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Pounding heart

NatalieJ29 profile image
23 Replies

Hi Everyone

I'm 29 years old and i have recently been suffering really bad with Anxiety which has led to panic attacks. So one day i am at home working and my left arm went numb, really numb and it started me off in a panic i rang the doctors they told me it was just my muscle or a trapped nerve and gave me some muscle relaxers. So I took them but the numb arm still did not go away and a few days after it was accompanied by chest pains underneath my boob (left side) my heat rate was over 140bpm so my husband took me to A&E. I was checked over, i went on ECG machine etc and the doctor told me i was fine he could only put it down to me having a panic attack.. I'm waiting on a referral from my Doctor for a chest scan as at the beginning of the year when i bent over or laughed too hard or some times coughed under my left hand boob i can only describe the pain as something moving and trying to push its way out. (I know probably i sound crazy) anyway i went to the Doctors about it and because it didn't happen there and then she couldn't help me but said if it continued then i could have a chest Xray done which i'm waiting for an appointment. But now for the past couple of days my heart is pounding and sometimes my resting heart rate is normal (On my fitbit) but this feeling is driving me insane i cannot even rest. I am hoping someone can give me some advice or maybe feeling the same. I'm not sure when its not normal? and i don't want to keep on bugging the NHS staff because they told me before nothing is wrong with my heart but surely i shouldn't have a constant pounding heart feeling?

thanks in advance.

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23 Replies
Rose54 profile image
Rose54

Hi

Anxiety can do funny things to our bodies

Have you spoke to your GP about medication or counselling?

I am suffering at present but find meditation helps ,also keeping busy .

If you are unsure keep on at your GP

or phone 111 for advice

NatalieJ29 profile image
NatalieJ29 in reply to Rose54

Yeah it does and now I've familiarised myself with it all I know it can cause all sorts of things, maybe its all in my head i dont know but I cant rest until I 100% no and I dont really seem to be getting any where.

Im going to ring 111 tomorrow xx

Rose54 profile image
Rose54 in reply to NatalieJ29

Hope you get a result

Debtyd profile image
Debtyd

Hi Natalie,

I've developed the same kind of thing since around April may time..it all started in January this year. I went to docs 1st time after feeling a bit rubbish after a nasty cold.it felt like I had been poked in the throat and I also felt like I'd been punched in the solarplexus.he gave me meds for gastro issues and said see how you go.2nd time different gp who ordered loadsa blood tests and chest x-ray. Seemed like they took forever... my blood pressure was also dangerously high as well.{you don't say that there was a problem with your bp. }by this time I had started to wheeze as well. So,tests all came back clear including xrays.i was put on bp meds as it just wouldn't lower.im an ex smoker of nrly 2yrs which didn't help my corner either.had some mad bromide inhaler which tasted like a mouthful of hairspray and didn't help at all.by the end of February I had enough of not being able to walk to local shop so went back a 3rd time.again different go she immediately referred me to cardiologist and gave me more meds and said to take aspirin. ECG at docs was slightly amiss so quickly got hospital appointment and was referred for echocardiogram and ct scan...treating me for angina in the meantime. Had echo which was clear, {so I found out in july}my ct scan was cancelled on 1st April due to covid.so getting treated still for angina all time I was really not getting better.i had developed a strange "pounding of heart beat" that goes around my torso which is going to make me a little bit nervous as im not prone to anxiety or panic although i have had a couple of panic attacks many years back..So,finally after chasing around,I had my ct coronary calcium score and something else I can't remember off the top of my head.. had a few issues with vein leaking cos I'm not the easiest of customers. And still the pounding or thumping still continues I still can't do any normal activities let alone exercise and no one seems to listen when I say I feel wrong..had letter saying to take this and that although this and that I've been taking since February,and they haven't worked much although my bp suddenly went right down to normal after ct scan.if my symptoms persist call another unhelpful gp and I can go on a waiting list for another mad angiogram.that was Friday just gone,I went straight to cardiology and got date for nxt month.i explained this wierd pounding and got a call this morning saying I can go in Monday and hopefully find out if there are any actual arteries that have narrowed or the blurry bits they couldn't make out weren't anything of the sort.... now please don't let this worry you any more than you already are cos I'm 50yrs old Saturday and you're the same age as my daughter and its probably something much simpler going on with you.what I'm saying is don't stop pushing to find out what's wrong with you. You know your body and if you're not feeling right you need to keep on at the professionals to help.panic attacks don't feel like,(get this thing I discovered) diaphragmic pulsating. Also I've been told not to be over concerned about going to A&E with any kind of chest aches or pains cos they'd rather a false alarm than just not bothering and waiting til it's too late...i hope that I've not put too much fear in you and I'm sorry if I have but if you feel "all wrong"then you need to make a bit of noise and get right again...

