Feeling low Some advise please - British Heart Fou...

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Feeling low Some advise please

Amyamy12345 profile image
31 Replies

Hi thank you for reading in advance

so I have been taking my beta blocker since Thursday and last night for the first time my heart rate was ranging from 58-60

But even though this my comfortable resting heart rate ( before my heart rate went higher than normal and I could feel the pounding ) instill feel odd in my chest and even the right side of chest feels shaky almost like a twitching sensation or temor very very odd and I also have a twitching sensation in my stomach I'm confused if this is even heart casing this but I've no other idea what it could be any ideas please it's the time even when heart rate is low and back to my normal now.

This is 24 7 relentless

I was told I have many missed beats on my ECG , he said a lot people get those some don't even feel them or know there happening

I'm starting to feel very low with all this now I have other health conditions and this is making them them worse.

Lying down or sitting on the sofa makes it feel much worser. It's still doing this through the night when I'm wake up

I'm sorry to go on I know your struggling , I just felt I needed to reach out today and say I'm feeling low and I'm starting to think I'll never get to the bottom of all this

I'm sorry I am a positive person, I promise but today I'm feeling fed up

Tomorrow is a new day!

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Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345
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31 Replies
Identiy profile image
Identiy

By mistake, I posted a reply at the bottom of your post one week ago.

there were 33 previous replies

Hope it is useful

devonian186 profile image
devonian186

I think there are several things going on here. Firstly, you seem an anxious person so any problems you feel you have are amplified by your anxiety.

Secondly, its the time of year when everyone feels low. Its called SAD. I note that Elizabeth the first set up mental health places in order to deal with the huge wave of people that felt depressed, especially during the winter. In the past Christmas and its pagan ancestors were used to banish the dark. Today we have various fatuous TV reality shows.

Deal with your anxiety and SAD (seasonal affective Disorder) and hopefully things will improve.

Yogi1950s profile image
Yogi1950s

Hi.

Point 1 - You are normal! Something doesn't seem right and you get anxious about it. It happens at a time when you can't speak to anybody for reassurance and the anxiety grows until it has taken on monster proportions. This in turn raises your awareness of the initial issue and the cycle feeds itself until you are in a complete blind funk and can't function in even a slightly normal way.

Point 2 - You have done something positive and reached out to the group who have all encountered similar issues at various times. We possibly don't have any solutions but we are there to offer some moral support and comfort.

Point 3 - You say you are positive which is excellent. Some here are less so, but you are able to see that things will get better and tomorrow is a new day. Things will improve but not necessarily by themselves. At the first opportunity, contact your Cardiologist or their team and seek the reassurance that you need from them. If you can't contact them then try your physician instead. Keep going until somebody gives you either the reassurance you need or a solution (maybe a meds alteration or advice to adjust when you take it etc to alleviate the problem)

Keep your head up and your positive spirit.

Have a great day and all the best

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

It sounds as though you are talking about multiple ectopic beats, skiipped heart beats. I have various arrhythmias and I can say that ectopics made me feel the worst - yet the medics consider them benign. The beta blocker is a rate control drug so if you have had also a high rate and your rate is now down they are doing their job but I have to say for me they were the worst drug for side effects making me feel lethargic, miserable and fatigued. Beta Blockers are adrenaline Chanel blockers so are often prescribed for anxiety, however, like anything which helps it can also cause so may increase anxiety. If your body doesn’t adjust within 2 weeks, return and ask for alternative rate control.

Anxiety will always exacerbate ectopic beats so finding some method of managing your anxiety will help enormously, it’s not a cure but doing something helps you also feel more in control. Many people find breathing practice very helpful - Long, Slow, Deep breaths 7/11 breathing were you breath in for a count of 7, hold, breath out for count of 11. If you can’t manage that first time 4/7 - the important thing is to slow your breathing right down, preferably to a count of 6/7per minute. It really helps!

It may also help to find practices to help your vagal tone - that is the balance between your Sympathetic and Parasympathetc Autonomic Nervous system. The vagus nerve is the largest nerve in the body and runs through the stomach and very near to the heat. This system is better known as the Fight/Flight/Freeze response and when it is ‘on’ full time it can upset everything and being in chronic ‘high alert’ mode. This would account for the feelings also in your stomach. This is not good for your general health. Posture will therefore affect how much you feel. Some people find that exercising quite hard will flip them out of this mode whilst others find rest helps for some they persist whatever.

