Yesterday my anxiety reached fever pitch after 1 really bad heart palpitation!
It brought on more palpitations and flutters and I ended up sitting up until 4am feeling terrified of having a heart attack!
Today isn't really any better. I haven't had so many actual palpitations but I've had a racing heart and felt light headed all day!
I've had 3 ECG's and blood work done in the past 6 months and all came back normal but I can't help fearing the doctors have missed something!
Am I just being irrational? If my doc says my heart is fine, should I just trust him?
Hi Annie. ...
Fellow heart worrier here.
Like yourself i had an horrific episode last night with a really bad palpitation that actually made made get up out of bed because my heart was racing so bad I could hardly catch a breath.
I too have had ecg's, bloodwork and wore a heart monitor for 24 hrs, all of which I was told were absolutely normal.
I must also say though that I have had panic attacks in the past as well anxiety due to my constant worry about my health.
Up until now I have not used any medication that has been suggested to me by my GP.
I have tried CBT for 6 months last year and I found that to be most helpful and would highly recommend that.
I also find guided relaxation/meditation videos really helpful aswell.
I think at the end of the day as much as we get these terrifying sensations, we really have to put our faith in our doctors and accept we're just a wee bit more sensitive to our bodily sensations and it's reaction to them.
I hope this helped in some way
John
Me too fellow heart anxiety worrier but can I ask all please do u feel unwell a lot of the time and quite fatigued as I do thanks
Hi Debi,
when I had the bad palpitation the other night I was already tired and in bed so I couldn't say for sure if it fatigued or tired me.
What I do remember is, and what was terrifying. the first time I had a panic attack and when it was over, it literally felt like I had ran a marathon.
I must also mention I have acid reflux which I hear can cause palpitations.
Wishing you good health
John
Anxiety can have that affect on you, sometimes when my anxiety is high I feel stupidly fatigued, by the end of the day I just want to curl up in a ball and sleep for days. I presume it's because we're not relaxing during the day, our bodies always in fight mode which is obviously going to make us tired.
I too have health anxiety, a big part of that is based around heart problems like you! Sometimes I'll get a palpitaiton where I think 'oh that one wasn't like the others, whats going on now, has something changed?' But you've got to tell yourself it's all anxiety, chest pain/palpitations are so common in anxiety, you rarely go a page on this forum without somebody talking about there chest pain.
I'm 23 and i've had Chest pains, palpitations, shortness of breath, everything heart related, i've been to the doctors stupid amount of times, had like 6 ECG's, 2 stress ecg's, 72 hour ecg and a echocardiogram, all came back fine. It's just crazy what phyiscal symptoms anxiety can cause, because i'm so worried about my heart I get nervous doing footy or phyiscal excercise so then I get chest pains playing football sometimes but you've got to brush it off and realise that it's all anxiety, you've had the tests to say nothing wrong.
Hey. I had a massive panic attack years ago. That was the start of my anxiety problems. Anyway, it resulted me in having tachycardia and high blood pressure. It's a horrible feeling having a racing heart isn't it! I was 27 With a little boy thinking I was going to die from a heart attack and not be there for him! Anyway 10 years later here I am. No heart attack, and still working through my anxiety issues. It does get better, and I don't think your doctors will have missed something. Just take each day as it comes. Some will be worse than others, but you will get through this! x