Going insane
So how do I stop focusing on my heart ?? I’m constantly checking my pulse the moment I feel a twitch in my chest , checking for palps, how fast it’s going etc etc etc
Yes I have accepted my anxiety . But I can be good for a few weeks then bang. And this chest , heart thing . Obsession is really starting to drive me mad . Help with advise would be great .
Hey Jodz! I was the queen of the fluttering and racing heart! Checked it constantly, stopped working out, thought I was going to die at any given minute... One day I finally somehow trusted my doctor, I literally stopped caring what my heart did, I mean I wouldn’t even check my pulse or get alarmed when it skipped beats, and remarkably, it gradually got better, which led to my anxiety getting better. You say you’ve accepted your anxiety, but when you’ve completely accepted it, you will not check your pulse at all. You just know what’s causing the racing and skipping and you will let it do whatever it wants to do and hardly notice. Every time you fear it or reach for your pulse, it’s like you’re throwing another log on the fire (anxiety). When you ignore it, the fire dies down until one day it’s gone.
Usagold wow yep that’s me . I just can’t seem to break this . It’s def got me sucked in . Just need to know how to stop it .
Brilliant, simply brilliant advice. 😎
Throw those heart monitors away, take your fingers off your pulse and get that heart pumping ❤️😍❤️ It’s only excessive adrenalin caused by your fear of...adrenalin!
Beevee I bloody wish it was that easy . It’s now 9.15 pm Aussie time and my bp is 96/69 but my heat rate feels like it’s racing but it’s only 73 ?? How do I stop 🛑???
Never said it was easy but it’s not impossible either once you are shown the way. There is no magic pill because the only thing that keeps anxiety sufferers stuck is fear, or fearing the feelings of fear.
Lose your fear by learning to accept instead of fighting, avoiding or trying to suppress the symptoms. You are caught up in the fear-adrenalin-fear cycle. One feeding the other. If you have a clean bill of health and there is nothing wrong with your ticker, knowledge and understanding of the anxiety condition and how it manifests itself ( it’s just excessive energy that needs to be released) will remove the bewilderment and constant struggle to find answers and your way out.
I have posted lots of information about recovery on this forum which you may find helpful. All based on my own experiences by following the teachings of Dr Claire Weekes. Recovery is a process which is waiting to be kickstarted into action by simply allowing your self to feel the symptoms of anxiety and learning not to add second fear by constantly worrying about how quick or slow your ticker might be beating. It is the second fear that keeps the whole thing going. You can’t control the first reaction that flashes up but you can decide how you react to that first fear.
The fact that you know your bp implies to me that you are constantly monitoring yourself and in fear. This is classic anxiety. Other sufferers focus on other things, whether they be physical symptoms, intrusive thoughts or feeling disconnected but the treatment is all the same because fear is the root cause. Accepting it all and learning to let go. As the mind and body recovers, all those symptoms that sufferers brood over, disappear. They are only there because of anxiety which is why fighting the symptoms will never work because you are fighting with yourself.
If you haven’t already done so, the first step to recovery is to read Essential Help For Your Nerves by the late Dr Claire Weekes (she was an Aussie), absorb her teachings and apply them in full to your life. It explains all you need to know about anxiety and how to recover by changing your attitude towards the symptoms. It’s about changing all those “What Ifs” into “So What” which is easier when you understand that anxiety is not the enemy. It’s your friend and only trying to protect you from perceived threats and doing exactly what it is designed to do. That threat is anxiety itself. Make friends with it ( be ok about not feeling ok) and the threat eventually disappears. Without that threat, your mind and body look to revert to its default setting which is calmness. If you have been fighting with yourself for some time, it will take time for things to return to normal.
It’s all in the book!