Things that exacerbate ectopics - stress, lack of sleep, mouth breathing, shallow breathing and substances such as alcohol, caffeine, smoking or vaping. It helps to keep a good healthy weight, do moderate exercise and relaxation, meditation helps as does humming, singing, Yoga, Tai Chi - any exercise which works with breath control. Distraction also helps - doing anything that gives you pleasure as the LESS you focus on the sensations, the less you notice them.

Hope that helps.

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toCDreamer

Thank you for such a detailed reply I appreciate it and yes your right the body does go into a fight or flight response I do need try to settle my worries over all these sensations Easier said than done, I shall try what you have suggested thank you , happy holidays I hope your well

Wishcld profile image
Wishcld

I’m going through same thing my heart rate is low and having what sounds like ectopics…… I’m new to it all and they increased my medication only last week……. May be we are adjusting to it. I’ve been told by a rhythm nurse ectopics are harmless forget about them ….. easier said than done as I two can feel them also x

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toWishcld

Thanks for the reply when you say the same thing are you experiencing viabrations to in the chest and stomach?

Wishcld profile image
Wishcld in reply toAmyamy12345

Yes…. I am hun.

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toWishcld

I've privated messaged you x

Diddy97 profile image
Diddy97

Hi

I was diagnosed with AFib two months ago. Hospital put me on Bisoprolol 125 which is apparently the lowest dose. However on the 3rd day of taking this I had awful side effects. I’ll describe them for you. It started like an inner trembling feeling down my back, then has now progressed to my stomach and chest area and is constant. It’s the worst feeling I’ve ever experienced and I feel just ill. I saw cardiologist on 6th Dec and he has written to my GP to prescribe Diltlezam (I might have spelled this wrong). My GP has only just received letter and is going to do prescription but after reading side effects of these I may be swapping one lot of side affects for another. Not sure what to do but can’t go on feeling like this.

Hope this might help x

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toDiddy97

I have private messaged you I hope that's okay , I have this and it's an awful sensation. I only started taking them last Thursday.

Do you find the trembling feeling is worse when lying down? It's such an uncomfortable feeling

Diddy97 profile image
Diddy97 in reply toAmyamy12345

That’s exactly how I feel. It feels like you have an electric current vibration inside your body. It’s the worst feeling I have ever experienced too.

It does get worse when sitting or lying but is there all the time.

It started just 3 days after starting on the Bisoprolol so I know it must definitely be them. I’ve been on them for 9 weeks now and it hasn’t got any better.

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toDiddy97

Thanks for reaching out, it helps to know I'm not going insane has I've been lying there thinking is this all in my head! It's absolutely awful I've only taken six and I think I'm going to stop them now and see what happens , I've emailed my cardiologist and explained my symptoms But I'm worried also about starting another med with different side effects

Do you feel like your breathing is heavy with it?

Diddy97 profile image
Diddy97 in reply toAmyamy12345

I think it might be a good idea to try and stop them now before they get too much into your system. But I really don’t know if it is as easy as that so be careful. I am also very worried about stopping as I don’t know what effect it might have but definitely can’t go on like this. I am going to phone my GP this morning and ask for the alternative (Diltlazam). I think anything is better than this.

Yes my breathing does feel heavy, as if it is in my throat.

Let me know how you get on and I will do likewise x

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toDiddy97

Yes this is how I'm feeling. My chest feels heavy from time to time with itIt's almost like a pulsating around my stomach and chest to alongside the tremor shaky feeling

It goes all around, is this what your getting ?

Does it wake you up in the night to?

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toDiddy97

Have you managed to speak to your gp

Diddy97 profile image
Diddy97 in reply toAmyamy12345

I phoned this morning and they haven’t yet received the letter from the cardiologist re changing to Diltlazem. I received copy on Saturday so don’t know why they haven’t got it yet? Anyway I took my copy of letter into them and they have scanned it and will issue a prescription. I would rather have come off the Bisoprolol but don’t know what effect it would have if not replaced with an alternative. The prescription will be ready on Friday so will have to decide if I should start taking the Diltlazam instead. x

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toDiddy97

I'm sorry , I've been to a respiratory consultant tonight he was very lovely, He's doing a CT scan for me hopefully tomorrow or by Monday and some lungs tests.

