

I was also terrified to work out. I avoided everything including stairs, walking, carrying anything or even laughing too hard. I was completely and utterly obsessed with my heart rate every time it went over 77bpm. Why I chose that figure I'll never know. Some days I would check 100 times or more, it became an obsession.

Now I can workout and bring my heart rate up to 150bpm, let it settle, bring it back up again etc etc. I can do that for an hour or so and not worry about it at all. So it can be done, you can recover from heart anxiety. It really is as simple as not checking.

I've noticed that since I started exercising my heart rate has dropped about 15bpm at any time during the day. I wake up, it's about 55-58bpm, that's my true resting heart rate. During the day when I'm seated it's anything between 65-75bpm and when I'm doing stuff I just don't pay attention to it at all.

You can do it

[ScaredAsHeck]

For the past week or so I’ve been paying attention to my heartbeat too much, not the bpm but just how it beats. I’ve given myself a few good panic attacks from checking my heartbeats too much. If I think my heart is beating weird or “off” I’ll have a massive surge of adrenaline and its full on panic attack mode. I can’t even drive properly anymore and I’m kinda afraid to drive now because I’ve had these panic attacks while driving due to obsessing over my heart. Now I’m always thinking my heart is beating weird or too slow. I’ve been checked numerous times, had a normal ekg earlier this week and the week before that.

I’ve had my anxiety come back since july and it’s been a wild wild ride, it’s like I have a new phobia every week. I had a normal stress test, echo and holter moniter back in mid July so from then to now of me developing some weird heart issue is very very slim. So at least I’m still somewhat rational.

I feel like I’m on a spectrum right now, it’s like my body and soul are getting so sick of this anxiety and just wants to get rid of it. But my mind is always trying to find something for me to worry over. I feel like I’m trapped.

[Melonpony]

For the past week or so I’ve been paying attention to my heartbeat too much, not the bpm but just how it beats. I’ve given myself a few good panic attacks from checking my heartbeats too much. If I think my heart is beating weird or “off” I’ll have a massive surge of adrenaline and its full on panic attack mode. I can’t even drive properly anymore and I’m kinda afraid to drive now because I’ve had these panic attacks while driving due to obsessing over my heart. Now I’m always thinking my heart is beating weird or too slow. I’ve been checked numerous times, had a normal ekg earlier this week and the week before that.

I’ve had my anxiety come back since july and it’s been a wild wild ride, it’s like I have a new phobia every week. I had a normal stress test, echo and holter moniter back in mid July so from then to now of me developing some weird heart issue is very very slim. So at least I’m still somewhat rational.

I feel like I’m on a spectrum right now, it’s like my body and soul are getting so sick of this anxiety and just wants to get rid of it. But my mind is always trying to find something for me to worry over. I feel like I’m trapped.

Unfortunately, having an anxiety disorder isn't about "getting rid of it" so much as it is learning to tolerate, recognize, and treat it. I learned that the hard way.

I'm the same. New range of symptoms once an old one gets overcome. My current is heart anxiety, too. I had this one three years ago, but was able to move past it. This time, it came back w new symptoms of palpitations.

I feel you. It is a lifelong battle for most of us.

I'm currently finally reading HOPE AND HELP FOR YOUR NERVES by Claire Weeks, after seeing it recommended here for years.

Most of the book isnt applicable, but the parts that are, are extremely helpful. I recommend it. The writing is outdated and archaic in a way (she talks about sedatives and being sedated to get over anxiety...I think shes referring to benzos, but could be applied to SSRI's these days).

You're not dealing w a medical issue, it's a mental health issue. Same as me and a lot of us!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[ScaredAsHeck]

Friday I was on 2 1/2 hours of sleep. Saturday I was 7-8 hours of sleep, today I’m on like 3 or 3 1/2 hours of broken sleep.

I’ve been googling ALL day on sleep deprivation and staying up 24+hrs and I’ve read some scary stories on how 24hrs is enough to do some bad stuff to your heart. I mean, 90% of the research I did i found tons of people who said lack of sleep and sleepless nights are damaging during long term, months to years. A lot of sources claimed a day of not sleeping can’t do anything harmful. But of course I kept googling and googling and I found some post some guy made who said he was up all night on no sleep and he ended up with An SVT and how no sleep can trigger pre existing things.

I’ve been feeling off all day (obviously) and have a headache. Im a being a little dramatic?

[LunarCoffee]

I'm pretty sure most university students are still alive, so you're good.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

[ScaredAsHeck]

I'm pretty sure most university students are still alive, so you're good.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

True.. I just took a nice shower and took some melatonin. Now I’m just chilling in bed, no stress. Trying not to worry and be rational. It’s 8:30 so around 9 I’m putting the phone away.

I really need to stop googling. On Friday with 2 hrs of sleep I didn’t freakout too bad. Last night I closed my eyes at around 2:20am and woke up at 5 (not sure if I slept), stood up till 8 and slept from 8 to 9:30 and from 9:30 I was in and out of naps till like 10:30. Got up at 11.