Hope this helps.
p.s. I was under the impression that it was just us Poms that moaned all the time! 🇦🇺🇬🇧😉
I relate to this so much that I want to cry!!! I have felt so alone with this for the past 2 years! I carry a pulse ox and BP cuff with me at all times! My dad has a serious heart condition and I have been so scared that I have it too. After 4 doctors have told me that I am fine and only get occasional PVCs for less then 1% of my heart beats... I still can’t shake it. Some mornings I wake up and my heart rate can be in the 180s and I’m convinced I’m going to drop dead. I’m only 25 and I am very hyper aware of my heart beat and it has runined my quality of life. I don’t like the travel anymore.. I don’t even like to leave my house because it’s pretty close to the hospital if I feel like I need to go. I have OCD, GAD and panic attacks but I’m sick of the antidepressants. They have more side effects then I want to put up with and I also have a fear of starting new meds. I’m afraid of reactions or adverse effects. So I’ve been pushing through this myself. I recently had an endoscopy done and I am inflamed from my throat to my small intestine all because of my anxiety. It’s ridiculous. I sit and worry about my heart and about my PVCs. It’s life changing. I really need to find a behavioral therapist in the area to help me with all of this. But I’m a mom to 3 little ones.. and it’s hard to find the time. I’m just so glad I’m not alone.. no one understands!
Hey I can relate to everything you’ve said. I am obsessed with having a heart attack, I get chest pains and chest spasms. There is heart disease in my family. No doctor has found anything wrong yet. I too know I need thereapy ASAP but I’v 4 children, the youngest is only one and I have absolutely nobody to mind her if I got an appointment. My hisnycan mind her in the evenings after work or weekends but I’v yet to find a therapist that doesn’t just work 9-5. I’m in s really bad way lately with heart anxiety and I just don’t know where to turn anymore, turning to google makes me worse xx
Kmama3 yes that me . My bp monitor is in the lounge next to me . And there is one at work . My heart rate goes up but when it does it pounding out my chest , so that makes it worse . I’m sick to death of this . Everytime I go to do something it effects me . I’m now laying in bed ready to get up and the tightness in my throat has already started . Also do you suffer from reflux ?
Yes I do! I’ve tried so many meds and nothing is helping. After my scope they put me on a PPI. I’ve been having throat spasms for over a month and all the doctors look at me like I’m crazy so they think it’s still anxiety. But I think it’s a part of the reflux. But as long as I stay anxious.. my stomach won’t get better. So I can’t win! Also the GERD can cause palpitations!
Hi do you drink a lot of caffeine?
No I don’t drink coffee . Have one de cafe green tea in morning and a glass of red at night
I know how you feel. I too at one point was so obsessed with checking my pulse...all day long. It stopped once I went to numerous cardiologist appointments and realized it's my anxiety. Though it didn't go away completely, if I feel flutters I check alot, just this evening I did the same thing. And I had to force myself to stop.
Yep it stops me in my tracks and I have to check it !
No advice unfortunately because I do the same myself. That and googling drives me mad and sends me into panic. I would prefer to fear any other health worry rather than my heart.
It’s just crazy ,. My life sux . This thing controlling me
Me too! I’m sitting here outside my doctors office just because I was feeling different pains in the usual places, chest, neck, arms etc and I just feel safer being here. How sad is that? There’s no point in me paying a fortune to actually go into the doctor again because they won’t do anything different just maybe suggest changing my meds.
To be honest, it is you that is controlling “it.” It’s like anything you feed. It grows. When you stop feeding it, it dies. Stop feeding your habit of self checking by learning not to fear the symptoms which you are inflicting upon yourself. Develop an attitude of So What!? and move on with your day.
Acceptance is key to recovery.
this started for me from a panic attack i thought was a heart attack. now i feel like every ache/pain/weird heartbeat is heart related. i feel like its the worst health obsession.
Yup mine too. Last June I went on an extra long bike ride got over tired came home fell asleep woke up with fast heart and full panic .... since then I’ve had ECGs bloods and treadmill test all great but yet it’s left me in a heightened state of awareness of every pain, heart beat and breath .... tried so hard to stop obsessing but I can’t so gave in to mild antidepressants but they seem to make me worse but it’s only 4 days so I will keep going
Take care
this comes and goes for me. ssri's helped. what i have to do is distract myself. the more you check your pulse or let it consume you youre adding fuel to the fire. i get hyper aware of my heartbeat and can feel it all the time. i just tell myself its beating normally, there's nothing wrong. sometimes i'll repeat a mantra so my mind stops going into overdrive and shuts off.