I told him about this pulsating vibrations he wasn't aware of them before but he said the CT scan he's doing will look at the vessels around the area.

How are your symptoms today? I've just stopped taking mine to be honest, I have emailed my cardiologist secretary but haven't heard back yet today

Diddy97 profile image
Diddy97 in reply toAmyamy12345

I really think that you are doing the right thing to stop now before they get into your system. I wish I had stopped them immediately. I’ve been looking on a website run by the BHF is called ‘Bisoprolol beta blockers withdrawal’. There are lots of people who have had the same side effects as you and I have .

Anyway GP surgery messaged me to say my prescription had been sent to the pharmacy, so I’ll collect tomorrow and decide what to do.

I hope all goes well with your CT scan. Perhaps you can let me know how you get on and also how you feel stopping the Bisoprolol. Fingers crossed you’ll start to feel better. x

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toDiddy97

I have messaged you privately if you know where to find it x

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toDiddy97

I have taken half the tablet tonight because I'm worried about just stopping them right away x

Diddy97 profile image
Diddy97 in reply toAmyamy12345

think that is a good idea it’s best to be careful with this horrible drug!

I think I am going to go down the route and wean off the Bisoprolol completely. I will get the new prescription but won’t take it at least for the time being . I don’t want to replace one lot of side effects for another. I am going to do it slowly and cut down 3/4 for 1 week then 1/2 for a week and so on until I’m down to nothing. Not looking forward to possible high heart rate increases but will see how it goes. I have only been on it for 9 weeks so maybe it won’t be too bad.

I think you have made a good decision in starting to come off them now and reducing them gradually is probably for the best rather than just stopping abruptly. Do please let me know how you get on with that x

Diddy97 profile image
Diddy97

I think that is a good idea it’s best to be careful with this horrible drug!

I think I am going to go down the route and wean off the Bisoprolol completely. I will get the new prescription but won’t take it at least for the time being . I don’t want to replace one lot of side effects for another. I am going to do it slowly and cut down 3/4 for 1 week then 1/2 for a week and so on until I’m down to nothing. Not looking forward to possible high heart rate increases but will see how it goes. I have only been on it for 9 weeks so maybe it won’t be too bad.

I think you have made a good decision in starting to come off them now and reducing them gradually is probably for the best rather than just stopping abruptly. Do please let me know how you get on with that x

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toDiddy97

I have seen my cardiologist today , I have come off them I had only taken 6 and a half in total.But I'm coming off them to see what happens

How is your vibrations today? Do you have like a fluttering sensations

I have like , bubbling or twitching fluttering hard to explain in the chest right side and into the stomach

Diddy97 profile image
Diddy97 in reply toAmyamy12345

Ahh that’s good you can come off of them . It might take a little while for the horrible side effect feelings to settle down but hopefully not for long.

The vibrations are not so constant today but still come and go. Yes I do get that fluttering feeling have had it today. It’s in lower abdomen and up into my chest and round my back rib area. It’s a strange feeling hard to explain.

I’ve started reducing today, just by a quarter for a few days and then go down to half and so on.

Do they make you tired at all? x

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toDiddy97

The vibrations haven't been has constant today for you? That's a good thing then What about the fluttering in the chest I seem to have this all time 24 7?

Diddy97 profile image
Diddy97 in reply toAmyamy12345

The fluttering feeling is there all the time.

What did your cardiologist say?

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toDiddy97

Would it be okay to chat over the private messages please I keep loosing this page 😂 I'm rubbish with technology

Diddy97 profile image
Diddy97 in reply toAmyamy12345

Yes that would be fine, I’m just not sure how to do the pm . I’m rubbish at technology too😂. Can you explain how to do it

Amyamy12345 profile image
Amyamy12345 in reply toDiddy97

You have messaged me privately and I have messaged you back well done you found it I'm absolutely terrible to do don't worry 😂

Happypainter profile image
Happypainter

I’m so sorry you feel so low. It is very understandable when you have different health conditions. I can’t comment on any physical causes but maybe some counselling would help? There is a wonderful site with so many self help resources for depression and anxiety that you could look at:

Www.getselfhelp.co.uk

Be kind to yourself. X

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