Tired of this anxiety...

I've become very sedentary the past few weeks. I'm obsessed with my heart and heart rate so anything over 90 bpm sends me into a panic. I know it's irrational, but I don't know how to get over this. I check my pulse every few minutes to make sure it's stays within what I think is a normal resting rate. I've been put on a beta blocker to control my palpitations and it seems to help somewhat but then if my hr is too low I freak out too! I'm so tired of this anxiety, I really don't know what to do. Any advice is welcome.

[Hidden]

Get into the habit of keeping yourself busy, do things you like to do more often.

If you do feel anxiety kicking in try to tell yourself that its only your anxiety and it will do you no harm. You might learn to relax more if you think differently.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, it's so hard though! Being up and doing things gets my heart rate up and I panic! The I have to come back and sit down until it comes down again. It's such a vicious cycle

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Yes I know but you need to get your mind off it. Its natural for your heart rate to rise when you do stuff. You just need to relax and get on with doing things.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I know, thank you. I wish I could just switch it off.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

If you keep trying to relax and be busy you will eventually switch it off.

[Indigojoe in reply to Hidden]

They taught me ( like 100 years ago) that the more you move when your heart is racing the more your body and heart catch up to each other and you don''t feel the racing anymore.

[Hidden in reply to Indigojoe]

I've heard this too, my mom always tells me to jump on the treadmill to use up the adrenaline

[stix]

Not sure but if your on beta blockers I presume you have Heart AF ? And if so that will cause anxiety which then makes the heart rate worse, vicious circle. But I have found that reminding yourself it's not going to kill you helps, I know very well it's unpleasant but as long as you are able to call for an ambulance your be fine eventually.

[Hidden in reply to stix]

No mention of A-fib just palpitations. The goal my therapist gave me for this week is to not call the paramedics. I'm very tempted to just for reassurance though!

[stix in reply to Hidden]

Yes I know what you mean, but I have AF and very fast AF been taken in to A&E with heart rate of 260 plus many times now and as I suffer with anxiety it makes it all so much worse, but it's not going to kill me all the time I keep my meds on time and don't miss any.

You will get a sudden burst of anxiety when you get a palpitation but it won't kill you, so just keep saying that to yourself and eventually it will really help.

Good luck

[Indigojoe in reply to Hidden]

before you call any paramedics, take weak hot very SWEET TEA, and finish it. It was the old time remedy for folks who felt the heart racing when there was no medicines or paramedics.

[Hidden in reply to Indigojoe]

Any kind of tea?

[aminaismail]

i have the exact same problem started nearly 4 yrs ago when i was 13 and it came back sometimes im scared it might stop! but please try and overcome this fear -for starters,stop checking your pulse;belive me i tried doing that and the anxiety goes away unless if im aware of it again and i always attempt to call the paramedics if my mum isnt around :/ hope this helps Xx

[Hidden in reply to aminaismail]

I'm not checking it as much anymore. The first few days it was hard but it's gotten easier.

[Indigojoe]

All I can tell you is that I used to do the same thing ALL OF the time. I don't know why some of us panic over physical symptoms. I feel everything faster and "brighter" than anyone else I know. They gave me INDERAL back in the day. ( beta blocker) it was a miracle worker. When you HR gets TOO LOW ( in your mind) you can go get a Pepsi over ice. That is my distraction and it has soothed me for AGES.

[Hidden in reply to Indigojoe]

Hmm good idea. I'll try that thanks!

[Clurking]

I have just ordered myself an oximeter to check to see if my heart rate does go up, cause I feel others think I'm lying when my heart races, I want to see if it is a aniexty attack, and maybe in a way it w help so I can feel that's ok that's not bad. I'm the same w my aniexty, I do keep busy and I think it get worse in the time of hormones floating around my body, does yours feel worse anytime or is just all the time. I'm sat here now and my heart is racing. I just don't understand them. Y would I be panicking now.