Exercise

[Angiecis22]

I was just wondering if there is someone like me out there.

Basically coz of my health anxiety I'm scared of being breathless or doing any activity that gets my heart racing in fear of a heart attack.

My mum always told me to stop worrying coz I'm fine. I'm unfit so it's normal I'd feel breathless during exercise when I start coz I need to get used to it. And even when I did try some cardio exercise in my room I got breathless but it went away straight away once I calmed down as normally you would when you exercise. My heart would also race like normal and then after sitting down it calms down after a minute so it's healthy right?

I'm just curious to see is there anyone that was afraid to start exercising coz of fear of stopping breathing or heart attack and how you overcome it??

[Hidden]

Why don't you try other forms of exercise besides cardio. Maybe body weight exercise that you do in sets and you get a rest in-between each set. Then your heart might not race so much and it might help you to get used to it. ☺

[Angiecis22 in reply to Hidden]

I could start of with that yeah. Take it slow until I get comfortable with it. Thank you

[Hidden in reply to Angiecis22]

No problem, if you need any help gis a shout.

good luck

[Bluswife]

Yes I stress all the time bout not being able to breath and I have had test done that's says I am fine but I stress si it cause me to be-all tight and then my anxiety gets worse but I only gave episodes I really don't have to live everyday with this it comes stays for a while and leaves like a thift in the night crazy my last episodes lasted 3 months 2 weeks. But yes I stress bout everything when it comes to my breathing. But I also quit smoking during all this . so it's crazy how your mind rules all u think it ,u feel it ,u do it , your emotions r based on thoughts and what u do or don't do is based on your how u feel so if your mind says you can't breath u get tight and then u don't feel like doing anything cause u feel bad hope this helps I have been dealing with this same type of anxiety since I was 9 or 10 I had my first episode then a few small break thru s thru out teenage years then real bad at 18 the 24 and I have been good up until Dec 21 I got real sick with bronchitis and was on breathing treatments and I quit smoking Dec 21 my first one Dec 21 and the first two weeks I couldn't get out of bed. Then I could get out of bed but it was bad all day long crying anxiety . I stopped haveing the pannic attacks after the first two or three weeks but to live with constant anxiety in your chest u can't breath is how I felt then it went to there's a reason I feel like this and it is because there is an underlying disease causing it and I am gona die . well the then for two weeks I was going back and forth to the Dr and er cause I new I couldn't breath crying it was bad the last two weeks I had a great week with only two so so days then this last week from Wed until yesterday was bad so I am hoping I am almost done with this episode good luck sorry bout it being so long wanted u to get an idea from someone else it sucks to have anxiety

[Angiecis22 in reply to Bluswife]

I thought it was just me haha. I used to be a lot worse tbh but I managed to control it most the time but it still worries me if I have to do something that requires me to breathe harder. But it's funny coz that's only when I think about it. Like once I had to jog with my friend quickly to pick something up and I didn't think anything of it and after sometime I realized I ran and I didn't feel breathless. But if I had to think about getting breathless and ran I would of gotten breathless

[Sickofsick60 in reply to Bluswife]

I feel exactly the same as you when you write, there has to be an underlying disease and you feel like your dying. I feel like this all the time and I hate it. Any suggestions of ANY thing that has helped you would be greatly appreciated.

[Angiecis22 in reply to Sickofsick60]

Honestly? Distraction. Whenever I feel breathless and start controlling my breathing which is super bad I like to go and talk to someone. Because then it makes me focus on them instead of my breathing and after a few minutes I feel better. I like going to my friends house coz she has 3 younger siblings and theyre always with us and constantly talking or doing something so I don't even have time to think about feeling breathless. At night it's a lot harder tho but what I do is I sleep with the tv on and then close my eyes and focus on what is going on in the movie or tv show. I usually put something boring on so that I don't get interested and not go to sleep because I want to watch it so even like teleshopping as then I can focus on them talking instead of my breathing or heart.

[Bluswife in reply to Sickofsick60]

I have had a bunch of test done. Ekgs and tons of blood work and CT scan and a few lung x rays everything's perfect . so it's all anxiety I try to tell my self when I don't worry bout it I feel great so it must be anxiety cause a real health problem would not just go away right .well some days it works and some days it don't but my episodes only have lasted months so this time not sure but all the ones before only months I keep telling my self that to . if I get to bad I cry and it calms me down but I have always been emotional when I have bad anxiety . I know alot of people on here deal with this all day ever day 365 and I thank God I haven't had to deal with that so far . but I give u a time line of how mine worked this time started 12-21 I was so bad with pannic attacks I was on Xanax the first time I have ever taken anything like that I was like that until 1-9 and I was so bad with anxiety my chest was tight all the time. So I felt like I coulded breath crying depression for about 2 weeks then I started haveing a few good afternoons . then the next week I had 4 or 5 great days then last week I went to my GP everyday I have a friend who's a nurse there and if I feel anxiety bout my breathing she will check it out and I am usually OK the rest of the day just need the reassurance but . this week I have had a few bad days ended up at the er hyperventilating I haven't done that since the first two weeks. So I am hoping I am coming to the end if my episode

[Agora1]

Angiecis, you aren't alone in that feeling of feeling breathless when exercising. Actually even walking against the Chicago winds gets me breathing a little harder. But that's normal. When exercising it's always best to warm up first, don't go right into an exercise mode. Take deep breathes and stretch your arms up high and breathe. Do this about 10 times, until the muscles are warm and loose. Then start moving slowly while you pick up the pace. Use deep breathing while exercising because you may have the tendency to hold your breathe when you feel your heart beating a little faster. This is par for the course. It's a normal reaction for the heart to beat in conjunction with exercising. It's good for your heart.

When finished exercising, bring down your heart rate by again moving slowly and deep breathing, stretching out your arms in front of you and breathe. Then time for a glass of water to hydrate those muscles. Enjoy that "feel good" feeling that comes from the Endorphin level rising. Remind yourself that you are benefiting your heart muscle and not hurting it.