Rilo7268 any advise on ssri ?
im on zoloft 25mg. we tried upping it to 50 mg when i was having trouble sleeping but the increase caused too much anxiety for me. i take that and buspar 5mg 2x a day. my anxiety/panic seems to come from feeling physical symptoms - heartbeat, weird pains etc.
I don’t really know what advice to give you...I am the same. Sometimes, I don’t “feel” my heart but then suddenly I feel two-three strong beats in my chest...like bubbles...and then I start checking my pulse.
The best thing to do is just to stop paying attention...which is easy to say.
Sometimes I wonder if just “letting it all go” is the best thing to do...let my heart to do it’s job and if it decides to stop...oh well...but again, easy to say, eh?!? In fact, I can feel my heart right now since I am writing about it 😂. It’s time to check my pulse I guess 
I so want to get into that frame of mind, the one where we just accept that if our hearts are gonna stop then feck it, there’s nothing we can do anyway! But I’m too afraid to do it, I’m terrified when I start getting symptoms and think I’m dying. But I think the answer is to accept it.
I'm with you! and Jodz and the others on here... I was able to stop worrying about the daily fast HR, usually under 100, and the numerous PVCs, and I feel normal most every day now (no meds), but there's something I cannot yet accept-- it's when I wake up in the night, and this only happens at night, with my heart racing, like over 150. When this happens, it's terrifying, it makes me feel awful (is it a burst of adrenaline? panic? making me feel awful and making my heart race since monitor showed it was not SVT or any arrhythmia), it seriously makes me think I might die, so I have embarrassed myself calling the local fire dept too many times. No one understands though, I don't think I'm crazy, but these attacks are scary as hell. They last about 20 mins, then my body shivers and even have like tremors. Is this anxiety or is something else wrong? It seems to happen after stressful days or when I am really tired, several times/month always in the night.
OMGSH! I have the same exact thing except mine is when I wake up in the morning. I will go days without it happening and then bam, it will happen. Mines gotten up to 180s before. Then I tremble afterwords and have a horrid anxiety filled day. All of my monitors didn’t show SVT or an arrhythmia either.. they say I’m just so anxious that my body is ready to take on another anxious day and it’s my flight or fight response kicking in.
Wow. Interesting. Do you think you are going to die when it happens? The highest I have recorded mine, using my BP monitor, was 178, but recently it was going so fast my monitor kept saying “E” so I tried counting it for 15 sec x 4 and it was around 200! So, I was SURE I was dying, I called the poor firemen and woke them up again. Then it slowed back down and I did my trembling thing.
Usagold I have had that at night . But now mine is happening during the day and just out of the blue . My back goes all hot and heart rate through the roof , dry mouth and just feel terrible . The other day I went to the loo and this wave of dizziness hit me . Staged to the couch and I couldn’t lay down as everything spun . This then sent me into a full blown panic attack , heart racing , the hot wave up through my body , wanted to vomit etc etc . Only relief was laying on my left side . Couldn’t go to work.
Driving home yesterday from work and my chest , stomach felt tight , like a wall , funny feeling in head , dry mouth . So took a Kalma . But under my arm this morning it’s black and blue as I pinch it so violently to help with the feelings . I’m feeling I’m loosing this war
I feel exactly the same as you! I'm convinced I have un-diagnosed heart disease even though I have had every test in recent years and all clear!
I sometimes push myself to exercise then afterwards I just think, if it was serious, I'd pass out or something but I'm fine so my heart must be ok x
This used to be me all the time. I still at times pay attention to my heart. The only thing you can do is control your behavior. Your heart is going to beat whether you want it to or not. It's going to be hard and it takes practice.
Just let it be. Accept the symptoms and don't overreact to them. It's easier said than done but if you find yourself paying attention to your heart don't check your pulse. If you feel it skip a beat let it be and don't behave rash towards it. A skipped heart beat is normal and non life threatening.