NatalieJ29 profile image
NatalieJ29 in reply to Debtyd

Hiya, thanks for replying. Like you say, you know when it's not normal, I wouldnt mind if I had been to the gym or doing a crazy house cleaning spree but I work as an Account Manager and I'm at my computer 6hr a day. My heart is Still pounding and I dont think thats right... Now because my Doctors are aware of my panic attacks etc they just try to tell me that its causing symptoms and its nothing to worry about but even if it is just that, it would be better for someone to check me over surely because I dont feel right! I can't live down aniexty or stop worrying until I know I've been fully checked over.

I hope you get sorted out there is nothing worse than knowing in your own head something is not right!

I will call the Doctor in the morning am sure they will think I am just making it up again.

Xx

Debtyd profile image
Debtyd in reply to NatalieJ29

Bless you,it's pants when you don't feel like you're being listened to.. have they checked your blood pressure?mine was really high until the day after they rewarded me with a leaked vein which left me with a temporary lump the size of a tennis ball where the canular was then it just dropped dramatically which I'm sure isn't quite normal...and all I kept getting from them was"i don't understand what your problem is if your bp is normal"and didn't even know what I meant by contrast extravasation lol honestly it's ridiculous sometimes.but if you get too overwhelmed,my sweet,you take yourself to A&E,it may be something but it may be nothing.if you've strained your tummy at any stage you may have pulled yourself and it maybe a hernia that's what my sister has and she gets a lot of discomfort so when they say it doesn't usually give you any problems,it's not entirely true.ill check back here to see how you get on and then ilk check back here on Monday or Tuesday let you know what injuries that they reward me with lol...x💜

NatalieJ29 profile image
NatalieJ29 in reply to Debtyd

Its horrible knowing that deep down they don't understand me or they are choosing to not want too! I hate feeling like this and I hate not knowing if it is in my head or there is something wrong. I think the NHS service is under pressure with other things going off and they don't really have time to spare for people like us, we get shoved to the side. Nope no blood pressure checked, I went to the a&e and they put me on the ecg and then just looked at me and said nothing is wrong with you go home basically.

Yeah please let me how you get on and i will speak with you soon

Thank you so much 💓

Debtyd profile image
Debtyd in reply to NatalieJ29

You don't have to thank me,I've not done anything other than bring to the surface things you already knew.one piece of advice though and it's important..GET YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED talk soon take care xxxx

NatalieJ29 profile image
NatalieJ29 in reply to Debtyd

So i booked in for my chest scan tomorrow at 2pm!

Im hoping this can give me some answers. xx

Debtyd profile image
Debtyd in reply to NatalieJ29

Fingers crossed for you.i did reply but don't know where it went lol.i did say that due to covid we also have to avoid our gp surgery and have phone appointments.although we have always had to be referred by gp for xrays.our walk in clinic faded away.and I even had my pre admission over the phone lol it's a bit strange though.i know it's not fun but keep being strong and I'm sure you'll get right answer.xx msg you back tomorrow same place lol💜xx

NatalieJ29 profile image
NatalieJ29 in reply to Debtyd

Hiii, I didn't ever come back to you!

Sorry. Its been a crazy couple of weeks, my panic attacks got a little worse so I kept taking myself off to a&e because I was still convinced something was wrong.

Anyway on the last visit to a&e they checked everything, bloods, ecg, blood pressure, any signs of infections, my chest scan.

Everything is clear and apparently in perfect working order. 🤷‍♀️ hard pill to swallow when I was 100% sure something weren't right.

Anyway the hospital referred to me my doctor for a chat who set me off citalopram for a while but they didn't work if anything made me feel worse and a terrible headache and didn't help the palpitations.

So I went back and now I'm on Beta blockers (propranolol) & touch wood these have been going well so far, the only down fall is im not sure if they are interfering with my Asthma so ill need to monitor that.

So apart from my aniexty and panic disorder there is apparently nothing medically wrong with me.

I hope everything is ok with you?