I feel heart palps all the time and my heart beats fast randomly at times. It's frustrating and uncomfortable but I allow it to be and eventually the event passes. I stopped touching my pulse because it becomes compulsive/learned behavior.
I'm going to PM you a website. You should check it out. I practice what it suggests. It's takes commitment.
Stay strong and don't let anxiety win.
I’ve had a great last couple of days and now today I woke up with a crazy high heart rate.. and it’s still running in the 90s which is unusual for me but I know it’s not dangerous. But I’m so anxious. I guess because I have to leave my house today and be around family LOL I’ve had 1/2 a Valium and it doesn’t seem to be doing the trick. I’ve also taken maloxx because I’m constantly burping and I feel like my heart is beating irregular but hopefully it’s just gas. I have 3 kids I should be getting ready for the day right now but I’m stead I’m curled up on the couch with them freaking about my heart rate and praying I don’t go into a PVC storm (lots of skipped beats). This is the worst time for my anxiety to act up like this! I have so much to do today and be thankful for.
Thanx everyone . It’s just so so hard , I will go outside and feed my horses their hay and my heart rate goes up to 128 bpm , is this normal ? It seems to do that most times , it’s fast and really pounding , so then I panic . I’m hating this that I’m getting to the stage I don’t want to do anything as my raised heart beat is doing my head in . Yes it has to beat , but why like this 😞😞
Mine goes up to about that when I'm doing the horses too! Try not to panic (easier said than done I know) Do you do any exercise other than horse related stuff?
Work which I am on my feet doing a lot of walking . Amd might do a little walk twice a week . I know I need to up my exercise . But why does my heart beat so fast and so bloody thumping .?
I have a desk job so when I'm doing the horses it goes nuts cos it's like woahhhh woman what is this movement! Haha. this morning I've just got up, brushed my teeth then sat down to get ready and my heart is on one. I have no idea why. One thing I do get is excess stomach acid/acid reflux and when I went through my heart tests a few years ago they also put me on meds to reduce the reflux....the heart symptoms stopped! Not sure if you get heartburn/acid reflux but it's definitely linked and not dangerous
Mousee87 that very interesting . I had to take my father to the doctors this after noon . While in there I told him I have been having massive heart burn , gurgling in my throat chest , and can be sound asleep and get woken wit like vomit , reflux in my mouth , so I sleep with extra pillow . I havnt changed anything in my diet to cause this . I take nexium atm , but Dr prescribed somac and another tablet . When I went to the chemist to get scripts the chemist spoke to me and asked how is my anxiety atm . I said real bad but then it can be good for 3 weeks but then bang it’s back . Anxiety , panic attacks have a lot to do with this reflux etc . Anyway see what these tabs do .
Just funny that your suffering the same . ?
That's EXACTLY how mine was! Just doing normal chores, it would be between 120 and 140. I couldn't figure out why my heart was overworking like that. Looking back, I think its because my body was so hyperstimulated that it had excess adrenaline flowing all the time causing my heart to skip beats and go fast. That's why I had to stop working out. I was beat. I think that's probably youre problem too. You have to control your thoughts in order to get your body out from under the curse of anxiety. Every time you worry, you add to the adrenaline flowing in your veins and stimulating your heart. Keep reminding yourself it is temporary and you will get better. The only remaining symptom for me are these random attacks in the night where my heart races wildly and I think I'm dying.
irritable, my mood is all over the place, pains, twitching and spawning, itchy skin, bruising...
dizziness and irritability.
And that's how I feel and it's driving me crazy and I'm losing home and...
this feeling that i’m constantly spinning. like not things around me, just me. but i’m not. or that...
scare my heart is going to stop anytime.
I want to have babies but I am too afraid my heart is going
thinking, I feel like I’m not the same person, I’m scared to be alone, and I’m paranoid. The doctor...
You have to keep redirecting yourself with distractions. You have trained yourself to be hyper aware so now you have to train yourself to not respond. It takes practice. I also need an ssri to help me with my obsessive thoughts
I try to keep busy , but it’s so so hard