Thank you listening last time around though 🥰

Debtyd profile image
Debtyd in reply to NatalieJ29

Bless you lets just hope they work for you..im so glad you're feeling a little better sweetie. Me???well aha ha..had investigatory standby angiogram 10 days ago..almost 3 hours in theatre.i had one completely clear artery..one slightly narrowed artery and one completely blocked artery somewhere near the heart valve and none of this was picked up on previous tests..i have 2stents placed in 3rd but waiting to see if second can do without stent for now.they weren't mega confident that 3rd artery would let them put stents in..and said that I may have had to go back for a bypass... so I'm hopeful it all stays where it should although I have to say I've recently started to feel like I did before.im hoping I'm just still recovering and the discomfort is all but that of the "battering "my heart had endured whilst fixing me...i had an excellent cardio team as well which helped me feel a little more at ease with things...start cardio rehab via phone tomorrow so I might be able to walk to the shops without feeling like I'm going to collapse with exhaustion lol..im not sure if it's possible to exchange email address here as I'd like to keep in touch.but if not that's ok I'll check in here when I get the chance.take care of yourself and remember there's always someone out there to listen even if they have no advice in return don't suffer on your own....💜💜💟💜💜

NatalieJ29 profile image
NatalieJ29 in reply to Debtyd

Omg you have been threw it 😳 you always think that your going through the worst time until you speak with someone else and then it opens your eyes! I hope you have a full and speedy recovery 🙏

My email is Natalielouiseshaw@hotmail.co.uk and I would really really love to keep in touch with you ❤

Email me with a simple hello and ill reply!

Xx

Sikabum profile image
Sikabum in reply to NatalieJ29

I stopped doing housework by myself because of similar symptoms. I have cardiologic problems and weight problems and once during house cleaning I started to feel very bad and had to call emergency. My house is quite big and after this, I always order house cleaning emop.co.uk/newham-cleaner it saves me time and my health

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

Yep, afraid anxiety can do what you describe and lots more besides. I don't understand why you are waiting just for a chest x ray. Here he GP gives you a letter that we can take to the x ray dept any time we like and just sit and wait to have it done. I went right at the end of lunch time when it was quiet. n and out in 10 minutes. There must be a reason why this anxiety has started; not a physical symptom so I suggest you try thinking what it could be and get help dealing with that. Anxiety can make you hyper aware of what you body is doing quite normally. I started having panic attacks after a very stressful time at work many years ago. I had to learn how to recognise them starting and ways of stopping them in their tracks but even now they can catch me unawares. What helps me if I feel one coming on is to have someone to talk to be about other things; something I have to concentrate on which takes my mind off how my body feels. Don't sit here wondering about every feeling or it will get worse. Do whatever it takes to distract your mind be it talking, self hypnosis, doing a puzzle - anything you really have to concentrate on

NatalieJ29 profile image
NatalieJ29

Here you after be referred by your Doctor before your allowed to go to the Hospital and have the XRay, i have sorted that this morning anyway i'm booked in tomorrow so that should hopefully give me peace of mind and then i can start to concentrate on working on me. Until i know 100% there is nothing wrong i cant concentrate on anything no matter how hard i try!

Thank you for your comment i'm sure all will be ok in time

Phil_London profile image
Phil_London

Hi, I some times get this and it does cause concern as I had a mild HA in May 2019, sometimes I am sure its anxiety and it has settled but also, being to full can do it to me, also medication of certain types can cause, fitness drinks and to much sugar can cause it and not sure if you drink at all, but alcohol even small amounts can relax your artieres and cause your heart to pound harder. I am not saying its any of these but the more we u destiny about causes rules out certain things and may assist and what is causing it. Good luck and I think so many can relate to the anxiety and fear.

NatalieJ29 profile image
NatalieJ29 in reply to Phil_London

Hi Phil

Yeah on weekend I tend to drink dont drink in the week but I said to my Husband I weren't sure if drinking made it worse! I'm pretty sure it does...

It could all be Anxiety and there could be nothing wrong but when its something you can't get out of your head I'd rather be safe than sorry and maybe I can get some clarification and work out exactly whats wrong

Thank you for commenting

gemma29806 profile image
gemma29806

Could it maybe an overactive thyroid? I had palpatations and high heart rate and was diagnosed with thyriod.

CharlesL profile image
CharlesL

Hi Natalie

Try to relax your description and age don't sound like a HA. We are all stressed out in these difficult times.

Take care

C

Ianc2 profile image
Ianc2

Do you drink plenty of water - about 5 pints a day of fluids a day, Lots of coffee? You have a fitbit - how many steps do you manage to get in every day?

NatalieJ29 profile image
NatalieJ29 in reply to Ianc2

I work at home in my office, while ever I'm doing that I dont manage to get my full amount of steps but I go swimming and the gym at least 3 times a week.. I drink coffee in a morning, juice in the afternoon.

Ianc2 profile image
Ianc2

Try and get daily run out in the open 20 -30 minutes should do it, a good blast of instant energy, a quick breakfast and you should be up and away. Try it for a week and see how you go.

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